# Idle curiosity



## culinarian247 (Jan 21, 2002)

What do y'all see as the difference between these two programs.

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*Program A*

Student ratio - 12:1

Level 1: From the very first day, you will be cooking -- in chef's uniform -- learning, hands on, the fundamental skills and techniques required for great cuisine. You'll be doing knifework; learning to work in a brigade (team) to accomplish complex tasks quickly; studying and preparing various cuts of meat, fowl, seafood and vegetables; making stocks and sauces; understanding seasoning; creating five classic pâtes; three classic appareils; and five classic crèmes. You'll also learn all about food storage, and a level of organization and cleanliness that will be welcomed in any commercial kitchen, anywhere.

Level 2: Now, with the basic skills in place, you'll use them until they are second nature, as you begin cooking for others -- the chef's meal. Every day, you'll be cooking from one of the five departments of the kitchen: garde-manger, fish, meat, pastry, or catering. Teamwork becomes all-important; you discover how to work with creativity, efficiency and elegance in meeting daily deadlines. Responding to your Chef-Instructor or Chef de Partie. You learn, too, the elements of menu planning and presentation, pairing tastes and colors, raw and cooked foods. Here, too, you start to recognize the details that set the standard and execute them carefully and consistently.

Level 3: places you in a disciplined, professional kitchen, as you prepare dishes for our own restaurant. Refine your skills and taste day by day.

Level 4: gives you direct responsibility for the restaurant's daily menu. Under wise supervision, you'll rotate through every station of the kitchen.

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*Program B*

Student ratio - 15:1

Instruction and practice in writing in the business world.
Emphasis on reports, visuals and forms of correspondence.

Survey of the history, likely direction, and dynamics of the
hospitality industry from the perspective of the global economy,
with emphasis on the wide variety of career opportunities.

Introduction to culinary fundamentals, techniques and skills
of modern cookery. Class covers procedures, ingredients
and cooking theories.

Fundamentals of pantry with proper techniques and procedures
in egg cookery, hot and cold sandwiches, lunch and
dinner salads and dressings, basic garnishes, canapes and
hot and cold appetizer production.

Students will learn basic history and use of herbs and
spices. They will learn how to enhance foods through proper
usage. This class includes participation at every station in actual restaurant operations and preparing a meal for FOH students as well.

Basic sauce concepts and technical guidelines to produce
high quality sauces. Covers stocks, thickening agents,
reductions, liasons, purees, mother sauces and compound
derivations.

The theory and practice of food and environmental sanitation
in the Culinary field. Food related diseases, disease origins
and personal hygiene are given special attention. Meets
standards of National Sanitation Certification.

Students learn the basics of nutritionally balanced menu
planning and methods of promoting and producing healthy
alternative food plans.

An overview of the basic principles of restaurant management,
operations and front-of-the-house training with laboratory work in the school's restaurant.

Basic principles of purchasing food, beverage, equipment,
contract services and supplies. Primary focus on product
identification, supplier selection, and the ordering, receiving,
storing and issuing process.

In addition to the academic requirements, the Department
requires 200 hours of acceptable employment in the hospitality industry. This work experience will be measured qualitatively as well as quantitatively.


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## fodigger (Jul 2, 2001)

In program A you are likely to become a well rounded cook. In program B you are likely to become a well rounded chef. Just my opinion though.


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## suzanne (May 26, 2001)

Cannot say it any better -- or more succinctly -- than fodigger.


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## culinarian247 (Jan 21, 2002)

Thank you very much, mom & fodigger. I will grin from ear to ear knowing that I made the right decision as I accept my certificate. I am (rather was) in program B whereas "A" is a well known school elsewhere. I thought the same thing but wasn't sure.


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