Culinary Arts
Culinary Arts Pathway Program
Frederick County Public Schools in Partnership with Blue Ridge Community College
Program Overview
This two-year sequential pathway transitions students from basic kitchen orientations to direct hands-on kitchen management and advanced food preparation. Students begin in Culinary Arts I by focusing on kitchen safety, standard sanitation, culinary math, and foundational knife skills based on classic French cuisine. In Culinary Arts II, students elevate their practice to advanced culinary applications, classic baking and pastry techniques, and menu engineering.
Skills Learned
- Classic Culinary Technique: Developing precision knife skills, portion control systems, and specialized cooking methods rooted in classic French cuisine.
- Baking and Pastry Fundamentals: Mastering ingredient scaling, formula measurements, and mixing methods necessary for entry-level commercial bakery positions.
- Food Safety and Sanitation: Executing strict hazard analysis, cross-contamination prevention, proper receiving, and temperature control management.
- Menu and Nutrition Engineering: Applying principles of dietary health, nutritional metrics, presentation aesthetics, and accurate cost control/purchasing math.
- Hospitality Workplace Readiness: Practicing effective kitchen team communication, speed-of-service coordination, and restaurant service workflow.
Culinary Arts I
Program Overview
Introduces the professional food service sector. Instruction focuses on foundational culinary math, science, and technical kitchen entry skills. Students master the basic rules of kitchen safety, food storage, portion control, classic French knife cuts, and introductory bakery scaling and mixing.
Program Requirements and Details
- Suggested Grade Level: 12th Grade
- Prerequisite: None
- Courses will be held during the first semester at Blue Ridge Community College
Blue Ridge Courses during the first semester
| BRCTC Course | Course Name | Credits |
| CART 100 | Intro to Culinary Food Services | 2 |
| CART 115 | Safety/Sanitation in Food Service | 2 |
| CART 245/245L | Cooking Fundamentals 1 lecture/Lab | 4 |
Culinary Arts II
Program Overview
Shifts focus entirely to advanced hands-on production and kitchen operation mastery. Building directly upon Level I competencies, students navigate high-volume commercial preparation, intricate pastry production, advanced menu structuring, and culinary leadership. This course serves as the direct testing vehicle for industry-recognized credentialing.
Course Requirements and Details
- Grade Level: 12th Grade
- Prerequisite: Culinary Arts I
- Certification Opportunities: ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification (Highly recognized industry-standard food safety credential), National Restaurant Association ProStart National Certificate of Achievement (Fulfillable through course tracking and documented industry work hours)
Blue Ridge Courses During the Second Semester
| BRCTC Courses | Course Name | Credits |
| CART 246/246L | Cooking Fundamentals II Lecture/Lab | 4 |
| CART 212 | Baking and Skills Development | 4 |