CA A122: Culinary Principles 2

Course Outline of Record
Item	Value
Eff Term	Fall 2026
Curriculum Committee Approval Date	10/29/2025
Top Code	130630 - Culinary Arts (CTE)
Units	3 Total Units (Lecture Units 1.5; Lab/Other Units 1.5)
Hours	108 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 27; Lab Hours 81)
Total Outside of Class Hours	54
Total Student Learning Hours	162
Course Credit Status	Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee	Yes
Basic Skills	Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable	No
Open Entry/Open Exit	No
Grading Policy	Standard Letter (S)

Course Description

Focus on the basic cooking methods as they apply to the major cuts of beef, veal, lamb, pork, poultry, and seafood. Portion control and proper boning techniques will be demonstrated and practiced. Quality standards of food presentation and achieving proper flavor through the correct application of the principles and processes of modern cookery will be practiced. High standards of professionalism, sanitation, and proper work habits will also be emphasized. Course requires purchase of a set of knives. Students will be required to follow hospitality department dress standards. This course requires the ability to perform certain physical tasks. Students should be prepared to stand for extended periods of time and to carry or move equipment weighing up to 15 pounds. PREREQUISITE: CA A120. Transfer Credit: CSU.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

Demonstrate proficiency selecting the proper cut of protein (meat, poultry, and seafood) to use for a specific cooking method and then be able to use professional tools and equipment to properly cook and present the product.

Course Objectives

1. Identify and practice proper techniques of sanitation, safety and work habits which relate to commercial food production and service.
2. Explain and demonstrate the steps in the processes of the dry heat cooking methods, including roasting, pan frying, saut ing, grilling, broiling, and deep frying.
3. Explain and demonstrate the steps in the processes of the moist heat cooking methods including braising, stewing, poaching, simmering, steaming, and boiling.
4. Demonstrate the skill necessary to prepare and present entrees, meats, poultry, and fish.
5. Demonstrate proper care and use of equipment, utensils and tools used in food preparation.
6. List and explain the factors of proper food presentation.
7. Define terminology used in food preparation.
8. Demonstrate skill to use recipes and plan and organize laboratory assignments.
9. Demonstrate high standards of professionalism as defined in course lecture.

Lecture Content

Safety and Sanitation
1. Identify proper techniques of sanitation, safety, which relate to the preparation of meats, poultry and seafood.
2. Explain basic understanding of personal sanitation including proper work habits and personal grooming
3. Identify common and accepted safety principles when working with tools related to the preparation of protein items (meats, poultry and seafood)
4. Explain the necessity of preparing the work and the work station prior to commencement of the work
5. Explain how to apply work simplification techniques to a given job assignment
6. List proper steps in the safe use of equipment generally used in the preparation of meats, poultry and seafood
  1. Meat grinder
  2. Food slicer
  3. Food processor
  4. Ovens and broilers
  5. Deep fat fryer
  6. Blender
  7. 12/20 quart mixer
  8. Boning Knife, butcher s scimitar, oyster knife
General Information
1. Equipment and uniform requirements
2. Cooking terms
3. Meat grading and inspection
4. Aging of beef
5. Use of recipes, specific to this course
6. Laboratory procedures
The Composition of food, handling, and proper cooking application
1. Beef, Veal, lamb and pork
  1. Skeletal Structure
  2. Composition of Meat: Bones, Muscle, Connective tissue
  3. Major and Minor Primal cuts
  4. Application of proper cooking methods to specific cuts of meat
2. Poultry
  1. Types of Poultry
  2. Grading and inspection
  3. Classifications and weight ranges
  4. Skeletal Structure
  5. Parts of the bird
  6. Application of proper cooking methods to specific parts (breast, thigh, leg)
3. Seafood
  1. Flat Fish
  2. Round Fish
  3. Shellfish
  4. Sourcing and Handling
  5. Selection of the proper cooking methods for specific types of seafood
Presentation of Food
1. Taste, Temperature, Color, Height, Balance, Practical Elements of Presentation Styles
2. Vegetables, starch, and sauce accompaniments
3. Development of Plate Sketch/Diagram
Preparation Techniques
1. Dry Heat Cooking methods
2. Roasting
3. Grilling/broil
4. Dry Heat Cooking Methods Using Fat
  1. Saute
  2. Pan Fry
  3. Deep Fry
5. Moist Heat (combination)
  1. Braising
  2. Stewing
6. Moist Heat (traditional)
  1. Poaching
  2. Simmer
  3. Boil
  4. Steam

Lab Content

Safety and Sanitation
1. Practice proper techniques of sanitation, safety, which relate to the preparation of meats, poultry and seafood.
2. Demonstrate basic understanding of personal sanitation including proper work habits and personal grooming
3. Demonstrate common and accepted safety principles when working with tools related to the preparation of protein items (meats, poultry and seafood)
4. Demonstrate preparing the work and the work station prior to commencement of the work
5. Demonstrate work simplification techniques to a given job assignment
6. Demonstrate proper steps in the safe use of equipment generally used in the preparation of meats, poultry and seafood
  1. Meat grinder
  2. Food slicer
  3. Food processor
  4. Ovens and broilers
  5. Deep fat fryer
  6. Blender
  7. 12/20 quart mixer
  8. Boning Knife, butcher s scimitar, oyster knife
Demonstrate and practice food preparation techniques and cooking methods
1. Beef
  1. Identification of specific cuts
  2. Grinding and preparation of ground meats
  3. Appropriate cooking methods which may include Stewing of Beef, Braising of Beef, Roasting of Beef
    1. Trussing of a roast
  4. Trimming and portioning
  5. Sauce accompaniments
    1. Au Jus
    2. Jus Lie
2. Offal and Variety Meats
  1. Trimming and portioning
  2. Appropriate cooking methods which may include Saute, Poach, Simmer
3. Veal Identification of specific cuts
  1. Appropriate cooking methods which may include Stewing, Pan Fry, Grilling, Braising
  2. Trimming and portioning
  3. Sauce accompaniments
4. Lamb Identification of specific cuts
  1. Appropriate cooking methods which may include braising and grilling
  2. trimming and portioning
  3. Sauce accompaniments
5. Pork Identification of specific cuts
  1. Appropriate cooking methods which may include Deep Fry and saute.
  2. trimming and portioning
  3. Sauce accompaniments
6. Chicken
  1. Appropriate cooking methods which may include Roasting and Pan-fry
  2. Trussing and Cutting of a whole Chicken into 1/8ths
  3. Sauce accompaniments
7. Poultry: Duck, Hen, Quail
  1. boning, trimming
  2. Appropriate cooking methods which may include Pan-roast and Braising
  3. Identification
8. Seafood
  1. Flat and Round Fish
  2. Shellfish
9. Vegetable and Starch Accompaniments
  1. Prepare a variety of vegetable dishes to accompany assigned entree dishes
  2. Prepare a variety of starches to accompany assigned entree dishes
Presentation Techniques and Basic Elements of Proper Food Presentation
1. Taste
  1. Proper seasonings
  2. Fresh and dry herbs
  3. Use of complementary sauces
2. Temperature
  1. Service temperature
  2. Use of the plate warmer
3. Portioning
4. Height, Color, Balance
5. Functional Garnish
  1. Use of common ingredients to prepare Elements of the functional garnish

Method(s) of Instruction

Lecture (02)
Lab (04)

Instructional Techniques

Lecture, videos, demonstration, lab practice

Reading Assignments

Students are required to read text and related materials each week to enable them to participate in in class discussion and gain a deeper understanding of theory presented. 2 hours per week

Writing Assignments

Students will complete a written assignment which could include production schedules and plating descriptions, 0.5 hours per week

Out-of-class Assignments

Students must read, convert and record recipes from text and lab packet and bring to class each week. Students must also prepare for an on-line quiz as well as in class quizzes, midterm and final practical and written tests 1 hour per week

Study Non-Contact Hours Recommended

Methods of Student Evaluation

Midterm Exam
Final Exam
Short Quizzes
Written Assignments
Problem Solving Exercises
Skills Demonstration

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Given assignments and constraints of limited equipment, space and time, students must organize daily assignments and solve lab challenges as they arise.

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

Quizzes, written and practical cooking tests, daily demonstration of lab techniques, practical cooking evaluations, organization of daily assignments and solving lab challenges. Students will complete a written assignment which could include organizing recipes into a highly detailed recipe notebook.

Resources Subscreen

Textbook: Gisslen. Professional Cooking, 10th edition. Wiley (2025).
Other: . . ().
Other: . . ().

Eligible Discipline(s)

Culinary arts/food technology (food service, meat cutting, baking, waiter/waitressing, bartending): Any bachelor’s degree and two years of professional experience, or any associate degree and six years of professional experience.

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