Culinary 

Freshman Program

Students entering the ninth grade are provided with the basic knowledge and skills necessary for success in the Culinary Arts / Hospitality Management industry. Students receive practical instruction on food safety and sanitation, shop safety, equipment identification, proper uniform and hygiene, weights and measurements, point of sales operation, workstation set-up and breakdown, basic restaurant operations, and basic culinary and baking operation.

Sophomore Program

This course is designed to immerse the learner in a commercial foodservice environment, with live “ala minute” cooking, live food preparation, classroom instruction and technical demonstrations. An instructional emphasis will be on food safety practices, knife skills, basic cooking and “Mise en place”. Students will be introduced to the production of stocks, sauces, hot entrees, sides, salads, sandwiches and soups. Meat, fish, shellfish, grain, starch and vegetable cookery all will be practiced in a progressive method delivered starting day one and using the frameworks and our text as the guide.

Sophomores will have exposure to a wide range of recipes and techniques as they will be taking on a number of live work experiences in the form of catering, competition, and in house events. Students produce a daily hot breakfast program where they are responsible for prep, pars, inventory and output of breakfast and lunch food for the Lighthouse Café. This allows for the individualized instruction that is necessary at this level of learning. The sophomores will be exposed to a dynamic computer class related to the field of culinary arts and restaurant management using Microsoft Office Suite, Word and Excel.

Sophomore Related Class 2

Principles of Business

“Principles of Business” is a sophomore level course, which centers around principles, policies and procedures related to being an entrepreneur. Two tracks run simultaneously during this course. The first, focuses on the use of computers, understanding application, hardware, software and responsible use of technology. The course also concentrates on intermediate word processing and spreadsheet applications using Microsoft Word and Excel. Students will process business correspondence, mail merges, memos, tables, and newsletters, as well as basic Microsoft Excel functions. Through the text, “The Teen Entrepreneur”, students study the principles of entrepreneurship, small business, and start-up procedures. At the same time they choose a business of their own and prepare all necessary documents to obtain funding, research the market, gain customers, and operate the business. Students will be challenged to use creativity, entrepreneurial writing, and decision-making skills that will yield a professional business plan and marketing materials. The business plan can then be used as a guide to help operate and manage the chosen business.

Junior & Senior Program

The junior and senior students will rotate through three specific areas of the commercial food service program.  Each rotation takes place over the course of one trimester. The early enrollment program at Johnson and Wales University for high school seniors and articulation agreements with Bristol Community College are in place for senior students who maintain specific criteria for acceptance into these programs.

Rotation I

The baking program provides students with basic knowledge of baking and pastry arts. The program is in line with the DESE standards and strands as well as the recommendations of the advisory committee and industry standards. In the beginning of the rotation the students will be instructed in the fundamentals of baking to include methods of preparation, techniques, product identification, sanitation and safe operation of equipment. The remainder of the rotation is spent with a more challenging curriculum; including a variety of breads, sweet dough products, laminated dough, cookies and bars, pie dough, pastry products and frosting, fillings and custards as well as cake decorating. Supplemental instruction is given daily in the areas of career portfolio, food service math and theory research from the Baking Fundamentals textbook and the Internet.

Rotation II

This rotation in the production kitchen will cover trade related fundamentals associated with the hospitality trade. Students will review the basic fundamentals of sanitation, safety, and first aid procedures, combined with instructional use of large and small commercial equipment and wares. Advanced instruction within the American and international cooking methods will begin under the watchful eyes of highly qualified staff. Students will work toward becoming proficient in competencies related to the foodservice industry. These competencies cover reviews and new concepts based on seafood, meats, poultry, stocks, sauces and sandwiches. The students will then receive advanced instruction on the makeup of soups, salads, entrees, and sandwiches, vegetable and starch preparation in a live daily production style restaurant while receiving opportunities of management positions within the shop area. These opportunities will not only focus on the production of food but the flow of products received and stored in the facility according to the Board of Health rules and regulations. Students will also prepare and serve at banquets ranging from 100-600 patrons. Upon completion within the production kitchen, senior students will be able to pursue a more in-depth training as a college student within the hospitality trade, or start contributing within a high quality restaurant.

Rotation III

During this rotation, students will be introduced to the basic fundamentals of dining room service. They will actively participate in the preparation of the dining room for breakfast and lunch service. In the beginning of the rotation, the students will be exposed to safety and sanitation practices, as well as bus person competencies. As their skills are honed, the students will be assigned a section of tables to serve. Once students have developed basic table service skills, they will have an opportunity to work at banquets held after regular school hours. Restaurant Management focuses on service related skills and knowledge used in the food service industry. This course is designed to enable the student through a functioning cafe setting, to practice skills and acquire the knowledge of “front of the house” operations common to dining rooms in the industry.

Junior Related 2

Food Service Theory

The course is designed to emphasize to the students, all of the fundamentals of cooking, baking and of the dining room.  It is within this year that the students will learn as much as possible in the classroom in regards to these three major areas of our shop.  It is also a goal to introduce them to some of the more advanced methods and techniques that may be used in the industry.  

Senior Related 2

Hospitality – Elective

Students will be provided with the information necessary to explore the many options provided by the hospitality industry.  The many career choices that are available to them and the extensive possibilities will be discussed and researched.  

Students will also learn how the entire food service industry works hand in hand with the hospitality industry. With this information they will discover the many job/career opportunities that the hospitality and tourism industry provides. This will enable them to apply the knowledge acquired from this course and incorporate it directly to their career goals.

Certifications

• ServSafe 
• First Aid / CPR
• OSHA 10
• Allergy Awareness

Post-Secondary Education

• Early Enrollment at Johnson & Wales
• Degree programs in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management