ENROLL HERE(Enrollment open until October 1 or until all spots are filled)
Design profitable models, lead teams, and transform your gastronomic vision.
In a highly competitive and constantly evolving industry, the Master in Innovation and Restaurant Management prepares you to lead gastronomic businesses with strategic vision, integrating innovation tools in both management and culinary offering.
You will learn to define effective business models and manage key areas such as marketing, sales, finance, and teams, with the goal of maximising profitability and operational efficiency.
The program is delivered through the learning by doing methodology and structured into sessions and practical activities that combine lectures, real-case analysis, and collaborative challenges. You will also benefit from resources like readings, exercises, case studies, and Learning Journeys: learning visits to leading restaurants, hotels, and wineries, such as El Celler de Can Roca, where you’ll gain first-hand insights into operations, customer experience, and value proposition management.
Upon completion, you will be ready to assume strategic roles such as Restaurant Manager, Gastronomic Management Consultant, or Entrepreneur in innovative restaurant ventures, equipped with a comprehensive, results-oriented, and practice-based approach.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Start date: October 13, 2025
Registration deadline: October 1, 2025
Language: Spanish
Duration: 60 ECTS
26 slots available
Campus-Based Learning
Location: Basque Culinary Center
Academic period: from October 13, 2025 to September 15, 2026
In-person classes: Mondays from 09:00 to 18:30h (CEST) and Tuesdays from 09:00 to 17:30h (CEST)
Internship period: from June to September 2026 (3 months)
Degree Type: Permanent Learning Master’s Degree from the University of Mondragón delivered by Basque Culinary Center
Degree: Master in Permanent Learning in Innovation and Restaurant Management
Acquire a comprehensive and up-to-date education in restaurant management, covering key areas such as gastronomic offering, customer experience, marketing, operations, and finance.
Implement tools and methodologies aimed at optimizing operational performance and improving business profitability.
Apply learning in real-world contexts through case analysis, challenge resolution, collaborative dynamics, and direct interaction with industry professionals.
Receive personalized guidance from expert tutors to support the development of viable and sustainable gastronomic projects.
Develop a strategic and innovative mindset to design differentiated business models in a highly competitive environment.
PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Upon completing the Master’s program, you will be prepared to take on key roles across different areas of the restaurant and foodservice industry. Career paths may include
Restaurant Management
Restaurant Manager, applying management skills to optimize resources and enhance the customer experience.
Operations Director, overseeing processes and leading teams in gastronomic environments.
Front-of-House Manager, coordinating service and ensuring high-quality customer attention.
Gastronomic Entrepreneurship
Founder of gastronomic ventures, developing innovative and sustainable restaurant concepts.
Project Manager for own businesses, leading all phases from concept ideation to implementation.
Gastronomic Consulting
Hospitality and restaurant consultant, advising on strategy, marketing, team management, and operational efficiency.
Process improvement specialist, helping restaurants increase efficiency and profitability.
Gastronomic and Institutional Organizations
Technical advisor in gastronomic associations, supporting initiatives that promote and develop the sector.
Professional in wine tourism or food regulation entities, participating in programs that drive gastronomic advancement.
Teaching
Lecturer in educational institutions, sharing expertise in restaurant management.
Researcher in specialized centers, contributing to the advancement of the gastronomic sector.
LISTEN TO OUR ALUMNI
10+1 Reasons
WHY TAKE THIS MASTER’S PROGRAM
You will gain the necessary training to professionalize restaurant business management.
If your business is still at the idea stage, this program will help you refine and develop it into a solid project.
You will uncover the keys to optimizing restaurant operations and profitability.
You will receive support from expert tutors who will guide you in ensuring the viability of your project.
You will learn from top-tier professors specialized in the HORECA sector, with access to personalized mentoring.
You will develop a restaurant viability plan, applying the knowledge acquired in each area of the program.
You will learn from real-life case studies, working alongside active industry professionals in an open, dynamic, and collaborative format.
You will build long-lasting connections with other professionals eager to improve, innovate, and create new business opportunities.
You can combine your learning with your professional life, thanks to a schedule compatible with work commitments.
You will explore new trends in business models, gaining tools to create profitable and sustainable concepts.
You will be equipped with the insights needed to ensure the success and feasibility of future gastronomic ventures.
Program
TARGET AUDIENCE
The Master in Innovation and Restaurant Management is designed for professionals looking to specialise in the creation, management, and transformation of restaurant businesses. Through applied training, this Master enables participants to acquire strategic and operational tools to excel in the field of gastronomic management.
This Master’s program is for:
Hospitality and restaurant professionals looking to boost their careers by strengthening their experience with management and innovation skills.
Managers and business owners in hospitality aiming to transform their operations and create more profitable and sustainable business models.
Entrepreneurs from other sectors who wish to develop gastronomic projects in the medium term or specialise in restaurant management.
Individuals with backgrounds in gastronomy and hospitality interested in specialising in restaurant management and innovation—either to launch their own project or contribute to existing ones.
Professionals from any field aspiring to open a restaurant business and seeking the necessary skills to do so successfully.
Graduates in Gastronomy, Tourism, Business Administration, Marketing or related areas who wish to specialise in the management and innovation of restaurant businesses and build a managerial or entrepreneurial career in the sector.
Throughout the Master’s program, participants will be able to apply their knowledge in:
Independent restaurants, chains, or gastronomic groups, enhancing profitability and business professionalisation.
Entrepreneurial ventures in the restaurant sector, designing innovative and sustainable concepts.
Consulting firms, organisations, or entities related to gastronomic management, contributing to improvement and innovation processes.
Educational institutions or training centres, participating in teaching or knowledge transfer projects in restaurant management.
Not sure if your profile fits?
If your academic background or professional experience is not listed and you're interested in this Master’s program, contact us to evaluate your case and receive personalised guidance.
PROGRAM
Module I: Strategic Management and Competitiveness in the Restaurant Sector
Competitive strategy
Marketing and digitalisation
Human resource management
Financial management
360º sustainability
Module II: Ideation, Design, and Implementation of the Gastronomic Offer
Gastronomic trends
Introduction to sensory analysis
Design of gastronomic concepts
Design of menus and offerings
Introduction to nutrition and dietetics
Deferred cooking, cold line
Purchasing processes in restaurants
Process management and organisation
Food quality systems
Module III: Innovation and Creativity Management
Trends and plural visions in innovation
Types of innovation in management
Managing inspiration
The conceptualisation process
Innovation in food & beverage
Innovation in management and business models
Gastroexperience
Creativity as a technique and concept
Cross-cutting innovation
Module IV: Customer Experience and Service Design
The role of the dining area
The world of beverages
Module V: Master’s Final Project
This individual project will apply the knowledge acquired during the Master’s degree by developing a restaurant viability plan (for a new or existing business), aimed at solving challenges related to management, viability, and positioning of gastronomic business models.
Module VI: Curricular Internships
Internships are carried out in both national and international companies. You will receive support from the program coordinator to assess your options and adjust expectations. Please note that internships require full-time dedication for three months. If you have a senior profile, you may validate previous experience.
Calendar
Academic period: from October 13, 2025, to September 15, 2026
In-person classes: Mondays from 09:00 to 18:30h (CEST) and Tuesdays from 09:00 to 17:30h (CEST)
Internship period: from June to September 2026 (3 months)
*Learning visits and guest sessions may be scheduled at other times if required by the activity.
Methodology
The Master in Innovation and Restaurant Management is delivered through the learning by doing methodology, based on practice, experimentation, and collaborative learning. This approach allows you to acquire fundamental skills and progress toward specialised applications. The program is designed in progressive phases, integrating theoretical sessions with practical activities and real projects.
Key elements
Masterclasses and presentations on strategic management, innovation, marketing, and customer experience, led by industry experts.
Case studies with discussion and strategic analysis to address profitability, sustainability, and differentiation in the restaurant business.
Practical challenges and problem-solving dynamics to strengthen leadership, decision-making, and business model design skills.
Gastronomic activities: tastings, samplings, workshops, and sensory experiences focused on creating value through the culinary proposal.
Lectures with industry leaders addressing trends and innovative strategies in restaurant management.
Simulations and real-world practice in gastronomic environments, including Learning Journeys to benchmark restaurants and venues such as El Celler de Can Roca, where participants analyse in situ operational models and guest experiences.
Master’s Final Project
Individual project applied to a real industry challenge.
Support from specialised tutors.
Presentation before a panel of experts.
Curricular Internships
You will be able to apply your knowledge and gain relevant experience for your professional career. During the process, we will manage your internship based on your profile and the available opportunities.
You will also receive an informative session and personalised guidance with the program coordinator to evaluate options and align expectations. It is important to consider your current situation and career goals, as internships require a three-month full-time commitment, with the possibility of extension. If you have a senior profile, you may validate previous experience.
Teachers and guests
TEACHING STAFF
The Master in Innovation and Restaurant Management features a teaching team made up of professionals in the field of gastronomic management. This team combines academic experience with a practical approach, integrating experts and lecturers from the Faculty of Gastronomic Sciences (Basque Culinary Center) and specialised professionals from leading companies and institutions in the sector.
MASTER’S COORDINATOR
Adela Balderas – International PhD. Researcher, speaker, and mentor in management, leadership, and communication.
PhD in Business Administration and Management, researcher at the University of Oxford, and affiliate professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She currently leads the Master in Innovation and Restaurant Management at Basque Culinary Center, bringing her extensive experience in business transformation and leadership in the gastronomic sector.
With a distinguished international career, Adela has been a visiting professor at universities in Germany, France, China, the UK, and Switzerland. She is also a keynote speaker and contributor to the economic newspaper Expansión. She has worked as a researcher in tourism and management, trainer for national and international companies, and mentor to entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley.
She is the author of "Reinventa tu Liderazgo: 12 claves para gestionar equipos", a practical guide to effective leadership and meaningful project management.
CORE FACULTY AND COLLABORATORS
The Master also includes the participation of organisations and renowned experts from the industry and academia, who provide an up-to-date and diverse perspective. The faculty may vary each edition to ensure the best blend of specialised knowledge and innovative insights.
Enrique Lezcano – Interim Corporate Director of Food & Beverage. Former Corporate F&B Director at Meliá Hotels International.
Marta Fernández Guadaño – Journalist specialising in economics and gastronomy. Founder of Gastroeconomy.
Eduardo Serrano – President of AIDABE. Executive and consultant with over 30 years of experience in hospitality and restaurant management.
Jesús Alcoba – Director of La Salle Business School Madrid. PhD in Strategy and expert in Customer Experience.
Daniela Goicoechea – Co-founder of Brandcrops. Former CMO of Goiko Grill.
Diego Coquillat – Director of DiegoCoquillat.com digital newspaper. Consultant on restaurant digitalisation.
Carlos Escario – Executive coach. Professor at IESE and the University of Notre Dame (USA).
Xabier Gutiérrez – Director of R&D at Arzak Restaurant. Psychologist, chef, and author.
César Pérez – Director of Quality at NH Hotel Group. President of the Customer Experience Community at AEC.
Ana Escobar – President of Acción y Comunicación. Expert in gastronomic and wine communication.
Fees / Grants
Total Master's fee: €11,690
Payment options:
150 € upon application (fully refundable in case of non-admission).
2.885 € upon confirmation of admission as a reservation fee.
The remaining amount will be paid in 3 installments of 2.885 € in October, December, and February.
The tuition fee includes:
Academic materials
Educational visits (destination transportation, visit management, and full board accommodation).
Sessions with guest experts and speakers.
Management of curricular internships.
Issuance and delivery of the degree.
Enrollment in the Bculinary Alumni service.
Admission
The Master in Innovation and Restaurant Management has a structured admission process to ensure that candidates possess the academic background and professional competencies required to successfully complete a rigorous curriculum.
This Master’s program is open to professionals with a university degree and also to those who, without a formal degree, can demonstrate relevant experience in the sector.
The admission system at Basque Culinary Center has two main objectives:
To ensure that candidates have the academic level and personal skills necessary to succeed in an innovative and practical program.
To verify that the Master’s program aligns with the candidates’ training needs and goals.
1. Registration
Complete the online registration here and pay the €150 registration fee (refundable in case of non-admission).
Fill out the motivation questionnaire, which will help us better understand your profile and interests in the program. To do so, please have the following documents ready:
Updated Curriculum Vitae
1 passport-sized photo
Copy of your ID card or passport
Motivation letter with a brief description of your idea or gastronomic project
Academic transcript of completed studies (records, diploma, or certificate)
2. Evaluation of Profile and Competencies
Participate in a personal online interview with the Master's Coordinator. This is an opportunity to get to know you better, clarify doubts, and ask questions about the program.
Both your submitted documentation and the outcome of the interview will be evaluated.
You will receive the admission decision along with the next steps to follow.
3. Admission and Seat Reservation
If admitted, you must pay 25% of the total tuition fee within the specified period to secure your place.
4. Notice for International Students
For programs exceeding 90 days, students from outside the Schengen Area must apply for a LONG-TERM STUDENT VISA to legally reside in Spain.
The Faculty will provide each student with the required documentation to process the visa once the seat reservation is confirmed.
Additionally, students must complete the rest of the requirements as instructed by the Spanish Embassy in their country. You can consult the full process in the pre-travel procedures section.
Basque Culinary Center will provide the following academic documents required for the visa application:
Official enrollment certificate, signed and stamped by Basque Culinary Center
Official study program, stamped by Basque Culinary Center
Official academic calendar, stamped by Basque Culinary Center
LIVENSA LIVING SAN SEBASTIÁN, AN INNOVATIVE CONCEPT OF LODGING
Livensa Living San Sebastian is located in the neighborhood of Ibaeta, in a quiet area and a step away from Tolosa Avenue that leads to Ondarreta beach. It is an accommodation that takes care of all the details and is designed to make you feel at home during your stay in Donostia-San Sebastian. It has spaces to relax and share time in company.
Features to highlight:
Single rooms with full kitchen and private bathroom
Laundry
Gym
Common kitchens or "txokos".
Leisure areas: living room, games room, cinema room, etc.
Music rehearsal rooms
Co-working spaces
Private parking
Take advantage of the preferential rates for Basque Culinary Center students.
These types of residence are small and have restricted entrance times. The rooms can be single or double and they do not always have an ensuite bathroom. Those that offer full board may not offer all the meals at weekends. Admission to these residences entails a personal interview with the families.
The prices given below are approximate.
FEMALE RESIDENCES:
RESIDENCIA COMPAÑÍA DE MARÍA
Camino de S. Bartolomé, 24
Tel 943 464795
Regimen full board
Precio aproximado €625/month
ESCLAVAS DEL SAGRADO CORAZÓN
Avda. Gral. Zumalakarregi, 11
Tel 943 210800
Regimen full board
Precio aproximado €580-€615/month Residents must leave the residence at weekends with the exception of examination periods.
Paseo de Heriz, 95
Tel 943 210866
Regimen half board or full board
Precio aproximado from €450 to €590/month No se ofrecen comidas durante el fin de semana aunque hay una cocina a disposición de las residentes.
C/ Aldapeta, 49
Tel 616 369 815
Regimen Pensión completa
Precio aproximado 932€/mes No hay cocinas disponibles para las residentes pero las estudiantes de BCC podrán realizar prácticas de cocina.
Paseo de Ayete, 25
Tel 943 242400
Regimen pensión completa
Precio aproximado 370€ El precio del alojamiento y pensión se costea trabajando en el servicio de alimentación. Admisión mediante entrevista.
Paseo de Miramón, 162
Tel (+34) 943 56 91 28
Regimen acommodation in studio with fully furnished kitchen and private bathroom
Precio aproximado desde 600€ hasta 880€/mes A tan solo un paso de Basque Culinary Center. Instalaciones equipadas con un amplio espacio de cocina dedicado a prácticas culinarias, salas de estudio, gimnasio y zona lounge para socializar con otros residentes.
Pº Ondarreta, 24
Tel 943 003300
Regimen alojamiento y desayuno, media pensión o pensión completa
Precio aproximado desde 498€ hasta 1.090€/mes El precio incluye la limpieza del uniforme de cocina. No hay cocinas disponibles para los residentes aunque los estudiantes de BCC podrán hacer prácticas de cocina en un espacio debidamente equipado para ello.
Pº Berio, 9
Tel 943 563000
Regimen alojamiento
Precio aproximado desde 403€ hasta 690€/mes Residencia de la Universidad de País Vasco; alojan prioritariamente a los estudiantes de la UPV pero pueden tener plazas disponibles desde la reciente ampliación.
ACCOMMODATION IN SHARED FLATS
Prior authorisation from interested parties, the BCC Students'Office favours contact among admitted students so that they can organise themselves to share flats. Traditionally, students have created groups in social media to contact each other.
The BCC also informs students about rented flat offers that the owners send us.
The average price per student in a shared flat in Donostia-San Sebastian is around €300 per month.
Procedures before travelling
Students from European Union member countries, Norway, Switzerland. Liechtenstein and Iceland will not require a visa to reside in Spain.
Other international students will have to request a long-term student visa which will allow them to reside in Spain for a period longer than 180 days.
Visas should be requested from, and issued by the Diplomatic Missions and Spanish Consul Offices abroad. It is important to obtain information on the required documentation and gather it as soon as possible, since the relevant authorities may take up to two months to notify that visas will be granted.
Once students have arrived in Donostia-San Sebastian, they have one month from the time of their arrival to request the foreign students’ card at the Foreign Residents Office in Donostia-San Sebastian. The students’ office of the BCC will provide the necessary information to students in this matter.
Sport service
Through the MU Sports Service, students can access team sports as well as individual sporting activities and Group trips (weekend skiing, surfing trips….).
Donostia-San Sebastian also has an extensive offer of municipal sporting facilities. The Kirol Txartela (sport card) permits access to all the city’s municipal facilities at a very economical price. For more information, go to the following link.
Cost of living info
Information on the COST OF LIVING in San Sebastian is given below:
Entertainment
Transport
The best way to move around the city is with the network of urban buses. The company which provides this service is Compañia del Tranvia de Donostia-San Sebastian.
Their web page www.dbus.es contains all information on routes, timetables and tariffs. The web page also enables the calculation of the bus route between two points and its estimated duration.
Students can benefit from monthly season tickets which reduce the cost of travelling by bus.
Shopping Basket
Accommodation
Donostia-San Sebastian offers accommodation in student residences. It is advisable that those interested in this type of accommodation make their reservation as soon as possible.
A document containing information on some of the residences in the city can be found below.
Donostia-San Sebastian is the administrative capital of Gipuzkoa, one of the territories that integrates the Basque Country. There are two official languages: Spanish and Basque.
On the banks of the Bay of Biscay,, Donostia-San Sebastián is a small town within a natural framework of incomparable beauty. A holiday destination for monarchs and nobles during the Belle Epoque, Donostia-San Sebastian arose as a lordly city where tradition and modernity exist side by side.
Images courtesy of San Sebastian Tourism
If there is something that can compete with its spectacular beauty that is its gastronomy: cradle of the “new Basque cuisine”, Mecca of culinary avant-garde and the world capital of the pintxo, Donostia-San Sebastian is the city with the most Michelin stars per square metres in the world. The importance of its restaurants, its famous gastronomic societies and the quality of its raw material convert Donostia-San Sebastian into a gastronomic reference in the world. Not in vain, the British magazine, “Which”, chose Donostia-San Sebastian as the best gastronomic destination in the world.
Over the last few years, innovation and sustainability have been the two main pillars for the development of Donostia-San Sebastian, which has fostered an ideal city of pedestrians and bicycles.
Images courtesy of San Sebastian Tourism
WHY STUDY GASTRONOMY IN DONOSTIA-SAN SEBASTIAN?
Because in Donostia-San Sebastian, as in the rest of the Basque Country, gastronomy forms part of society and good food is present at any event and celebration. Donostia-San Sebastian, a city of 185,000 inhabitants, has 120 gastronomic societies.
Because four of the eight restaurants with three Michelin stars in Spain are in the Basque Country, three of them in Donostia-San Sebastian.
Because of its cultural offer, which includes internationally renowned film and jazz festivals. Donostia-San Sebastian has been named as European Capital of Culture for 2016.
Due to its beaches, ideal for practicing surf all year round.
Due to its mountains, just 2.5 hours from the Pyrenees.
Because it is a safe, accessible and welcoming city.
Images courtesy of San Sebastian Tourism
HOW TO REACH DONOSTIA-SAN SEBASTIAN
Donostia-San Sebastian is connected to the main Spanish cities by bus, train and plane.
The airport of Donostia-San Sebastian is 20 kilometres from the city. It is a small airport with direct flights from Madrid and Barcelona. It has a bus service to the city centre.
The international airport of Bilbao is one hour from Donostia-San Sebastian, and it is connected to the city with a frequent bus service from the actual airport.
The international airport of Biarritz is 45 minutes away although it only offers a direct bus to Donostia-San Sebastian once a day.
DISTANCE IN KMS.
Bilbao – 99 km
Biarritz – 50 km
Madrid – 450 km
Barcelona – 570 km
Images courtesy of San Sebastian Tourism
BCC Students
During their study years, BCC students will have access to the BCC Student APP. Through this APP students will be informed about grants and scholarships, job opportunities, extracurricular learning opportunities, events, invitations to exclusive Master Classes... They will also be informed on student discounts, BCC Cafeteria or Restaurant reservations, transportation, etc.
From october 13th, 2025 to may 12th, 2026
Internship period: june - september 2026
de monday from 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM and Tuesday from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM (CEST)
26 spots available
11.690 €
Basque Culinary Center
Are you interested in the MASTER IN RESTAURANT INNOVATION AND MANAGEMENT ?
Provide your personal details to get more information about the master program
.jpg)
