Culinary Arts, AAS

A 55 15 0

Contact: (336) 334-4822, ext. 50468

The Culinary Arts curriculum provides specific training required to prepare students to assume positions as trained culinary professionals in a variety of food service settings including full service restaurants, hotels, resorts, clubs, catering operations, contract food service and health care facilities.

Students will be provided theoretical knowledge/practical applications that provide critical competencies to meet industry demands, including environmental stewardship, operational efficiencies and professionalism. Courses include sanitation/safety, baking, garde manger, culinary fundamentals/production skills, nutrition, customer service, purchasing/cost control, and human resource management. Graduates should qualify for entry-level opportunities such as line cook, station chef and assistant pastry chef. American Culinary Federation certification assistance is available to graduates. With experience, graduates may advance to positions such as sous-chef, executive chef or food service manager.

Program Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the Culinary Arts degree, the graduate should be able to:

• Demonstrate professional conduct and interpersonal communication skills with the public, vendors, and other culinary professionals.
• Demonstrate a comprehension of cooking techniques and knife skills.
• Analyze food cost and implement necessary controls to maintain costs and ensure profitability within a food service operation.
• Demonstrate and apply principles of proper food safety and sanitation procedures as well as personal hygiene by obtaining ServSafe Certification from National Restaurant Association.
• Understand foodservice equipment and technology effectively.
• Design nutritional menus and apply healthy cooking techniques based upon nutritional guidelines.
• Apply business principles related to human resource management and supervision
• Demonstrate a comprehension of classical, modern and global cooking.
• Apply fundamental skills in the preparation of cold items that will include soups, salads, sauces, dressings, marinades, relishes, sandwiches, canapés, and hors d’oevres.
• Demonstrate and comprehend a wide-range of baking and pastry techniques to include cakes, candies, sugar, chocolates, classical desserts, frozen desserts, and tortes.
• Understand the chemical and physical changes in foods that occur with cooking, handling and processing.
• Calculate recipe conversion, measuring, food costing and yield management practices
• Apply dining room professionalism for guest relations and service.
• Demonstrate professionalism and leadership standards relating to appearance, time management and conduct.
• Apply for Certified Culinarian (CC) with the American Culinary Federation.