Culinary Arts

Do you enjoy all things food: creating, critiquing, enjoying and sharing? Then Culinary Arts could be right for you. This two-year curriculum is designed for students who wish to pursue a career in the food service/hospitality industry.

Year 1

• Explore cooking methods and prepare different recipes during lab in our restaurant quality kitchen

• Practice plating and presentation principles 

• Safety –Best practices working in the kitchen and with culinary knives 

• Sanitation – Learn the industry standard ServSafe curriculum

• Introduction to The Ranger Café, our student run restaurant that is open to the public 

Year 2

• Ranger Café Management and Production

  • Responsible for all food and beverage production for restaurant service as well as to-go orders

  • Back-of-House work the line in a fast paced environment

  • Front-of-House manage guests experience from start to finish

• Continue curriculum on food science and nutritional analysis

• Overview on marketing and understanding economics 

Students are expected to obtain a job in the food service/hospitality industry and be working part-time by the end of their Junior year, and to continue through their Senior year. 

College Credit: Students have the opportunity to earn college credit, upon completion of career-tech coursework and/or industry-recognized credentials, provided all program and grade requirements are met - at no cost to the students and families.

Weighted Grading: CTAG aligned courses follow the same weighted grading scale as AP and CCP courses.

Industry-Recognized Credentials: ServSafe, ProStart, CPR, First-Aid

Work-Based Learning: Juniors participate in simulated work activities, within their career tech program, gaining real-world experience in their chosen field.  Seniors in good standing (strong grades, good attendance, professional skills, and on track to graduate) will be eligible to participate in an internship or job site placement aligned with their course of study, in lieu of attending their career-tech program. Approval from the WS Work-Based Learning (WBL) Specialist and Coordinator are required.

Pre-Apprenticeship:  Students participate to build workforce readiness skills and earn a 12-point, industry-recognized credential.

West Shore Career-Tech programs support student graduation requirements through Career Readiness Options and/or the Industry-Recognized Credential Seal. 

Career-Technical Student Organization: Students have the opportunity to become members of Family, Careers, Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). Qualifying students can compete in various FCCLA cooking and baking competitions.

Future Career Opportunities:

· Chef

· Line/Prep Cook

· Caterer

· Dietary Assistant

· Host/Hostess

· Waiter/Waitress

· Executive Chef

· Pastry Chef

· Sales Associate in Food Service

· Banquet Manager

· Restaurant Manager

· Product Research and Development

· Food & Beverage Director

· Food Science

· Restaurant Owner

· General Manager