Cooking, Baking and Pastry Arts

Your decision to pursue a pastry related career is timely. Today's market is strong for experienced and knowledgeable pastry graduates.

Programs are designed to prepare you to enter a variety of pastry careers, including, but not limited to: dessert chef in a fine-dining restaurant; creating pastries for pastry and coffee shops, bread-maker in artisanal bakeries, making production pastries/desserts for banquets/hotels and much more. By the time you receive your diploma, you will have been introduced to and experienced extensive hands-on learning in the major areas of professional pastries. Most of all, your passion for baking and pastries will have reached new heights.

A Highly Intensive, Hands-On Program
The goal of all programs is to give the student a complete overview of the world of Pastry Arts. Students are introduced to a sampling of various techniques and the material is covered in a "user friendly" workshop-style format, designed to cover "real-life" production methods and tips, including safety and health concerns. It provides the necessary foundation upon which you can build a career in the pastry arts.

Profile of a Typical Day
A Professional Pastry Arts Program takes place in a fully equipped state-of-the-art commercial kitchen. The day usually begins with a lecture/demonstration/discussion about the day's "pastry" menu. You then work in teams to produce a wide variety of pastries, breads or desserts, gaining extensive hands-on experience with production techniques. Students sample and taste the day's results, evaluating and comparing the final products.

What skills do I need and what can I expect to be learning?
Baking and Pastry Arts prepares students for baking and pastry positions in the hospitality industry. Students meet objectives through hands-on production and theory application. The major develops skills and knowledge necessary for employment in a variety of baking and pastry establishments.

Career Opportunities: Successful graduates can anticipate entry level employment as bakers and pastry cooks in restaurants, hotels, resorts, retail and wholesale baking establishments. Entrepreneurship is also possible for the student with corollary business skills.

Recommended High School Subjects: A strong background in high school math, reading and written communication is required, as is a working knowledge of keyboarding and computer science equipment and software. All math deficiencies must be remediated before admission into the major. Strong manual dexterity and mechanical skills are highly desirable.

Remediation Strategies: Students must remediate deficiencies in the order of math, English, and reading.

Program Goals: Baking and Pastry Arts Technology develops the skills and knowledge necessary for employment. Graduates of the major should be able to:

• exhibit a strong foundation of baking methodology.
• establish and maintain high standards of sanitation.
• exhibit nutritional awareness and implement food-for-life principles.
• plan production of product; purchase, cost and price product for profit.
• exhibit a solid foundation of techniques for food preparation, presentation, and service, including competence in baking and pastry production and basic culinary skills.
• develop problem solving techniques in real world applications.
• demonstrate the ability to function as a team member.
• conform to professional standards in appearance, attitude and performance.
• conform to established codes of ethics.
• demonstrate plating techniques as they apply to hot and cold dessert presentations.
• demonstrate basic knowledge and skills for display pieces including chocolate, marzipan, pulled sugar, and nougat.
• plan and present a grand pastry buffet.
• demonstrate working knowledge of the factors involved in setting up and operating a baking and pastry facility.
• demonstrate the ability to keep accurate food business records and understand the relationship between financial profits and good business ethics.
• demonstrate creativity and analytical thinking in solving management problems.
• establish a commitment to the profession through activities such as attending food shows, seminars, continuing education programs and professional association memberships.
• demonstrate knowledge and use microcomputers for information management.
• develop a career portfolio.
• demonstrate all Certified Pastry Culinarian competencies and outcomes required for licensing by the Accrediting Commission of the American Culinary Federation Education Institute.

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