The Culinary Experience: Food Careers across Campus

Kingsborough Community College
The City University of New York

Syllabus

The Culinary Experience: Food Careers across Campus

Course Information:
Jonathan Deutsch, Ph.D., Department of Tourism and Hospitality, Kingsborough Community College, CUNY, 718-368-5809
Lab Manager Cindy Kadi, 718-368-5944
1 HS Elective Credit

What is this class about?
This class is an active introduction to the world of food. Through projects in three main areas:

  • Cultural Foods and Nutrition
  • Food Science and Product Development
  • Culinary Arts and Hospitality

We will explore what it takes to make it in these fields and what career opportunities and college majors are available to you, at Kingsborough and elsewhere.

In doing so, you will also get a college experience that goes beyond the usual College Now class. You will work in our professional kitchen with our professors and students and really be a college student through this experience. We believe that the best way to learn something important like whether college is right for you is to try it! 

Texts
Corriher, (1997) Cookwise: The Secrets of Cooking Revealed, Morrow.

Menzel and D'Aluisio, (2005) Hungry Planet: What the World Eats, Ten Speed.

Schlosser (2006) Chew On This: Everything You Don't Want to Know About Fast Food, Houghton Mifflin.

And other supplementary texts, recipes and web resources

Topics and Projects

  • Cultural Foods and Nutrition: Why Do We Eat What We Eat? Gain appreciation for the complex roles of food in society and food fundamentals.
  • Culinary Arts and Management: Develop and pitch a concept for an entrepreneurial enterprise in food and develop basic culinary skills.
  • Experimental Foods/Food Science: Develop and analyze a food product brought to market using tools of sensory analysis and following scientific method.

Cultural Foods and Nutrition
Course Goal
Gain an appreciation for the complex roles of food in society and food fundamentals.
 		Unit Class Assignment
Design and prepare a multicultural holiday feast featuring celebration foods from at least six cultures (one food per small group).		 Assessment Outcomes
dentify and select appropriate holiday foods.
Distinguish characteristics/common cultural threads in holiday foods.
Orally present cultural and historical background on one dish.
Write about own holiday food traditions and "food voice."
Research recipes and food traditions of various cultures.
Orally present on cooking process for one dish.
Understand basic nutrition principles.
Describe role of nutrition counseling in multicultural environment.
Demonstrate safe and sanitary kitchen practices.
Work well as a team player.
Experimental Foods/Food Science
Course Goal
Develop and analyze a food product brought to market using tools of sensory analysis and following scientific method.
 		Unit Individual Assignment
Based on initial understanding of the food marketplace, the process development process and marketing principles, identify an opportunity to introduce a value-added food product to market and develop that product. The culminating event will be a food product trade fair where students sell product at a booth of their design. Students should follow scientific method in product development process and analyze results using one of a few sensory tests.		 Assessment Outcomes
Identify and articulate market opportunity.
Document use of scientific method in product development.
Employ a standard sensory test and analyze graphically.
Prepare percentage-based recipe formula.
Articulate elements of product and sell persuasively via written poster presentation.
Demonstrate safe and sanitary kitchen practices.
Design effective booth layout for presenting product.
Culinary Arts and Management
Course Goal
Develop and pitch a concept for an entrepreneurial enterprise in food.
 		Unit Group Assignment
Based on initial understanding of food business, develop a food/restaurant concept that would appeal to a specific market (suggested: HS students). Complete business plan pitch, prepare sample menu items and "sell" concept to an outside investor by presenting business plan and signature dishes (one concept per small group).		 Assessment Outcomes
Present business plan pitch using template.
Persuasively sell business concept.
Prepare salable signature dish priced per costs and market.
Develop basic culinary and knife handling skills.
Develop cost analysis.
Articulate need for such an enterprise.
Defend business concept.
Demonstrate safe and sanitary kitchen practices.
Work well as a team player.
Assessment
Weekly assignment grade for interim activities (10 sessions x 2 points) 20 points
Scaffolded assignment grade per rubrics (3 assignments x 20 points each) 60 points
Final Examination 20 points