Are you passionate about the world of service and gastronomy, and dream of making it your reality? This program will enable you to acquire high-end food and beverage service techniques in the dining room.
Admission
Mid-January to March 1
September 15 to November 1
Course start date
August
January
Duration
10 months full-time
(1 124 h)
Format
In-person
Schedule
Full-time
Language of instruction
French
Compulsory internships
Yes
Diploma
Diploma of Vocational Studies (DVS)
Overview
This training course will teach you to deliver exceptional table service and customer experience. It will make you an accomplished waitress or waiter, ready to work in the best restaurants in Québec or anywhere else in the world.
Key elements of the program
- Intensive program leading to a DVS in Service de la restauration in less than a year
- Skills enrichment of analytical tasting and butler competencies
- Two internship placements, which may be abroad, depending on the student’s profile
- Visits to high-end restaurants
- Action learning in the ITHQ’s restaurants
- Experienced and passionate instructors
Acquire all your high-end service basics in less than a year!
What you will learn
The art of high-end service
Partner
Program structure and courses
Duration and schedule
- Program starting in the fall and winter of each year
- Spread over 10 months on a full-time basis (2 course sessions and 2 internships)
- Includes a total of 2 105 hours, including 1 200 hours of coursework and 210 hours of compulsory internships (ministerial program totalling 960 hours)
- Daytime courses and practical applications in the evening
- Schedule, dates and course order are subject to change.
- The ITHQ reserves the right to cancel a course or program if there are insufficient registrations to justify its offering. In such cases, program and registration fees will be refunded in full.
Hands-on experience
Compulsory internships:
- 3-week unpaid end-of-program internship (105 hours) in Québec, Canada or abroad depending on the student profile
- Paid or rewarded (depending on the destination) 3-week internship (105 hours) in a high-end establishment in Québec, Canada or abroad
Practical applications:
- Practical courses at the ITHQ’s restaurants
- Participation in competitions and various gastronomic activities
Internships are compulsory to obtain the ITHQ Signature certificate.
Diploma
- Diploma of Vocational Studies (DVS) in Service de la restauration from the Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec
- ITHQ Signature certificate in Service de la restauration gastronomique
- Food Handler certification in hygiene and food safety from the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec
- Attestation of completion of the Éduc’alcool Action Service program
Looking to expand your learning?
- This program is complementary to the AVS in sommelier training, which is currently under development and will be offered in Fall 2025.
- To find out when registration for AVS in sommelier training is available, sign up now for our callback list.
All students are required to follow certain basic rules regarding professional image.
Admission
Admission application periods
Québec and Canadian applicants
Mid-January to March 1 (course start date in August)
September 15 to November 1 (course start date in January
International applicants
November 2 to February 1 (course start date in August)
March 2 to June 1 (course start date in January)
To be eligible for this program, you must:
- Have a Secondary School Diploma (SSD) or equivalent education, OR
- Be at least 16 years of age and have successfully completed your Secondary 3rd French (or English, if you studied in English), Second Language (English or French, as the case may be) and Mathematics courses, or equivalent education.
- Demonstrate proficiency in both oral and written French. Refer to the Required Language proficiency page for more details.
Experience in the restaurant services industry is an asset.
Selection interview
If your application file is eligible, you will be invited to a selection interview, which will take place either in person or remotely, depending on your place of residence.
In-person interview dates for Canadian applicants:
- Programs starting in Winter 2025: Wednesday, November 27 and Thursday, November 28, 2024
- Programs starting in Fall 2025: Wednesday, April 9; Thursday, April 10 and Friday, April 11, 2025
Required documents
- Applicants must ensure that they meet the program’s admission requirements before submitting their application.
- Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.
- For your admission file to be considered complete, it must contain a copy of all the official documents required by the ITHQ in accordance with your status, as listed below.
- These documents must be legible and saved in PDF format. Documents in a language other than French or English must also be accompanied by a certified translation into French or English.
- Important notice! Some documents required by the ITHQ may not be requested automatically on the admission platform. It is therefore your responsibility to ensure that all the documents on the list in accordance with your status have been uploaded to your file before submitting your application.
Important
The ITHQ will accept only one application per applicant for its vocational training programs. Although the SRAM admission platform allows you to submit up to 3 applications, only your 1st choice of program will be considered. Your 2nd or 3rd choice will automatically be rejected.
- Complete transcripts of university-level studies, including obtained diplomas and certificates, if applicable
- Work certificates attesting to work experience relevant to the program, if applicable
- Birth certificate
- Grades 10, 11 and 12 transcripts
- Complete transcripts for any subsequent years of study, if applicable
- Diploma(s) obtained
- Proof of language proficiency in French (language test result or proof of exemption)
- Work certificates attesting to work experience relevant to the program, if applicable
- Birth certificate
- Canadian citizenship certificate OR permanent resident card
- Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ), if applicable
- Complete transcripts for the last 3 years of high school (equivalent to grade 9, 10 and 11)
- Complete transcripts for any subsequent years of study, if applicable
- Diploma(s) obtained
- Proof of language proficiency in French (language test result or proof of exemption)
- Work certificates attesting to work experience relevant to the program, if applicable
- Birth certificate
- Complete transcripts for the last 3 years of high school (equivalent to grade 9, 10 and 11)
- Complete transcripts for any subsequent years of study, if applicable
- Diploma(s) obtained
- Proof of language proficiency in French (language test result or proof of exemption)
- Work certificates attesting to work experience relevant to the program, if applicable
Costs and financial aid
Program fees
Use the program fee calculator to find out about the costs of this program.
Financial aid and scholarships
Looking for financial support for your study project? Find out about the different options available to you.
Future prospects
An exciting and rewarding job
Working in the service industry will allow you to dive head first into the world of gastronomy, meet enriching people and develop interpersonal skills that will serve you throughout your life. In addition to being an exciting and rewarding profession, being a waiter or a waitress is one of the best ways to earn a living in the restaurant business, even at the start of your career.
Careers to discover
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