PROFESSIONAL

Download Catalog for March - August 2008

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This information-packed series is a condensed version of what CHEF ERIC spent years learning as a full-time student at the Culinary Institute of America, with updated recipes for today’s environment, including new Vegetarian Recipes. All hands-on techniques taught in this course have immediate application in today's kitchen. All ingredients are fresh and unprocessed. During the course final, every student prepares a meal without recipes. The class meets once weekly, 4 hours a week, for twenty weeks. Certificates are awarded upon completion of all 20 classes. Those who complete the course have enough information to pass the County Food Handlers Exam. Delicious food is enjoyed by all at the end of each class. We assist in career guidance and job placement - work for one of our students in their restaurants, bakeries, and catering operations and jump start your career today, or learn how to cook fantastically for yourselves, your families and friends.

Class #1 - Knife Skills/Introduction to the Kitchen – Knife skills is the most important basic technique to be taught to all culinary students. Also includes basic kitchen equipment and sanitation instruction.

Class #2 – Stocks – Any chef will tell you that a great stock is the key to many recipes. We make many different kinds.

Class #3 - Grand Sauces – The Grand Sauces are Hollandaise, Béchamel, Veloute, Demi-Glace and Tomato Sauce. Students acquire important skills for sauce making.

Class #4 – Soups – Many a great meal starts with wonderful soup. We explore a variety of recipes.

Class #5 - Contemporary Sauces – Students learn to prepare fresh and tasty modern-style sauces perfect for accompanying all meals, including today’s lighter menus.

Class #6 - Breakfast and Egg Cookery – The pleats on a Chef's hat reflect the number of ways s/he can cook eggs. Students learn the versatility of breakfast and egg cookery with a variety of menus.

Class #7 - Vegetable Cookery – Proper buying and storage of produce is taught in this class as well as delicious preparations of seasonal items.

Class #8 - Potato Cookery – Potatoes are an essential item in any kitchen. Several different cooking techniques will be used by students in this important section.

Class #9 - Dry Heat Cooking Methods – This class focuses on dry heat methods of cooking: sautéing, broiling, grilling, and roasting.

Class #10 - Moist Heat Cooking Methods – Students will practice moist heat cooking techniques like poaching, braising, stewing and steaming.

Class #11 - Pasta, Rice and Dumplings – This class will be spent learning the variety of cooking methods for rice, dumplings and pasta.

Class #12 - Appetizers and Hors d’ouvres – The focus here is on dishes that might be enjoyed as a first course in a multi-course meal, as well as delectable tidbits to be nibbled at a cocktail party.

Class #13 - Garde Manger and Charcuterie – We will examine the importance of sausages, terrines, pates and smoked items in the kitchen and dining room.

Class #14 - Yeast Doughs and Quick breads – This class will introduce students to basic and important bread-making techniques and baking skills.

Class #15 - Cakes and Batters – Here students will learn critical cake-making skills that all chefs know, and learn to frost them with ease.

Class #16 - More Dry Heat Cooking – We reinforce the techniques covered in class #9, with different ingredients and recipes.

Class #17 - More Moist Heat Cooking – We reinforce the techniques covered in class #10, with different ingredients and recipes

Class #18 - Wine and Food Pairing – The Chef constructs a menu with seasonal ingredients that the students prepare and then suggests wines to accompany the menu as we taste several varieties with our meals.

Class #19 - Instructor Menu – The Chef selects recipes for the students to make without substantial assistance and critiques plating, presentation and taste of the menus.

Class #20 - Final Class – Students make an intricate menu with an entrée, vegetable and side dish without the use of recipes. Last class food critique and discussion follows as we wind up our Culinary Chef I Program and certificates are presented.

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**Prerequisite FOR THIS SERIES**
MUST HAVE COMPLETED CULINARY BASICS
OR HAVE APPROPRIATE KITCHEN EXPERIENCE

Culinary Chef I too long for you? Looking for an intense, fun and food-filled course? Chef Eric designed this program to fill a void – many of his students want even more information and knowledge from him, but in a shorter timeframe. So, Chef Eric created a wonderful, intense series for those who want more information packed into eight weeks. This course combines hands-on practical knowledge with the same support and encouragement from Chef Eric that students have come to know and love. Emphasis throughout the series is placed on whole grains and the use of healthy cooking oils. As the weeks progress, students are given more assignments to encourage multi-tasking and working under time constraints.

Registration includes an Embroidered Chef Jacket and Apron. The class meets once weekly, 4 hours a week, for eight weeks. Certificates are awarded upon completion of all eight classes. This course is perfectly suited for Personal Chefs or Caterers as we emphasize Menu Development, and Plating and Presentation. It is designed for personal cooks who want to improve their skills and add significantly to their repertoire of ingredients, cooking styles and recipes. Due to the amount of information taught each day, it is essential that students attend every class. If a class must be missed, a make up can be scheduled at a cost of $100 per class missed.

Class #1 - Stocks/Soups/Basic Sauté Techniques
The first week starts with basic sauté techniques along with stock, broth and soup making.

Class #2 - Dry Heat Cooking and Sauces; Roasting/Grilling
Students learn Grilling and Roasting of Meats and Fish. Procuring, storing, marinating and serving are also covered.

Class #3 - Frying Techniques; Stir Frying, Deep Frying, Pan-Frying
In this session, students will prepare recipes using a Wok. Practical application of fried foods will also be taught.

Class #4 - Moist Heat Techniques and Combinations; Steaming, Poaching, Braising, Stewing
The benefits of poaching and steaming are practiced. Stews and other braised dishes are also covered in this session.

Class #5 - Vegetables, Whole Grains and Vegetable Entrees
While some basic vegetable dishes are covered in classes 1-4, here students will focus solely on vegetables and grains and how to prepare satisfying meals from them.

Class #6 – Desserts and Desserts Sauces
Desserts and Dessert Sauces will be emphasized. Students will learn the versatility of a Pâté a Choux, Custard and Soufflé. Sauces to complement the desserts are taught as well.

Class #7 - Pre-Final Exam – Students Prepare Full Plates
Students will be given a full meal to prepare. Emphasis is placed on organization, timing and presentation.

Class #8 - Final Exam – Students Prepare Full Plates with Desserts
Students reinforce what was taught during the course and prepare a meal with dessert. Certificates are awarded to those who complete all eight weeks.

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“I am having a great time in Baking. To think, before I started classes,
I did not even know how to separate an egg!” Edmund Litton

This course centers on fundamental baking skills in a comprehensive program. The program is for individuals who want to bake tasty breads and desserts like a professional every time and feel confident enough to take that knowledge into the workplace and their homes. The program meets weekly, 4 hours a day, for ten weeks. Plating and presentation are key components in this series. Registration includes an embroidered chef jacket and apron. Certificates are awarded upon completion of all 10 classes. We assist in career guidance and job placement - work for one of our past students in their restaurants, bakeries, and catering operations or work in our kitchen as a Chef Assistant. Check out our active job board for opportunities available to you.

Class #1 - Basic Baking – Students learn different mixing techniques and make baked items without yeast.

Class #2 - Yeast Breads – This class reemphasizes the importance of yeast, flour and water in the composition of breads.

Class #3 - Pie Dough and Pies – Skills for students to make flaky or crispy pie shells for pies and tarts are introduced.

Class #4 - Cakes and Tortes – In this class, students learn a selection of batter mixing techniques and apply them to making their own cakes and tortes.

Class #5 - Soufflés – The importance of the egg is the focus of this class. Students also learn the secrets of making both sweet and savory Soufflés.

Class #6 - Puff Pastry – Students will make desserts from puff pastry in a variety of recipes.

Class #7 - Dessert Sauces – Almost any dessert can be made even better with a great sauce. In this class, students will make delicious toppings along with desserts to accompany the sauces.

Class #8 – Custards – Any pastry chef will tell you that the mixture of eggs and cream can yield almost infinite variations. We explore many of them here.

Class #9 - Ice Cream and Sorbet – Students will learn to make their own mouth-watering frozen desserts.

Class #10 - Plated Desserts – In this final class, students prepare desserts, sauces, and learn how to present them beautifully. Job placement assistance offered.

“I have been waiting to take Chef classes for many years and Chef Eric’s Culinary Classroom and Chef Eric has made my dream come true. I have learned so much! Thank you.”
Ana Crowther - Culinary Chef I, II and Culinary Baking I Graduate, Home Chef, Cooking Instructor

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This series meets once weekly, 3 hours each day, for 4 weeks. The classes are designed for the novice cook with little or no culinary experience and a desire to learn and enjoy cooking. The recipes focus on easy-to-prepare meals and include basic cooking techniques such as roasting, grilling and baking. Preparation is key as many of the steps can be done in advance to save time and many ingredients can be purchased ready-to-cook for ease in the kitchen. You’ll be happy with your ability as you immediately start making recipes on day one after some knife skills instruction and practice. Kitchen Sanitation and Safety are discussed every class. Due to the popular nature of this series, we cannot allow any class make ups – we are sorry – but you may send someone in your place. Should you miss a class, you will receive the recipes and should feel free to contact Chef Eric with any questions you may have regarding cooking methods and recipe execution.

Class #1 - Basic knife skills and meal preparation. Learn how professionals Chop, Slice, Julienne and Dice vegetables quickly and efficiently. Also explore the more complicated Brunoise, Paysanne, Batonnet and Tourne knife cuts to get more confident and create variety for your dishes. We learn many cooking techniques for easily-prepared meals with chicken and beef on our first night in the kitchen: Risotto-Style Orzo Pasta with Parmesan Cheese, Latin-Style Strip Loin Steak with Chayote Squash flavored with Oregano and Lime, flavorful Ajieco Stew (Chicken, Potato and Corn Stew), and Spiced Peruvian Chickpea Cakes ease us into cooking with these delicious recipes.

Class #2 - Basic sanitation, safety and cooking techniques with Fish and Shellfish. Recipes include Seared and Spice-Crusted Ahi Tuna drizzled with Sesame Dressing on Julienned Lettuce, Brown Rice and Edamame Beans with Soy Sauce, Salmon Steamed in Wine and Spices on Mixed Greens with Balsamic Vinaigrette, Grilled Chipotle-Spiced Shrimp and Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with Brown Derby French Dressing, Succulent Bass and Mixed Vegetable Packets with Mint and Basil Pesto, and Sole Vin Blanc with Ginger-Lime-Scallion Butter with Shiitake Mushroom and Asparagus Sauté. Fish never tasted so good and was so easy to prepare – these recipes will become favorites very quickly and will impress your friends with your cooking style as we learn to plate these dishes for maximum eye appeal.

Class #3 – Hearty Potatoes and Light Home Made Pastas are added to the menu as you make the following recipes with incredibly delicious and easy accompanying Sauces: Fresh Home Made Pasta with House-Dried Herbs and Bolognese-Style Spaghetti Sauce, Traditional Herb and Cheese Spaetzle with Cream Sauce, Roasted Potatoes with Olive Oil, Garlic and Rosemary, Home Made Tagliatelle with Bolognese Meat Sauce, mouth-watering Fettuccine Alfredo, and the creamiest Potatoes au Gratin with Roasted Red Bell Pepper Puree. Lighter versions of these hearty dishes are discussed as we eat our fill of the Home Made Pastas, Sauces and Potato dishes that will become staples of your diet.

Class #4 – This final class show students how quickly and easily international meals can be prepared from start to finish using organizational techniques, knife skills, and cooking techniques learned during previous classes. Pan-Seared Chicken with Fresh Tomato-Herb Sauce, Lemon Orzo Pasta with Kalamata Olives, Asian Five-Spice Chicken Skewers with Spicy Peanut Sauce and Thai-Style Rice Noodles, Grilled and Spiced Carne Asada with home made Guacamole Sauce, Sour Cream, Olives and Tortillas, Mom’s Mouthwatering Meatloaf with Mashed Carrots and Potatoes, and Flavorful Chicken and Chile Stew with Pilaf-Style Rice. Lots of great food and conversation as we dine to our hearts delight on our last class together with our newfound foodie friends.

“The Classroom is a warm environment to learn the basics of cooking. The staff is friendly and supportive and took away my fears of cooking.” Alia Ascha, Culinary Basics’ Graduate

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