Culinary Arts/Pastry Arts

Degrees and Certificates

Courses

CULA145L: Breads and Rolls

Students will be introduced to the baker'92s scale and taught how to properly measure ingredients. Reading a formula and recipe conversions will also be covered. The history of bread making will be explored as well as the creation of many classical items from several cultures around the world. The milling process of flour will be discussed as well as the function of important ingredients in the dough. The class will largely focus on the organized process of preparing dough. Mixing, shaping, proofing, baking, and storing are critical steps that will be explored. The bread and roll productions that will be created in each class will be used in our dining room bakery case.

CULA146L: Bakery Production

This course will focus on the common items found in any bakery/pastry shop. Muffins, quick breads, coffee cakes, and donuts will be explored. Pie dough, puff pastry, pate a choux, short dough and Danish dough will be taught, and several items will be created from each. Classical European pastry will be touched upon and the “classics” of pastry will be introduced. Pies, tarts, cookies, and common bakery items will also be created. Students will be introduced to various ingredients such as nuts, chocolates, and fruits; they will be taught how, when, and why to use them.

CULA147L: Hot and Cold Plated Desserts

The focus of this course is plated desserts that would be found in a restaurant setting. The critical components of a plated dessert will be explored along with detailed instructions of each. Various sauces and garnishes will be introduced, as well as various plate presentations. This course will include the production of slow-bake desserts (custards, cheesecakes), frozen desserts, traditional desserts (Baked Alaska, Bananas Foster, Cherries Jubilee), and creative ways to present simple desserts. Students will be required to use their creativity and create a plated dessert of their own for a project grade.

CULA148L: Cake Decorating

This course will be concerned with creating various cakes, icings, fillings, frostings, and butter creams. Each student will learn the proper techniques for covering a cake, as well as ways to enhance the decoration on it. Making paper cones, writing on cakes, and making several types of butter cream flowers are covered. Classical cakes will also be covered (Dobos, Sacher) along with their history. There will be a large concentration on using a piping bag, the function of various tips, and proper piping techniques. This course will also introduce the use of marzipan, fondant, airbrushing, and wedding cakes.

CULA149L: Baking and Pastry Technologies

Baking & Pastry Technologies is a look into the scientific side of baking. Baking & Pastry Technologies is dedicated to teaching different scenarios, and reactions of ingredients, while baking. The lab element gives the experience of seeing different reactions of ingredients in baking; knowing, by looking at finished products, what works best and what may ruin the project. At the completion of this course, the student will have basic knowledge of the scientific breakdown that goes into the formulas of baking. This course will enable graduates to be better prepared to gain positions as a pastry chef or patisserie.

CULA151L: Culinary Fundamentals

This course encompasses the basic fundamental principles for a career in Culinary Arts. Each subject will be discussed and practiced in detail. This class will emphasize the importance of such terms and procedures as “mise en place”, knife skills, proper use of tools and several other basic principles that are important to the culinary industry. This course will also emphasize the appropriate standard of behavior and uniform that is set by culinary professionals. At the end of this course, students will have a core knowledge and insight into the essential aspects of Culinary Arts.

CULA152L: Sanitation & Safety

This course offers a look into the fundamentals of food service sanitation and safety. Students will demonstrate knowledge of proper hot and cold food handling procedures, cross contamination of ready-to-eat foods, proper receiving practices, proper storage guidelines, who is affected by improper food handling, and federal/state food service sanitation requirements. When this course is completed, the student will test for the ServSafe certification.

CULA158L: Restaurant Facility & Menu Design

Both menu and facility design are important aspects of the restaurant industry. This course gives students realistic practice at mastering both. Students will practice proper menu layout as well as its design. Students will learn the importance of cross-utilization and how to optimize it. This course will give students the opportunity to see different writing styles of menus including a la carte, rotating, and institutional menus. Different types of culinary establishments will be discussed as well as the equipment needed for them. Students will be designing menus to match kitchen layouts through projects conducted one-on-one with the instructor.

CULA159L: Cost Control

This course covers such subjects as pricing menus, food costing equations, weights and measurements, scaling, yield testing, food cost percentages, inventories, and recipe conversions. The student will be expected to cost out recipes to find per portion costs as well as multiportion costs. This course discusses money saving techniques, waste control, and the importance of portion size as it relates to menu prices. Beverage costing, as well as alcohol procurement, will also be examined. The Shaker Table'92s menus, inventories, and recipes will be exposed for practical use through projects or discussion conducted by the instructor.

CULA210L: Nutritional & Alternative Baking

This course introduces students into not only the nutritional aspects of baking, but the alternative baking world. Alternative baking includes such subjects as gluten free, sugar free, dairy free, and other allergy sensitive baking procedures. Nutritional aspects cover such subjects as low fat, low sodium, carbohydrate sensitive, as well as diabetic responsive dessert composition. Focus will revolve around techniques and alternative methods of producing health-conscious pastries, product substitutions, ideas and concepts of creative alternative and nutritional desserts.

CULA220L: Advanced Cake Decorating

This course is a continuation of our cake decorating course. Advanced cake decorating takes what has been learned in cake decorating and introduces new ingredients, techniques, and skill sets. Intricate piping techniques are demonstrated and practiced. The uses of ingredients such as rolled fondant, gum paste, royal icing and molding chocolate will be established. Advanced cake styles and wedding cakes will be practiced. This is a fifteen-week course that will provide students with the enhanced knowledge, techniques and proficiency of cake decorating.

CULA225L: Advanced Pastry and Confections

In this course the student will learn an array of international pastries and advanced pastry methods, techniques, and showpieces. The student will be introduced to chocolate tempering, shaping, basic show piece construction and candy making. Subjects such as pastiage, pouring sugar and confection artistry will also be confection artistry will also be covered, researched, and practiced. Students will fine tune their skills and challenge themselves both technically and artistically.

CULA230L: Pastry Arts Cooperative Education

This course provides the opportunity for the student to utilize baking and pastry course competencies in a real-life setting along with supplemental laboratory experience on the extensive array of equipment and processes.

CULA231L: Pastry Arts Capstone

This course provides the vehicle for students to demonstrate overall competency in baking and pastry and in the specific operations in which they have chosen to concentrate. Under the supervision of a faculty advisor, working individually or as part of a team, the student will select and successfully carry out a major project which pertains directly to baking and pastry operations.

CULA232L: Culinary Cooperative Education

Co-operative education provides the opportunity for students to utilize learned culinary course competencies in a real-life setting. This course provides supplemental laboratory experience on the extensive array of equipment, ingredients, and processes. Students will gain valuable experience and first-hand knowledge as to what a career in the Culinary Arts field outside the classroom entails. Students are expected to complete 300 hours of co-op experience. Instructor'92s approval of workplace site required.

CULA253L: Introduction to Garde Manger

This course offers an insight into the “cold side” of the restaurant industry. The student during this course will be responsible for researching Garde Manger techniques as well as practicing those techniques. The student will be inspired to practice classic Garde Manger skills through a series of projects created by the instructor. Such skills and techniques include preparation of: cured meats, aspic and chaud froid, terrines and pates, crudites platters, cheese displays, smoked foods, cold sauces and dressings, salads, hors d'92oeuvres, and buffet design/layout. Presentations by guest speakers and visiting chefs as well as off-site demonstrations/applications will enhance student skill sets.

CULA254L: Classical Cuisine

This course will explore the history of classical cuisine and its origins. The accomplishments of our forefathers will be explored and their impact on cooking discussed. Students will absorb these concepts and hone their techniques in order to apply them to modern day cooking. Historical chefs like Escoffier and Careme will be introduced and explored. Classical cuisine will be an overview of how cooking has evolved throughout time and will conclude with modern technology, equipment development, and the evolution of food products.

CULA255L: Italian Cuisine

Students will enhance their cooking skills by studying cooking techniques and cultural aspects that deal in-depth with Italian cookery. Students will rotate through each station in preparing new menu items. Students will be expected to follow recipes in preparing dishes from each of the regions in Italy. This course will reinforce both classical and modern cooking techniques.

CULA256L: U.S. Regional & Infusion Cuisine

This course will give an overview of food origins and how they have shaped our modern-day cuisine. Students will focus on a variety of cultural and regional cuisines throughout the United States. The trend towards cross-cultural cuisines, and the eclectic foods they produce, will be discussed in depth. Students will learn how to create dishes using various cultural ingredients. Preparation, plating, and garnishing techniques will be addressed.