Culinary Arts
Culinary Arts offers students the opportunity to prepare themselves for employment in all aspects of the food service industry. Students will receive hands-on practical experience on a daily basis in facilities identical to those found in the industry, further enhanced through classroom theory and exposure to real life experiences through culinary functions held here at the school. Students will find the Academy of Culinary Arts an excellent route to prepare themselves for admission to any post-secondary culinary program or prepare themselves for direct entry into industry. Students can earn as many as 15 credits towards an ACCC Academy of Culinary Arts certificate with an 85 or better in select courses*. Tech Prep credits are available to them upon matriculation at ACCC, their ServSafe Food Handler Certification and OSHA 10 Certification.
For the 24-25 School Year, the Classes of 2025 and 2026 will select a pathway when meeting with their counselors for course selection: culinary, baking or restaurant operations. Classes for these pathways are in development and will be posted upon final board approval.
Intro to Culinary Arts/Intro to Baking
Grade: 9
Credit: 10
Prerequisite: None
This program features hands-on guided practice and theory that enable the student to work individually throughout the course and receive one-on-one instruction on a daily basis. Students work with the Chef/Instructor to set up a program that addresses their specific interests. During one of the first year semesters, students will have an in-depth introduction to basic culinary arts, safety and sanitation. Students will learn to safely use all cooking and preparation equipment. They will master basic cooking and knife skills. Areas of curriculum covered include knife and food safety, receiving and storage of food, all major cooking methods, tool, and equipment identification, salads, sandwiches, and breakfast foods. These skills prepare students for entry level jobs in a restaurant or food service establishment.
The remaining semester will be an in-depth exploration into the art of Pastry and Baking. The students will learn to safely use baking equipment, tools sanitation, weighing, and measuring ingredients. The students will master basic methods in mixing and baking breads, muffins, biscuits, cookies and cupcakes. All of these skills prepare the student for employment as bakers.
Fundamentals of Cooking I/Baking I
Grade: 10
Credit: 10
Prerequisite: Intro to Culinary Arts/Intro to Baking
The focus of this course is for the student to expand their knowledge of previous learned skills in the kitchen and pastry shop. The students will gain further knowledge in the functions of baking ingredients, mixing, and fermentation techniques. Special emphasis will be placed on dough products including breads, danish, quick breads, and cookies. When finished with the baking component, students will continue improving culinary skills through hot food preparation with a concentrated emphasis on soups, stocks, sauces, meats, poultry, rice, grains and vegetables.
Restaurant Operations /Baking II (Advanced Pastry Baking) *
Grade: 11
Credit: 10
Prerequisite: Baking I
Restaurant Operations is a semester-long course. The course involves spice and herb recognition, flavor combinations and profiles, menu writing, using seasonal foods, culinary math and nutrition. Students will create their own recipes from past and current knowledge and will be judged for practical application of their culinary techniques. Students will run the campus restaurant, CAFÉ ON MAIN, rotating through stations such as general manager, server, bus person, and chef while preparing meats, fish, vegetables, starches, soups, salads, and pastry.
Pastry & Baking II is a semester-long course. The course is a continuation of Pastry & Baking I. This second semester-long course is an in-depth study of international cake decorating techniques and advanced pastries. Meringues, butter creams, mousses, phyllo dough, puff, pate choux and bavarians will also be mastered.
Fundamentals of Cooking II/Advanced Pastry Baking *
Grade: 12
Credit: 10
Prerequisite: Fundamentals of Cooking I/Baking II
Fundamentals ll -In this semester-long course, students will be given the opportunity to become certified in food safety through the National Restaurant Association ServSafe Program. They will become highly proficient in food safety. They will also be taught front of the house procedures, such as banquets, buffets, and beverage service. They will be introduced to restaurant operations in our school run cafe. It also encompasses culinary math skills including recipe conversion, yield testing, and food cost control.
Advanced Pastry is a semester-long course. Students will have the opportunity to make a variety of advanced breads, rolls, and other assorted quality items used in a restaurant. They will design a variety of multi-step plated restaurant quality desserts incorporating classical and new techniques. Part of this class is dedicated to the making of advanced technique cake decorating (with a focus on rolled fondant covered cakes) and showpieces using different mediums (ex. chocolate, dead dough, gingerbread) that will be showcased in the restaurant as well.