Career Pathways - Culinary Arts

Culinary Arts Training

Sept. 21, 2009 to March 19, 2010

• Do you like to cook?
• Are you creative in the kitchen?
• Do you like to work in a fast-paced environment?
• Do you like to work as part of a team?

If you say yes, then culinary arts may be your career pathway.

Build Your Skills for Professional Cooking

• Become an expert in food preparation and service.
• Learn proper methods of food and equipment handling.
• Explore culinary arts from a management perspective.
• Study recipe management and menu planning.
• Develop marketable workplace readiness skills.
• Apply classroom learning during an on-the-job internship.

Culinary Arts Classes

The culinary arts training prepares you to cook and present meals in restaurants and other places that serve food. You study different cooking techniques. You learn to plan menus and recipes and how to buy supplies, manage kitchens, and train staff.

You study the properties of different kinds of ingredients. You learn how to plan a menu and create recipes based on seasonal availability and a budget. You learn to use different kitchen tools, particularly knives.

You also learn how to work in an institution and as part of a kitchen team. This includes instruction in line cooking and management skills. You learn to supervise and train kitchen assistants and to keep track of kitchen resources.

Your Future in Professional Cooking

As a chef or cook, you measure, mix, and cook food according to recipes. Chefs and dinner cooks prepare meals in restaurants, hotels, and institutions. Although the terms "chef" and "cook" are used interchangeably, chefs tend to be more highly skilled and better trained than cooks.
In general, chefs and dinner cooks mix and measure ingredients. You cut and chop food items. You season and cook dishes and meals. You regulate the temperature for ovens, broilers, and grills so that food cooks properly. Some cooks bake breads, rolls, and other pastries. Chefs and cooks use a variety of pots, pans, knives, and utensils. You also use equipment such as slicers, grinders, and blenders.

The specific duties of chefs and cooks are determined by the place where you work. Institutional chefs and cooks work in the kitchens of schools, hospitals, and other institutions. For each meal, you prepare large quantities of a limited number of menu items. Restaurant chefs and cooks typically prepare a wider selection of dishes and often cook orders individually.

"Copyright University of Oregon for the Oregon Career Information System, 2009.  Used with permission."

Fall Term:
Culinary ArtsFundamentals of Cooking Soups, Stocks, Sauces, Meat and Game (HT235, 4 credits),

Sanitation and Safety (HT234, 2 credits),
Introduction to the Hospitality Industry (HT106, 3 credits ),
Cooperative Education Internship (WE280HTC, 3 Credits)

Winter Term:
Culinary Arts Meal Planning and Preparation (HT236, 4 credits),
Convention & Meetings Management (HT133, 3 credits),
Food, Beverage and Labor Cost Control (HT270, 3 credits),
Cooperative Education Internship (WE 280HTC, 3 credits)

All courses (25 credits) apply to the Hospitality and Tourism Management Associate of Applied Science Degree.

For information on MHCCs Pathways Culinary Arts Training contact: Steven Storla, 503-491-7251 or Steven.Storla@mhcc.edu