CUL – Culinary Arts (Credit)

This course introduces students to the fundamental principles and techniques of professional baking. Emphasis is placed on the use of standardized recipes, scaling and measuring ingredients accurately, and applying baker’s percentages to achieve consistent results. Students practice essential mixing methods used in the production of breads, cookies, muffins, and simple pastries. Through a combination of lecture, hands-on lab work, and multi-item production projects, students will produce and evaluate complex baked goods, develop efficient bakery operations skills, and embody the role of a professional pastry chef. Successful completion of this course prepares students for advanced coursework and professional practice in the culinary and pastry arts. The course also reinforces proper sanitation, equipment operation, organizational skills, and problem solving, which is necessary for success in a commercial baking operation.

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Explain the function of various tools and equipment in the professional bakery.
• Apply the principles of baking science to professional methods and production techniques.
• Calculate and apply yield percentages and baker’s percentages in professional baking production.
• Discuss and identify the stages of gluten development.
• Prepare lean and enriched doughs using proper mixing, fermentation, and shaping techniques.
• Demonstrate proficiency in preparing quick breads, cakes, cookies, and bars through the use of proper mixing and baking methods.
• Exhibit the qualities of a professional chef through consistent application of culinary industry standards, effective kitchen organization, and professional workplace conduct to include maintaining safe and sanitary working conditions.
• Select ingredients for production based on their function.

Prerequisite: HRM 115 and (MAT 050 orSuccessful Placement Test scores.)

This course builds upon foundational baking and pastry skills, guiding students through the development of advanced techniques and professional practices. Students will refine introductory concepts while mastering artisan breads, laminated and enriched doughs, pastries, advanced cake construction, and plated desserts. Emphasis is placed on technical precision, aesthetic presentation, flavor balance, and workflow management in a professional kitchen environment. Through a combination of lecture, hands-on lab work, and multi-item production projects, students will produce and evaluate complex baked goods, develop efficient bakery operations skills, and embody the role of a professional pastry chef. Successful completion of this course prepares students for advanced coursework and professional practice in the culinary and pastry arts.

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Exhibit the qualities of a professional chef through consistent application of culinary industry standards, effective kitchen organization, and professional workplace conduct to include maintaining safe and sanitary working conditions.
• Produce artisan breads and enriched doughs using advanced fermentation, shaping, scoring, and baking techniques.
• Execute laminated doughs with proper lamination, shaping, and finishing for croissants, danishes, and other multi-layered pastries.
• Design and construct advanced cakes, including tiered, sculpted, and structurally complex products with appropriate supports and decoration.
• Create plated desserts demonstrating balance, flavor harmony, technical precision, and professional presentation.

Prerequisite: CUL 150.

Externship and/or Experiential Learning will provide an opportunity for Culinary Arts students, who have demonstrated a proficiency with basic skills to gain practical field experience. This field experience will allow the students to apply their acquired skills and develop greater proficiency in a real world situation. Students participating in this 180 hour experience will also earn 3 college credits for this experience.

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability to apply kitchen safety and sanitation concepts learned in HRM.
• Demonstrate the ability to perform in a professional setting in a professional manner with regard to attendance, punctuation, teamwork, attitude, production volume and quality, and ability to meet prescribed deadlines.
• Demonstrate the ability to maintain a journal of their work experience including a log of duties performed, skills demonstrated, special project assignments, challenges encountered, supervisor reviews and self-reflections.
• Demonstrate the ability to apply basic cooking skills learned in CUL 115 / CUL 230 or CUL 150 / CUL 151.
• For Cooking Assignments (CUL 115 / CUL 230)- Proper use of commercial food service equipment, safe kitchen work habits, safe food handling, proficiency in knife skills and the use of kitchen tools, proficiency in weights, measures and recipe conversions.
• For Baking Assignments (CUL 150 / CUL 151) Proper application of baking techniques, proficiency in proper mixing of ingredients, proficiency in production to various baked goods, proficiency in the use of kitchen tools, proficiency in weights, measures and recipe conversions.

Prerequisites: HRM 110 and ((CUL 115 and CUL 230) or (CUL 150 and CUL 151)).

This course provides an overview of the process of selection and procurement used in various foodservice operations. Main topics include: distribution systems; purchasing goals and options; financial considerations; receiving, storage and issuing of food and non-food products.

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of effective purchasing.
• Demonstrate knowledge of various purchasing options available in food service.
• Exhibit the ability to develop product specifications.
• Demonstrate the ability to determine appropriate purchase amounts.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the financial responsibilities of a purchaser.
• Identify the key strategies for directing the purchasing function.
• Identify the elements representing value in purchasing.
• Identify various selection factors when purchasing food and non-food items.

Prerequisite: Successful Placement Test Scores or MAT 050.

This course will present the menu as a vital management tool that influences all foodservice functions. It also presents various strategies for controlling costs with techniques for developing menu content, menu design and pricing.

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the history of foodservice and the development of various cuisines.
• Demonstrate an understanding of modern foodservice and how it meets current market demands.
• Exhibit the ability to plan and produce various types of menus, for commercial and non-commercial operations, to meet established criteria.
• Demonstrate the ability to follow strategies for effective cost control and profitability
• Identify the key aspects of menu design and the importance of the menu as a merchandising tool.
• Demonstrate an understanding of various methods of menu analysis and exhibit the ability to use resulting data.

Prerequisite: Successful Placement Test Scores or MAT 050.

This course focuses on basic concepts of nutrition and the application of nutritional principles. Students will learn the importance of carbohydrates, lipids, minerals, menu design, proteins, vitamins and water. The student will learn proper food safety as well as state and federal nutrition-related regulations.

Prerequisite: HRM 115.

Students will practice and apply advanced skills and techniques learned in foundational culinary courses to execute the production of soups and compound sauces, meat and seafood fabrication, food preparation for commercial foodservice, basic garde-manger production, plating, and garnishing. Students will practice hands-on development of these skills and comply with all food safety and sanitation procedures in a professional kitchen.

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Produce compound sauces and soups.
• Demonstrate meat, poultry and seafood fabrication and portioning.
• Demonstrate a proficiency in food preparation skills and cooking techniques for commercial foodservice applications.
• Identify various spices, herbs and alternative food ingredients.
• Prepare classical entrée and basic techniques in garde-manger.
• Apply safety measures while using commercial culinary tools and equipment.
• Apply the theory and practice of advanced cooking techniques.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of advanced culinary terminology.

Prerequisite: CUL 115.

Students will further develop the skills and techniques learned in CUL 230 (Advanced Culinary Skills and Techniques), with emphasis on volume cooking, plating techniques, plate presentation, and garnishing. Students will practice hands-on development of these skills in a professional kitchen.

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate proficiency in classical and modern plate presentations.
• Demonstrate proficiency in production and safe handling of volume foods for banquets and catering including soups, sauces, proteins, starches and vegetables.
• Apply basic garde-manger skills in production of various cold foods.
• Prepare hot and cold foods for buffet presentation.

Prerequisite: CUL 230.

Students will learn to prepare Classical and International Cuisines, including Regional American, Asian, European, Latin and Middle Eastern foods. Students will practice hands-on development of these skills in a professional kitchen.

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate proficiency in identifying ingredients from various world-wide cuisines.
• Prepare regional American cuisine.
• Prepare Classical French cuisine.
• Prepare traditional and modern Latin cuisine.
• Prepare a variety of Middle Eastern foods.
• Prepare a variety of traditional and modern Asian cuisines.
• Prepare a variety of European foods.
• Prepare a variety of Indian foods.

Prerequisite: CUL 230.