Caterer

PROGRAM OUTLINE

Instruction Sets
Your at-home learning program consists of 10 Instruction Sets designed to take you step-by-step through the techniques and skills you'll use in your new career.

Here's how it works: Your first Instruction Set will be sent to you as soon as your enrollment has been accepted. Other Instruction Sets will follow as you complete your exams, so that you will always have training materials to work with. Here is an overview of what you'll learn and the order in which you'll receive your lessons:

Instruction Set 1
- Learning Strategies
  - Advantages of learning at home; study materials; types of examinations; accessing and using our website; determining what kind of learner you are; establishing a study schedule; study tips; preparing for and taking examinations.
- Introduction to Catering
  - Catered events; levels of catering; assessing clients' needs; written agreements.
Instruction Set 2
- Dynamics of Catering
  - Wine and beverages; table service; beverage service; importance of etiquette; fast cleanup.
- Food Styles of Catering
  - Garnishing techniques; food presentation styles and design techniques.
- Alcoholic Beverages
  - Marketing strategies to maximize profitability; efficient bar layout and operation; intoxication warning signs; legal concerns.
Instruction Set 3
- The Gourmet Kitchen
  - Kitchen layout and design; buffet presentation; buffet design and setup; goals of presentation; simple garnishes; basic and advanced presentation.
- The Culinary Professional
  - French kitchen brigade; food-borne illnesses; balanced diets; developing a foundation of flavor; nutrition and food science; food and kitchen safety; measuring ingredients; converting recipe yields; calculating edible portion quantity and cost; identifying kitchen equipment and its uses.
- Textbook: The Professional Chef
- Video: Chef Skills
- Supplements:
  - Cooking Lab: Seared Beef
  - Cooking Lab: Caramelized Onion Frittata
Instruction Set 4
- Stocks, Sauces, and Soups
  - Identification and uses of bouquet garni, sachet d'épices, mirepoix, and clarified butter; preparation of stocks and sauces; soup ingredients and preparation.
- Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs
  - Identifying fruits, vegetables, and herbs; basic vegetable preparation; decorative techniques; cooking methods for vegetables; effects of herbs in recipes.
- Supplement: Cooking Lab: Stir-Fried Beans
- Video: Stir-Fried Beans
Back to Top
Instruction Set 5
- Meat
  - Mise en place for beef; elements of beef fabrication; basic beef cuts and cooking methods; basic veal cuts and cooking methods; cuts of lamb and pork; cooking methods for lamb and pork; elements of lamb fabrication; braising; principles of curing pork.
- Supplements:
  - Cooking Lab: Chateaubriand
  - Cooking Lab: Rack of Lamb
- Video: Filet with Red Wine Mushrooms

Instruction Set 6
- Poultry and Game
  - Poultry cuts; poultry fabrication and trussing; roasting, deep poaching, and sautéing poultry; identifying types of game.
- Supplement: Cooking Lab: Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Video: Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Instruction Set 7
- Fish and Shellfish
  - Identifying fresh and saltwater fish and shellfish; cleaning and preparing fish and shellfish; cooking methods.
- Supplement: Cooking Lab: Striped Sea Bass
- Video: Seared Tuna
Instruction Set 8
- Grains, Legumes, and Pasta
  - Identifying grains and legumes; cooking, simmering, and sorting grains; using dried and fresh legumes; cooking pasta; making fresh pasta.
- Supplement: Cooking Lab: Sesame Shiitake Noodles
  
  Back to Top
Instruction Set 9
- Baking and Pastry
  - Functions of baking ingredients; cooking sugar; whipping egg whites; yeast breads and quick breads; dessert sauces and creams; preparing pastry doughs and cookies.
- Supplement: Cooking Lab: Phyllo Pear Tart
Instruction Set 10
- Breakfast, Garde Manger, and World Cuisines
  - Dairy products and eggs; cooking methods for eggs; omelets, souffles, and quiche; primary elements of garde-manger; creating charcuterie; culinary traditions of the Americas, Asia, and Europe.
- Supplement: Cooking Lab: Preparation of an Entire Meal
Graduation Set
- Textbook: Great Kitchens: At Home with America's Top Chefs
- Reference: World Dictionary of Culinary Terms

Online Library and Librarian
Students in Penn Foster Career School have access to an online library for use during their studies. Students can use this library to do the required research in the courses they complete or can use it for general reference and links to valuable resources. The library contains helpful research assistance, articles, databases, books, and Web links. A librarian is available to answer questions on general research-related topics via email and assist students in research activities during their studies with Penn Foster Career School.

Note: The graduation shipment will be sent to you when all program requirements and financial obligations have been met.

We reserve the right to change program content and materials when it becomes necessary.