The program is offered by Yueyang Open University in Hunan Province, in close collaboration with the Yueyang Barbecue Association. The curriculum forms part of a much broader, city-wide initiative to strengthen Yueyang’s famous barbecue sector and cultivate formally trained workers for a rapidly expanding market, elevating barbecue from an informal, street-level trade into a respected, recognized profession.
According to a report by China Dailythe institution began accepting applications on March 9 for its “degree plus skills” advanced talent training program. It is widely being billed as China’s first college-level academic course dedicated specifically to the barbecue industry.
Barbecue is a foundational pillar of Yueyang’s food and catering economy. The prefecture-level city is currently home to more than 2,000 barbecue eateries and supports approximately 50,000 jobs within the sector. In total, the local industry generates an annual output value exceeding 2 billion yuan (US$287.5 million), the report said.
A street food stall selling barbecue in China in 2024. Photo by Unsplash/Jie Wu |
Students enrolled in the three-year diploma program will study a blend of academic theory and practical culinary skills. The wide-ranging courses cover essential topics such as ingredient selection, charcoal heat control, and flavor development through specialized marinades.
Additionally, students will learn business elements like restaurant operations, cost management, and entrepreneurship. The curriculum is designed to merge traditional, time-honored grilling techniques with modern vocational education standards.
More than 30 experienced barbecue chefs and prominent restaurant owners from the city’s association have been invited to serve as hands-on instructors.
The program expects to admit between 50 and 100 students each year from a diverse applicant pool including recent school graduates, unemployed youth looking for a steady career, and current barbecue workers.
Over the next three years, the university and its partners hope to successfully train around 1,000 fully qualified barbecue professionals, according to Global Times.
Graduates of the program will receive an official academic diploma, alongside a vocational skill-level certificate recognized by human resources authorities. In the near future, the organizers plan to incorporate further vocational certification and advanced skills training directly overseen by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.
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