Culinary Arts

This course is designed to give the student instruction on the basic principles and procedures used in the cooking, baking and the hospitality industry, emphasizing the proper use of the standard cooking and baking methods that are used in a professional kitchen. We will also be covering hospitality management, continuing education in a field and college/scholarship readiness.

It will provide the student with an introduction to the food service industry (history, organization and future challenges); career opportunities; standards of professionalism; instruction in principles and procedures of basic equipment and its use; basic food and kitchen; sanitation and safety; and beginning fundamentals of cooking seasonally and realistically during a pandemic and changing economy. We also like to look at cooking as an art, so we plan on thinking outside of the box this year. Our hope is to explore food as a whole, not just through classic French technique.

Course Highlights

In Culinary Arts, students will...

Learn the basics of culinary arts. Whether students want to go into the food & hospitality industry, or just develop a deeper knowledge for food and cooking, this class will explore different careers, opportunities and paths. Students are given access to guest speakers, master classes with chefs and (in person) field trips. Students are show a realistic lense into this profession.
Cook! Students will learn techniques that will heighten their development in cooking. We go over the basic terms and skills including knife skills, stocks/sauces, baking/pastry, meat, vegetables, bread, etc. Students cook along together with labs and are also challenged with cooking competitions.
Achieve safety and sanitation certification. Students in AAP Culinary Arts are expected to take and pass the ServeSafe Food Handlers Certification. Passing this certification will give students the ability to be employed in professional food establishments, and also teach them one of the most important principles of cooking: safety and sanitation.
Explore food and culture. Many students when first embarking on a journey in the culinary arts express the desire to learn about other foods and cultures. This class explores the cultures of our students and the recipes they grew up with and know. Through this, we pepper in technique. We also learn and teach culinary from a multicultural perspective, not one primarily rooted in French cuisine.
Have a comfortable space for students to be themselves. Our class is comfortable, open, communicative and curious. We encourage students to talk about what is going on in the world and how it relates to what we eat. This class sets aside units to explore social justice topics within the food and hospitality industry. This deepens our personal awareness, and also shows how wide the lense is for jobs and a future in the culinary industry.

VIRTUAL GALLERY SPACE

Class Syllabus

2020-2021

"Historic Menu" By Kamil Calmese

Fresh Baguettes!

"History Menu" By Sunny Wong

"Historic Menu Recipe Brainstorm" By Sunny Wong

Green City Market Order!

"Pumpkin Chop Challenge" By Christopher Argueta

"Historic Menu" By Jazmin Unzueleta

"Egg Chop Challenge" By Sunny Wong

"Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies" By Maia Penn

"Cookie Monster Showcase Video 2020"

2019-2020

2020 Virtual Spring Showcase

2018-2019

2017-2018

Meet The Chefs!

Meet Carol!
Carol Hilker is a chef, food writer, hospitality professional and culinary instructor. She grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago before moving out to the Bay Area in California where she trained and worked as a pastry chef. In 2014, she moved back to Chicago and has spent the last six years working both front of house and back of house for such restaurants as Green Zebra, Parachute, Oriole and as a confectioner for Katherine Anne Confections. Carol also teaches culinary for After School Matters where she works with a variety of Chicago high school students, doing what she loves the most. Teaching and cooking. In 2012, Carol published her first of seven cookbooks. Her seventh will be out this winter. Besides cookbook writing, she has so written for such publications as Serious Eats, Thrillist, the A.V. Club, the Chicago Sun Times and Lucky Peach.

Meet Tracy!
Tracy Johnson had the wonderful privilege of growing up on a family farm in North Carolina, purchased by his great-grandparents. He received his knowledge and skills from them and his parents in: gardening, livestock, processing for storage, and preparation/cooking until he left for college. Later, he became owner, roast-master, and chef of Lava Java Coffeehouse and Bistro in Charlotte, North Carolina, an international, casual fine dining design experience. Today, Tracy enjoys teaching culinary arts to students and cooking for small family and friend gatherings.

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