Culinary Foundations

Catalog description

This introductory course provides students with the essential skills, knowledge, and professional practices to create a foundation required for success in the culinary arts. Emphasis is placed on developing proper knife skills, identifying and safely operating standard kitchen tools and equipment, and applying the principles of mise en place to promote efficiency and organization in a professional kitchen setting. Students will explore fundamental theory of flavors and flavorings, including herbs, spices, aromatics, seasoning techniques, and methods for building balanced flavor profiles. Core cooking principles such as heat transfer, cooking methods, product identification, basic nutrition and basic preparation techniques are introduced through hands-on laboratory practice and guided instruction. Prerequisites: ServSafe Food Handler (minimum) or equivalent