Hospitality, Food & Tourism · course plan
⚠ Pending professional review
This course plan, its lessons and its assessments has not yet been verified by a certified food-safety manager and industry professional or by a certification or approval body. It is a study draft and may contain errors. Do not use it as instructions for work on a job site or on live equipment. Always follow your instructor, your supervising professional, and current official references and regulations.
VoTechWorks program approval and accreditation are still in progress. Credentials are issued only by the certifying bodies named in each program, after their own exams.
Culinary Arts
11 courses · 1,800 clock hours · 9–12 mo full-time. Grading is competency-based: each course requires the written exam, a competent skills demonstration with zero safety faults, a signed log, and a passed safety audit; percentage weights only rank performance above the competency floor.
11courses
103lessons
1,800hours
39assessments
Development progressPlanCourses, lessons and assessments written for this tradeLessons103 of 103 lesson pages writtenPractice823 practice questionsResources113 reference entries (study list)Review0 lesson pages reviewed by a licensed professional
Study now: 103 lesson pages are open (lesson titles below are links).
HOS-CULI27-01 Universal core
Universal Core: Safety, Math, Communication & Career for Culinary Arts
148 hr · $1,185 COMPLIMENTARY
This foundational course equips culinary students with the safety protocols, mathematical skills, communication strategies, and career-readiness habits essential for professional kitchen work. Students complete OSHA 10-Hour General Industry training and first aid/CPR certification, practice trade math from recipe scaling to food-cost calculation, and develop the reading, digital, and workplace skills demanded by modern foodservice employers. All content is mapped to the ServSafe Food Handler exam domains and the American Culinary Federation Certified Culinarian competency areas where applicable.
Outcomes- Pass the OSHA 10-Hour General Industry card requirement and demonstrate correct use of personal protective equipment, lockout/tagout procedures, and emergency response protocols in a kitchen context.
- Apply first aid and CPR procedures for common kitchen emergencies—burns, lacerations, choking, and cardiac arrest—to the standard required for a nationally recognized first aid/CPR card.
- Perform trade-math calculations including unit conversion, recipe scaling, yield percentage, and food-cost percentage accurately without a calculator error greater than 2 percent.
- Read and interpret standardized recipes, SDS sheets, equipment manuals, and health-code postings correctly, extracting critical safety and procedural information.
- Use a point-of-sale system, inventory spreadsheet, and professional email to complete realistic foodservice administrative tasks with professional accuracy and tone.
- Construct a career portfolio containing a formatted resume, a cover letter, and a completed job application that meets employer standards for entry-level culinary positions.
Course text
This foundational course equips culinary students with the safety protocols, mathematical skills, communication strategies, and career-readiness habits essential for professional kitchen work. Students complete OSHA 10-Hour General Industry training and first aid/CPR certification, practice trade math from recipe scaling to food-cost calculation, and develop the reading, digital, and workplace skills demanded by modern foodservice employers. All content is mapped to the ServSafe Food Handler exam domains and the American Culinary Federation Certified Culinarian competency areas where applicable.
How the course runs. 7 blocks: Kitchen Hazards and OSHA 10-Hour General Industry Certification; First Aid, CPR, and Kitchen Emergency Response; Personal Protective Equipment and Chemical Safety in the Kitchen; Culinary Trade Math: Units, Conversion, and Recipe Scaling; Food-Cost Percentage and Basic Inventory Math; Technical Reading, Digital Tools, and Professional Communication; Career Readiness: Resume, Interview Skills, and Culinary Career Pathways.
What competent looks like. Pass the OSHA 10-Hour General Industry card requirement and demonstrate correct use of personal protective equipment, lockout/tagout procedures, and emergency response protocols in a kitchen context. Apply first aid and CPR procedures for common kitchen emergencies—burns, lacerations, choking, and cardiac arrest—to the standard required for a nationally recognized first aid/CPR card. Perform trade-math calculations including unit conversion, recipe scaling, yield percentage, and food-cost percentage accurately without a calculator error greater than 2 percent. Read and interpret standardized recipes, SDS sheets, equipment manuals, and health-code postings correctly, extracting critical safety and procedural information. Use a point-of-sale system, inventory spreadsheet, and professional email to complete realistic foodservice administrative tasks with professional accuracy and tone. Construct a career portfolio containing a formatted resume, a cover letter, and a completed job application that meets employer standards for entry-level culinary positions.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kitchen Hazards and OSHA 10-Hour General Industry Certification | 24 | theory | Students will identify the major hazard categories present in commercial kitchens and complete all ten OSHA 10-Hour General Industry modules, earning the DOL wallet card. |
| OSHA 10-Hour General Industry course materials (authorized provider), commercial kitchen floor-plan handout, lockout/tagout kit and tags, SDS binder for common cleaning chemicals, non-slip mats, PPE samples (cut-resistant gloves, non-slip shoes, aprons) | Students present the OSHA 10-Hour completion certificate or wallet card; instructor observes a correct lockout/tagout demonstration rated on a 5-point checklist (all 5 steps correct = pass); written hazard-mapping worksheet graded pass/fail with all six hazard categories correctly identified. |
| 2 | First Aid, CPR, and Kitchen Emergency Response | 18 | lab | Students will demonstrate correct first aid response for burns, lacerations, and choking, and perform adult CPR with AED use to the standard required for a nationally recognized first aid/CPR card. |
| CPR manikins (adult, child, infant), AED trainer units, first aid kit (commercial kitchen configuration), burn gel and sterile dressings, nitrile gloves, face shields, incident-report forms, nationally recognized first aid/CPR curriculum (e.g., American Red Cross or American Heart Association authorized materials) | Students must pass the skills station evaluations required by the first aid/CPR provider to earn the card; instructor also scores each emergency-scenario response on a 10-point rubric (7 of 10 required); incident report form must include all required fields completed legibly. |
| 3 | Personal Protective Equipment and Chemical Safety in the Kitchen | 10 | demo | Students will select appropriate PPE for assigned kitchen tasks and read an SDS to identify hazard class, required PPE, and correct spill-response procedure. |
| Assorted PPE items (cut-resistant gloves in multiple sizes, heat-resistant gloves, non-slip clogs, safety glasses), SDS binder with at least five relevant sheets, spill-kit materials (absorbent pads, neutralizing agent, disposal bags), chemical-exposure log template, PPE-selection reference chart | Students score at least 80 percent on a 10-question SDS comprehension quiz; PPE selection checklist completed correctly for all three scenario tasks (instructor signs off); chemical-exposure log entry judged complete and accurate by instructor. |
| 4 | Culinary Trade Math: Units, Conversion, and Recipe Scaling | 30 | theory | Students will convert between U.S. customary and metric units and scale standardized recipes up or down by a given conversion factor with no more than 2 percent calculation error. |
| Standardized recipe cards, digital kitchen scales (accurate to 1 g), liquid measuring cups (U.S. and metric), measuring spoon sets, calculators (for checking only), unit-conversion reference chart, blank recipe card templates, sample invoices and trim-loss worksheets, ACF Competency standards handout | Math drill set graded: 80 percent correct required; scaled recipe card checked by instructor—all quantities within 2 percent of correct value; cost sheet shows correct yield percentage and EP cost for all three items with work shown; errors traced and corrected in class before sign-off. |
| 5 | Food-Cost Percentage and Basic Inventory Math | 20 | practice | Students will calculate food-cost percentage for a menu item and complete a physical inventory count sheet with dollar extensions, producing results consistent with provided control figures. |
| Simulated storeroom with labeled inventory items, physical inventory count sheets, calculator, computer with spreadsheet software (e.g., Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel), menu-item cost and price data handout, food-cost percentage formula reference card | Food-cost percentage worksheet: all five items calculated correctly (within rounding); inventory count sheet extensions must match control figures within 1 percent total variance; spreadsheet submitted digitally with student name and correct formula visible in at least three cells—instructor signs off. |
| 6 | Technical Reading, Digital Tools, and Professional Communication | 26 | theory | Students will extract key procedural and safety information from standardized recipes, equipment manuals, and health-code postings, and produce a professional email and a correctly formatted digital document using standard office software. |
| Printed standardized recipes, commercial oven manual excerpt, sample health-code temperature log posting, comprehension question worksheets, computers with word processing and spreadsheet software, professional email rubric, daily prep-list scenario handout, ServSafe Food Handler study guide (for cross-referencing temperature and labeling requirements) | Reading comprehension questions: 75 percent correct on each of the three documents; professional email rated 'meets standard' or above on all five rubric categories (purpose, tone, format, grammar, completeness); prep-list document contains all required fields and is formatted consistently—instructor initials each before submission. |
| 7 | Career Readiness: Resume, Interview Skills, and Culinary Career Pathways | 20 | field | Students will produce a complete career portfolio—resume, cover letter, and job application—and conduct a mock interview that demonstrates professional presentation aligned with culinary employer expectations. |
| Computer with internet access and word processor, O*NET Online (onetonline.org), ACF career-pathway resources, resume format guide, cover letter template, standard job-application form, mock-interview question bank, interview evaluation rubric, business-casual attire expectation handout | Career map assessed pass/fail: all three pathways include credential requirements and wage information; resume and cover letter must earn 'meets standard' on all rubric dimensions before portfolio is accepted; mock interview scored on a 20-point rubric—14 of 20 required to pass; students who do not pass the interview complete a second attempt within one week. |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safety and Regulatory Knowledge Exam | Written exam | 25% | 75 percent correct (38 of 50 questions) | A 50-question multiple-choice and short-answer exam covering OSHA hazard categories, lockout/tagout steps, PPE selection, SDS interpretation, first aid priorities, and kitchen chemical safety; questions are drawn from OSHA 10-Hour content, the first aid/CPR curriculum, and ServSafe Food Handler exam domains on personal hygiene and contamination prevention. Students who do not reach 75 percent may re-test once after a documented remediation session. Accuracy · Safety · Communication · Professionalism |
| Trade Math and Communication Knowledge Exam | Written exam | 25% | 80 percent correct (24 of 30 questions), with no food-cost calculation more than 2 percent from the correct answer | A 30-item exam combining unit-conversion problems, recipe-scaling calculations, yield and food-cost percentage problems, and reading-comprehension questions drawn from a standardized recipe and a mock equipment manual excerpt; a short written section requires students to identify the correct professional tone in two sample emails. This exam maps to ACF Certified Culinarian competency areas covering professionalism, communication, and culinary math. One re-test is permitted after documented remediation. Accuracy · Safety · Communication · Professionalism |
| Career Portfolio Project | Project | 25% | All four required components submitted and each rated 'meets standard' or higher on the departmental rubric; mock interview passed at 14 of 20 or higher | Students submit a complete career portfolio containing a formatted resume, a targeted cover letter, a completed paper job application, and a one-page career map showing three culinary pathways with credential and wage information; the portfolio is evaluated against a four-category rubric (completeness, accuracy, formatting, professional language) and must include evidence of revision from peer and instructor feedback. The mock interview evaluation is attached as the final component of the portfolio. Accuracy · Safety · Communication · Professionalism |
| Safety and Professionalism Oral Defense | Oral / panel | 25% | Student must answer at least 4 of 5 instructor questions correctly and receive 'satisfactory' on professional presentation | In a 10-minute one-on-one session, the instructor poses five scenario-based questions drawn from the course—for example, identifying the correct PPE for a chemical spill, explaining the lockout/tagout sequence on a piece of kitchen equipment, or calculating on the spot what yield percentage means for purchasing decisions; the student must respond without notes, demonstrating genuine understanding rather than memorized answers. This oral component reflects the ACF Certified Culinarian standard that candidates demonstrate applied knowledge, not just written recall. Accuracy · Safety · Communication · Professionalism |
HOS-CULI27-02 Trade course
Knife Skills: Selection, Technique, and Safe Practice
146 hr · $1,925 COMPLIMENTARY
Students develop professional-level knife handling ability across the full range of classical cuts, blade types, and maintenance tasks used in commercial kitchens. Emphasis is placed on OSHA-aligned safe practices, speed and precision benchmarked to industry standards, and the consistent knife-work accuracy required for ACF Certified Culinarian practical evaluations. Upon completion, students can select, use, sharpen, and store knives safely and efficiently in a professional foodservice environment.
Outcomes- Identify and select the appropriate knife or cutting tool for a given task and explain the rationale for that selection.
- Execute all classical French vegetable cuts—julienne, brunoise, small/medium/large dice, chiffonade, tourné, and paysanne—within industry-standard size tolerances.
- Demonstrate safe knife-handling practices including proper grip, board stabilization, cutting-motion control, and carry/pass/storage protocols that meet OSHA General Industry guidelines for hand-tool safety.
- Maintain a knife's edge using a honing steel and whetstone, returning a blade to a working edge acceptable for professional service.
- Break down fabricated proteins (poultry, fish fillet) and produce items using the correct blade and cutting technique with no avoidable waste.
- Complete timed precision-cut exercises that meet or exceed ACF Certified Culinarian practical exam benchmarks for uniformity and yield.
Course text
Students develop professional-level knife handling ability across the full range of classical cuts, blade types, and maintenance tasks used in commercial kitchens. Emphasis is placed on OSHA-aligned safe practices, speed and precision benchmarked to industry standards, and the consistent knife-work accuracy required for ACF Certified Culinarian practical evaluations. Upon completion, students can select, use, sharpen, and store knives safely and efficiently in a professional foodservice environment.
How the course runs. 12 blocks: Knife Anatomy, Types, and Selection; Safe Handling, PPE, and OSHA Blade-Tool Standards; The Cook's Grip, Board Control, and Basic Cutting Motions; Honing and Sharpening: Steel, Whetstone, and Edge Maintenance; Precision Cuts I — Julienne, Batonnet, and Allumette; Precision Cuts II — Small, Medium, and Large Dice; Precision Cuts III — Brunoise, Chiffonade, and Paysanne; Specialty Cuts — Tourné, Oblique/Roll Cut, and Rondelle; Fabrication — Whole Chicken Breakdown; Fabrication — Fish Filleting and Skinning; Speed and Consistency Under Timed Conditions; Integration Lab — Mise en Place Production for a Complete Dish.
What competent looks like. Identify and select the appropriate knife or cutting tool for a given task and explain the rationale for that selection. Execute all classical French vegetable cuts—julienne, brunoise, small/medium/large dice, chiffonade, tourné, and paysanne—within industry-standard size tolerances. Demonstrate safe knife-handling practices including proper grip, board stabilization, cutting-motion control, and carry/pass/storage protocols that meet OSHA General Industry guidelines for hand-tool safety. Maintain a knife's edge using a honing steel and whetstone, returning a blade to a working edge acceptable for professional service. Break down fabricated proteins (poultry, fish fillet) and produce items using the correct blade and cutting technique with no avoidable waste. Complete timed precision-cut exercises that meet or exceed ACF Certified Culinarian practical exam benchmarks for uniformity and yield.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Knife Anatomy, Types, and Selection | 10.5 | theory | Students correctly name every major part of a knife and match at least eight blade types to their primary professional applications with 80% accuracy on a written quiz. |
| Knife display set (minimum 12 blade types), labeled-diagram worksheets, task cards, ACF Culinary Fundamentals textbook (Pearson), dry-erase board | Written identification quiz: 20 items (parts + blade-to-task matching); passing score 80% (16/20). |
| 2 | Safe Handling, PPE, and OSHA Blade-Tool Standards | 10.5 | theory | Students recite and demonstrate all required safe-handling protocols for edged tools—including cut-resistant glove use, safe carry, passing, and storage—with zero critical errors on a safety-check observation form. |
| Cut-resistant gloves (ANSI/ISEA 105 rated), knife rolls and magnetic strips, knife guards/sheaths, OSHA hand-tool reference handout, safety-check observation rubric | Instructor safety-check observation rubric (12 behaviors); all 12 must be performed correctly—any single critical error (e.g., unsheeted blade pointed at another person) requires immediate re-instruction and re-check before the student may proceed to cutting labs. |
| 3 | The Cook's Grip, Board Control, and Basic Cutting Motions | 12.5 | demo | Students apply the pinch grip and the guiding-hand 'bear claw' position to produce consistent, parallel slices from a whole carrot, maintaining blade contact with the guiding-hand knuckle at all times as verified by instructor observation. |
| 8–10 inch chef's knives, cutting boards, damp towels for board stabilization, whole carrots (5 per student), peer-observation checklists, document camera | Instructor observes each student complete a set of 12 uniform carrot rounds; pass requires: pinch grip maintained throughout, bear-claw guiding hand in contact with blade at all times, board does not slip—all three criteria must be met. |
| 4 | Honing and Sharpening: Steel, Whetstone, and Edge Maintenance | 10.5 | demo | Students hone a chef's knife on a honing steel and restore an intentionally dulled blade on a two-sided whetstone, producing an edge that cleanly slices a sheet of printer paper without tearing. |
| Honing steels (ceramic and ribbed), two-sided whetstones (coarse/fine), angle guides, printer paper for edge-test, honing oil or water (per stone manufacturer), practice chef's knives, lab logs | Student performs paper-slice test after sharpening; blade must slice cleanly through a single sheet without tearing or deflecting—if it tears, student repeats whetstone work and retests. Instructor also checks that the student maintained a safe, consistent angle throughout. |
| 5 | Precision Cuts I — Julienne, Batonnet, and Allumette | 14.5 | lab | Students produce a minimum 100 g yield of each cut—allumette (1/8″ × 1/8″ × 2–2½″), julienne (1/8″ × 1/8″ × 2–2½″), and batonnet (¼″ × ¼″ × 2–2½″)—from carrots and zucchini within industry-standard dimensional tolerances measured with a ruler and pass/fail template. |
| Chef's knives, cutting boards, rulers and cut-size templates, carrots and zucchini (500 g per student), scale, smartphones or cameras, lab logs | Instructor measures a random sample of 20 pieces from each cut; 85% must fall within stated tolerances. Yield must meet or exceed 100 g per cut. Below standard = student re-cuts a second set before the next lesson. |
| 6 | Precision Cuts II — Small, Medium, and Large Dice | 14.5 | lab | Students produce all three standard dice sizes—small (¼″ cube), medium (½″ cube), and large (¾″ cube)—from potatoes and onions, with 85% of pieces within stated tolerances and consistent flat-faced cubes (no wedges or trapezoids). |
| Chef's knives, paring knives, cutting boards, potatoes (2 per student), onions (1 per student), three labeled containers per student, scale, cut-size templates, lab logs | Instructor measures 20-piece sample per size; 85% within tolerance. Cubes must have six flat faces—visible wedges or trapezoids automatically fail that size and require a re-cut set. |
| 7 | Precision Cuts III — Brunoise, Chiffonade, and Paysanne | 12.5 | lab | Students produce 60 g each of fine brunoise (1/8″ cube), large brunoise (¼″ cube), chiffonade from basil and spinach (uniform ribbons no wider than 1/8″), and paysanne (½″ × 1/8″ flat pieces) within stated tolerances. |
| Chef's knives, paring knives, cutting boards, carrots (brunoise), fresh basil and baby spinach (chiffonade), turnips (paysanne), scale, loupe magnifier or smartphones, shape-reference cards, lab logs | Instructor spot-measures 15 pieces per cut; 85% within tolerance. Chiffonade ribbons must be fully separated—a clumped mass counts as a fail for that product and must be redone. |
| 8 | Specialty Cuts — Tourné, Oblique/Roll Cut, and Rondelle | 12.5 | lab | Students produce a set of seven tourné-cut vegetables conforming to the classical football shape with seven faces and standard length, and complete oblique and rondelle cuts from a root vegetable with uniform surface area and angle. |
| Paring knives and chef's knives, cutting boards, potatoes (2 per student for tourné), parsnips, zucchini, thickness templates, ruler, lab logs | Instructor evaluates tourné set: all 7 pieces must show 7 clean faces, consistent length (within ¼″ of each other), and barrel symmetry. Oblique and rondelle cuts: 85% of 20-piece sample within stated angle and thickness tolerance. |
| 9 | Fabrication — Whole Chicken Breakdown | 14.5 | practice | Students break down a whole raw chicken into eight standard pieces (2 wings, 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 bone-in breasts) using a boning knife and chef's knife, meeting a minimum usable-yield percentage consistent with industry standards. |
| Boning knives, chef's knives, whole raw chickens (1 per student, refrigerated), cutting boards (designated raw-poultry boards, color-coded), scale, yield worksheets, food-safe sanitizing solution, paper towels, lab logs | Instructor evaluates the eight pieces: joints must be fully separated at the cartilage (no hacked bone), skin intact, yield percentage at or above the industry-standard benchmark for an untrimmed whole bird. Yield below benchmark requires instructor debrief and a second bird if available. |
| 10 | Fabrication — Fish Filleting and Skinning | 12.5 | practice | Students fillet a whole round fish (e.g., trout or bass) into two boneless, skin-on fillets and then remove the skin from one fillet using correct blade angle and pulling tension, achieving a usable yield consistent with industry expectations for that species. |
| Fillet knives, chef's knives, whole round fish (1 per student, refrigerated), designated raw-fish cutting boards, fish tweezers, scale, yield worksheets, lab logs, sanitizing solution | Instructor inspects each fillet: backbone must be visibly clean, fillet skin unbroken on skin-on piece, no pin bones detectable by finger-sweep on the skinned fillet. Yield at or above species benchmark. Any missed pin bones = re-check and removal required before sign-off. |
| 11 | Speed and Consistency Under Timed Conditions | 10.5 | practice | Students complete a standardized timed cutting exercise—producing small dice, julienne, and chiffonade from a mixed vegetable set—within a professional time standard while maintaining 80% precision compliance, simulating ACF practical exam conditions. |
| Chef's knives, paring knives, cutting boards, mixed vegetables (carrots, zucchini, basil — pre-weighed sets per student), kitchen timers, tablets or smartphones for video, cut-size templates, self-assessment forms, lab logs | Products measured by instructor: 80% precision compliance across all three cuts within the stated time window. Below standard on either metric = student repeats the mock-exam set at the next available lab session before the final skills demonstration. |
| 12 | Integration Lab — Mise en Place Production for a Complete Dish | 10.5 | lab | Students independently produce a complete mise en place comprising at least four different classical cuts from a provided recipe specification card within a set time, demonstrating selection, technique, maintenance, and sanitation skills together without instructor prompting. |
| Chef's knives, paring knives, boning knife (if proteins included in spec), honing steel, cutting boards, damp towels, full vegetable set per student per recipe spec card, scale, labeled containers, camera or smartphone, lab logs, sanitizing supplies | Instructor uses a holistic rubric covering: correct knife selection (all four cuts), precision (85% of measured pieces in tolerance), sanitation protocol followed throughout, time on task (within stated window), and lab log entry complete. All five criteria must be rated 'meets standard' for a pass. |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knife Knowledge Written Exam | Written exam | 25% | 80% (40/50 points) | A 50-question written exam covering knife anatomy, blade-type identification and selection, honing and sharpening procedures, OSHA hand-tool safety rules, cross-contamination prevention for raw proteins, and the dimensional specifications of all classical cuts studied in the course. Questions are drawn from theory lessons 1, 2, and 4 and map to the ACF Certified Culinarian knowledge domain covering tools, equipment, and food safety. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Precision Cuts Skills Demonstration | Skills demonstration | 45% | 85% precision compliance on each of four required cuts; all five rubric criteria rated 'meets standard' | Under timed, exam-like conditions the student produces small dice, julienne, chiffonade, and tourné from a specified vegetable set; the instructor measures a 20-piece sample from each cut against dimensional templates and evaluates knife grip, guiding-hand position, honing before starting, and safe station setup. This assessment directly mirrors the hands-on practical component of the ACF Certified Culinarian evaluation and serves as the primary performance gate for the course. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Lab Log Portfolio | Log | 15% | All 12 lesson entries present and complete; average self-assessment quality score of 3/4 or higher across entries | Students submit their cumulative lab log containing dated entries for all 12 lessons, including photographs or sketches of finished cuts, yield weights, maintenance records from honing and sharpening work, yield calculations for protein fabrication, and written reflections on errors and corrections. The log demonstrates habit of documentation and reflective practice—skills reinforced throughout the ACF credentialing framework and required for the capstone project in a later course. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Safety and Sanitation Observation Check | Safety audit | 15% | 12/12 safety behaviors correct; zero critical violations; any critical violation requires immediate remediation and re-check | Using a standardized 12-item observation rubric, the instructor evaluates each student's live performance of the full safety protocol: pinch grip, bear-claw guiding hand, board stabilization, safe carry, knife-pass protocol, PPE use, color-coded board selection for raw proteins, sanitizing sequence after raw-protein contact, and correct knife storage. This check is aligned with ServSafe Food Handler cross-contamination and personal hygiene standards and must be passed before the student may receive a course completion signature. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
HOS-CULI27-03 Trade course
Stocks, Sauces, and Classical Sauce Work
146 hr · $1,925 COMPLIMENTARY
Students master the preparation of professional-quality stocks and the five French mother sauces, then extend those foundations into small sauces, pan sauces, and contemporary reductions used in commercial kitchens. Lessons integrate food-safety temperature control, mise en place discipline, and yield mathematics aligned with ServSafe and ACF Certified Culinarian exam content.
Outcomes- Produce clear brown and white stocks meeting professional clarity, flavor, and yield standards from raw bones and aromatics.
- Prepare each of the five classical mother sauces—béchamel, velouté, espagnole, sauce tomat, and hollandaise—to textbook consistency and flavor.
- Derive at least six classical small sauces from appropriate mother sauces, demonstrating correct finish techniques.
- Apply HACCP temperature controls throughout stock and sauce production, including safe cooling of large-volume liquids.
- Calculate recipe yield, cost per portion, and scaling conversions using standard culinary math for stocks and sauces.
- Demonstrate proper mise en place, labeling, dating, and storage of stocks and sauces in compliance with food-safety regulations.
Course text
Students master the preparation of professional-quality stocks and the five French mother sauces, then extend those foundations into small sauces, pan sauces, and contemporary reductions used in commercial kitchens. Lessons integrate food-safety temperature control, mise en place discipline, and yield mathematics aligned with ServSafe and ACF Certified Culinarian exam content.
How the course runs. 12 blocks: Stock Fundamentals: Ingredients, Function, and Food Safety; White Stocks: Chicken and Fish Fumét; Brown Stocks: Veal and Brown Chicken (Fond Brun); Vegetable Stock and Remouillage; Espagnole and Demi-Glace; Béchamel and Velouté: White Mother Sauces; Sauce Tomat and Contemporary Tomato Sauces; Hollandaise and Emulsified Butter Sauces; Small Sauces Derived from Mother Sauces; Pan Sauces, Deglazing, and Modern Reductions; Culinary Math for Stocks and Sauces: Yield, Cost, and Scaling; Production Integration, Quality Control, and Practical Review.
What competent looks like. Produce clear brown and white stocks meeting professional clarity, flavor, and yield standards from raw bones and aromatics. Prepare each of the five classical mother sauces—béchamel, velouté, espagnole, sauce tomat, and hollandaise—to textbook consistency and flavor. Derive at least six classical small sauces from appropriate mother sauces, demonstrating correct finish techniques. Apply HACCP temperature controls throughout stock and sauce production, including safe cooling of large-volume liquids. Calculate recipe yield, cost per portion, and scaling conversions using standard culinary math for stocks and sauces. Demonstrate proper mise en place, labeling, dating, and storage of stocks and sauces in compliance with food-safety regulations.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stock Fundamentals: Ingredients, Function, and Food Safety | 10 | theory | Students will identify the four components of a stock, explain their culinary function, and state the HACCP rules for cooling and storing large-volume liquids. |
| Culinary textbook (On Cooking or Professional Cooking), printed stock-component diagrams, ServSafe Manager textbook, blank HACCP cooling log templates, whiteboard | Guided-reading quiz scored at 75% or higher; cooling-log template completed correctly with all time-temperature checkpoints filled in. |
| 2 | White Stocks: Chicken and Fish Fumét | 14 | lab | Students will produce a clear, flavorful chicken white stock and a fish fumét, each meeting standard clarity, aroma, and volume-yield targets. |
| Chicken frames, fish bones, mirepoix vegetables, bouquet garni components, stockpots (12 qt and 20 qt), china caps, cheesecloth, ladles, probe thermometers, production log sheets, storage containers, labels | Stock passes visual clarity check (instructor holds sample to light with no visible cloudiness) and instructor taste evaluation; cooling log shows product reached safe temperature within required timeframes; pass requires meeting all three criteria. |
| 3 | Brown Stocks: Veal and Brown Chicken (Fond Brun) | 14 | lab | Students will roast bones and aromatics to develop fond and produce a rich, mahogany-colored brown veal or chicken stock to professional flavor and clarity standards. |
| Veal knuckle bones or chicken backs, mirepoix, tomato paste, bouquet garni, sheet pans, roasting pans, stockpots, probe thermometers, sheet of fat-skimming instructions, graduated pitchers, yield calculation worksheet | Brown stock achieves instructor-assessed rich brown color and deep flavor; yield calculation worksheet is accurate within 5% of actual measured yield; pass requires both criteria met. |
| 4 | Vegetable Stock and Remouillage | 8 | lab | Students will produce a balanced vegetable stock and a remouillage from spent bones, explaining the cost and sustainability rationale for each. |
| Assorted vegetables (onion, leek, celery, carrot, mushroom stems, parsley), stockpots, spent brown stock bones, probe thermometers, cost-per-unit ingredient price list, sensory evaluation sheets | Vegetable stock is assessed as clear and balanced (no bitterness) by instructor tasting; cost calculation is mathematically accurate; pass requires both met. |
| 5 | Espagnole and Demi-Glace | 14 | lab | Students will prepare sauce espagnole and reduce it with remouillage to produce demi-glace that coats a spoon and passes instructor flavor evaluation. |
| Brown stock (from prior labs), remouillage, clarified butter, bread flour, tomato paste or purée, mirepoix, bouquet garni, heavy-bottomed saucepans, wooden spoons, ladles, china cap, cheesecloth, spoons for nappe test, reduction log worksheet | Demi-glace coats the back of a spoon cleanly (nappe test), has deep savory flavor per instructor evaluation, and reduction percentage is documented; pass requires all three criteria. |
| 6 | Béchamel and Velouté: White Mother Sauces | 12 | lab | Students will prepare béchamel and a chicken velouté, demonstrating correct roux ratio, lump-free texture, and proper seasoning. |
| Whole milk, chicken white stock, unsalted butter, bread flour, onion piqué (for béchamel), salt, white pepper, nutmeg, heavy-bottomed saucepans, balloon whisks, ladles, fine-mesh strainer, white plates, recipe cards, sensory rubric sheets | Both sauces are smooth and lump-free (visual and palate check by instructor), correctly seasoned, and student self-evaluation rubric is completed; pass requires instructor confirmation of smooth texture and acceptable seasoning on both sauces. |
| 7 | Sauce Tomat and Contemporary Tomato Sauces | 10 | lab | Students will prepare the classical sauce tomat and compare it to an uncooked modern tomato coulis, analyzing how technique affects flavor, color, and texture. |
| Canned whole tomatoes, fresh plum tomatoes, salt pork or rendered lard, mirepoix, garlic, white stock or water, olive oil, food mill, blender or immersion blender, fine-mesh strainer, saucepans, tasting spoons, comparison worksheet | Classical sauce tomat passes instructor nappe and flavor check; comparison worksheet addresses all five criteria with plausible reasoning; pass requires both criteria met. |
| 8 | Hollandaise and Emulsified Butter Sauces | 12 | demo | Students will prepare hollandaise and a béarnaise derivative using correct tempering and emulsification technique, identifying and correcting a broken sauce. |
| Egg yolks, clarified butter, lemon juice, white wine, tarragon, shallots, white peppercorns, double boilers or bain-marie, balloon whisks, probe thermometers, ladles, cheesecloth, ice bath, pairing cards | Hollandaise and béarnaise hold emulsification for at least 10 minutes, coat a spoon, and pass instructor flavor evaluation; student demonstrates intentional break and successful re-emulsification; pass requires all three criteria. |
| 9 | Small Sauces Derived from Mother Sauces | 16 | practice | Students will derive at least six classical small sauces from the correct mother sauces, applying correct flavoring ingredients and finishing techniques. |
| Pre-made mother sauces (from prior labs or freshly produced), finishing ingredients (mushrooms, cream, sherry, red wine, herbs, Dijon mustard, Gruyère, tarragon, shallots), saucepans, fine-mesh strainer, ladles, ramekins, derivative chart handout, self-assessment form | At least five of six small sauces pass instructor flavor and consistency evaluation; self-assessment form completed with specific, accurate adjustment notes; pass requires five of six sauces approved. |
| 10 | Pan Sauces, Deglazing, and Modern Reductions | 12 | lab | Students will build a pan sauce by deglazing fond, mounting with butter, and reducing to nappe consistency without the use of starch thickeners. |
| Chicken thighs, pork loin or duck breast, white and red wine, brandy or hard cider, shallots, unsalted butter (cold, cubed), brown or chicken stock, sauté pans, reduction log worksheet, probe thermometers, ladles | Both pan sauces coat a spoon cleanly with no starchy mouthfeel; student accurately describes deglazing and butter-mounting steps verbally to instructor; pass requires sauce texture approval and correct verbal explanation. |
| 11 | Culinary Math for Stocks and Sauces: Yield, Cost, and Scaling | 10 | theory | Students will calculate recipe cost per portion, percent yield, and scaled recipe quantities for stocks and sauces accurate to within 5%. |
| Printed ingredient price sheets, kitchen scales, yield calculation formula reference card, scaling worksheet, calculators, culinary math textbook reference chapter | All three worksheet tasks completed with calculations accurate to within 5% of instructor answer key; pass requires 75% of total points on the combined worksheet. |
| 12 | Production Integration, Quality Control, and Practical Review | 14 | lab | Students will independently plan and execute a full sauce station producing two mother sauces and two small sauces within a timed service window, meeting quality and food-safety standards. |
| All stocks (pre-labeled from prior labs or freshly produced), full sauce station mise en place, probe thermometers, timer, cooling racks, HACCP logs, standardized tasting rubric, production timeline template | At least three of four sauces score passing marks on the standardized rubric; all HACCP checkpoints documented correctly; production timeline was followed with no safety violations; pass requires all three criteria met. |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stocks and Sauces Written Exam | Written exam | 25% | 75% or higher | A 50-question written exam covering stock classification, mother sauce families, derivative sauce identification, HACCP temperature rules for stocks, and culinary math including yield and cost calculations. Questions include multiple choice, matching, and short-answer items drawn from lesson content and mapped to ACF Certified Culinarian exam topic areas for cooking theory and food science. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Mother Sauce Skills Demonstration | Skills demonstration | 45% | Score of at least 70 out of 100 on the standardized rubric, with no critical food-safety failures | Each student independently produces two assigned mother sauces and one small-sauce derivative within a set time window; the instructor evaluates flavor, consistency, color, seasoning, and correct technique using a standardized 100-point rubric. Any critical food-safety failure (temperature abuse, cross-contamination) results in automatic failure regardless of overall score, directly supporting ACF Certified Culinarian practical competency requirements. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Production Lab Log Portfolio | Log | 15% | All 10 production lab entries submitted; average score of 75% or higher across entries | Students maintain a lab log for every production lesson, recording mise en place lists, time-temperature readings, yield calculations, sensory observations, and corrective actions taken. Entries are evaluated for completeness, accuracy of recorded data, and quality of written reflection; the portfolio is submitted at the end of the course and serves as evidence of consistent professional practice. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Food Safety and Sanitation Compliance Check | Safety audit | 15% | Zero critical violations; all items scored satisfactory | During the final integration lab, the instructor completes a standardized food-safety observation checklist covering personal hygiene, proper use of probe thermometers, two-stage cooling procedure, correct labeling and dating of stored stocks and sauces, and handwashing compliance. Any critical violation (temperature abuse, bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food) requires the student to repeat the practical portion; this assessment is directly aligned with ServSafe Food Handler certification competencies. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
HOS-CULI27-04 Trade course
Garde Manger: Cold Kitchen Fundamentals
146 hr · $1,925 COMPLIMENTARY
Students master the classical and contemporary cold kitchen, covering charcuterie, salads, forcemeats, cold sauces, cured and smoked proteins, cheese service, and buffet presentation. Instruction integrates food-safety principles aligned with ServSafe standards and production skills that support the ACF Certified Culinarian exam competencies in cold-food preparation and professional presentation.
Outcomes- Fabricate and present a minimum of four classical charcuterie items—including a terrine, pâté, and cured or smoked protein—meeting ACF professional standards for flavor, texture, and appearance.
- Prepare a minimum of six cold sauces and emulsified dressings, correctly identifying the role of emulsifiers and adjusting seasoning to a passing score on a blind tasting rubric.
- Apply HACCP-based temperature and time controls throughout cold-kitchen production, consistently keeping cold foods at or below 41 °F (5 °C) and documenting compliance in a daily production log.
- Construct a composed buffet display—including a centerpiece, charcuterie board, canapés, and salads—that meets a written presentation rubric scored by the lead instructor.
- Demonstrate safe operation of all garde manger equipment (slicers, vacuum sealers, smokers, mandolines) including proper guarding, cleaning, and lockout procedures before each practical exam.
- Accurately cost and scale garde manger recipes using yield percentages and batch-conversion math, producing written recipe cards with correct EP/AP weights and per-portion costs.
Course text
Students master the classical and contemporary cold kitchen, covering charcuterie, salads, forcemeats, cold sauces, cured and smoked proteins, cheese service, and buffet presentation. Instruction integrates food-safety principles aligned with ServSafe standards and production skills that support the ACF Certified Culinarian exam competencies in cold-food preparation and professional presentation.
How the course runs. 12 blocks: Introduction to the Cold Kitchen: History, Organization, and Safety; Cold-Kitchen Math: Yield, Scaling, and Recipe Costing; Salads, Dressings, and Cold Emulsified Sauces; Curing Fundamentals: Salt, Sugar, and Dry-Cure Principles; Forcemeats: Straight, Country-Style, and Mousseline; Terrines, Pâtés, and Galantines; Smoking and Cured Proteins: Hot and Cold Techniques; Cheese: Selection, Service, and Pairing; Canapés, Hors d'Oeuvres, and Finger Foods; Buffet Centerpieces and Display Principles; Integrated Garde Manger Production: Cold Station Simulation; Credential Review: Garde Manger Competencies for ACF CC and ServSafe.
What competent looks like. Fabricate and present a minimum of four classical charcuterie items—including a terrine, pâté, and cured or smoked protein—meeting ACF professional standards for flavor, texture, and appearance. Prepare a minimum of six cold sauces and emulsified dressings, correctly identifying the role of emulsifiers and adjusting seasoning to a passing score on a blind tasting rubric. Apply HACCP-based temperature and time controls throughout cold-kitchen production, consistently keeping cold foods at or below 41 °F (5 °C) and documenting compliance in a daily production log. Construct a composed buffet display—including a centerpiece, charcuterie board, canapés, and salads—that meets a written presentation rubric scored by the lead instructor. Demonstrate safe operation of all garde manger equipment (slicers, vacuum sealers, smokers, mandolines) including proper guarding, cleaning, and lockout procedures before each practical exam. Accurately cost and scale garde manger recipes using yield percentages and batch-conversion math, producing written recipe cards with correct EP/AP weights and per-portion costs.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to the Cold Kitchen: History, Organization, and Safety | 10.5 | theory | Students explain the garde manger station's role, classical brigade structure, and OSHA-required safety practices specific to cold-kitchen equipment. |
| Culinary textbook (e.g., Professional Cooking, Gisslen, current edition), OSHA lockout/tagout poster, ServSafe Manager handbook, garde manger equipment list, hazard identification worksheet | Score ≥ 75% on a 20-question written quiz covering brigade roles, equipment hazards, OSHA lockout/tagout steps, and ServSafe cold-holding temperatures. |
| 2 | Cold-Kitchen Math: Yield, Scaling, and Recipe Costing | 8.5 | theory | Students calculate yield percentage, EP/AP weights, batch conversions, and per-portion cost for garde manger recipes with ≥ 90% arithmetic accuracy. |
| Digital portion scale, calculator, Excel or Google Sheets template, price list handout, blank recipe card forms, culinary math reference (e.g., Math for the Professional Kitchen, Dreesen et al.) | Score ≥ 90% on a 15-problem math quiz covering yield percentage, batch conversion, and per-portion costing; any error that would cause a food-safety or financial loss greater than 10% triggers a mandatory retake. |
| 3 | Salads, Dressings, and Cold Emulsified Sauces | 13 | lab | Students prepare and correctly dress a minimum of four salad styles and three emulsified sauces—including mayonnaise and vinaigrette—that pass a tasting rubric for flavor balance, texture, and temperature. |
| Mixing bowls, whisk, immersion blender, salad spinner, cutting board, digital thermometer, whole eggs, oils (neutral and olive), acids (vinegar, lemon), greens and salad components, tasting rubric | Tasting rubric score ≥ 75% on all four criteria; mayo must hold emulsion for at least 10 minutes at 41 °F; any item held above 41 °F at service is an automatic failure requiring redo. |
| 4 | Curing Fundamentals: Salt, Sugar, and Dry-Cure Principles | 10.5 | demo | Students explain the science of osmosis in curing, accurately calculate a dry-cure formula for a given protein weight, and apply a cure blend under instructor supervision. |
| Kosher salt, curing salt (as appropriate to recipe), sugar, digital scale (± 1 g), vacuum bags or plastic wrap, refrigerator with thermometer, HACCP log sheets, ServSafe handbook (curing section) | Cure formula calculation checked by instructor for ≥ 95% accuracy; product labeled correctly (item, date, time, expected completion, student name); refrigerator temperature documented at 38–40 °F at time of storage. |
| 5 | Forcemeats: Straight, Country-Style, and Mousseline | 15 | lab | Students independently produce one straight forcemeat and one mousseline that achieve correct bind, seasoning, and texture as evaluated on a standardized rubric. |
| Meat grinder with chilled plates and dies, food processor, mixing bowl over ice bath, digital instant-read thermometer, pork or chicken and pork fatback, heavy cream, binder (eggs, bread), seasoning, quenelle spoons, production sheet, sanitation solution | Quenelle holds shape without crumbling or excess moisture; seasoning rated ≥ 3/5 on blind tasting; processing temperature log shows product stayed ≤ 40 °F throughout; grinder lockout procedure observed by instructor before cleaning. |
| 6 | Terrines, Pâtés, and Galantines | 15 | lab | Students assemble, bake en bain-marie, and unmold a country-style terrine that slices cleanly, holds its shape, and earns a score of ≥ 75% on a four-criterion evaluation rubric. |
| Terrine mold (ceramic or metal), fatback or plastic film liner, bain-marie pan, probe thermometer, oven, sheet pan, weights for pressing, refrigerator, slicing knife, cutting board, plating vessels, camera or phone for documentation, evaluation rubric | Internal temp log shows 160 °F achieved; slice holds shape without crumbling; rubric score ≥ 75% across appearance, texture, seasoning, and cross-section layer definition. |
| 7 | Smoking and Cured Proteins: Hot and Cold Techniques | 13 | lab | Students hot-smoke a protein to USDA safe internal temperature and produce a cold-smoked item under instructor supervision, correctly operating the smoker and documenting all temperatures. |
| Commercial or countertop smoker, wood chips (applewood, hickory, alder), probe thermometer, instant-read thermometer, cure/rub ingredients, HACCP temperature log, smoker safety checklist, PPE (heat-resistant gloves, eye protection), lockout/tagout tags | Hot-smoked protein reaches USDA-specified safe internal temperature documented on log; smoker lockout/tagout procedure observed by instructor before cleaning; written smoker safety checklist signed off by instructor. |
| 8 | Cheese: Selection, Service, and Pairing | 8.5 | demo | Students identify a minimum of ten cheeses by category, describe their flavor profiles and production method, and assemble a correctly composed cheese board with appropriate accompaniments. |
| Assorted cheeses (minimum 10 varieties), cheese knives, cutting boards, wooden or slate boards, accompaniments (crackers, bread, fruit, nuts, honey, charcuterie), sensory evaluation cards, cheese reference (e.g., Cheese & Wine, World Cheese Book, or instructor-provided fact sheets), price list | Sensory evaluation cards completed for all 10 cheeses; cheese board earns ≥ 75% on a four-criterion rubric (variety/contrast, accompaniment logic, labeling, verbal explanation); cost documented within ± $1 of budget. |
| 9 | Canapés, Hors d'Oeuvres, and Finger Foods | 13 | lab | Students produce a minimum of four distinct canapé varieties—including at least one cold and one hot passed item—plated uniformly at ≥ 90% consistency across a 24-piece tray. |
| Bread, blini, endive, cucumber, cracker bases, assorted spreads (compound butter, cream cheese, rillette), cold and hot toppings, piping bags, offset spatulas, bench scraper, sheet pans, digital thermometer, ruler, camera or phone, 24-portion tray, consistency rubric | Tray rubric score ≥ 90% for portion uniformity (each piece within ± 5 g and ± 0.25 inch of stated size); cold items plated at ≤ 41 °F; visual appearance score ≥ 75%. |
| 10 | Buffet Centerpieces and Display Principles | 10.5 | demo | Students plan and execute a buffet layout diagram that meets food-safety, traffic-flow, and visual-balance principles and earns ≥ 75% on a planning rubric evaluated by the instructor. |
| Butcher paper and markers for floor-plan diagrams, ruler, buffet tables, risers, serving platters, ice beds or sheet pans over ice, thermometers, labels and tent cards, centerpiece materials (fruit, charcuterie items, greens), planning rubric | Planning diagram includes all required elements (traffic flow, cold zones, labels) and earns ≥ 75% on the rubric; all cold items on the physical setup are verified at ≤ 41 °F by the instructor with a calibrated thermometer. |
| 11 | Integrated Garde Manger Production: Cold Station Simulation | 19.5 | practice | Students independently manage a cold-station production schedule—producing a terrine, composed salad, canapé tray, and cured-protein platter within a four-hour service window—meeting quality, temperature, and timing benchmarks. |
| Full cold-kitchen setup (refrigerators, slicer, mandoline, grinder, mixing equipment), all ingredients per student mise en place list, HACCP log sheets, probe thermometers, timer, plating vessels, instructor observation checklist, self-evaluation form | All four items completed within the four-hour window; HACCP log shows cold items at ≤ 41 °F at all documented checks; instructor observation checklist rates ≥ 75% on quality criteria for each item; zero unaddressed food-safety violations. |
| 12 | Credential Review: Garde Manger Competencies for ACF CC and ServSafe | 9 | theory | Students map every garde manger technique practiced in the course to its corresponding ACF Certified Culinarian knowledge domain and relevant ServSafe food-safety principle, achieving ≥ 75% on a cumulative review quiz. |
| ACF Certified Culinarian exam content outline (current version, available at acfchefs.org), ServSafe Food Handler study guide, course lesson learning objectives handout, credential domain comparison chart, practice question set, answer key | Score ≥ 75% on a 30-question cumulative review quiz covering ACF cold-kitchen domains and ServSafe cold-food safety; students identify at least three personal knowledge gaps in writing for follow-up during Course 11 exam prep. |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garde Manger Written Knowledge Exam | Written exam | 25% | 75% correct (38/50 questions) | A 50-question closed-book exam covering garde manger theory: forcemeat types and fat ratios, curing science, emulsion chemistry, ServSafe cold-holding and HACCP requirements, cheese categories, buffet design principles, and ACF terminology. Questions are multiple choice and short answer; the exam is administered at the end of Lesson 11 and mapped directly to ACF Certified Culinarian cold-kitchen knowledge domains. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Practical Skills Demonstration: Composed Cold Plate | Skills demonstration | 45% | 75% overall on the rubric, with no criterion scoring below 2 of 5 | Each student independently produces, within a three-hour window, a composed cold plate consisting of a sliced terrine portion, an emulsified-sauce-dressed salad, and three identical canapés; the plate is evaluated by the lead instructor on a five-criterion rubric (flavor, texture, visual presentation, temperature compliance, and portion accuracy). Any cold item held above 41 °F at the time of judging results in an automatic criterion score of zero for temperature compliance. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Lab Production Log Portfolio | Log | 15% | Minimum 10 of 12 lessons documented; each entry scores ≥ 75% on the entry rubric | Students maintain a cumulative lab log throughout the course, submitting a dated entry for every lab and practice lesson that includes: mise en place list, HACCP temperature records, yield/cost calculations, self-assessed quality notes, and a photo of the finished product. The portfolio is collected at the end of the course and graded on completeness, accuracy of HACCP data, and quality of written reflection using a standardized four-criterion entry rubric. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Cold-Kitchen Equipment Safety Check | Safety audit | 15% | 100% of all required safety steps completed correctly; any missed critical step (lockout/tagout omission, unguarded blade) requires immediate redo before the student continues lab work | In a one-on-one 15-minute observational check administered at the start of Lesson 7 (Smoking) or Lesson 11 (Simulation), the instructor uses a printed checklist to verify that the student can correctly demonstrate: slicer blade guard engagement and lockout/tagout, mandoline hand-guard use and blade storage, smoker temperature-calibration and shutdown, and grinder disassembly for cleaning in the correct safe sequence. The checklist is signed by both the instructor and student and kept in the student's file. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
HOS-CULI27-05 Trade course
Meats: Fabrication, Cookery, and Practical Application
146 hr · $1,925 COMPLIMENTARY
Students develop professional competency in the identification, fabrication, and cookery of beef, pork, lamb, veal, and poultry using industry-standard techniques aligned with ACF Certified Culinarian standards. Emphasis is placed on safe meat-handling practices consistent with ServSafe principles, accurate yield costing, and producing finished dishes to commercial quality. Students move from whole-muscle and subprimal work through dry- and moist-heat methods to plated, service-ready product.
Outcomes- Identify primal, subprimal, and retail cuts of beef, pork, lamb, veal, and poultry using NAMP/IMPS nomenclature and correctly select each for appropriate cooking method.
- Fabricate whole-muscle proteins — including butchering, boning, trussing, and portioning — within a ±5% yield tolerance using correct knife and saw technique.
- Apply dry-heat methods (roasting, grilling, sautéing, pan-frying, broiling) and moist-heat methods (braising, stewing, poaching) to achieve safe internal temperatures and specified doneness levels.
- Maintain cold-chain integrity and cross-contamination controls throughout receiving, storage, thawing, fabrication, and service in accordance with ServSafe food-safety principles.
- Calculate as-purchased cost, edible-portion cost, and yield percentage for a given meat item using standard food-costing formulas.
- Produce plated meat entrées that meet professional standards for flavor, texture, color, and safe internal temperature, verified by probe thermometer.
Course text
Students develop professional competency in the identification, fabrication, and cookery of beef, pork, lamb, veal, and poultry using industry-standard techniques aligned with ACF Certified Culinarian standards. Emphasis is placed on safe meat-handling practices consistent with ServSafe principles, accurate yield costing, and producing finished dishes to commercial quality. Students move from whole-muscle and subprimal work through dry- and moist-heat methods to plated, service-ready product.
How the course runs. 12 blocks: Meat Science Fundamentals and Industry Standards; Safe Meat Handling: Receiving, Storage, and Cold-Chain Control; Knife and Saw Safety; PPE for Meat Fabrication; Beef Primal Fabrication: From Subprimal to Portion Cut; Pork and Lamb Fabrication: Boning, Frenching, and Trussing; Poultry Fabrication: Whole-Bird Breakdown and Trussing; Dry-Heat Cookery: Roasting and Grilling; Dry-Heat Cookery: Sautéing and Pan Sauces; Moist-Heat Cookery: Braising and Stewing; Yield Costing and Menu Pricing for Meat Proteins; Plated Meat Entrée: Integration Lab; Meat Course Review, Mock Practical, and Credential Mapping.
What competent looks like. Identify primal, subprimal, and retail cuts of beef, pork, lamb, veal, and poultry using NAMP/IMPS nomenclature and correctly select each for appropriate cooking method. Fabricate whole-muscle proteins — including butchering, boning, trussing, and portioning — within a ±5% yield tolerance using correct knife and saw technique. Apply dry-heat methods (roasting, grilling, sautéing, pan-frying, broiling) and moist-heat methods (braising, stewing, poaching) to achieve safe internal temperatures and specified doneness levels. Maintain cold-chain integrity and cross-contamination controls throughout receiving, storage, thawing, fabrication, and service in accordance with ServSafe food-safety principles. Calculate as-purchased cost, edible-portion cost, and yield percentage for a given meat item using standard food-costing formulas. Produce plated meat entrées that meet professional standards for flavor, texture, color, and safe internal temperature, verified by probe thermometer.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meat Science Fundamentals and Industry Standards | 10 | theory | Students will correctly classify the five major protein categories, explain muscle fiber and connective tissue behavior during cooking, and identify USDA quality and yield grades for beef, pork, lamb, veal, and poultry. |
| NAMP Meat Buyers Guide (current edition), USDA FSIS primal-cut charts, dry-erase cut diagrams, observation log worksheets | Written 20-question identification quiz matching cut names, NAMP numbers, and species; pass at 75% or higher. ACF CC exam area: product knowledge. |
| 2 | Safe Meat Handling: Receiving, Storage, and Cold-Chain Control | 10 | theory | Students will demonstrate receiving inspection procedures, state correct refrigeration and freezer temperature ranges for raw proteins, and apply FIFO rotation to a simulated walk-in cooler scenario without error. |
| Probe thermometers (calibrated), ServSafe Manager textbook (current edition), sample receiving invoices, protein storage hierarchy reference card | Practical checklist: student correctly sequences receiving steps, records accurate temperatures, and stages proteins in proper walk-in order; all critical items (temperature, cross-contamination prevention) must be correct — zero critical errors to pass. ServSafe exam area: safe food handling and storage. |
| 3 | Knife and Saw Safety; PPE for Meat Fabrication | 8 | demo | Students will select and don required PPE (cut-resistant glove, chain-mail or equivalent, apron), demonstrate safe band-saw startup and shutdown per manufacturer lockout procedures, and sharpen and hone a boning knife to a functional edge. |
| Cut-resistant gloves (ANSI A4 or higher), chain-mail glove, boning knives, sharpening stones, honing steels, band saw with manufacturer safety guide, non-slip cutting boards, hazard checklist | Instructor safety observation checklist: student dons PPE correctly, executes lockout sequence in correct order, and achieves a sharpened edge; any missed lockout step requires repeat demonstration before progressing. OSHA general-industry machine-guarding principles apply. |
| 4 | Beef Primal Fabrication: From Subprimal to Portion Cut | 14 | lab | Students will break down a beef subprimal (strip loin or rib) into uniform portion cuts, record actual yield, and calculate yield percentage and edible-portion cost within ±5% of instructor benchmark. |
| NAMP 180 NY strip loin or rib subprimal, boning knives, breaking knife, scale (digital, ±0.1 oz), yield calculation worksheets, vacuum sealer, date labels, cooler access | Yield log reviewed by instructor: portions within ±5% of target weight, yield percentage calculated correctly, and storage labels complete; math errors on cost calculation require correction before sign-off. ACF CC exam area: product fabrication and food costing. |
| 5 | Pork and Lamb Fabrication: Boning, Frenching, and Trussing | 14 | lab | Students will bone a pork loin and french a rack of lamb to produce restaurant-ready portions, demonstrating clean knife work with no score marks on bone and uniform rib-bone exposure of at least 1.5 inches. |
| Center-cut pork loin, domestic lamb rack (NAMP 204), boning knives, paring knife, butcher's twine, kitchen shears, quality rubric, reference photographs | Instructor evaluates finished rack and trussed roast using quality rubric; pass requires clean bones (no score marks), rib exposure ≥1.5 inches, and evenly spaced truss — any single critical defect (e.g., scored bone exposing marrow) requires a repeat fabrication exercise. ACF CC exam area: fabrication. |
| 6 | Poultry Fabrication: Whole-Bird Breakdown and Trussing | 12 | lab | Students will break down a whole chicken into eight standard parts (two breasts, two wings, two thighs, two drumsticks) and truss a whole bird for roasting, achieving clean joint separation and skin integrity on all pieces. |
| Whole USDA Grade A chickens (2 per student), boning knives, chef's knife, plastic-wrapped cutting boards (color-coded for poultry), butcher's twine, ruler, probe thermometers | Instructor uses part-breakdown checklist: eight parts present, joints cleanly severed (no bone splinters), skin intact on all pieces, and truss secure; skin tear on more than one piece or splintered bone requires repeat. ServSafe exam area: cross-contamination prevention with poultry. ACF CC exam area: poultry fabrication. |
| 7 | Dry-Heat Cookery: Roasting and Grilling | 14 | lab | Students will roast a beef rib roast and grill portioned steaks to ordered internal temperatures, verified by probe thermometer, with a final plated temperature variance of no more than ±5°F from target. |
| Beef rib roast, NY strip steaks, commercial convection oven, chargrill, leave-in and instant-read probe thermometers, roasting pan with rack, carving knife, plating dishes, ServSafe temperature reference card | Thermometer reading at time of plating must fall within ±5°F of ordered target; color and juiciness evaluated against USDA safe minimum temperatures; any item served below USDA minimum safe temperature (145°F for whole muscle with 3-minute rest) fails and must be recooled and recooked. ACF CC exam area: cooking methods and temperatures. |
| 8 | Dry-Heat Cookery: Sautéing and Pan Sauces | 12 | lab | Students will sauté a chicken supreme and execute a pan sauce (fond-based) to yield a properly reduced, correctly seasoned sauce with a nappe consistency, served plated within 8 minutes of order. |
| Chicken supremes, clarified butter and whole butter, sauté pans (commercial range), stock, wine or vinegar, saucepans, instant-read thermometer, ladles, plating dishes, 5-point timed rubric | Chicken internal temperature ≥165°F verified by probe; sauce passes nappe test; plate presented within 8-minute window; any undercooked poultry is an automatic fail requiring immediate corrective action. ACF CC exam area: sauté and sauce cookery. |
| 9 | Moist-Heat Cookery: Braising and Stewing | 14 | lab | Students will execute a classic braise and a white stew (blanquette) using appropriate tough cuts, demonstrating correct sear, mirepoix, liquid ratio, and oven or stovetop temperature management to produce fork-tender product. |
| Bone-in beef short ribs, veal shoulder, mirepoix vegetables, tomato paste, veal stock, aromatics, Dutch ovens or hotel pans with lids, commercial oven, instant-read thermometers, sensory evaluation forms | Fork-tender test confirmed by instructor probe check; sauce consistency and color assessed against reference standard; reflection submitted and demonstrates understanding of collagen conversion. ACF CC exam area: moist-heat methods and protein cookery science. |
| 10 | Yield Costing and Menu Pricing for Meat Proteins | 10 | theory | Students will calculate as-purchased cost, edible-portion cost, and plate cost for at least three protein items and apply a standard food-cost percentage formula to derive a target menu selling price. |
| Calculator, yield-cost worksheets, sample supplier invoices, plate-cost card templates, food-cost percentage formula reference sheet | Completed worksheet checked for math accuracy: all three EP cost calculations correct within ±$0.05/lb; plate cost and menu price calculated correctly; group scenario rationale assessed by instructor for logic — any arithmetic error on EP cost requires correction and resubmission. ACF CC exam area: food costing and menu pricing. |
| 11 | Plated Meat Entrée: Integration Lab | 14 | lab | Students will produce a complete three-component plated meat entrée (fabricated protein, appropriate sauce or jus, and two accompaniments) to restaurant standards within a 45-minute production window. |
| Assigned protein (varied by student — beef, pork, lamb, veal, or poultry), sauce components, accompaniment ingredients, full commercial kitchen equipment, instant-read and leave-in probe thermometers, ACF practical evaluation rubric, mise en place planning sheet | Panel scores plate on flavor (30%), technique/cookery method (30%), temperature accuracy (25%), and presentation (15%); pass requires 75% overall with no zero-score on temperature — any protein served below USDA minimum safe temperature is an automatic fail. ACF CC exam area: practical cooking and professional standards. |
| 12 | Meat Course Review, Mock Practical, and Credential Mapping | 14 | practice | Students will self-identify knowledge gaps across all meat-cookery and food-safety topics, complete a timed mock practical task, and map course competencies to ACF Certified Culinarian and ServSafe exam domains. |
| 40-question review bank, standard kitchen equipment, probe thermometers, ACF CC candidate guide (current edition), ServSafe Manager textbook, credential crosswalk template | Mock practical scored ≥75% on rubric with no temperature safety fail; crosswalk template reviewed by instructor for accuracy — mapping must correctly place at least 9 of 10 objectives to confirm readiness for Lesson 11 (Certification Exam Prep). ACF CC and ServSafe exam areas: full course review. |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meat Identification and Food-Safety Knowledge Exam | Written exam | 25% | 75% or higher (30 of 40 questions correct) | A 40-question written exam covering NAMP/IMPS cut identification, USDA grade and inspection standards, correct internal temperatures per USDA guidelines, moist- and dry-heat cooking method selection, ServSafe cold-chain and storage principles, and food-costing formulas. Maps directly to ACF Certified Culinarian product knowledge and food-safety domains and to ServSafe Food Handler safe-handling content. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Practical Fabrication and Cookery Skills Demonstration | Skills demonstration | 45% | 75% or higher on the ACF-style rubric with no zero-score on the temperature criterion | Students receive an unannounced protein assignment and must fabricate from subprimal or whole bird, apply the correct cooking method, verify internal temperature with a probe thermometer, and present a plated entrée to a two-instructor panel within a 45-minute window. Scored on technique, flavor, temperature accuracy, and presentation; any protein plated below the USDA minimum safe internal temperature is an automatic fail regardless of overall score, directly reflecting ACF Certified Culinarian practical exam standards. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Lab Yield and Production Log | Log | 15% | All entries complete and accurate; yield calculations within ±5% of benchmark; no missing temperature records | A running log maintained across all fabrication and cookery labs documenting as-purchased weights, trimmed weights, yield percentages, EP costs, cooking temperatures and times, and a brief post-lab reflection for each session. Reviewed by the instructor after Lessons 4, 6, 9, and at course end; incomplete or inaccurate temperature entries must be corrected before the final skills demonstration is scheduled. Supports ACF CC costing competencies and ServSafe temperature-monitoring requirements. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Meat Fabrication Safety Check | Safety audit | 15% | Zero critical errors; all critical items must be marked compliant | An unannounced observation conducted by the instructor during any fabrication lab using a standardized checklist covering: correct PPE donned before handling product, band-saw lockout procedure followed correctly, color-coded cutting boards in use for the correct protein, probe thermometer calibrated and used at correct checkpoints, and fabricated proteins labeled and stored in proper ServSafe hierarchy order. Any single critical failure (e.g., missing cut-resistant glove while operating saw, protein stored above ready-to-eat items) results in an immediate stop of work, corrective instruction, and a required repeat observation before the student may continue independent fabrication. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
HOS-CULI27-06 Trade course
International Cuisine: Classical and Contemporary World Cooking
146 hr · $1,925 COMPLIMENTARY
Students execute authentic dishes from major global culinary traditions—European, Latin American, Asian, Middle Eastern, and African—applying classical technique to culturally specific ingredients, flavor profiles, and cooking methods. Lessons integrate food safety, knife work, stock and sauce theory, and mise en place discipline developed in earlier courses, while building the cultural literacy and menu versatility that ACF Certified Culinarian candidates must demonstrate. By course end, each student can plan, produce, and plate a multicultural menu to professional standards.
Outcomes- Identify the defining flavor profiles, staple ingredients, and classic preparations of at least six world culinary traditions and explain their cultural and historical context.
- Apply appropriate cooking techniques—including braising, stir-frying, dry-spice roasting, clay-pot cooking, and fresh pasta production—to produce dishes authentic to their region of origin.
- Demonstrate safe food-handling and cross-contamination prevention practices specific to international ingredients such as raw fermented products, high-acid marinades, whole spice toasting, and allergen-heavy cuisines.
- Select and use region-specific tools (wok, tagine, molcajete, mandoline, rice cooker, pasta machine) safely and correctly, applying lockout/tagout and PPE protocols for shared equipment.
- Scale international recipes using baker's percentage, metric conversion, and yield-factor calculations to meet a specified number of covers.
- Produce a fully documented multicultural tasting menu—including recipe cards, costing sheets, and cultural context notes—to the standard required in the ACF Certified Culinarian practical examination.
Course text
Students execute authentic dishes from major global culinary traditions—European, Latin American, Asian, Middle Eastern, and African—applying classical technique to culturally specific ingredients, flavor profiles, and cooking methods. Lessons integrate food safety, knife work, stock and sauce theory, and mise en place discipline developed in earlier courses, while building the cultural literacy and menu versatility that ACF Certified Culinarian candidates must demonstrate. By course end, each student can plan, produce, and plate a multicultural menu to professional standards.
How the course runs. 12 blocks: World Culinary Geography and Flavor-Profile Framework; Food Safety for Global Ingredients and Equipment Setup; French and Spanish Classical Traditions; Italian Regional Cooking: Fresh Pasta, Risotto, and Sugo; Mexican and Latin American Traditions: Mole, Salsas, and Masa; Chinese Regional Cooking: Wok Technique, Dim Sum, and Braises; Japanese Cuisine: Dashi, Sushi Rice, and Knife Precision; Indian Subcontinent: Spice Tempering, Dal, and Bread; Middle Eastern and North African Cuisine: Tagine, Mezze, and Grain Cookery; Sub-Saharan African and Caribbean Traditions: Jerk, Stews, and Fermented Flavors; Menu Planning, Costing, and Cultural Context Documentation; Multicultural Tasting Menu Execution: Full Production Simulation.
What competent looks like. Identify the defining flavor profiles, staple ingredients, and classic preparations of at least six world culinary traditions and explain their cultural and historical context. Apply appropriate cooking techniques—including braising, stir-frying, dry-spice roasting, clay-pot cooking, and fresh pasta production—to produce dishes authentic to their region of origin. Demonstrate safe food-handling and cross-contamination prevention practices specific to international ingredients such as raw fermented products, high-acid marinades, whole spice toasting, and allergen-heavy cuisines. Select and use region-specific tools (wok, tagine, molcajete, mandoline, rice cooker, pasta machine) safely and correctly, applying lockout/tagout and PPE protocols for shared equipment. Scale international recipes using baker's percentage, metric conversion, and yield-factor calculations to meet a specified number of covers. Produce a fully documented multicultural tasting menu—including recipe cards, costing sheets, and cultural context notes—to the standard required in the ACF Certified Culinarian practical examination.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | World Culinary Geography and Flavor-Profile Framework | 10 | theory | Students classify at least six world culinary regions by their defining staple starches, fat sources, aromatics, and seasoning logic, and explain how geography and trade shaped each cuisine. |
| World political map printouts, ten labeled spice kits, 'On Food and Cooking' (McGee), ACF Culinary Fundamentals textbook, whiteboard, markers, presentation rubric | Each student correctly classifies all six regions on an in-class written quiz (minimum 75% correct) and receives a peer-rubric score of at least 3/4 on presentation content accuracy. |
| 2 | Food Safety for Global Ingredients and Equipment Setup | 10 | theory | Students identify food-safety and allergen risks specific to international ingredients—including raw fermented foods, high-sodium pastes, shellfish-based sauces, nuts, and gluten-containing starches—and demonstrate correct labeling, storage, and cross-contact prevention protocols. |
| ServSafe Food Handler textbook and allergen charts, cutting boards (color-coded set), probe thermometers, refrigerator log sheets, lockout/tagout devices and tags, personal protective equipment (heat-resistant gloves, nonslip shoes, chef coat) | Student correctly identifies all eight major allergens in scenario worksheet with zero missed items on a pass/fail safety check; lockout/tagout demonstration performed correctly in correct sequence—any missed step requires immediate repeat before lab access is granted. |
| 3 | French and Spanish Classical Traditions | 12 | lab | Students produce two classical French dishes (boeuf bourguignon and ratatouille) and one Spanish dish (paella Valenciana) to recipe specification, demonstrating correct mirepoix ratios, bouquet garni construction, and saffron-bloom technique. |
| Carbon-steel paella pan, Dutch oven, probe thermometers, kitchen scale (metric/US), saffron, Burgundy wine (cooking quality), bone-in short rib, seasonal vegetables, bouquet garni ingredients, recipe cards, production log sheets, plating rubric | Finished dishes score at least 70/100 on the plating rubric (flavor 30 pts, texture 25 pts, appearance 25 pts, portion accuracy 20 pts); internal temperature of braised beef verified at or above the safe minimum on the production log. |
| 4 | Italian Regional Cooking: Fresh Pasta, Risotto, and Sugo | 12 | lab | Students produce fresh egg pasta dough, roll it to uniform thickness using a hand-crank pasta machine, fabricate two pasta shapes, and finish each with an appropriate sauce—demonstrating gluten development, emulsification, and starchy pasta water technique. |
| Tipo 00 flour, eggs, hand-crank pasta machine, mortar and pestle, heavy-bottomed rondeau, ladle, probe thermometer, kitchen scale, fresh basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, saffron, arborio rice, recipe cards, lab log | Fresh pasta sheets pass a visual uniformity check (instructor measures thickness at three points—variance less than 0.5 mm is a pass); risotto texture confirmed as all'onda by instructor observation; lab log completed with hydration calculation—minimum 75% accuracy on math entries. |
| 5 | Mexican and Latin American Traditions: Mole, Salsas, and Masa | 12 | lab | Students toast and grind dried chiles, prepare a simplified mole negro, nixtamalize dried corn to produce fresh masa, and press and cook corn tortillas—explaining how each step affects flavor and texture. |
| Dried chiles (ancho, mulato, pasilla), Mexican chocolate, cal (food-grade calcium hydroxide), dried field corn or masa harina (backup), tortilla press, comal, industrial blender, heavy-bottomed cazuela, food processor, lab log, recipe cards, gloves (capsaicin hazard notice posted) | Mole scores at least 70/100 on flavor rubric; tortillas pass a visual and texture check (even browning, puff present, pliable—no cracks); lab log entry for mole seasoning adjustments complete with correct flavor-balance vocabulary. |
| 6 | Chinese Regional Cooking: Wok Technique, Dim Sum, and Braises | 12 | demo | Students demonstrate correct wok seasoning, high-heat stir-fry sequencing (mise en place order, smoking point management, tossing motion), and produce a red-braised pork belly (hong shao rou) and two steamed dim sum items. |
| Carbon-steel wok (14-inch), wok spatula and ladle, bamboo steamers, high-smoke-point oil (peanut or canola), pork belly, wheat starch, shrimp, Shaoxing rice wine, soy sauce, rock sugar, graduated measuring cylinders for reduction tracking, recipe cards, PPE (burn hazard: long sleeves, heat-resistant gloves nearby) | Stir-fry shows visible wok hei (smoky aroma, light char) confirmed by instructor; har gow pleats counted—minimum seven per dumpling required to pass; reduction percentage calculation accurate within 5% of instructor reference value. |
| 7 | Japanese Cuisine: Dashi, Sushi Rice, and Knife Precision | 12 | lab | Students prepare ichiban dashi from kombu and katsuobushi to correct flavor clarity, season sushi rice to specification, and fabricate three styles of sushi (nigiri, hosomaki, temaki) with fish cut to the required thickness and presentation standard. |
| Kombu, katsuobushi, Japanese short-grain rice, hangiri wooden tub, rice paddle, bamboo rolling mat, yanagiba or sujihiki knife, probe thermometer, sushi-grade salmon and tuna (previously frozen per FDA guidelines for parasite destruction), nori, rice vinegar, recipe cards, lab log, cutting gloves | Dashi passes clarity check (no visible particles, golden color); sushi rice seasoning confirmed by instructor taste test (pass/fail); nigiri slice thickness within 2 mm of specification measured by instructor; three-piece plated set scores at least 70/100 on precision and appearance rubric. |
| 8 | Indian Subcontinent: Spice Tempering, Dal, and Bread | 12 | lab | Students execute a tadka (tempering whole spices in fat) correctly, produce a dal makhani and a chicken tikka masala using a tomato-cream base, and bake naan in a cast-iron skillet—explaining how Maillard browning and fat solubility affect flavor extraction. |
| Whole spice set (mustard seeds, cumin, coriander, cardamom, cloves, curry leaves), spice grinder, ghee, cast-iron skillet, Dutch oven, dried black lentils, kidney beans, tomato base, heavy cream, chicken thigh, yogurt, recipe cards, lab log, ventilation check (mustard seed tempering produces sharp fumes—range hood on) | Tadka sequence performed correctly (no burnt spices—instructor confirms color and aroma at pass/fail check); dal makhani and tikka masala score at least 70/100 on flavor and consistency rubric; naan charred-bubble pattern and pliability confirmed by instructor inspection. |
| 9 | Middle Eastern and North African Cuisine: Tagine, Mezze, and Grain Cookery | 12 | lab | Students braise a lamb tagine with preserved lemon and olives in a clay tagine vessel, prepare three mezze components (hummus, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh), and cook couscous and freekeh to correct texture—demonstrating layered spice building and acid-balance technique. |
| Clay tagine pot (seasoned), lamb shoulder, preserved lemon, Castelvetrano or similar green olives, dried chickpeas, tahini, eggplant, bulgur wheat, freekeh, couscous, saffron, chermoula spices, recipe cards, lab log, oven mitts (clay tagine retains heat—burn hazard noted) | Lamb tagine sauce coats a spoon (nappe) and lamb is fork-tender—instructor probes texture; hummus and baba ghanoush score at least 70/100 on flavor and texture rubric; freekeh and couscous grain-texture check: each grain separate on plate, confirmed by instructor inspection. |
| 10 | Sub-Saharan African and Caribbean Traditions: Jerk, Stews, and Fermented Flavors | 12 | lab | Students produce Jamaican jerk chicken using a traditional allspice-Scotch bonnet marinade and smoke-roast method, a West African groundnut stew (maafe), and a rice and peas dish—demonstrating dry-rub application, coconut milk cookery, and peanut-thickening technique. |
| Scotch bonnet peppers (gloves and safety goggles required at station), allspice berries (ground and whole), chicken thighs, peanut butter (natural, no additives), coconut milk, dried kidney beans, soaked wood chips (hickory or allspice wood), probe thermometer, hotel pan with rack, food processor, recipe cards, lab log, allergen notice (peanuts—posted) | Jerk chicken internal temperature verified at safe minimum on lab log; maafe peanut sauce scores at least 70/100 on flavor and texture rubric; allergen notice for peanuts present at station before any food preparation begins—absence is an automatic safety fail requiring remediation before continuing. |
| 11 | Menu Planning, Costing, and Cultural Context Documentation | 12 | practice | Students design a cohesive five-course tasting menu drawing from at least four world regions covered in the course, complete with standardized recipe cards, yield-factor calculations, cost-per-portion analysis, and a one-paragraph cultural context note for each dish. |
| Menu planning templates, costing spreadsheet (Excel or Google Sheets), ACF Culinary Fundamentals textbook (yield percentage tables), simulated market price list, word processor, citation guide (MLA or APA), binder and dividers for portfolio assembly | Costing spreadsheet checked for math accuracy—yield calculations within 3% of instructor reference values; cultural context notes meet 150-word minimum and include at least one correctly formatted citation per dish; menu portfolio assembled in correct order—incomplete portfolios are returned for correction before the next lesson. |
| 12 | Multicultural Tasting Menu Execution: Full Production Simulation | 18 | lab | Students independently execute their designed five-course multicultural tasting menu for a panel of at least two evaluators, meeting plating, timing, temperature, flavor, and food-safety standards consistent with the ACF Certified Culinarian practical examination framework. |
| All mise en place supplies per student's own finalized recipe cards, plating rubric (100-point scale), production timeline template, probe thermometers, service plates warmed in the oven, heat lamps, sanitizer solution buckets, ServSafe cleaning checklist, self-evaluation form | All five courses score an average of at least 70/100 on the plating rubric; at least one cold dish served at or below 41°F and at least one hot dish served at or above 135°F—verified by evaluator probe and recorded; any temperature failure requires an immediate corrective action explanation from the student before the session concludes. |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| World Cuisines Written Knowledge Examination | Written exam | 25% | 75% or higher (75 of 100 points) | A 100-question written examination covering regional flavor profiles, staple ingredients, classical dishes, cultural and historical context, allergen identification in international pantry items, and trade-math problems (metric conversion, yield factor, cost per portion) drawn directly from ACF Certified Culinarian exam content areas. Students have 90 minutes to complete the exam under closed-book conditions; any student scoring below 75% must complete targeted review and retake a parallel form within five school days. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| International Techniques Skills Demonstration | Skills demonstration | 45% | 70/100 on rubric; all food-safety and temperature checks must be passing regardless of rubric total | Each student draws one region at random and has two hours to produce two dishes from that region using a recipe card provided at the start of the assessment; an ACF-aligned rubric scores flavor (30 pts), texture (25 pts), appearance (25 pts), and portion accuracy (20 pts). A probed internal temperature check and a station sanitation inspection are conducted by the instructor—a failure on either safety check overrides the rubric score and requires a full retake on a new date. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Lab Log and Menu Portfolio | Log | 15% | Portfolio average of 75% across all rubric categories; costing math within 3% of reference values; all lab logs submitted and complete | The graded portfolio includes all 12 session lab logs (sensory notes, temperature records, yield calculations, and seasoning-decision rationale), the five-course menu portfolio produced in Lesson 11 (standardized recipe cards, costing spreadsheet, and cultural context notes), and the Lesson 12 post-service self-evaluation. Incomplete lab logs (missing entries or unsigned temperature records) are returned for correction and capped at 80% of their point value; the costing math is graded for accuracy against instructor reference values. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Food Safety and Equipment Safety Check | Safety audit | 15% | 100% on all critical items (allergen labeling, temperature logging, lockout/tagout sequence, PPE compliance); non-critical items at 90% or higher | A structured pass/fail safety audit conducted across two unannounced spot-checks during the course and one final formal check at the start of the Lesson 12 tasting menu execution: evaluator verifies allergen labels on all containers, confirms color-coded cutting board use, checks that lockout/tagout was performed on the pasta machine and wok range before cleaning, and inspects PPE compliance (nonslip shoes, chef coat, hair restraint). Any single critical item failure stops lab activity immediately and requires documented remediation before the student may continue; the check is then repeated in full. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
HOS-CULI27-07 Trade course
Plating: Composition, Presentation, and Finishing Techniques
146 hr · $1,925 COMPLIMENTARY
Students apply the principles of classical and contemporary plate presentation—balance, color, texture, portion control, and sauce work—to produce finished dishes that meet professional restaurant standards. Lessons integrate ServSafe safe-handling practices at every production step and build the visual presentation competencies tested in the ACF Certified Culinarian credential. By course end, students compose, execute, and critically evaluate complete plated dishes across multiple menu categories under timed, industry-realistic conditions.
Outcomes- Apply the elements and principles of plate design—balance, color, contrast, height, negative space, and focal point—to compose visually professional dishes across at least four menu categories.
- Execute a minimum of six sauce-finishing and garnish techniques (nappe, quenelle, coulis drag, gel dot, herb oil pool, micro-green placement) with correct flavor pairing and safe food-handling practices.
- Portion proteins, starches, and vegetables to within ±0.5 oz of specification using scales and standard portioning tools, documenting yield and plate cost on a standardized form.
- Identify and correct plating faults—smearing, improper temperature, inconsistent portion, color clash—through structured peer critique using an industry rubric.
- Demonstrate ServSafe-aligned hot-hold and cold-hold temperature practices during plating line service, verifying finished plate temperatures with a calibrated thermometer.
- Produce a timed three-course plate sequence (appetizer, entrée, dessert) that meets ACF practical-evaluation criteria for appearance, technique, and professionalism.
Course text
Students apply the principles of classical and contemporary plate presentation—balance, color, texture, portion control, and sauce work—to produce finished dishes that meet professional restaurant standards. Lessons integrate ServSafe safe-handling practices at every production step and build the visual presentation competencies tested in the ACF Certified Culinarian credential. By course end, students compose, execute, and critically evaluate complete plated dishes across multiple menu categories under timed, industry-realistic conditions.
How the course runs. 12 blocks: Elements and Principles of Plate Design; Color Theory and Flavor Pairing for the Plate; Plateware, Tools, and Equipment Selection; Sauce Application Techniques; Garnish Selection, Preparation, and Placement; Portion Control, Yield, and Plate Cost Math; Temperature Management and ServSafe Plating-Line Practices; Classical Plating Styles: French Brigade and Nouvelle Cuisine; Contemporary and Modernist Plating Techniques; Dessert Plating and Pastry Finishing; Peer Critique, Self-Evaluation, and Plating Journal; Timed Three-Course Plating Practical.
What competent looks like. Apply the elements and principles of plate design—balance, color, contrast, height, negative space, and focal point—to compose visually professional dishes across at least four menu categories. Execute a minimum of six sauce-finishing and garnish techniques (nappe, quenelle, coulis drag, gel dot, herb oil pool, micro-green placement) with correct flavor pairing and safe food-handling practices. Portion proteins, starches, and vegetables to within ±0.5 oz of specification using scales and standard portioning tools, documenting yield and plate cost on a standardized form. Identify and correct plating faults—smearing, improper temperature, inconsistent portion, color clash—through structured peer critique using an industry rubric. Demonstrate ServSafe-aligned hot-hold and cold-hold temperature practices during plating line service, verifying finished plate temperatures with a calibrated thermometer. Produce a timed three-course plate sequence (appetizer, entrée, dessert) that meets ACF practical-evaluation criteria for appearance, technique, and professionalism.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elements and Principles of Plate Design | 10.5 | theory | Students will identify and explain the seven visual elements of plate design (line, shape, color, texture, height, negative space, focal point) by labeling annotated photographs of professional dishes. |
| Projected slide deck, printed dish-photo card set, blank plate-outline worksheets, colored pencils, On Cooking (Labensky et al.) Chapter on presentation, ACF Culinary Competition rules booklet | Students correctly label all seven elements on five annotated photographs and score at least 80% on a 20-question identification quiz administered at lesson end. |
| 2 | Color Theory and Flavor Pairing for the Plate | 10.5 | theory | Students will predict color harmony and contrast outcomes on a plate by applying a culinary color wheel and matching color choices to complementary flavor profiles. |
| Printed culinary color wheels, seasonal produce, pre-made coulis and purées, sensory evaluation forms, digital camera or smartphone, On Cooking (Labensky et al.) | Each student submits two complete plate-palette proposals with written flavor justification; instructor scores against a 10-point rubric (color harmony, flavor logic, completeness); passing score 8/10. |
| 3 | Plateware, Tools, and Equipment Selection | 8.5 | demo | Students will select appropriate plateware and finishing tools for a given dish style and explain how plate shape, size, and material affect perceived portion and visual appeal. |
| Full plateware inventory (round, square, rectangular, coupe; 6-in through 12-in), squeeze bottles, offset spatulas, tweezers/plating tongs, ring molds, quenelle spoons, bench scraper, ServSafe Food Handler manual (temperature and sanitation references) | Matching exercise scored by instructor; students must correctly pair at least 10 of 12 dishes (83%) to pass and must correctly identify appropriate safe-handling tool (single-use gloves vs. tongs) for cold items. |
| 4 | Sauce Application Techniques | 15 | demo | Students will execute five sauce-placement techniques—nappe, pool, drag, streak, and dot—on a plate, achieving clean edges and consistent coverage as defined on the course rubric. |
| Squeeze bottles, ladles, offset spoons, coulis, jus, beurre blanc, demi-glace, food-safe coloring, cold and warm plates, calibrated infrared plate thermometer, plating rubric, ServSafe Food Handler manual | Instructor scores each student's five sauced plates on the rubric (cleanliness of edge, consistency, correct technique name applied); passing average of 3.5/5 per technique across all five plates. |
| 5 | Garnish Selection, Preparation, and Placement | 13 | lab | Students will prepare and place edible garnishes—micro-greens, herb oils, vegetable chips, quenelles, and citrus tuiles—that are proportionate, flavorful, and structurally stable on a finished plate. |
| Micro-greens, herbs, citrus, tuile batter, heavy cream, sheet pans, Silpats, dehydrator (if available), quenelle spoons, tweezers, scale, portion-cost worksheet, digital camera | Garnishes are tasted and visually evaluated by instructor: flavor appropriateness pass/fail (garnish must complement dish flavor), structural stability assessed at 5 minutes post-plate; overall rubric score ≥ 3.5/5. |
| 6 | Portion Control, Yield, and Plate Cost Math | 10.5 | theory | Students will calculate as-purchased cost, edible-portion cost, and per-plate cost for a three-item entrée using yield percentages and current market prices, achieving results within 5% of instructor's verified answer. |
| Scales (digital, 0.1-oz resolution), butchered yield example proteins (pre-trimmed), market price sheets, portion-cost calculation forms, calculators, On Cooking appendix on food costing | Three-problem calculation worksheet graded by instructor; all three final plate-cost figures must fall within 5% of verified answer; students who miss must redo with a parallel problem set before advancing to Lesson 7. |
| 7 | Temperature Management and ServSafe Plating-Line Practices | 10.5 | theory | Students will state correct hot-hold and cold-hold temperatures for plated dishes, demonstrate thermometer calibration, and identify the ServSafe temperature danger zone as it applies to plating-line timing. |
| Digital probe thermometers, ice baths, calibration log forms, ServSafe Food Handler manual, projected ServSafe temperature chart, scenario cards | Students must calibrate thermometer to within ±2°F of reference and score at least 5 of 6 scenario responses correctly with an acceptable corrective action; mapped to ServSafe Food Handler exam area: Temperature Control for Safety. |
| 8 | Classical Plating Styles: French Brigade and Nouvelle Cuisine | 10.5 | demo | Students will reproduce a classical French brigade-style plate (protein at six o'clock, starch at ten, vegetable at two) and a nouvelle cuisine-style plate for the same entrée, articulating the historical and aesthetic differences between the two. |
| Sautéed chicken breasts (pre-cooked to save lab time), starch and vegetable accompaniments, 10-in round plates, printed brigade and nouvelle reference photos, digital camera, On Cooking (Labensky et al.) culinary history chapter | Both completed plates evaluated by instructor on a 10-point rubric (5 points each: correct component placement, clean execution); passing score ≥ 7/10 combined; written comparison graded pass/fail for factual accuracy. |
| 9 | Contemporary and Modernist Plating Techniques | 13 | lab | Students will apply at least three contemporary or modernist finishing techniques—gel dots, foam, soil/crumble, smear, or dehydrated accent—to a plated dish that meets ACF practical-evaluation visual standards. |
| Agar-agar, soy lecithin, tapioca maltodextrin, dehydrator or low oven, immersion blender, squeeze bottles, tweezers, pre-cooked proteins, sauces, herbs, scale, portion-cost log, ACF Culinary Competition scoring sheet (for reference) | Instructor evaluates completed plate against ACF-style rubric (visual balance, technique accuracy, flavor logic, professionalism of finish); passing score ≥ 70%; at least three distinct techniques must be identifiable. |
| 10 | Dessert Plating and Pastry Finishing | 13 | lab | Students will plate a composed dessert—incorporating a primary element, sauce, textural contrast, and garnish—that meets restaurant plating standards for balance and portion accuracy within the specified weight. |
| Pre-baked chocolate lava cakes, crème anglaise, berry coulis, tuile batter or pre-made tuiles, cocoa soil, powdered sugar, stencils, squeeze bottles, tweezer, scale, warm and cold plates, ServSafe Food Handler manual (allergen and temperature references) | Plate must contain primary element, sauce, textural element, and garnish; portion weight within ±0.5 oz of spec; instructor rubric score ≥ 3.5/5 for visual balance and technique cleanliness; allergen identification question answered correctly (pass/fail). |
| 11 | Peer Critique, Self-Evaluation, and Plating Journal | 10.5 | practice | Students will evaluate three of their own plated dishes against a standardized rubric, write a corrective-action plan for each identified fault, and demonstrate measurable improvement on a re-plate. |
| Printed rubric from previous lab sessions, student photograph portfolios (digital or printed), self-evaluation forms, corrective-action plan template, ingredients for re-plate (student chooses dish from inventory), digital camera | Self-evaluation form must identify at least one specific fault per dish (pass/fail for completeness); re-plate rubric score must show improvement of at least 0.5 points on the previously lowest-scoring element compared to original plate score. |
| 12 | Timed Three-Course Plating Practical | 20.5 | lab | Students will produce and present a complete appetizer, entrée, and dessert plate sequence within a set service window, meeting ACF practical-evaluation criteria for appearance, food safety, portion accuracy, and technique. |
| Full kitchen station, all proteins, produce, pantry items per student-written mise en place list, calibrated probe thermometers, scales, plateware selected by student with instructor approval, ACF practical-evaluation scoring rubric, ServSafe temperature log forms, digital camera | All three plates scored by instructor on ACF-style rubric (appearance, technique, portion accuracy, temperature compliance, timing); each course must score ≥ 70%; food safety temperature log must show no violations; mapped to ACF Certified Culinarian practical-competency areas: cookery, presentation, and professionalism. |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plating Principles Knowledge Exam | Written exam | 25% | 75% (38 of 50 points) | A 50-question written exam covering plate design elements and principles, sauce terminology, garnish selection rationale, color theory, portion-cost calculation, ServSafe temperature danger zone parameters, and historical plating styles. Questions include multiple choice, matching, short-answer, and one yield-calculation problem; mapped to ACF Certified Culinarian written exam content areas (culinary principles, sanitation) and ServSafe Food Handler temperature control topic. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Timed Three-Course Plating Skills Demonstration | Skills demonstration | 45% | Each of the three courses must score ≥ 70% on the ACF-style rubric; no food-safety temperature violations permitted | Students produce and present a full appetizer, entrée, and dessert plate sequence under timed service conditions (as executed in Lesson 12); instructor scores each course on appearance, technique accuracy, portion control, and professional finish using an ACF practical-evaluation rubric, and records temperature readings at pickup on a ServSafe-format temperature log. This assessment directly mirrors the practical component evaluated under ACF Certified Culinarian candidacy requirements. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Plating Lab Log Portfolio | Log | 15% | Pass: all 8 required lab entries submitted with photos, rubric scores, and signed corrective-action plans; average rubric score across entries ≥ 3.0/5.0 | Students maintain a cumulative lab log throughout the course documenting each major plating lab (Lessons 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 production days plus one self-selected additional entry), including pre-production plate diagrams, dated photographs of finished plates, instructor-scored rubrics, portion-cost calculations, and written corrective-action plans; the portfolio demonstrates progression and supports the reflective documentation skill required in ACF certification application records. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Food Safety and Plating-Line Safety Check | Safety audit | 15% | Pass: zero critical violations; all four observable behaviors demonstrated correctly; any minor violation corrected within 60 seconds of prompt | During a scheduled unannounced observation within the final three lab sessions, the instructor evaluates four observable safe-handling behaviors at the plating station: (1) thermometer calibration and use at correct check points, (2) hot-hold and cold-hold temperature maintenance with documented log, (3) proper hand-washing and glove protocol when handling ready-to-eat garnishes, and (4) clean-as-you-go sanitation of plating tools between plates; mapped to ServSafe Food Handler exam areas: personal hygiene, temperature control for safety, and preventing cross-contamination. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
HOS-CULI27-08 Trade course
Kitchen Operations: Workflow, Equipment & Culinary Management
146 hr · $1,925 COMPLIMENTARY
Students learn to run a professional kitchen efficiently and safely, covering station organization, equipment operation and maintenance, production planning, cost control, and team communication. Lessons integrate ServSafe food-safety principles into every operational system and prepare students for the workflow and professionalism standards tested by the ACF Certified Culinarian credential. By the end of the course students can manage a full shift from prep through service and breakdown with documented accuracy.
Outcomes- Organize and execute a complete production schedule for a multi-course kitchen service, meeting mise en place deadlines within a real or simulated shift timeline.
- Operate, clean, and perform basic preventive maintenance on major commercial kitchen equipment including ranges, convection ovens, fryers, slicers, and refrigeration units, following manufacturer guidelines and OSHA lockout/tagout procedures.
- Apply food-safety and sanitation standards consistently across receiving, storage, prep, holding, and service stages, meeting ServSafe Food Handler competency benchmarks.
- Calculate food cost percentage, recipe yield, and portion cost from raw data, and use those figures to make basic production and purchasing decisions.
- Communicate station responsibilities, priority tasks, and handoffs clearly using standard kitchen terminology and brigade-system conventions.
- Complete and interpret standard kitchen documentation including prep lists, temperature logs, waste logs, and equipment inspection checklists.
Course text
Students learn to run a professional kitchen efficiently and safely, covering station organization, equipment operation and maintenance, production planning, cost control, and team communication. Lessons integrate ServSafe food-safety principles into every operational system and prepare students for the workflow and professionalism standards tested by the ACF Certified Culinarian credential. By the end of the course students can manage a full shift from prep through service and breakdown with documented accuracy.
How the course runs. 12 blocks: The Professional Kitchen: Layout, Brigade, and Chain of Command; Mise en Place: Prep Lists, Station Setup, and Time Management; Food Safety in Kitchen Operations: ServSafe Principles Applied; Commercial Equipment: Operation, Safety, and Lockout/Tagout; Refrigeration, Storage Systems, and FIFO; Production Planning: Scheduling, Batch Cooking, and Par Levels; Food Cost, Yield, and Portion Control; Standardized Recipes, Recipe Costing, and Menu Engineering Basics; Ordering, Receiving, and Inventory Control; Sanitation Systems: Cleaning Schedules, Chemicals, and Pest Prevention; Shift Management: Opening, Service, and Closing Procedures; Professionalism, Team Communication, and ACF Standards Review.
What competent looks like. Organize and execute a complete production schedule for a multi-course kitchen service, meeting mise en place deadlines within a real or simulated shift timeline. Operate, clean, and perform basic preventive maintenance on major commercial kitchen equipment including ranges, convection ovens, fryers, slicers, and refrigeration units, following manufacturer guidelines and OSHA lockout/tagout procedures. Apply food-safety and sanitation standards consistently across receiving, storage, prep, holding, and service stages, meeting ServSafe Food Handler competency benchmarks. Calculate food cost percentage, recipe yield, and portion cost from raw data, and use those figures to make basic production and purchasing decisions. Communicate station responsibilities, priority tasks, and handoffs clearly using standard kitchen terminology and brigade-system conventions. Complete and interpret standard kitchen documentation including prep lists, temperature logs, waste logs, and equipment inspection checklists.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Professional Kitchen: Layout, Brigade, and Chain of Command | 10.5 | theory | Students identify classical and contemporary kitchen brigade roles, explain the flow of a professional kitchen floor plan, and describe how communication moves up and down the chain of command during service. |
| Commercial kitchen floor-plan diagrams (instructor-provided), Escoffier brigade reference chart, whiteboard, printed ticket slips, culinary arts textbook chapter on kitchen organization (e.g., ProStart or On Cooking) | Students correctly label at least 9 of 10 stations on a blank floor plan and score 80% or higher on a 20-question written quiz on brigade titles and communication flow. |
| 2 | Mise en Place: Prep Lists, Station Setup, and Time Management | 15 | lab | Students build a written prep list from a given menu, set up a station to culinary-school standards within a timed window, and complete assigned prep tasks in priority order. |
| Sample menus, prep-list templates, date-label tape and markers, hotel pans, mise en place containers, sanitizer solution and cloths, kitchen timer, station setup rubric | Student's prep list includes all required components (task, quantity, station, time) for every menu item; station passes inspection rubric at 80% or higher; all items are correctly labeled. |
| 3 | Food Safety in Kitchen Operations: ServSafe Principles Applied | 13 | theory | Students apply ServSafe food-handler principles — including temperature control for safety (TCS), cross-contamination prevention, personal hygiene, and proper receiving and storage — to realistic kitchen-operations scenarios. |
| Calibrated probe thermometers, temperature logs, mock delivery items (sealed or clearly staged), ServSafe Food Handler study guide, cross-contamination scenario handout, receiving-inspection checklist | Students score 75% or higher on a 30-question ServSafe-style written quiz; temperature log entries are complete and corrective actions are correctly identified for all out-of-range items. |
| 4 | Commercial Equipment: Operation, Safety, and Lockout/Tagout | 15 | demo | Students demonstrate safe startup, operation, and shutdown of commercial ranges, convection ovens, flat-top griddles, deep fryers, and dish machines, and correctly apply OSHA lockout/tagout procedure before any cleaning or jam-clearing task. |
| Commercial range, convection oven, flat-top griddle, deep fryer, dish machine, commercial slicer, lockout/tagout kits (padlocks and hasp tags), manufacturer quick-reference cards, heat-resistant gloves, eye protection, OSHA lockout/tagout reference (29 CFR 1910.147 summary sheet) | Each student completes the lockout/tagout demonstration on the slicer with zero procedural errors observed by the instructor; equipment-startup checklists are completed correctly for all four stations. |
| 5 | Refrigeration, Storage Systems, and FIFO | 10.5 | lab | Students organize a walk-in cooler and dry-storage area using FIFO rotation, correct shelving hierarchy (raw meats below ready-to-eat), and proper labeling, then log temperatures and identify deficiencies. |
| Walk-in cooler (or reach-in refrigerator for simulation), dry-storage shelving, assorted labeled food items including some with intentional errors, date-label tape, markers, calibrated thermometers, storage-audit form, temperature log, ServSafe storage hierarchy reference | Walk-in passes re-inspection with 100% correct shelving hierarchy and all items properly dated; FIFO rotation is verified correct; temperature log is fully completed with units and corrective actions noted where applicable. |
| 6 | Production Planning: Scheduling, Batch Cooking, and Par Levels | 13 | theory | Students create a production schedule that assigns batch-cooking tasks to stations, sets par levels based on a projected cover count, and sequences cooking times to deliver all items service-ready simultaneously. |
| Sample menu with cook times, projected cover count worksheet, production schedule template, two pre-written comparison schedules, peer-review checklist, whiteboard or projector | Student production schedule correctly calculates par quantities, assigns all stations, and sequences tasks so all items are service-ready within the given window; instructor evaluates against a rubric, passing at 80% or higher. |
| 7 | Food Cost, Yield, and Portion Control | 13 | theory | Students calculate as-purchased cost, edible-portion cost, yield percentage, and food cost percentage for a set of raw ingredients, and adjust recipe quantities using a conversion factor. |
| Calculator, recipe cost worksheets, trim-test data sheets, sample invoices, standardized recipe cards (instructor-provided), food cost percentage formula reference card, culinary math textbook (e.g., Math for the Professional Kitchen) | All calculations on the food cost worksheet are correct within a 2% rounding tolerance; recipe scaling is accurate for all ingredients; students score 80% or higher on a short applied-math quiz. |
| 8 | Standardized Recipes, Recipe Costing, and Menu Engineering Basics | 10.5 | demo | Students write a complete standardized recipe card, cost it using current unit prices, and explain how menu item contribution margin informs placement and pricing decisions. |
| Standardized recipe card template, sample narrative recipes, ingredient price list, menu-engineering matrix handout, projector for instructor demo, calculator | Standardized recipe card includes all required fields; costing is accurate within 2% rounding tolerance; student can correctly categorize two of two practice items on the menu-engineering matrix when checked verbally. |
| 9 | Ordering, Receiving, and Inventory Control | 10.5 | lab | Students complete a par-based order, receive a simulated delivery against a purchase order, inspect items for quality and temperature, and update a running inventory count. |
| Par level sheet, inventory count sheet, purchase order form, mock delivery items with invoices, probe thermometer, receiving inspection checklist, calculator | Purchase order quantities are mathematically correct for all items; at least one rejection is correctly documented with a valid reason; inventory variance calculation is accurate within 1 unit. |
| 10 | Sanitation Systems: Cleaning Schedules, Chemicals, and Pest Prevention | 10.5 | lab | Students build a master cleaning schedule for a commercial kitchen, correctly mix sanitizing solutions to required concentrations, and identify pest-entry points and prevention measures that meet health-department standards. |
| Blank kitchen floor plan, master cleaning schedule template, chlorine sanitizer, quaternary ammonium sanitizer, sanitizer test strips, spray bottles, gloves, eye protection, ServSafe Food Handler pest prevention section, pest-inspection checklist | Cleaning schedule covers all required surfaces at correct frequencies; sanitizer concentration is within the accepted range on first or corrected mix and verified by test strip; at least five pest points are correctly identified and matched to valid corrective actions. |
| 11 | Shift Management: Opening, Service, and Closing Procedures | 13 | practice | Students execute a complete simulated shift from opening setup through service to closing breakdown, following checklists for each phase and documenting food-safety temperatures throughout. |
| Opening and closing checklists, ticket slips, production schedule, probe thermometers, temperature logs, sanitizer solution, cleaning cloths, mise en place containers, food products per the simulated menu | Opening checklist is completed with all temperatures in safe range before service start; closing log shows two-stage cooling documented for all TCS items; station passes a post-close sanitation inspection at 85% or higher on the rubric. |
| 12 | Professionalism, Team Communication, and ACF Standards Review | 11.5 | theory | Students articulate ACF Certified Culinarian professional standards, demonstrate respectful and efficient team communication in a kitchen context, and evaluate their own readiness against ACF competency areas covered in this course. |
| ACF Certified Culinarian competency area summary (from ACF website), ACF Code of Professional Ethics handout, alignment chart template, self-assessment rubric, course-outcomes reference sheet | Alignment chart correctly maps at least 8 of 10 course topics to a valid ACF competency area; self-assessment is complete and includes two specific, realistic improvement goals; role-play debrief demonstrates appropriate professional language. |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen Operations Written Exam | Written exam | 25% | 80% or higher (40 of 50 questions correct) | A 50-question written exam covering brigade structure, production planning, food cost and yield calculations, FIFO and storage hierarchy, equipment safety and lockout/tagout procedure, sanitation chemical concentrations, and shift documentation; questions are formatted to mirror ACF Certified Culinarian and ServSafe Food Handler question styles, including multiple choice and short applied-math problems. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Full-Shift Operations Skills Demonstration | Skills demonstration | 45% | 85% or higher on the instructor rubric across all four phases; any critical food-safety error (temperature violation, cross-contamination, unlabeled TCS item) results in automatic retest | Each student independently executes a complete simulated shift — opening setup, production to a prep list, a 30-minute ticket-based service, and full closing breakdown — while the instructor evaluates mise en place organization, communication, temperature documentation, sanitation compliance, and food quality against a scored rubric aligned to ACF Certified Culinarian practical competencies. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Operations Lab Log | Log | 15% | All 10 required lab entries submitted; each entry scores 3 of 4 or higher on the completeness rubric (objective, procedure, data/results, reflection present and accurate) | Students maintain a running lab log across all hands-on lessons, recording the objective, what they did, measured data (temperatures, costs, concentrations, times), and a brief reflection on what they would do differently; the log is collected at the end of the course and evaluated for accuracy, completeness, and evidence of growth in food-safety and operational reasoning. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Equipment Safety and Sanitation Check | Safety audit | 15% | Zero critical errors permitted; any missed lockout/tagout step or incorrect sanitizer concentration requires an immediate supervised retest before the student may continue using equipment | A practical point-in-time safety check conducted by the instructor in which each student must demonstrate correct lockout/tagout on an assigned piece of equipment, mix a sanitizing solution and verify concentration with a test strip, and correctly identify the PPE required for the task; this check is conducted unannounced during a lab session and is mapped to both OSHA lockout/tagout requirements and ServSafe sanitation standards. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
HOS-CULI27-09 Capstone
Culinary Arts Capstone Project
216 hr · $2,160 COMPLIMENTARY
Students design, execute, and defend an original multi-course dining experience that integrates skills from every prior course in the program, including food safety, knife work, stocks and sauces, garde manger, meat fabrication, international technique, and professional plating. The capstone requires written documentation—concept statement, standardized recipes, costing sheets, and a production timeline—submitted as a professional portfolio. A formal oral defense before a panel of culinary faculty and an industry evaluator serves as the culminating assessment.
Outcomes- Design a cohesive three-course menu with written concept statement, standardized recipes scaled for a defined cover count, and food-cost analysis completed to industry standards.
- Execute all menu components safely and on schedule in a live kitchen setting, demonstrating correct temperature control, knife technique, sauce work, and plate presentation as measured by ACF Certified Culinarian competency standards.
- Apply HACCP principles and ServSafe food-safety practices throughout production, including proper receiving, storage, cross-contamination prevention, and end-point cooking temperatures.
- Produce a complete capstone portfolio containing the menu concept, standardized recipe cards, costing and yield worksheets, production timeline, and a written self-evaluation.
- Defend menu decisions, technique choices, and food-safety practices verbally before an industry panel, demonstrating professional communication skills appropriate for a working culinary environment.
- Receive and incorporate constructive critique from faculty and peers during the practice service, revising at least one recipe or process before the final execution.
Course text
Students design, execute, and defend an original multi-course dining experience that integrates skills from every prior course in the program, including food safety, knife work, stocks and sauces, garde manger, meat fabrication, international technique, and professional plating. The capstone requires written documentation—concept statement, standardized recipes, costing sheets, and a production timeline—submitted as a professional portfolio. A formal oral defense before a panel of culinary faculty and an industry evaluator serves as the culminating assessment.
How the course runs. 4 blocks: Menu Concept Development and Recipe Standardization; Production Planning, HACCP Documentation, and Practice Service; Revised Final Execution and Portfolio Compilation; Oral Defense and Professional Presentation.
What competent looks like. Design a cohesive three-course menu with written concept statement, standardized recipes scaled for a defined cover count, and food-cost analysis completed to industry standards. Execute all menu components safely and on schedule in a live kitchen setting, demonstrating correct temperature control, knife technique, sauce work, and plate presentation as measured by ACF Certified Culinarian competency standards. Apply HACCP principles and ServSafe food-safety practices throughout production, including proper receiving, storage, cross-contamination prevention, and end-point cooking temperatures. Produce a complete capstone portfolio containing the menu concept, standardized recipe cards, costing and yield worksheets, production timeline, and a written self-evaluation. Defend menu decisions, technique choices, and food-safety practices verbally before an industry panel, demonstrating professional communication skills appropriate for a working culinary environment. Receive and incorporate constructive critique from faculty and peers during the practice service, revising at least one recipe or process before the final execution.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Menu Concept Development and Recipe Standardization | 54 | theory | Students will produce a fully written three-course menu concept—including a concept statement, standardized recipes for each dish scaled to a specified cover count, and a preliminary food-cost analysis—that meets ACF Certified Culinarian documentation standards. |
| ACF standardized recipe card template, program food-cost worksheet, current produce and protein price lists from at least two local distributors, culinary math textbook, computer with spreadsheet software, kitchen scale, ServSafe Manager textbook (food-safety reference for temperature and storage standards) | Instructor reviews each standardized recipe card and cost sheet using a 20-point rubric; passing score is 14 out of 20. Recipe must include correct temperatures, complete ingredient list with weights, and food-cost percentage calculated within five percent of instructor's independent calculation. |
| 2 | Production Planning, HACCP Documentation, and Practice Service | 54 | lab | Students will write a complete production timeline with HACCP-based food-safety checkpoints and execute a full practice service of their three-course menu for a live peer audience, receiving written faculty feedback on technique, timing, and food safety. |
| Student's own standardized recipe cards and production timeline, kitchen knife kit, all required cooking equipment and smallwares, HACCP temperature log forms, calibrated probe thermometers, ACF cooking competency rubric, ServSafe Food Handler reference card, PPE (non-slip shoes, apron, hair restraint), fire extinguisher, first-aid kit | Faculty score the practice service on the ACF cooking competency rubric (100-point scale); students must score at least 70 to proceed to the final execution. Any critical food-safety failure—such as a protein served below safe internal temperature or cross-contamination observed—requires an immediate corrective action and a documented re-check before the lesson concludes. |
| 3 | Revised Final Execution and Portfolio Compilation | 54 | practice | Students will incorporate faculty critique from the practice service to revise at least one recipe or production step, then execute the final three-course dining experience for a panel of faculty and an invited industry evaluator, plating all courses to the standard expected of an entry-level professional cook. |
| All ingredients for final menu, full knife kit and station equipment, calibrated probe thermometers, HACCP temperature logs, plating tools (offset spatula, squeeze bottles, ring molds as needed), service ware appropriate to menu concept, ACF Certified Culinarian competency checklist, portfolio binder or digital submission folder, ServSafe reference for temperature verification | Industry evaluator and lead faculty score the final execution independently on the ACF cooking competency rubric (100-point scale); the two scores are averaged, and students must achieve a combined average of 75 or higher to pass. Portfolio must be submitted complete—missing any required document is an automatic incomplete until the document is received. |
| 4 | Oral Defense and Professional Presentation | 54 | field | Students will present and verbally defend their capstone menu, documentation, and food-safety decisions before a panel of culinary faculty and an industry professional, demonstrating the communication skills and technical knowledge expected of a Certified Culinarian candidate. |
| Completed capstone portfolio (physical binder or projected digital version), ACF Certified Culinarian candidate task list (current edition, available at acfchefs.org), oral defense rubric, panel question bank developed from ACF CC knowledge domains, professional attire per program dress code | Panel scores the oral defense on a 40-point rubric: 20 points for content accuracy and depth, 10 points for professional communication, and 10 points for ability to answer panel questions correctly. Passing score is 28 out of 40. Any answer involving food safety that is factually incorrect must be corrected verbally by the student before the session ends; failure to self-correct after one prompt results in a mandatory remediation meeting before the course grade is finalized. |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final Culinary Execution Project | Project | 60% | Combined average score of 75 out of 100 on the ACF cooking competency rubric, scored independently by the industry evaluator and lead faculty, with no unresolved critical food-safety violations observed during service. | Students execute their complete, revised three-course menu in a live kitchen environment for a panel that includes an industry professional, demonstrating integrated mastery of technique, food safety, timing, and presentation. The execution is scored using the ACF Certified Culinarian cooking competency rubric, which maps directly to the knowledge and skill areas assessed in the CC credentialing process. Meets specification · Within estimate · Workmanship · Safety · Documentation |
| Capstone Portfolio | Portfolio | 20% | All seven required documents submitted and complete; overall portfolio rubric score of 70 out of 100, with no section scoring below 50 percent of its allocated points. | The portfolio is a professional dossier containing the menu concept statement, standardized recipe cards, food-cost and yield worksheets, HACCP-documented production timeline, faculty practice-service critique, revision memo, and written self-evaluation scored against ACF CC competency areas. It serves as tangible evidence that the student can produce the written documentation required in professional kitchen management and expected of Certified Culinarian candidates. Completeness · Organization · Evidence quality |
| Oral Defense Before Industry Panel | Oral / panel | 20% | Score of 28 out of 40 on the oral defense rubric, with all food-safety errors self-corrected during the session; failure to self-correct after one prompt requires remediation. | Students present their capstone work in a 10-minute structured presentation and then answer a minimum of five panel questions drawn from ACF Certified Culinarian knowledge domains covering cooking methods, sanitation, sauce and stock fundamentals, professionalism, and costing. The oral defense mirrors the verbal knowledge component evaluated in ACF certification and develops the professional communication skills expected by industry employers. Explains decisions · Answers technical questions · Professional communication |
HOS-CULI27-10 Externship / clinical
Externship / Worksite Placement
324 hr · $1,295 COMPLIMENTARY
Students complete a minimum of 324 supervised hours in a professional kitchen or food-service operation approved by the program, applying all technical and workplace skills acquired in prior coursework under the direct mentorship of an on-site supervisor. Performance is evaluated through employer observation, a structured skills checklist, and a reflective daily log that documents tasks performed, professional behaviors, and connections to ACF Certified Culinarian competency areas. Successful completion satisfies the practical work-experience component required for program completion and strengthens the student's professional portfolio.
Outcomes- Perform line-cook and prep-cook duties—including mise en place, stocks, sauces, fabrication, and plating—at a professional pace and quality standard acceptable to the host employer.
- Demonstrate safe food-handling practices consistent with ServSafe Food Handler standards throughout every shift, including proper temperature control, cross-contamination prevention, and personal hygiene.
- Follow all workplace safety procedures—including chemical handling, equipment lockout protocols, and PPE use—without prompting from a supervisor.
- Communicate professionally with kitchen teammates, supervisors, and front-of-house staff using industry terminology and respectful workplace conduct.
- Complete a reflective daily log that connects each shift's tasks to ACF Certified Culinarian competency domains and ServSafe principles, demonstrating analytical growth over the placement period.
- Receive a passing employer evaluation rating on professionalism, technical skill, and reliability at the conclusion of the externship.
Course text
Students complete a minimum of 324 supervised hours in a professional kitchen or food-service operation approved by the program, applying all technical and workplace skills acquired in prior coursework under the direct mentorship of an on-site supervisor. Performance is evaluated through employer observation, a structured skills checklist, and a reflective daily log that documents tasks performed, professional behaviors, and connections to ACF Certified Culinarian competency areas. Successful completion satisfies the practical work-experience component required for program completion and strengthens the student's professional portfolio.
How the course runs. 4 blocks: Pre-Placement Orientation and Site Agreement; Weeks 1–6: Foundational Production Shifts; Weeks 7–14: Advanced Station Responsibility and Leadership; Exit Evaluation, Portfolio Completion, and Debrief.
What competent looks like. Perform line-cook and prep-cook duties—including mise en place, stocks, sauces, fabrication, and plating—at a professional pace and quality standard acceptable to the host employer. Demonstrate safe food-handling practices consistent with ServSafe Food Handler standards throughout every shift, including proper temperature control, cross-contamination prevention, and personal hygiene. Follow all workplace safety procedures—including chemical handling, equipment lockout protocols, and PPE use—without prompting from a supervisor. Communicate professionally with kitchen teammates, supervisors, and front-of-house staff using industry terminology and respectful workplace conduct. Complete a reflective daily log that connects each shift's tasks to ACF Certified Culinarian competency domains and ServSafe principles, demonstrating analytical growth over the placement period. Receive a passing employer evaluation rating on professionalism, technical skill, and reliability at the conclusion of the externship.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pre-Placement Orientation and Site Agreement | 12 | theory | Students will identify the roles, responsibilities, legal expectations, and documentation requirements of the externship before their first shift. |
| Three-party externship agreement form, site safety checklist template, ACF Certified Culinarian competency domain list, ServSafe Food Handler quick-reference card, student goal-setting worksheet, program student handbook | Instructor verifies signed agreement is on file; written hazard-walk summary earns a pass if it correctly identifies all required safety features at the site; goal-setting worksheet is reviewed by instructor and returned with written approval before the student may begin shifts — all three elements must be complete and approved (pass/fail). |
| 2 | Weeks 1–6: Foundational Production Shifts | 120 | field | Students will execute fundamental kitchen tasks—including mise en place, stock and sauce production, cold-food prep, and basic protein fabrication—at an entry-level professional pace under supervisor guidance. |
| Daily log binder with pre-printed entry forms, mid-point employer feedback form, ACF competency domain checklist, ServSafe Food Handler reference card, school-issued knife roll (or site-provided equipment), appropriate PPE including cut-resistant glove, non-slip shoes, and chef uniform | Program coordinator reviews daily log entries at the end of Week 6; pass requires legible, complete entries for at least 90% of shifts worked, with each entry referencing at least one ACF domain and one ServSafe principle; mid-point feedback form must be completed and signed by supervisor. |
| 3 | Weeks 7–14: Advanced Station Responsibility and Leadership | 168 | field | Students will manage an assigned station or multi-task across stations with minimal supervisor prompting, demonstrating consistent professional quality, speed, and food-safety compliance over an extended production period. |
| Daily log binder continued, self-evaluation rubric, final employer evaluation form (provided in advance for self-assessment), ACF competency domain checklist, site equipment and uniform per employer standards, school coordinator check-in schedule | Program coordinator conducts one on-site visit or video call with supervisor during this block to confirm student attendance, conduct, and progress; pass requires daily log entries for at least 90% of shifts, documented completion of at least two station rotations, and at least one self-evaluation submitted on time. |
| 4 | Exit Evaluation, Portfolio Completion, and Debrief | 24 | theory | Students will compile a complete externship portfolio, receive and discuss the employer's final evaluation, and reflect in writing on how the placement advanced their readiness for the ACF Certified Culinarian credential. |
| Completed daily log binder, final employer evaluation form (signed by supervisor), portfolio assembly checklist, ACF Certified Culinarian competency domain list, ServSafe Food Handler reference card, word-processing software or notebook for reflective essay | Portfolio is reviewed by program coordinator; pass requires all entry forms present and at least 90% completed, both feedback forms signed by supervisor, and the reflective essay scoring at least 70% on a program rubric that assesses accuracy of ACF and ServSafe domain mapping, clarity of writing, and depth of self-reflection. |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employer Final Evaluation (Skills Demonstration) | Skills demonstration | 70% | A score of satisfactory or above on all rated categories of the program's standardized employer evaluation form, with no category rated unsatisfactory. | The host-site supervisor completes the program's standardized employer evaluation form at the conclusion of the placement, rating the student on technical skill execution, food-safety compliance, professionalism, communication, reliability, and readiness for continued kitchen employment. The completed, signed form is submitted to the school and becomes part of the student's permanent externship record. Competency · Safety · Attendance · Conduct · Initiative |
| Daily Log and Portfolio (Lab Log) | Log | 30% | Complete, legible daily log entries for at least 90% of all shifts worked, portfolio checklist fully satisfied, and reflective essay scoring at least 70% on the program rubric. | The student submits the fully assembled externship portfolio containing all daily log entries, annotated visual documentation, mid-point and final employer feedback forms, and the two-page reflective essay mapping externship experiences to ACF Certified Culinarian competency domains and ServSafe Food Handler principles. The portfolio is evaluated by the program coordinator as evidence of analytical reflection, professional documentation habits, and credential-readiness across the full placement period. Complete · Verified |
HOS-CULI27-11 Exam prep
Certification Exam Preparation: ACF Certified Culinarian & ServSafe
90 hr · $900 COMPLIMENTARY
This course systematically reviews every exam domain covered by the ACF Certified Culinarian and ServSafe Food Handler credentials, building test-taking confidence through structured content review, timed practice questions, and full-length mock exams. Students identify personal knowledge gaps, reinforce fundamental culinary theory and food-safety principles, and practice the recall and application skills required to pass both credentialing exams. The course culminates in a simulated exam day experience that mirrors the actual testing conditions for each credential.
Outcomes- Correctly answer questions across all ACF Certified Culinarian exam content domains—including culinary fundamentals, nutrition, sanitation, and professional knowledge—at a passing rate of 75% or higher on timed practice sets.
- Demonstrate mastery of all ServSafe Food Handler exam domains—including personal hygiene, time-temperature control, cross-contamination prevention, cleaning and sanitizing, and foodborne illness—scoring 75% or higher on practice assessments.
- Analyze personal diagnostic results to identify weak content areas and execute a targeted self-study plan before the mock exam.
- Apply professional culinary terminology, food-science concepts, and HACCP principles accurately in written selected-response and short-answer practice items.
- Complete a full-length, timed mock ServSafe Food Handler exam and a full-length, timed ACF Certified Culinarian practice exam under proctored conditions, meeting or exceeding the published passing threshold for each credential.
- Assemble a personal exam-ready reference card summarizing key temperatures, weights and measures conversions, mother sauces, cooking methods, and food-safety critical limits for last-minute review.
Course text
This course systematically reviews every exam domain covered by the ACF Certified Culinarian and ServSafe Food Handler credentials, building test-taking confidence through structured content review, timed practice questions, and full-length mock exams. Students identify personal knowledge gaps, reinforce fundamental culinary theory and food-safety principles, and practice the recall and application skills required to pass both credentialing exams. The course culminates in a simulated exam day experience that mirrors the actual testing conditions for each credential.
How the course runs. 4 blocks: Diagnostic Assessment & Exam Blueprint Orientation; Targeted Content Review — Culinary Fundamentals & Food Science; Targeted Content Review — Food Safety, Sanitation & HACCP; Full Mock Certification Exams & Post-Exam Debrief.
What competent looks like. Correctly answer questions across all ACF Certified Culinarian exam content domains—including culinary fundamentals, nutrition, sanitation, and professional knowledge—at a passing rate of 75% or higher on timed practice sets. Demonstrate mastery of all ServSafe Food Handler exam domains—including personal hygiene, time-temperature control, cross-contamination prevention, cleaning and sanitizing, and foodborne illness—scoring 75% or higher on practice assessments. Analyze personal diagnostic results to identify weak content areas and execute a targeted self-study plan before the mock exam. Apply professional culinary terminology, food-science concepts, and HACCP principles accurately in written selected-response and short-answer practice items. Complete a full-length, timed mock ServSafe Food Handler exam and a full-length, timed ACF Certified Culinarian practice exam under proctored conditions, meeting or exceeding the published passing threshold for each credential. Assemble a personal exam-ready reference card summarizing key temperatures, weights and measures conversions, mother sauces, cooking methods, and food-safety critical limits for last-minute review.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diagnostic Assessment & Exam Blueprint Orientation | 10 | theory | Students map both credential exam blueprints to their own prior learning, complete a timed diagnostic practice test for each credential, and produce a written gap-analysis that names at least five priority review topics per exam. |
| ACF Certified Culinarian candidate handbook (ACF website); ServSafe Food Handler exam outline (National Restaurant Association); diagnostic practice-question banks (instructor-compiled from publicly available sample questions); pencils, answer sheets; student notebooks; course schedule handout | Completed, scored diagnostic for both credentials returned to instructor; written gap-analysis reviewed by instructor for specificity—pass requires the student to have named at least five concrete review topics per exam and submitted a realistic daily study schedule. |
| 2 | Targeted Content Review — Culinary Fundamentals & Food Science | 30 | theory | Students review and correctly explain, at 75% accuracy on embedded checks, the ACF Certified Culinarian exam domains covering culinary terminology, classical cooking methods, stocks and sauces, garde manger, meat fabrication, nutrition basics, and weights-and-measures conversion. |
| Wayne Gisslen, Professional Cooking (current edition); ACF Study Guide for Certified Culinarian (ACF Education Foundation); instructor-prepared domain review packets and drill sheets; conversion chart handouts; blank laminated card stock and fine-point markers; whiteboard and markers | Score of 75% or higher on each 15-question domain drill (8 drills total); completed personal reference card reviewed by instructor for accuracy—any temperature, conversion, or sauce derivative error must be corrected before the card is approved for use. |
| 3 | Targeted Content Review — Food Safety, Sanitation & HACCP | 20 | theory | Students review and correctly apply ServSafe Food Handler exam domains—personal hygiene, time-temperature control, cross-contamination prevention, proper cleaning and sanitizing procedures, and foodborne illness causes and prevention—scoring 75% or higher on all embedded practice checks. |
| ServSafe Food Handler Guide (National Restaurant Association Education Foundation, current edition); color-coded cutting board diagram handout; HACCP flow-of-food worksheet; food-storage temperature and shelf-life reference chart; thermometer (for demonstration); 40-question timed practice exam packet; pencils and answer sheets | 75% or higher on the 40-question timed ServSafe practice exam (30 of 40 correct); completed HACCP chart for assigned menu item graded by instructor using a rubric that requires correct identification of at least three CCPs with accurate critical limits—students below 75% on the practice exam complete a mandatory 2-hour self-study session with a follow-up 20-question recheck before advancing. |
| 4 | Full Mock Certification Exams & Post-Exam Debrief | 30 | lab | Students sit a full-length proctored mock ServSafe Food Handler exam and a full-length proctored mock ACF Certified Culinarian practice exam under timed, testing-center conditions, achieving a score that meets or exceeds the published passing threshold for each credential, then complete a written self-reflection identifying areas of remaining uncertainty and a concrete plan for any additional preparation before the official exam date. |
| Full-length mock ServSafe Food Handler exam packet (instructor-compiled to mirror official format and domain distribution); full-length mock ACF Certified Culinarian practice exam packet; pencils; analog timers or wall clock; approved personal reference cards (from Lesson 2); ACF exam blueprint and ServSafe domain outline for debrief comparison; self-reflection worksheet | Pass mark for mock ServSafe Food Handler exam: 75% or higher (matching the published passing standard); pass mark for mock ACF Certified Culinarian exam: 75% or higher; completed written self-reflection submitted to instructor and reviewed for specificity—students who do not meet 75% on either mock exam receive a remediation plan with targeted practice questions and a second mock sitting scheduled before the official exam registration deadline. |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Mock Certification Exam — ServSafe Food Handler & ACF Certified Culinarian | Mock certification exam | 100% | 75% or higher on each mock exam, administered and scored separately; students must meet the threshold on both exams to be marked complete for the course; students below threshold on either exam receive one remediation attempt with targeted review before the official exam date. | Students sit two full-length, proctored mock exams in a single exam-day session—one replicating the ServSafe Food Handler format and one replicating the ACF Certified Culinarian format—under timed, testing-center conditions with no unauthorized references. Scores are reported by domain so each student receives actionable feedback on residual gaps before sitting the official credentialing exams with the American Culinary Federation and the National Restaurant Association. Score · Time management |
Program completion
External credential: ACF Certified Culinarian; ServSafe Food Handler
Students sit the ServSafe Food Handler exam administered by the National Restaurant Association and the ACF Certified Culinarian written and practical exams administered by the American Culinary Federation. Pass standard: Credential issued by the body.
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