CCA Practice Test

The CCA, Certified Culinary Administrator, is an American Culinary Federation certification for culinary professionals who run kitchens and foodservice operations. This page gives you free practice sets on cost control, procurement, food safety, staffing and more, a short map of the official content areas, three worked questions with explanations, and the exam facts published by the ACF.

CCA Exam at a Glance

What changed for CCA in 2026

• Oct 25, 2026: Delivery changed to Online via ACF Online Learning Center with a proctor (previously Online via ACF Online Learning Center with an approved proctor (no longer PSI)).^[2]
• Oct 25, 2026: Retake fee changed to $50 members / $100 nonmembers per additional attempt (previously $50 members / $100 nonmembers per extra attempt).^[1]
• Oct 25, 2026: Testing window changed to On demand after approval; certification must be completed within 3 years of approval (previously On demand; certification must be completed within 3 years of approval).^[1]

What the CCA is and how it works

According to American Culinary Federation, “Candidates have 60 minutes to complete the 100 question multiple-choice exam, which is taken through the ACF Online Learning Center.”^[1]

The CCA is awarded by the American Culinary Federation (ACF) and focuses on the management side of a culinary career: budgets, people, purchasing and the guest experience, rather than cooking technique alone.

The written exam is taken online through the ACF Online Learning Center with a proctor. The proctor must be a disinterested third party with no direct family relationship to you. The exam has 100 multiple-choice questions and a time limit of 60 minutes. A score of 75 is required to pass, and a passing score is valid for 2 years. You are told your score immediately after the exam.

Certification costs $250 for ACF members and $490 for nonmembers. If you need another attempt, the fee is $50 for members or $100 for nonmembers each time, and there is a 14-day wait before you can schedule it. Fees are charged for every attempt.

Testing is on demand once your application is approved, but certification must be completed within 3 years of approval. If it is not, you have to reapply. Once earned, the CCA is valid for 5 years.

Eligibility requirements are set by the ACF and are listed in the CCA Candidate Handbook. They can change, so read the current handbook and check with the ACF before you apply. This site is not the exam body, and our questions are written by us with AI tools, not taken from the real exam.

CCA content outline and where to practise each area

The content areas below are copied from the official CCA content outline published by American Culinary Federation. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.

Worked examples: how to reason through CCA questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: Why is handwashing critical in a foodservice environment?

1. To moisturize skin
2. To comply with uniforms
3. To prevent food contamination
4. To save time on cleaning

Answer: C. To prevent food contamination

Explanation:

The correct answer is that handwashing prevents food contamination. Hands move pathogens from raw food, surfaces, the restroom or the face onto ready-to-eat food, so washing them breaks that chain and lowers the risk of foodborne illness.

Moisturizing skin is wrong because washing has nothing to do with skin care and can even dry the skin. Complying with uniforms is wrong because uniform rules are about appearance and are not the reason for hygiene practice. Saving time on cleaning is wrong because proper handwashing takes deliberate effort and is never a shortcut.

The rule to remember: in food safety questions, choose the answer that stops pathogens from reaching food or guests. Convenience, appearance and comfort are distractors.

Example 2

Question: A CCA receives an invoice that doesn't match the purchase order. The correct action is to:

1. Pay the invoice and adjust the budget
2. Issue a credit memo and contact the vendor to resolve the discrepancy
3. Discard both documents and reorder
4. Process payment after the next delivery

Answer: B. Issue a credit memo and contact the vendor to resolve the discrepancy

Explanation:

The correct answer is to issue a credit memo and contact the vendor to resolve the discrepancy. A mismatch between invoice and purchase order means you may be asked to pay for something you did not order or receive, so the problem is fixed with the vendor before money is paid.

Paying the invoice and adjusting the budget accepts the error and hides it in your records. Discarding both documents and reordering destroys the paper trail and wastes the order. Processing payment after the next delivery delays the issue without resolving it and may still pay the wrong amount.

The rule to remember: match the purchase order, receiving record and invoice, document any difference, and settle it with the supplier before payment.

Example 3

Question: What is the primary purpose of a food cost variance report?

1. To schedule employee shifts
2. To compare actual food cost to budgeted food cost
3. To track customer satisfaction scores
4. To project next quarter's revenue

Answer: B. To compare actual food cost to budgeted food cost

Explanation:

The correct answer is that a food cost variance report compares actual food cost to budgeted food cost. The gap shows where spending drifted from plan, so management can look for causes such as waste, portioning, theft, pricing changes or receiving errors.

Scheduling employee shifts is a labor planning task and uses different reports. Tracking customer satisfaction scores measures guest opinion, not cost. Projecting next quarter's revenue is a forecast of sales, while a variance report looks back at what already happened against a budget.

The rule to remember: a variance report always sets actual results beside a plan or standard. When a question asks about variance, look for the option that contrasts actual with budgeted or expected figures.

How to use these practice tests

Start by reading the CCA Candidate Handbook from the ACF, so you know the format, the fees and the content areas before you study anything else.

Next, take a short set in each area to find your weak spots. Try Financial Management & Budgeting, Cost Control & Food Costing and Procurement & Purchasing for the business side. Add Staff Supervision & Training and Customer Service & Hospitality for people and guests. Use Food Safety & Sanitation and Regulatory Compliance & Standards for rules.

For every question you miss, write down the rule behind the right answer in your own words, then return to the handbook to check it. Spend most of your time on the areas where you miss the most.

Closer to test day, work through mixed sets under a timer that matches the real limit, so you get used to reading and answering at pace. Finally, confirm your proctor arrangement with the ACF, and check your connection and the Online Learning Center before the day.

Sources & last verified

1. American Culinary Federation — number of questions, time limit, exam fee, passing score (official source). “Candidates have 60 minutes to complete the 100 question multiple-choice exam, which is taken through the ACF Online Learning Center.” Verified Oct 28, 2026.
2. American Culinary Federation — delivery, score release (official source). “The proctor must be a “disinterested third party” with no direct family relationship to the applicant.” Verified Oct 25, 2026 · source checked Oct 23, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.