What Classes are required for Culinary School
France is considered the gastronomy capital of the world. Aspiring chefs have been flocking to France to study the culinary arts since.... well, the French set the standard generations ago. The French Brigade System invented by Georges Escoffier, defines the formal hierarchical system of chefs, cooks, and workers within a kitchen. This organizational structure is taught at most culinary arts institutes and used throughout the restaurant industry. Additionally, many terms, including the word restaurant, come from the French language: appetizer, gourmet, bistro, chef, sauté. So, if you are a student of cooking, you'll want to learn from the French.
Whether you are seeking to earn a degree from a specialty program like the famous Le Cordon Bleu or just wish to improve your cooking skills, mastering certain basic food preparation techniques will be required. You can study just one specialty such as: cuisine, pastry, bakery, wine, or all of them. Additionally, you can attend a program for hospitality and business to further your career. Heads up, admissions can be very competitive.
Where to learn
If you want to be a professional chef, you will definitely need to get an education in the culinary arts. The best will be expensive, especially if the campus is in France. However, local community colleges offer cooking and hospitality associate degrees that can accommodate most financial situations. Beyond becoming a master chef, there are many reasons what else do you learn in a cooking class? You will assuredly learn how to make a great meal you can enjoy with family and friends from any program!
Required Courses
Becoming a professional in gastronomic arts will include classes in each area of preparation according to French Brigade System. In addition to tested recipes and techniques, courses in terminology, sanitation, tools and equipment handling, kitchen and food organization, and operational costs are also required. Your education can be as short as 3 months or last 2 years. Regardless, a chef must keep up with the current trends in gastronomy and culture. Remember, cooking is a lifetime journey of exploring different cuisines made with new and exotic ingredients or mastering regional gastronomic traditions. As a matriculated student, you will take courses that cover all the following topics:
The French Brigade System (condensed version)
- Chef de Cuisine, or Executive Chef.
- Sous Chef.
- Garde Manger, or Pantry Chef.
- Commis Chef, or Assistant Chef.
- Saucier, or Sauce Chef.
- Patissier, or Pastry Chef.
Basic Skills
- Safety and sanitation.
- Organization, culinary vocabulary.
- Knife handling.
- Stocks, sauces, dough.
Seasoning and Presentation
- Flavor, color, texture combinations.
- Technical cuts.
- Appearance and product origins.
Practicum
- Interpretations, originality.
- Kitchen efficiency.
- Unique ingredients.
Specialties
- Cuisine.
- Pastry and confectionery.
- Bakery.
- Wine and spirits.
- Hospitality, restaurant, culinary management.
For more information, please refer to the following pages:
