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National Culinary School is one of first culinary
schools in San Diego, California. Our culinary school is based on the "Le
Cordon Bleu" cooking
method. National Culinary School uses 5 burner gas stoves and have smaller
cooking class sizes of around 10 people to give you the attention and
detail
you would
expect
from a culinary arts school. Learn using the equipment a real chef uses
and beware of culinary institutes that teach using hot plates and have
large
class
sizes.
Start
your culinary career here at National Culinary School. You
will
need to
take all
of
the
culinary classes
in the order
listed
below in
order to
receive your chef credential. If you do not need a certification
and require specific culinary training you may take any of these classes
in any order.
Below is a detailed list of the culinary and cooking classes we offer: |
Course 101 - Food Service
Industry, Sanitation and Safety - 20 hours
Your cuilnary education starts with the current knowledge on how to be successful
in the food service industry by knowing how to make the restaurant operations
successful
in reducing cost and increasing profits.
Sanitation & Safety have two sides, when both are carefully maintained
under the proper rules you will learn, your culinary job will be secure and
the food operation and your employer will be protected and you will advance
at a faster pace; otherwise failure can cause catastrophic liability and loss
of your culinary job. Sanitation and Safety will be observed throughout this
entire culinary program and does not end in chapter 2 & 3 and remember "clean
as you go".
Culinary Class Outline:
1. THE FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRY
(A) A short history of modern food service
(B) The Organization of modern kitchens
(C) Standards of professionalism
2. SANITATION
(A) Introduction to microbiology
(B) Food borne diseases
(C) Personal Hygiene
(D) Food handling, preparation, and storage all foods and meats, poultry & fish
3. SAFETY
(A) The safe workplace
(B) Preventing cuts, burns, fires and falls
(C) Preventing strains and injuries from lifting |
Course 102 - Tools & Equipment,
Portion Control & Measurement
and Menu - 10
hours
Students will learn how to properly use all kitchen tools and equipment and their
function including knife skills. This ability will translate into their preparation
of culinary foods at a faster pace.
Portion control will teach you how important costs are to a food operation.
You will learn how to convert any recipe to equal the amount food orders in
play, these are referred to as restaurant covers and must be consistent in
portion control. A good chef will plan meals properly for the enjoyment of
his guests and the benefit of his restraunt.
This culinary course will enable you to create many different menus and determine
their Individual ingredient cost. This cooking class will include all types
of food preparation designed for nutritional value and method of garnishing.
You will learn how to create a menu that will produce a gross profit standard
related to comparative retail plate value. You will become aware of product
quality and comparative pricing.
Culinary Class Outline:
4. TOOLS and EQUIPMENT
(A) Introduction to quantity food equipment
(B) Cooking equipment
(C) Processing equipment
(D) Pots, pans and containers
(E) Knives, hand tools, measuring devices
And small equipment
5. PORTION CONTROL & MEASUREMENTS
(A) Equivalents of weights and measures
(B) Dry and liquid measurements
(C) The written recipe
(D) Converting recipes
(E) Food cost
(F) Build a prep list from a menu
6. THE MENU
(A) Menu forms and functions
(B) Building and creating a menu |
Course 103 - Basic to Advanced Cooking
Principles and the Art of Seasoning and Flavoring - 12 hours
Now you are prepared to create serious culinary cuisine, because
from basic to advanced preparation you will have the principles, methods
and culinary art to accomplish foods that taste good and have plate presentation.
Taste is a chef's tool in the art of seasoning and flavoring, this
must be developed as you proceed to an advanced cooking level.
Culinary Class Outline:
7. BASIC to ADVANCED COOKING PRINCIPLES
(A) Effects of heat on foods
(B) Heat transfer
(C) Cooking times
(D) Moist-heat methods
(E) Dry-heat methods
(F) Dry-heat methods using fat
(G) Cooking terminology
8. THE ART OF SEASONING and FLAVORING
(A) Definition of Flavoring and seasoning
(B) When to season and when to flavor
(C) Common seasonings and flavorings
(D) Using herbs and spices
(E) When to use fresh herbs |
Course 104 - Stocks, Sauces, Soups -
39 hours
You will prepare from scratch basic stocks for beef, poultry and fish that
will be used as a basis for all sauces, soups and many other food preparations.
This will include reductions and glazes and de-glazing. These stocks will be
made In advance, chilled and kept frozen or refrigerated depending their next
use.
There are 5 mother sauces that you not only learn to create, but
also how to make changes to these basic sauces for special purposes
in foods. You will be prepared to have knowledge that can be acquired
to become a saucier chef.
You will learn and prepare all types of hot and cold soups that are
perfectly seasoned and garnished with plate presentation. You will
become the judge of their taste as you try and eat a large variety
of soups.
Culinary Class Outline:
9. STOCKS
(A) Ingredients
(B) Procedures
(C) Reduction and glazes
(D) De-glazing
(E) Using convenience bases
10. SAUCES
(F) Mother sauces
(G) Roux
(H) Other thickening agents
(I) Modern sauces
(J) Leading sauces
11. SOUPS
(A) Classification of soups
(B) Service of soups
(C) Clear soups
(D) Thick soups
(E) Cold soups
(F) Soup presentation and garnish |
Course 105 - Understanding and Cooking
Meats - 40 hours
Here is where you start combing your knowledge of sauces with
each meat preparation. There is no batch cooking done at National Schools
culinary institute. ( Batch cooking is done with only one burner for only
one item cooked ) This means you must learn to create simultaneously a
meat dish combined with its related sauce adding starches and/or vegetables
all at different temperatures and using a 4 or 6 gas burner stove under
a commercial hood. You will learn to plate and provide garnish and presentation
under a time limit impose by national’s executive chef. Then your culinary
creation will be eaten by you and evaluated. Vegetable Cooking will be
included in chapter 15.) Your menu entrée will require your converting
the recipe, prep and costing with a standard cost of sales percentage.
You will operate in National’s commercial kitchen exactly as you will be
required when employed. There will be no shock value when you get your
first job.
Culinary Class Outline:
12. UNDERSTANDING and COOKING MEATS
(A) Reading meat labels and knowing the basic cuts
(B) Composition, structure and basic quality factors
(C) Cooking and handling meats
(D) Marinating
(E) Broiling, grilling and pan-broiling
(F) Roasting and baking
(G) Braising
(H) Sauteing, pan-frying and griddling
(I) Simmering |
Course 106 -
Understanding and Cooking Poultry - 40 hours
All the above cooking methods and knowledge of preparing
a complete entrée, with all the cooking, presenting, garnishing,
and sauces under the same procedures of accountability as identified
in meat cooking, you will now have advanced to Poultry with some
differences in their prep work specific to chicken, duck, game hen
etc.
By now you have advanced to a higher level as your culinary school
progress continues. There are definite sanitation methods in keeping
poultry separate from meats in the prepping and cutting procedures.
You will find that chicken is the least expensive of menu costing of
a protein entrée, therefore you will learn the many ways chicken
can be offered in different menu styles.
Culinary Class Outline:
13. UNDERSTANDING and COOKING POULTRY
(A) Classification and market forms
(B) Handling and storage
(C) Cutting and de-boning chicken
(D) Roasting & Baking
(E) Boiling and grilling
(F) Sauteing, pan-frying and deep frying
(G) Simmering and Poaching
(H) Braising
(I) Dressings and stuffing’s |
Course 107 - Understanding
and Cooking Fish and Shellfish - 40 hours
California has some very fine restaurants that offer many Pacific Ocean seafood
as well as seafood dishes from around the country including Cajun cooking, Maine
lobster and Alaska salmon for example. You will experience all of this in your
learning and have a taste of many in all of the category identified herein, with
field trips to local fisheries here in San Diego. Seafood is an art in cooking
and high temperatures are not used. For you seafood lovers this will be a real
treat.
Culinary Class Outline:
14. UNDERSTANDING and COOKING FISH and SHELLFISH
(A) Composition and Structure
(B) Cutting fish
(C) Varieties and characteristics
(D) Handling and storage
(E) Mollusks
(F) Cephalopods
(G) Crustaceans
(H) Miscellaneous seafood
(I) Sushi and sashimi
(J) Baking and broiling
(K) Sauteing, pan-frying, and deep frying
(L) Poaching and simmering
(M) Mixed cooking techniques
(N) Seafood served raw |
Course 108 - Understanding
and Cooking Vegetables - 15 hours
Since vegetables are less expensive than meats, poultry and fish, their use in
a menu can alter its cost ratio but enhance its plate presentation, therefore
you will learn how to select the best quality and maintain their freshness. This
is a completely different cooking method from proteins and to savor their flavor
they have special rules you must master. Vegetable art can now be combined with
previous menus of Proteins and sauces in your progress to becoming more than
a cook but having the knowledge required by chefs. You will learn to substitute
menu vegetables based on seasonal availability and their condition in your cooler
or bin. Cooked vegetables can have eye appeal as to how they are arranged on
the plate, you will learn this art as your culinary education progresses.
Culinary Class Outline:
15. UNDERSTANDING AND COOKING VEGETABLES
(A) Controlling quality changes during cooking
(B) General rules of vegetable cookery
(C) Standards of quality in cooked vegetables
(D) Handling fresh and processed vegetable
(E) Production and holding problems in quantity cooking
(F) Storage
(G) Boiling and steaming
(H) Sauteing and pan frying
(I) Braising
(J) Baking
(K) Broiling and grilling
(L) Deep frying |
Course 109 - Cooking
Starched - 20 hours
This class also applies comments relative to vegetables and exposes
the student to dry storage to a variety of legumes, rice, grains and all
other starches above. This is where you will learn how to make creative
dishes from your cooking starches.
Culinary Class Outline:
16. COOKING STARCHES
(A) Potatoes
(B) Rice
(C) Pasta & Dumplings
(D) Other Grains
(E) Stuffing and dressing
(F) Pilaf method |
Course 110 - Salad and Salad Dressings -
36 hours
You will learn to create beautiful salads using raw vegetables combined with
fruits and candied nuts, toppings with height level presentation for eye appeal,
using fresh dressing ingredients. The salad is the customers first impression
of the entrée to come next, therefore each salad mouthful should excite
the palate and be sized to fit the mouth. Cherry tomatoes should be cut so
when a customer bites into them the juice will
not drip down their chin or on an expensive tie or gown. These comments are only
a small part of culinary ideas you will learn about foods in general that separates
the cook from the chef that will appeal to the gourmet diner. This is advanced
salad and dressing making from our famous school that you will not find elsewhere.
Culinary Class Outline:
17. SALAD and SALAD DRESSINGS
(A) Types of salads
(B) Arrangements and presentation
(C) Components of a salad bar
(D) Emulsion dressings
(E) Vinaigrette dressings
(F) Art of Garde Manger ( cold foods ) |
Course 111 -
Sandwiches and Hors d’Oeuvres - 10 hours
You will expand in your culinary education progress as you learn the presentation
art in preparation of taste combined with eye appeal. These varieties of tasty
morsels are very time consuming in preparation and will be found in catering
events as well as specialty menus. They will combine breads, dressings, all
food products with flavoring and seasonings in a art form in which some are
presented in bite size portions.
National Schools owns its own catering company “A Memorable Event
Catering Co." Students can have, at their option, real world experience
in employment for events as they become available on weekends after
the have become proficient in their studies.
Culinary Class Outline:
18. CANAPES and HORS d’OEUVRES
(A) Breads, spreads, fillings
(B) Types of sandwiches
(C) Making sandwiches
(D) Canapés
(E) Cocktails
(F) Relishes
(G) Dips
(H) Miscellaneous Hors d’Oeuvres |
Course 112 -
Bakery Basics and Breakfast Preparation and Dairy Products - 50 hours
Specialized bakery skills are necessary for chefs to acquire, for example many
restaurants will purchase stock cakes and bakery items that will require a
final decorating touch by the chef. Breads are now offered by wholesale bakeries
that are only partially baked, to be finished at the restaurant, thereby producing
a hot out of the oven product.
( National Schools offers a complete Bakery from Basic to Advanced
course for those who combine culinary with Bakery and Pastry skills
)
Breakfast preparation for restaurants who cater to this require,
a high volume of customers, due to the lower menu price scale. Consequently
speed is very important in breakfast preparation. You will learn how
to make all popular menu items including a hollandaise sauce for eggs
benedict, how to create a combination of main course
breakfast items to be completed at the same time for service, how to combine
healthy ingredients in a eye appealing presentation with fruits and many other
specialties used in finer restaurants.
Culinary Class Outline:
19. BAKERY BASICS and BREAKFAST PREPARATION and DAIRY PRODUCTS
(1) Danish, Muffins, Biscuits, Dinner Rolls, Breads are required bakery
skills by chefs.
(2) Bakery puff pastry used in food preparation is also a bakery skill
(3) Cake decorating skills required to embellish a cake or dessert
(A) Understanding and cooking eggs
(B) Breakfast breads, cereals and meats
(C) Milk, cream and butter
(D) Cheese sauce, Hollandaise Sauce |
Course
113 - Food Presentation and Garnish - 10 hours
This is where everything you have learned to prepare comes together in its final
glory of presentation par excellence. Where cooking becomes art. Where you now
learn the final arrangements beyond the fundamentals previously experienced.
Your executive chef instructor will in great detail demonstrate and you will
emulate him in actual presentations in learning by doing as you have done in
previous courses. You will learn the importance of garnishing and setting up
a buffet table using Garde Manger and decorative fruits. Where beauty equals
taste.
Culinary Class Outline:
20. FOOD PRESENTATION and GARNISH
(A) Hot food presentation
(B) The importance of appearance
(C) Fundamentals of advanced plating
(D) Garnish
(E) Simple and advanced decorative techniques
(F) Cold food presentation and buffet service
(G) Buffet arrangement and appearance
(H) Cold platter presentation
(I) Hot foods for buffets |
Course 114 -
International Cuisines - 30 hours
National Culinary School offers hands on training using the Le Cordon Bleu
teaching method. This is a collection of international cuisines of French cooking
origins, which will you apply these methods and techniques in addition to our
extensive curriculum for your advanced schooling, to place you ahead of any
competition in the job market.
In conclusion students would have learned a complete Culinary or
Bakery
Arts program at National School from basic to advanced in all areas to prepare
them to enjoy high end employment. Students who graduate from National are
sought after by employers because they have obtained the specific skills that
are needed currently in the hospitality industry. National cooking school has
a tract record for 30 years in SanDiego finding jobs for our students. After
this class you will receive your certificate in the culinary arts.
Culinary Class Outline:
21. INTERNATIONAL CUISINES
(A) Japanese
(B) Chinese
(C) Mexican
(D) Italian
(E) French
Graduation Day -
National Culinary School students will have completed a total of 372 hours of
culinary
training and receive their executive chef credential.
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