Master of Culinary Arts

• 13 courses for a total of over 800 hours including instruction and lab hours;
• a practicum experience (approx 20 hours per week for a total of approx 700 hours) to provide an opportunity to put theory to practice in a professional environment. This practicum takes place at GANZO, the Apicius non-profit cultural association and restaurant-club.

Total Course Credits: 35 – Total Internship/Apprenticeship Credits: 8 – Total Degree Requirements Credits: 43

Duration and Certification
The program is one year long and it is designed to celebrate the outstanding mastery in Italian Cuisine that has developed in Italy over the centuries. Classes are held in the mornings and in the afternoons, over a traditional semester format. The Master Program is open each year only to 12 participants. After the successful completion of the program, students will receive a Master Certificate in Italian Cuisine. The master is taught in English.

Please note: The Master of Culinary Arts program is structured in a FALL-SPRING semester sequence. Students must enroll for both semesters

Pre-requisites
Detailed CV demonstrating a Bachelor’s degree in culinary arts and/or hospitality with evaluation reports or transcripts or at least 3 years of professional experience.

Successful performance on both a written exam and a practical test at the start of the term demonstrating basic knowledge of the following:

• Deboning chicken, filleting a fish, various cooking methodologies (poaching, roasting, braising, stewing, sautéing, broiling, frying, etc.) knife skills for various vegetable cuts, basic dressings, marinades, and sauces.

Program of Study
The aim of the first semester is to provide students with a sound knowledge of Italian cuisine. Students will be introduced to the history and evolution of Italian gastronomy, and will learn how to use high quality ingredients, according to the season, the chef’s creativity and in line with the Italian taste. Topics studied include advanced cooking techniques, service planning and organization, as well as menu development. The importance of the Mediterranean diet will be analyzed both from the nutritional point of view and through the study of culinary traditions, ingredients and regional recipes from the Mediterranean region. Special emphasis will be placed on the preparation of a variety of fresh pasta and dressings, according to the true Italian style.

Semester I  – Fall

Italian Language
3 semester credits (45 lecture hours)
The language course is offered in different levels according to the student’s knowledge.

FW CA MD 515 Menu Development
3 semester credits (45 lecture hours)
An analysis of menu development for food service establishments. Topics to be covered include: menu development, descriptions, layout, design, pricing, sales mix and station balance. Students will be involved in critiquing and creating menus from the perspective of concept, clarity, cost, price, and efficiency.

FW CA RC 530 Advanced Italian Restaurant Cooking I
3 semester credits (90 hours: 45 lecture hours- 45 hands-on hours)
The course introduces students to the preparation of modern and regional dishes in a restaurant setting and allows them to put their skills into practice in Italian restaurant settings. Emphasis will be placed on cooking techniques and ingredients used in contemporary and classical cuisine, planning and ordering for production, station organization, preparation and plating, timing, palate development and other production realities of a restaurant. Students will cover a variety of flavors and ingredient combination’s in Italian restaurant cuisine while preparing them according to the learned concepts of food handling and food safety of a professional kitchen.

FW CA IG 540 Intro to Italian Gastronomy
3 semester credits (45 lecture hours)
An introduction to the social, historical, and cultural forces that have affected the culinary, baking, and pastry professions in Italy; traditions and the way these traditions translate into the professional environment of the food service industry today. Topics include the contemporary challenges facing food professionals in the twenty-first century and etiquette as a historical, social, and professional discipline. Students will be expected to complete several written assignments.

FW CA MC 550 Mediterranean Cuisine and Ingredients
3 semester credits (90 hours: 45 lecture hours- 45 hands-on hours)
Prepare, taste, serve, and evaluate traditional, regional dishes of Europe and the Mediterranean. Emphasis will be placed on ingredients, flavor profiles, preparations, and techniques representative of the cuisines of Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Morocco, Tunisia, Greece, and Egypt.

FW CA PW 580 Italian Pasta Workshop
3 semester credits (90 hours: 45 lecture hours – 45 hands-on hours)
The workshop objective is to provide students with fundamental knowledge of one of the main dishes of Italian gastronomical culture. Students will appreciate how the preparation and presentation of Pasta has changed over the centuries and, through the examination of ingredients and the understanding of the evolution of cooking techniques, they will be provided with a sound understanding of the preparation of traditional Italian pasta. The course consists of lectures, workshops and tastings. Each class includes a hands-on cooking session of about 3 hours. The course also includes personal research, assignments and interviews.

FW FS SA 300 Food Safety and Sanitation
2 semester credits (30 lecture hours)
This course introduces food production practices. Topics covered include prevention of food borne illness through proper handling of potentially hazardous foods, legal guidelines, kitchen safety, facility sanitation, safe practices of food preparation, storing, and reheating guidelines.

PS IN CA 700 Master Apprenticeship in a Local Restaurant
4 semester credits (300 contact hours)
Non-paid, part- time professional experience under the supervision of an experienced professional. Students must attend the pre-internship seminar sessions as well as all the scheduled meetings with the mentor/supervisor. A daily journal is required, signed by the internship supervisor, with detailed descriptions of tasks and experience. Summary and evaluation reports are required. The internship provides the student  the opportunity to manage a fully operational professional restaurant kitchen at “Ganzo” the non-profit cultural association and restaurant – club operated by Apicius students.

Semester II  – Spring

The aim of the second semester is to deepen the student’s awareness of Italian cooking style with a special focus on the characteristics and use of products. Students will continue the study of advanced restaurant organization and cooking techniques, and will be introduced to the specific topics of the cold kitchen and buffet preparation.

A wider understanding of Italian culture will be provided through the analysis of the cultural rules of food consumption, the relationships between food and religion, feasts, traditions and lifestyle, and a focus on the new perspectives of Italian regional cuisines.

Food production practices, as well as food safety and kitchen sanitation will be studied, in order to provide students with a deep knowledge of legal guidelines for culinary professionals. The study of personal and small group communication and of forces that influence group behavior will give students the skills required to communicate effectively in work situations. Students will finally have the possibility to put into practice what they have learned in class through the Internship session.

FW DN DS 520 Dietetics and Nutrition in the Mediterranean
3 semester credits (45 lecture hours)
This course introduces students to the benefits of eating the “Mediterranean way”, focusing on the nutritional aspects of the diet, the culinary tradition of the most significant Mediterranean countries and on the cultural relevance of the Mediterranean way of eating. Scientists and researchers have discovered that traditional Mediterranean cuisine is one of the most healthful, nutritious diets in the world, one that can help you live longer and enjoy far lower rates of coronary heart disease and other chronic conditions, including diabetes and cancer.

FW CA RC 630Advanced Italian Restaurant Cooking II
3 semester credits (90 hours: 45 lecture hours – 45 hands-on hours)
The course provides a deeper insight to the preparation of modern and regional dishes in a restaurant setting and allows students to put their skills into practice in Italian restaurant settings. In addition to the concepts of kitchen organization and production, the foundations of Italian restaurant cuisine, and restaurant management, this course will also demonstrate the use of management skills training in the food service industry, the history of food and food service, and propose more complicated restaurant dish preparations during lab hours. Other topics covered include basic responsibility for food service personnel, management and HR practices, restaurant esthetics, and current/future trends in the restaurant industry.

FW CA GM 660 Garde Mange
3 semester credits (90 hours: 45 lecture hours – 45 hands-on hours)
An introduction to three main areas of the cold kitchen: reception foods, plated appetizers, and buffet arrangements. Students will learn to prepare canapes, hot and cold hors d’oeuvre, appetizers, forcemeats, pates, galantines, terrines, salads, and sausages. Curing and smoking techniques for meat, seafood, and poultry items will be practiced, along with contemporary styles of presenting food and the preparation of buffets.

FW CA PK 670 Italian Product Knowledge
3 semester credits (45 lecture hours)An introduction to the identification and use of vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts, grains, dry goods, prepared goods, dairy products, and spices in various forms. Explore both fresh and prepared foods and learn to identify, receive, store, and hold products. Students will also learn to evaluate products for taste, texture, smell, appearance, and other quality attributes.

FW CA FC 680 Italian Food and Culture
3 semester credits (90 hours: 45 lecture hours – 45 hands-on hours)
In this course, students will study the relationship between food and culture, with a focus on the cultural rules of food consumption and how they can be compared to the rules of music, dance, and poetry. Course topics include the relationships between food and religion, gender, folk traditions, mores, and life-cycle rituals. Emphasizing critical reading and writing, this course provides theoretical and empirical exposure to food research in anthropology, folklore, history, and sociology of Italy.

PS IN CA 701 Master Apprenticeship in a Local Restaurant*
4 semester credits (300 contact hours)
Non-paid, part- time professional experience under the supervision of an experienced professional. Students must attend the pre-internship seminar sessions as well as all the scheduled meetings with the mentor/supervisor. A daily journal is required, signed by the internship supervisor, with detailed descriptions of tasks and experience. Summary and evaluation reports are required. The internship provides the student  the opportunity to manage a fully operational professional restaurant kitchen at “Ganzo” the non-profit cultural association and restaurant – club operated by Apicius students.