Professional Cooking Program

Whether you want to pursue a career as a culinary professional or just cook like a pro, our professional program is for you! This is an intensive 25 week class meeting once a week on Tuesday evenings for 4.5 hours, starting at 5:00 PM. We invite serious home cooks, beginners who want to master the fine art of cooking, and those who have the desire to attend culinary school without the time or financial commitment. With their tuition payment, students receive a world class text book and supplemental materials used in professional schools throughout the country, a personalized chef's coat, and a discount on additional classes offered and store merchandise. At the end of the program, students engage in a final exam, which requires them to prepare a fully executed dinner party for invited guests. Graduating participants receive a Certificate of Completion in Cooking from our school.

Class Syllabus

  1. Introduction, Safety & Sanitation, Knife Skills
  2. Stocks and Basic Sauces
  3. Complex & Specialty Sauces
  4. Soups, Stews, Chowders & Broths
  5. Eggs, Dairy & Breakfast
  6. Salads & Salad Dressings
  7. Cold & Hot Vegetables & Fruits
  8. Starch Vegetables & Potatoes
  9. Grains & Pastas
  10. Meats & Game
  11. Poultry & Game Birds
  12. Fish & Shellfish
  13. Hot & Cold Hors d’ Oeuvres
  14. Sandwiches & Canapés
  15. Garde Manger (Pates, Terrines, etc.)
  16. France
  17. Italy
  18. Mediterranean
  19. Japan & China
  20. Vietnam & Hawaii
  21. American Regional, West & Southwest
  22. American Regional, East & South
  23. Classic Restaurant Dishes
  24. Plating, Presentation, Wine Pairing, & Review
  25. Final Exam

Professional Baking & Pastry Program

Our Professional Baking and Pastry program is based on the curriculum taught in formal Baking Schools in the United States and France. This course is intended for serious home bakers who are interested in mastering the skills of a professional pastry chef, and also to prepare individuals looking to pursue a career in the Baking and Pastry industry. Topics range from elaborate cake decorating, to making sauces and custards, and everything in between. This program is 12 weeks long and meets on Monday evenings at 5:00 PM lasting approximately four hours. With their tuition payment students will receive a world class baking text book, a chef's coat, discounts on other classes offered, and store merchandise.

  1. INTRODUCTION TO BAKING: Methods, Scaling, Weights and Measures, Equipment; Formulas and Standardized Recipes, Home-style Recipes and Techniques for Successful Execution
  2. BASIC PASTRY DOUGHS: Pie Dough vs. Pate Brisee, Short Pastry, Roll-in Doughs, Press-in Doughs, Sweet Tart Doughs, Cheese Pastry, Strudel, Phyllo, Rich Dough Formulas
  3. YEAST DOUGHS: Types of Yeast, Proofing, Fermentation, Standard American breads, Italian, French and other Mediterranean breads
  4. ARTISAN BREAD TECHNIQUES: Starters, Sourdough, Biga, Levain, Artisan bread doughs, Specialty Breads for the Artisan Baker
  5. CHOUX PASTE AND PUFF PASTRY: Eclairs, Cream Puffs, Piping skills, Additional uses of Choux paste in the kitchen: Savory and sweet; Use of Commercial Puff Pastry: Cakes, Tartlets, Palmiers, Savory Appetizers
  6. QUICKBREADS AND COOKIES: Loaves, Muffins, Cookies, Bars
  7. CAKES: Introduction to cakes; Popular cakes: Basic Yellow and Cream Cake, Devil’s Food, Chiffon, Pound, Carrot, Flourless and Molten Chocolate Cake, Cupcakes
  8. SPECIALTY BAKING AND DESSERTS: Meringues, Petit Fours, Soufflés, Molded desserts, truffles, Ethnic desserts, Classic French Baked Clafouti
  9. BREAKFAST/BRUNCH PASTRY: Doughnuts, Crepes, Fritters, Pancakes, Waffles, Sweet buns, Quiches
  10. SAUCES AND CUSTARDS: Brulee, Bavarians, Puddings, Mousses, Ice Cream, Dessert Sauces, Caramel
  11. MAKING THE PARTS WHOLE: Assembling & Decorating Techniques, Fillings and Icings; Planning of Doughs, Fillings, Sauces to Produce Balanced Specialty Cakes;
  12. UNDERSTANDING GLUTEN-FREE BAKING: Addressing dietary concerns, alternative GF flours, GF breads, GF cookies, GF cakes, GF pie and GF pizza crust. Final Student Presentations

Culinary Certification

 Both programs may be taken simultaneously or one after the other for a full Certificate of Culinary Training from our school.  Alternatively, students may choose to take only one program or the other for program specific Certification.  Space is limited in our professional classes in order to give students maximum one-on-one training with our instructors so please sign up early to reserve your space.

Students enrolled in either program are eligible to participate in our Kitchen Assistant Program. Kitchen Assistants help chefs during the course of our other recreational classes, in return for free classes at our school as well as a fun and invaluable experience.

For more information, pricing and dates, please contact us.