Culinary Arts Plan of Study

This course introduces students to the food service industry. Students will learn to establish and maintain high standards of personal sanitation and industry safety and will be able to identify various tools and equipment used in a contemporary commercial kitchen in order to appropriately prepare for their laboratory experiences. This class will also define culinary terminology, explain the basic methods of heat transfer, and discuss culinary industry history and relate its impact on the modern food service operation. Theory.

Students will learn to identify and fabricate a variety of proteins, including beef, pork, lamb, chicken, and fish into standard food service cuts. Students will fabricate primal cuts into steaks & chops, fabricate whole chicken into parts, and will learn techniques for filleting both round and flat fish. They will then demonstrate and practice appropriate cooking methods for each fabricated protein. In addition, students will gain an understanding of the importance of proper knife care, federal inspection standards and the grading system used for food service purchasing. Lab. Prerequisites: CUA 1102, CUA 1145, CUA 1151 and GTGE 1111.

In this course students will learn the foundations of cooking to include culinary knife skills and proper production methods of stocks, sauces, soups, vegetables, and starches using commercial equipment. This course teaches and demonstrates the importance of professional standards including safety and sanitation, personal hygiene and food quality. Students are also expected to use proper culinary terminology and communicate effectively in a commercial kitchen environment. Lab.

This course teaches fundamental cooking methods of proteins to include beef, pork, chicken, and fish and reinforce competencies from CUA 1135 Skills Development I. Students will be introduced to basic butchering techniques and fabrication. Students will perform sauce, vegetable, and starch cookery in addition to fresh pasta production to accompany the proteins appropriately. The professionalism standards of sanitation, personal hygiene, knife skills and communication with culinary terminology are reinforced. Lab. Prerequisite: CUA 1135.

This course is an introduction to safe food production practices governed by strict federal and state regulations. Topics covered include: prevention of food-borne illness, proper handling of potentially hazardous foods, avoiding various forms of contamination, good personal hygiene practices, time temperature abuse, and maintaining excellent food safety standards throughout the flow of food in an operation. Students will successfully complete the National Restaurant Association (NRA) ServSafe examination. Theory.

The principles, theories, human relations techniques and decision making skills required to manage a workforce profitably. Management techniques are discussed, as well as legal aspects of discrimination, hiring, continuous employment practices, and employee termination. Students take a National Restaurant Association Education Foundation examination for this Supervision text. Theory.

Students learn and apply the skills to recognize a la carte dining room equipment and service techniques related to customer service. The technique of banquet setting and mise en place, and the importance of an appropriate setting and atmosphere are also taught. Students learn how to establish and maintain high standards for personal and industry sanitation and safety. Theory/Lab.

This course is designed to teach the student culinary breakfast concepts including instruction and practical application of a variety of competencies. Students will learn egg cookery, omelet production, pancakes & waffles, breakfast potatoes & proteins, and hot cereals. Students are also introduced to sausages & production, breakfast beverages, crepes, quiches, poached egg dishes and quick breads. The emphasis is on applying culinary techniques to cook and present quality breakfast dishes for buffet and a la carte presentations. Lab. Prerequisites: CUA 1102, CUA 1145, CUA 1151 and GTGE 1111.

This course is an introduction to baking, with an emphasis on applying basic formulas, fundamentals, and procedures to produce consistent bakery products. Students will learn proper usage of all bakery equipment. Students will prepare classical pastries and breads for service and a variety of decorated desserts

including plated, individual, and frozen desserts. Additional emphasis is placed on restaurant production of pies, cakes, variety breads, fillings, sweet doughs and specialty items. Lab. Prerequisites: CUA 1102, CUA 1145, CUA 1151 and GTGE 1111.

Students demonstrate proper cooking methods and techniques while operating an on-site public restaurant. Students will plan, requisition, and execute weekly menus, to include preparing a variety of soups, sauces, proteins, vegetables, starches and garnishes for weekly buffet and a la carte service. Emphasis is on applying knowledge of culinary procedure, proper mise en place, production, sanitation, and the dedication to quality needed to produce consistent, fresh, appealing, and flavorful meals. Theory/Lab. Prerequisites: CUA 1102, CUA 1145, CUA 1151 and GTGE 1111.

A competency based introduction to the world of the cold kitchen. It includes instruction and application of condiments, cold soups and sauces (including vinaigrettes), hors d’oeuvres, terrines, pates, sausage, and cheese. Cold and hot smoking, curing and pickling are also covered. Sanitation and mise en place are essential in the cold kitchen. Theory/Lab. Prerequisites: CUA 1102, CUA 1145, CUA 1151 and GTGE 1111.

Introduces regional recipes, local history, and culture with distinct regional ingredients. Each week the class explores recipes and historical and cultural information, as well as a guide to ingredients specific to that region. Lab. Prerequisites: CUA 1294, CUA 1375, CUA 2315 and CUA 2415.

This course is an overview of strategies for controlling food service costs to ensure profitability in the hospitality industry. Students will gain an understanding of the importance of managing assets through proper budgeting, utilizing income statements, calculating food cost and controlling labor cost. The lab portion of the class instructs the students in proper receiving and inventory control processes. Theory/Lab.

This course introduces students to distinctive ingredients, flavor profiles, and culinary techniques from various regions of the world. The class will focus on recipes that explore diverse global cultures and cuisine. Students will explore the chef’s role and impact on trends by studying the evolution of contemporary global cuisine. They will receive instruction in using a variety of ingredients, equipment, and tools to prepare and plate dishes using both traditional cooking methods and innovative, modern techniques. Lab. Prerequisites: CUA 1162, CUA 1294, CUA 1375, CUA 1415, CUA 2315 and CUA 2415.

Students work in industry with supervised employment and observation. All program requirements must be complete before enrolling in this course. Student must have a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA. Lab. Prerequisites: CUA 1311, CUA 2552 and CUA 2575. Corequisite: CUA 2623.

This course is a comprehensive assessment of abilities learned throughout the culinary program. Students will demonstrate successful preparation of high quality products utilizing industry standards for proper knife skills, stock making, cooking methods, and sauce making. Students will also demonstrate proper planning, preparation and presentation of a variety of baked goods. Projects and assignments are designed to assess student readiness for entry into the workforce. Students must have a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA. Lab. Prerequisites: CUA 1311, CUA 2552 and CUA 2575. Corequisite: CUA 2809.