Cooking and Catering

340 Hours/Instructor Supported/Textbooks included

Overview

This home study cooking instruction course is perfect for individuals thinking of starting a catering business or for those who just love to cook.

Designed by professionals in the field, this in-depth cooking instruction curriculum is also an excellent choice for learning the fundamentals of starting a catering business. From preparation to presentation, this professional cooking instruction can help you learn how to prepare high quality dishes your clients and family will enjoy.

Our distance learning cooking instruction course offers an entire module on starting a catering business. This specialized module can teach you about the seven primary functions of a catering business as well as client interaction and business management among other topics. If you've ever considered starting a catering business, this cooking instruction course in an excellent place to start.

The catering and cooking course offers comprehensive career education in many key subjects, including:

• The food service industry
• Menu creation
• Refrigeration and safe handling
• Cooking methods for all types of dishes
• Deserts and baked goods
• Presentation
• Starting a catering business

Outline

Cooking and Catering Module 1
An Introduction to Cooking

• The Food Service Industry
• Sanitation and Safety
• Tools and Equipment
• Basic Cooking Principles
• The Recipe
• The Menu
• Preparation

Cooking and Catering Module 2
Professional Cooking

• Stocks and Sauces
• Soups
• Meats and Game
• Poultry and Game Birds
• Fish and Shellfish

Cooking and Catering Module 3
Professional Cooking (Continued)

• Vegetables
• Potatoes and Starches
• Salads and Salad Dressing
• Sandwiches and Hors d'Oeuvres

Cooking and Catering Module 4
Professional Cooking (Continued)

• Breakfast Preparation
• Dairy Products
• Coffee and Tea
• Food Presentation and Garnish
• The Bake Shop
• Yeast Products

Cooking and Catering Module 5
Introduction to Catering

• What is Catering?
• Types of Catering
• The Client
• The Right Kind of Catering for You
• Choosing Your Clients
• Functions of Catering
• Planning the Event
• Operations

Cooking and Catering Module 6
Introduction to Catering (Continued)

• Organizing the Event
• Equipment Planning
• Implementing the Event
• Pricing the Event
• Insurance and Legal Issues
• Total Quality Management
• The Future of Catering
• Putting it All Together

Cooking and Catering Module 7
Starting a Catering Business

• Working Out of Your Home?
• Writing a Business Plan
• Legal Aspects
• Setting Prices and Estimating Quantities
• Writing a Proposal
• Sales and Marketing
• Crunching the Numbers
• Setting the Stage
• Pulling the Event Off With Ease
• Solving Problems
• Catering Menus

Textbooks included with course:

·         Essentials of Professional Cooking by Wayne Gisslen

·         Introduction to Catering: Ingredients for Success by Stephen B. Shiring

·         How to Start a Home-Based Catering Business, 5^th Edition by Denise Vivaldo

Instructor: Fred Salinero, B.B.A.

Computer Requirements

Internet Access

·         Broadband or high-speed internet access is strongly recommended. Broadband includes DSL, cable, and wireless connections.

·         Dial-Up internet connections will result in a diminished online experience. Moodle pages may load slowly and viewing large audio and video files may not be possible.

Hardware

·         Virtually all Windows-Mac-Linux hardware configurations and processors are acceptable.

·         1 GB RAM recommended

Software

·         Operating Systems

§  Windows XP or Vista and Mac OS X 10 and higher, most Linux distributions

·         Web Browsers

§  Mozilla Firefox 2 and 3 (previous versions will work also)

§  Internet Explorer 6, 7 and 8

§  Safari is not currently recommended as it cannot display certain Moodle editing menus for both students and instructors

Media Plug-ins (These may be required depending on your course media-click on the links below to download the latest versions)

§  Adobe Flash Player

§  Adobe Acrobat Reader

§  Apple Quicktime

§  Windows Media Player

§  Real Player