Classes for Home Cooks  

The Culinary Arts and Hospitality Studies Dept is offering four hands-on cooking classes designed for the non-professional, home cook and are offered for college credit. The classes are open to the general public with no pre-requisites.

Credits may be applied to an A.S. degree, but do not fulfill requirements for Culinary Arts nor Food Service Management degree programs (however, CAHS/Management students may use them as electives.)

The course fees are inclusive; there are no additional food/material fees. Courses may be taken in any order (no prerequisites) and some may be repeated. Courses are taught in the evening. All are transferable to CSU/UC.

This class is an integrated hands-on lab/lecture format. Concepts and principles of nutrition are interpreted in healthy cooking and lifestyle changes. Topics include: calorie reduction and portion control, reduced fat cooking, phytochemicals and antioxidants; the truth about power bars and beverages elixirs, nutriceuticals, the soy/cancer connection, food allergies, and healthy fast food alternatives. The student will learn to utilize nutrition labeling for food selection and shopping strategies. This course includes fieldtrips, films and tasting demonstrations.

All skill levels welcome from the basics to beyond. Learn preparation techniques and methodologies to "demystify" cooking and increase your fun and eating pleasure! Learn how to prevent and correct cooking "mishaps" as well as streamlining your preparations.

Learn how to use basic and specialized equipment including: food processors, bread machines, ice cream makers and pasta machines. Students learn knife skills, measuring and mis en place. Creative menu planning, time management, sanitation and food storage procedures are discussed.

Learn how to stock your pantry for fast, easy after work meals in minutes. Core classes incorporate: soups, sauces, stocks, salads, yeast breads and quick breads, meat, fish and poultry, cakes, pies, milk, cheese and eggs. This class includes films and field-trips.

This class prepares and serves a complete festive menu for varied special occasions each week such as: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year's Eve celebration, Mexico's Cinco de Mayo, Easter, Passover, Family Picnic or Reunion, anniversary celebrations and birthdays.

Wine and food pairing, specialty garnishing and plating as well as table decoration and party menu planning is included.

Travel the world in your kitchen. This class is your "passport" to learning! Each week the class takes a different culinary "tour" from a country to explore, prepare and taste the foods. "Destinations" include Europe, Asia, Africa, Central and South America, the Middle East, Caribbean Islands, and more!

Culinary traditions, history and lore as well as cultural protocols related to food and their cultural connections are discussed. Each student is encouraged to share their family food customs.

A selection of food related films are viewed as well as demonstrations and tasting of exotic foods and ingredients. Field trips to specialty food stores, farmers market, and cultural events are included. A complete meal with soup or appetizer, first course, entrée and dessert is prepared and tasted each week. Think local eat global!