Culinary Arts 1A: Introduction
Kitchen Associates - Sous Chef Career Pathway Course Units
Unit 1: The Safe Kitchen
The culinary process of cooking, baking, and preparing food is the only edible art form in the world, which means it is a pretty unique field of study. This characteristic also makes it a particularly enjoyable and valuable skill to learn. Who doesn’t want to eat their own creation? But before you even think of tying on an apron, there are a few kitchen safety rules you won’t want to miss, especially if you hope to enjoy your delicious “art” free from cuts, burns, and other cooking-related injuries. Once you understand how to handle any accidents or unexpected emergencies that might pop up in the kitchen, you will be one step closer to cooking up your own culinary masterpiece.
Unit 2: Knife Skills
There’s a reason why the television show “Iron Chef” uses two giant knives as their symbol. Not only is it recognizable, it instantly tells the viewer what is most valuable and vital in the kitchen of the culinary gods—their chef’s knives! From the massive cleaver to the delicate boning knife, there is a special cutting tool for every recipe in the cooking world. To use and maintain these sharp blades properly, free from injury and stress, certainly takes some talent, but it is well worth the effort. Because once you have the knowledge of knives under your apron straps, you’re ready to start cooking with fire.
Unit 3: Food Safety
Food is a wonderful thing. It is delicious, nutritious, and enjoyable—but sadly, it can also be dangerous if not handled properly. And for individuals hoping to find success in the culinary world, understanding areas like sanitation, storage, and waste management in a kitchen environment is the only way to fight this danger. It is not possible to whip up edible masterpieces for people to enjoy until you recognize the many ways bacteria and foodborne illnesses can ruin your efforts, not to mention make people sick. That’s why all chefs, no matter how talented and famous they are, make all-around cleanliness and proper food handling their top priority.
Unit 4: Cuisine & Culture
Any time you want to really understand something, you need to start at the beginning. And in the case of food, the beginning extends back hundreds of thousands of years to a time when an open fire was the only method of cooking. But through centuries of culinary “trial and error,” we have finally arrived at a point where we understand food better than ever. Science and technology have contributed greatly to our knowledge of food, always building on the existing foundation of culture and tradition. Using both older approaches and beliefs along with new findings, chefs are now able to explore the world of edible ingredients like never before.
Unit 5: Garde Manger: The Cold Kitchen
If you are interested in finding a unique place in the culinary world where your artistry can shine, the cold kitchen environment of the garde manger might be the place for you. From classic mixed green salad to avocado crabmeat soup to seared cardamom duck with poached tangerine relish, this realm of food preparation is cool for many reasons. Not only is the history of the garde manger a long and fascinating one, it has set a foundation for artistry and culinary achievement that is second to none. Using skills and many tricks of the trade, these chefs are able to produce all sorts of chilled delights that are appealing to both the senses and the taste buds. Fresh, chilled, sweet, tangy, spicy, creamy, crunchy, the beauty of the garde manger proves fire isn’t the only way to cook.