MARCH 2013

good scrapnothing goes to waste

in entrees, sides

®CulinaryOfficial Magazine Of the aMerican culinary federatiOn

TheNational Review

it’s all in the (off) cuta new look for lamb

vanilla goes savory

Science leSSonSfor today’s culinary students

14 The NaTioNal CuliNary review • MarCh 2013

beyond cooking 101

CuliNary eduCaTioN beyond cooking 101

iversity is the wave of the future when it comes to culinary education. As the foodservice industry broadens in scope, students find themselves learning more science and

technology and a wider variety of cuisines in addition to acquiring cooking and management skills.

class time In a program that began in February, students at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), Hyde Park, N.Y., can pursue a bachelor of professional studies degree in culinary science. The curriculum includes precision temperature cooking and other advanced culinary techniques. “This program includes a reformulation of the junior and senior years to allow our students to dig deeper into scientific topics,” says Mark Erickson, CMC, provost. “It will make them better prepared for high-volume and precision cooking and for research.” At Chicago’s Kendall College School of Culinary Arts, October 2012 saw the opening of the Cuisine Solutions sous vide training kitchen. It was created in partnership with the Culinary Research and Education Academy, the education arm of Cuisine Solutions, Alexandria, Va., and offers online and on-campus programs for professionals and Kendall’s associate and baccalaureate degree students. When it comes to science training, one approach does not fit all programs. Glenn Mack, Ed.D., president, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Atlanta, Tucker, Ga., says, “We can certainly add more science to the curriculum, but not for a program of basic skills. Food science, culinary medicine and nutrition are perfectly suited for specialization as add-ons after industry experience or basic culinary training.” Business skills, however, is a core expertise for executive chefs, restaurant owners and operators, Mack believes. “While we remain in the foodservice industry because we love it, the proverbial bottom line is what we all answer to.” To further enhance its university-level culinary training, Providence, R.I.-based Johnson & Wales University recently upgraded its liberal arts core curriculum. “Students need to understand the connection between things, and learn critical thinking,” says James Griffin, CEC, CCE, former associate provost. “What students need to know in the future goes way beyond just culinary. If a culinary degree program is going to be worth its cost, it must have a strong business and liberal arts core.” Critical thinking also includes encouraging students to explore where they want to be in five years and 10 years, Wilfred Beriau, CEC, CCE, AAC, believes. Beriau is former chair of the departments of culinary arts and restaurant/lodging management at Southern Maine Community College, South Portland, Maine.

Culinary education evolves to meet the needs of the 21st century kitchen.

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top left: 1) John P. Evans 2) CIA

/Phil M

ansfield 3) Kendall C

ollege/Eric Futran 4) Jessica Morrow

5) Johnson & W

ales University

CloCKwise froM Top lefT 1) odette smith-ransome, center, and students at The art institute of pittsburgh sample artisan breads. 2) francisco Migoya works with liquid nitrogen, the application of which in enhancing food preparation is part of the new culinary science major at The Culinary institute of america. 3) The school of Culinary arts at Kendall College maintains 12 professional-grade commercial kitchens, one of which was dedicated to the Confrérie de la Chaîne des rôtisseurs™ in January 2013. 4) Glenn Mack teaches an extracurricular course on Chinese hand-pulled noodles to students at le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary arts in atlanta. 5) an operations & finance Center, where students use interactive software as they apply theory to real-life situations, is at Johnson & wales university’s providence Campus.

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By suzaNNe hall

acfchefs.org 15

16 The NaTioNal CuliNary review • MarCh 2013

teach me Odette Smith-Ransome, M.Ed., assistant professor of culinary arts, baking/pastry and hotel/restaurant management at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, teaches online. “Students still have to come in for lab work,” she says. “But one of these days, they’ll be able to learn and practice things like knife skills online.” Modular courses are another teaching technique of the present and the future. With this approach, students are intensely focused on a particular topic for a period of time. At Sullivan University’s National Center for Hospitality Studies, Louisville, Ky., Derek Spendlove, CEPC, CCE, AAC, chairman of the baking and pastry arts program, is moving in that direction, “and toward a more experiential style of teaching and learning,” he says. An increasingly demanding clientele expects chefs to help them stay or even get healthy. “Health is huge, and has been for some time,” says Smith-Ransome. “Every time the medical community comes out with a positive or a negative, the effect on us is almost immediate.” Students drive the interest in health, as well. “We have a number of students who have celiac disease. They want to specialize in areas that help people with allergies and other medical issues,” she adds. Schools increasingly incorporate nutrition issues into all classes. Allen Akmon, CEC, department chair of Sullivan University’s culinary arts program, says, “Students want to learn more about allergies, diabetes and other health issues. They realize the importance.”

above: as part of Johnson & wales’ culinary nutrition curriculum, food science courses emphasize the scientific method and the chemical and physical changes that occur during preparation, processing and storage of food products.

Top: in an example of the application of science to culinary education, the cells of this raspberry being removed from liquid nitrogen can be separated from the berry and bring concentrated flavor to a dish.

CuliNary eduCaTioN beyond cooking 101

tHouGHts From tHe Field

As educAtors strive to stay ahead of the curve in culinary training, chefs in the field support their efforts by bringing externs and graduates into their kitchens.

“I hire culinary grads to put a value on their education. If all employersonly hired grads, then the value of the schooling versus starting paywould be more equitable.” —curtis eArGle, cec, AAc, executive cHeF, mArylAnd cluB, BAltimore

“I have hired culinary graduates over the past 10 years. My experienes have been more positive than negative. Usually, you get a person whohas a passion for cooking.” —PAul riedmAn, cec, executive cHeF, stoneBridGe GolF linKs & country

cluB, smitHtoWn, n.y.

“The most important things graduates can bring into my kitchen arean open mind and the drive to be the best they can. They need tounderstand the dedication, the discipline and the desire to get betterevery day. A culinary student has been given a small sample. Oncehired, it’s time to see how they relate that to real-world job experience.” —Guy socKrider, cec, executive cHeF, tomAs Bistro, neW orleAns, And

cHeF/oWner, celeBrity cHeF consultinG

trAditionAlly, chefs cite knife skills, product recognition, the flow of a kitchen and other basic skills as essential for culinary grads to bring to the kitchen. While most believe that on-the-job training is their responsibility, they support an ever-widening curriculum in culinary schools.

“The science of food is important. That science begins with sanitationand sustainability and extends to the sous vide process and moleculargastronomy.” —socKrider

“If you want to be successful today, you need to know the science.” —eArGle

tHe diversity of the U.S. population and the availability of global travel also means exposing culinary students to the cuisines of the whole world, not just those of Europe.

“Students should explore various ethnic cuisines, especially those thatinterest them the most.” —socKrider

mAtH And Business training are other areas of extreme importance. “Baking is all about math. And most successful people get business training.”—riedmAn

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Wales U

niversity; top, CIA

/Phil M

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arts or humanities requirement by taking Spanish. French and German also are taught. Beriau believes that culinary schools need to educate students to better compete with graduates from other countries that, he says, “are better at training students in basic math, good study skills and speaking a second language.” Mack believes that core cooking principles, sanitation practices, ingredient knowledge, critical thinking, communications, team-work and other soft skills will serve graduates well. “The constant challenge is to not only prepare students for today, but for tomorrow,” he says. “Education, generally, is reactionary, and as the economy and technology continue to change rapidly, training will always attempt to balance fads and trends.”

beyond the kitchen Sustainability, encompassing everything from climate change to population growth, has moved to the forefront of culinary education. Students who are taught to think critically will recognize that the drought today will bring higher food prices tomorrow. Culinary education of the future also will draw more ethnic flavors into the classrooms. Schools are offering or investigating classes focused on a variety of Latin, Asian, even African, cuisines. While most of these will be addressed in culinary-arts classes, baking/pastry instructors, such as Smith-Ransome, also are drawing them into their curricula. Farm-to-table topics already are covered at the CIA, while Sullivan University offers programs in the private chef and catering areas. Beverage specialization is available at both schools, and growing in popularity elsewhere. Communication skills are another focus for culinary education. In the future, more emphasis will be placed on communicating not just in English but in other languages. At Southern Maine Community College, students are encouraged to fulfill the fine-

SUzANNE HALL HAS BEEN wriTiNg ABOUT CHEFS, rESTAUrANTS, FOOD AND wiNE FrOM HEr HOME iN SODDy DAiSy, TENN., FOr MOrE THAN 25 yEArS.

all culinary-arts students enrolled in the school of Culinary arts at Kendall College are exposed to cuisines and techniques from around the world through classes, internships and other opportunities.

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