CULA 1515 Basic Culinary

This course is an introduction to the foundational skills, terminologies, techniques, etiquettes, and resources needed by a culinary professional. The focus is on the preparation of classic and contemporary stocks, soups, sauces, and paired accompaniments. The student will practice kitchen setup, station organization, knife skills, primary cooking techniques, proper equipment use, and kitchen safety. Prerequisites: Completion of CULA 1500. (1 lect., 4 lab).

Credits

3 credits

Major Topics

• Professional kitchen etiquette, terminology, cooking stations, equipment, and travel flow

• Advanced knife skills and culinary tools, proper usage, and care techniques

• Preparation of basic stocks and broths

• Identification and preparation of foundational sauces including mother sauces and modern sauces

• Classification and production of primary soup types

• Professional cooking techniques and processes

• Proper preparation, holding, cooling, and storing processes

• Finishing, garnishing, plating, and serving dishes

Outcomes

In order to successfully complete this course, the student will:

1. Explain proper identification, usage, cleaning, and storage of primary kitchen tools and equipment.

2. Demonstrate professional knife skills with efficiency, proper techniques, and safe handling.

3. Distinguish a stock from a broth.

4. Identify the mother sauces and other foundational sauces.

5. Describe the different categories of major soups.

6. Demonstrate basic cooking techniques including simmering, sauteing, grilling, roasting, baking, braising, steaming, and frying.

7. Examine primary cooking processes including simmering, searing, reducing, deglazing, emulsifying, blanching, poaching, and sous vide.

8. Manage proper preparation, holding, cooling, and storage techniques of common foods.

9. Prepare examples of quality stocks, broths, sauces, and soups from various culinary traditions.

10. Create completed dishes with appropriate garnish and accompaniments in multiple service styles.

11. Evaluate selections of finished dishes for taste, texture, standards, and quality.