Culinary Arts -Week Curriculum

NECAT’s curriculum is designed to prepare students to meet the needs of employers looking for qualified Cooks, Prep Cooks and Line Cooks. The lessons are designed to accommodate all learning styles and address the challenges our adult learners often face when re-acclimating to a school setting. Annually, we enroll 8 cohorts of 20 students, for a total of 160 students each year. Class is held Monday through Thursday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, for 24 hours of training each wee

Our engaging and experiential 14-week curriculum teaches the full range of technical and “soft” skills required by employers. Students spend the first half of the program primarily in the classroom and cold lab observing chef demos, learning food science, studying for and taking their ServSafe exams and practicing knife cuts. They also spend time developing job readiness proficiencies such as their elevator pitches, interviewing, and resume writing and online job applications. Additionally, computer literacy and financial literacy are taught. Finally, we provide training to help them improve the critical behavioral and attitudinal skills necessary to secure and retain employment, largely through Social Emotional lesson plans and Case Management.
Students spend the second seven weeks in the kitchen, implementing their training through hands on lessons, cooking and serving lunch every day, supporting NECAT’s catering activities and completing at least 2 off-site culinary stages (working a shift in a professional kitchen as a form of interview) to practice their skills in a real-world setting and to test out different work environments before selecting their permanent jobs. Most students secure their jobs from these stages, or from the career fairs that we regularly host at our Center. We find that the kitchen provides a unique and highly effective learning environment for students, as it requires extraordinary levels of teamwork, communication and accountability.

In addition to training, students also receive ample support from our Student Services Director, Social Emotional Facilitator, and Case Managers to access to any community resources they need to overcome the challenges facing them outside of NECAT.

Course Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
Evaluate industry trends as they relate to career opportunities and the future of the industry.
Discuss professional behaviors practiced in the industry.
Demonstrate knife skills, and the safe use of hand tools, and major commercial kitchen equipment.
Identify the parts/components of a recipe.
Describe and use a standardized recipe.
Describe the importance and procedures of receiving and inspecting product as it enters the facility.
Define and describe the sautéing process, pan-frying and deep-frying.
Define and describe the roasting and baking process, grilling and broiling.
Define and describe the process of braising and stewing, noting the similarities and differences.
Define and describe the process of poaching, simmering, boiling and steaming, and the correct temperature at which each occurs.
Define stock, process of making and describe its uses, functions and ingredients.
Identify the mother sauces and their derivatives.
List the basic ingredients needed for making these sauces.

Define, describe, and explain the purposes of sauces, functions of the ingredients in sauces.

Describe a variety of preparation techniques used in egg cookery.

Identify a variety of soups, vegetables, starches, legumes, and grains.

Prepare a variety of soups, vegetables, starches, legumes, and grains using basic cooking methods.

Identify, define, describe, and evaluate types of salad dressings and salad greens.

Perform basic fabrication tasks with meat and poultry.

Using the basic cooking methods prepare meat, seafood, poultry, to the proper doneness.

ServSafe Certification:

Identify microorganisms, which are related to food spoilage and food-borne illness. Describe their requirements and methods for growth.

List and describe symptoms common to food-borne illness and list various ways these illnesses can be prevented.

List and define the fundamentals of good personal hygiene.

Demonstrate good personal hygiene and health habits.

Demonstrate acceptable procedures when preparing potentially hazardous foods to include time/temperature principles.

List the major causes of food spoilage, and define their indicators.

Outline the flow of food through an establishment and list the various ways contamination may be prevented along the pathway.

Outline the requirements for proper receiving and storage of both raw and prepared foods.

Develop a cleaning and sanitizing schedule and procedures for equipment and facilities.

Understand the SEL attributes of being career ready.

Prepare a resume.

Complete two “stages”.

Develop skills to apply for jobs on-line.

Demonstrate understanding of job application and interview process.

Obtain employment at the end of 14-week program.

Class Venues and Formats

Classroom venues utilized by the course are: