Culinary Arts/Baking and Pastry Arts

Food Theory and Meat Fabrication covers the fundamental theories in food production principles and techniques associated with the cookery of stocks, soups, sauces, meats, fish, vegetables, and starches. The course emphasizes organization, food science, cookery methods, and meat fabrication.

Food Service Sanitation focuses on all related areas of food safety and sanitation: i.e., poisons, hygiene, life cycles, and food-borne illnesses. It provides a comprehensive understanding of microbiology and covers the proper control of rodents and insects. Students take the NRA ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification Exam prior to the completion of this course. 

Baking Theory provides an understanding of baking principles and theory and the way these principles and theory apply to hands-on work in the bakeshop.

Table Service and Mixology covers food service and alcoholic-beverage regulations, mixology, and skills in table service. The course also addresses labor and employment regulations.

The baking fundamentals section of this course covers quick and yeast breads at an introductory level. After which, students prepare a variety of pastry items, including cookies, pies, tarts, phyllo, sweet doughs, and laminated doughs.  Students also prepare meringues, pastry cream, and other fillings. The fundamentals focus area of this course provides a basis for more advanced bakery techniques that follow in the second half of the semester. Students become familiar with conversions, weights and measures, and bakeshop equipment related to production. Upon completion of the baking fundamentals focus area, students learn methods and techniques to mix and bake cakes that will be decorated with various frostings and icings. This course culminates with students learning to prepare dessert sauces and pastries, which are served to the public in a restaurant style setting. Students must demonstrate proficiency in each of the four focus areas to successfully complete this course. 

Baking Fundamentals, Breakfast Cookery, and Hot Food Plating covers quick breads, yeast breads, and baking fundamentals which will be covered at an introductory level. Students will also become familiar with conversions, weights and measures, and bakeshop equipment related to production. Students will also produce a variety of pastry items to include cookies, pies, tarts, laminated doughs, sweet doughs, and phyllo are prepared in this course, as well as meringues, pastry cream and other fillings forming the basis for more advanced bakery techniques. Students will also produce breakfast items, have the opportunity to expand on the cooking principles learned in Introductory Food Production and experience serving food to the public.

Culinary Foundations provides students with the essential knowledge of kitchen equipment, knife skills, and basic principles of food preparation. Students prepare various meats, vegetables, and starches, which will form the basis for all future culinary and baking production lab courses. Students must demonstrate proficiency in each of the twofocus areas to successfully complete this course. 

Food Preparation Techniques provides students with the essential knowledge of Garde manger, and advanced principles of food preparation. Students also demonstrate short-order cooking techniques, as well as the artistic presentation of hot and cold foods. Students must demonstrate proficiency in each of the twofocus areas to successfully complete this course.

Culinary Arts Co-op is for degree candidates in the Culinary Arts curriculum. They are required to complete 300 hours of on-the-job experience for which they are paid by their respective employers. The students must work at an approved food-service operation (restaurant, hotel, hospital, country club, or other institutional facility) and must engage in food-preparation tasks that enable them to apply the skills they learned in the Culinary Arts program. 

(students must have completed the prerequisites listed below or have permission of the instructor to register)

Charcuterie, Buffet Production, and Design expands on Garde Manger and develops its relationship with forced and cured meats. Students organize, plan, and produce a variety of themed buffets. They also expand on the artistic presentation of cold and hot foods, advanced meat fabrication, and platter presentation. This course also explores the elements of design and expression through the production of edible table centerpieces, including hands-on work in ice, fruit, vegetable carvings, and other edible forms of art.

Degree candidates in the Baking and Pastry Arts curriculum are required to complete three-hundred hours of on-the-job experience for which they are paid by their respective employers. The students are required to work in some type of approved food service operation (bakery, restaurant, hotel, inn, or country club) and must be engaged in food preparation tasks that enable them to utilize the skills learned as students in the Baking and Pastry Arts program.

(students must have completed the prerequisites listed below or have permission of the instructor to register)

For Artisan Breads, Buffets, Petit Fours, and Confections, the fall semester begins with students learning advanced level skills in the art of creating artisan breads. Following the focus on breads, students showcase their baking skills by preparing and displaying a wide variety of bakery products in differing buffet styles. The second half of the semester focuses on the production of petit fours, chocolates, and confectionary products. Students must demonstrate proficiency in each of the four focus areas to successfully complete this course.  

Menu Analysis and Restaurant Design explains the importance of a menu in relationship to costs, pricing, creativity, and guest satisfaction. Students design a floor plan for a restaurant using computer software. The course includes major project work.

In Product Purchasing and Marketing, students learn about purchasing specifications and marketing techniques that enhance sales and profits. 

In Advanced Showpieces, Cakes, Plated Desserts, and Practicum, the semester begins with students focusing on the creation of edible centerpieces utilizing pastillage, pulled, blown, and poured sugar. Some of the centerpiece techniques are then utilized in the finishing of multi-tiered occasion cakes as the course focus switches towards more advanced cake decorating skills such as those utilized in wedding and occasion cakes. During the second half of the semester, students again focus on the service and production of plated desserts, a focus that allows for a review of many the techniques and methods that will be addressed in the baking practicum. The baking and pastry practicum assesses each student’s ability to use the most important baking techniques covered during the entire program. Students must demonstrate proficiency in each of the three focus areas and pass the practicum to successfully complete this course. 

International Cuisines and American Cuisines involves the focus on cooking for the customer’s health. Students explore vegetarian, low fat, and other diets, as well as modified traditional diets. Students learn about both the influences and the ingredients that create the unique character of selected cuisines from around the world, producing New England, Cajun/Creole, West Coast, and Southwestern cuisines. The culinary practicum assesses each student’s ability to use the most important culinary techniques covered during the entire program. Students must demonstrate proficiency in each of the three focus areas and pass the practicum to successfully complete this course.