Food, glorious food: Becoming a Chef
You love to combine spices to cook up surprising flavors. You think slicing vegetables is therapeutic. Baking is your favorite Sunday afternoon activity. Take your hobby and turn it into a profession by enrolling in a culinary arts program.
Culinary arts programs are offered in culinary, culinary management, pastry (or patisserie) and baking. They vary from 8 week courses to longer term study. Students start by learning everything about the kitchen from knife skills to food preparation techniques to sanitary practices to proper use of kitchen equipment. Then it’s time to start cooking.
Most programs cover the following topics:
Breakfast cookery: working with dairy and eggs
Sauces: rouxes, reductions, purees, infusions, cold sauces, dressings
Soups: consumes, stocks, bisques, chowders
Basic fruit and vegetable preparation: salad, sauté, roast, sweat
Starches: potatoes, grains and legumes
Fish: storage, handling and cooking of shellfish and fin fish
Poultry and Meat: dry heat cooking (roast, sautés, grill and fry) versus moist heat cooking (braising and stewing)
Breads: yeast breads, quick breads, and pastry dough
Dessert: chocolate, pies, tarts
Depending on the program, you will learn about ethnic cooking, wine pairing, hor d'oeuvres, ice carving, catering, hospitality computer skills, and purchasing.
If your mouth is watering, click here for more information on available on-line culinary arts programs.
