Culinary Arts

Commercial Baking

Certificate

This certificate prepares students to serve under the supervision of pastry chefs, bakers and other food service professionals as bakery support staff and commercial bakery workers.

Commercial Cooking

Certificate

This certificate prepares students to serve under the supervision of chefs and other food service professionals as kitchen support staff and commercial food preparation workers.

Culinary Arts

Associate of Applied Science

The program prepares students through lecture and lab courses in culinary arts, nutrition, supervision, a practicum and general education courses. This degree leads to careers in restaurants, catering, hotels and resorts and other commercial food services. Graduates take positions as sous-chefs, professional assistants to chefs or culinary managers, supervisors of food production and service, stewards, banquet managers, purchasing agents or restaurant supervisors.

Specialization: Baking and Pastry Arts

Associate of Applied Science

The program prepares students through lecture and lab courses in culinary arts, baking, nutrition, supervision, a practicum and general education courses. This degree leads to careers in restaurants, catering, hotels/resorts, bakeries, pastry shops, cake shops and other commercial food services. Graduates take positions as a baker assistant, assistant pastry chef, cake decorating assistant or bakery supervisor.

Specialization: Restaurant Management

Associate of Applied Science

The program prepares students through lecture and lab courses in culinary arts, business principles, dining room management, food and beverage management, leadership and supervision. This degree leads to careers in restaurants, catering companies, hotels, resorts and cafes. Graduates take positions such as dining room manager, restaurant manager, kitchen manager or events manager.

Program Learning Outcomes

Commercial Baking Certificate

1. Graduates will be able to demonstrate technical proficiency in a kitchen.
2. Graduates will be able to evaluate guidelines to maintain food safety throughout the flow of food, from purchasing to serving.
3. Graduates will demonstrate the proper mixing method required to produce various products with choux doughs and custards. 

Commercial Cooking Certificate

1. Graduates will be able to demonstrate technical proficiency in a kitchen.
2. Graduates will be able to evaluate guidelines to maintain food safety throughout the flow of food, from purchasing to serving.
3. Graduates will demonstrate proficiency in knife skills, utilize commercial kitchen equipment and tools.

Culinary Arts Associate of Applied Science

1. Graduates will be able to demonstrate technical proficiency in a kitchen.
2. Graduates will be able to evaluate guidelines to maintain food safety throughout the flow of food, from purchasing to serving.
3. Graduates will demonstrate proficiency in knife skills, utilize commercial kitchen equipment and tools.
4. Graduates will design a variety of individual desserts following commercially acceptable production standards of uniformity and artistic presentation.
5. Graduates will demonstrate proficiency in knife skills, utilize commercial kitchen equipment and tools.

Specialization: Baking and Pastry Arts, Associate of Applied Science

1. Graduates will be able to demonstrate technical proficiency in a kitchen.
2. Graduates will be able to evaluate guidelines to maintain food safety throughout the flow of food, from purchasing to serving.
3. Graduates will demonstrate the proper mixing method required to produce various products with choux doughs and custards.
4. Graduates will design a variety of individual desserts following commercially acceptable production standards of uniformity and artistic presentation.
5. Graduates will explain baking terms, equipment, methods, and recipe conversion.

Specialization: Restaurant Management, Associate of Applied Science

1. Graduates will be able to evaluate guidelines to maintain food safety throughout the flow of food, from purchasing to serving.
2. Graduates will plan a catering event with logistics, menu planning, contracts, and equipment list.
3. Graduates will develop a code of conduct, employee handbook, company mission and vision, and industry market analysis.
4. Graduates will demonstrate strategic planning of food service layout, design, and required equipment to optimize profitability.
5. Graduates will demonstrate the ability to plan and execute cost-effective food service operations.

Advisory Committee Members

Larry Delgado, Executive Chef/Owner, The Delgado Collective
Marcel Fortuin, Chef/Independent Restaurant Consultant
Eugenio Uribe, Executive Chef
Alyssa Cantu, Chef/ Owner, The Gremlin
A.J. Singh, Founding Director, Hospitality and Tourism Management Program UTRGV
 

Certificates

• Commercial Baking Certificate
• Commercial Cooking Certificate

Associate Degrees

• Culinary Arts Associate of Applied Science
• Culinary Arts Associate of Applied Science - Specialization: Baking and Pastry Arts
• Culinary Arts Associate of Applied Science - Specialization: Restaurant Management 

Commercial Baking Certificate

TSI Exempt

Plan of Study Grid

Fall		Credit Hours
CHEF 1305	Sanitation and Safety	3
PSTR 1301	Fundamentals of Baking	3
PSTR 1306	Cake Decorating I	3
PSTR 1310	Pies, Tarts, Teacakes and Cookies	3
	Credit Hours	12
Spring
PSTR 1305	Breads and Rolls	3
PSTR 2301	Chocolates and Confections	3
PSTR 2331	Advanced Pastry Shop	3
PSTR 1264	CAPSTONE: Practicum I	2
	Credit Hours	11
	Total Credit Hours	23

Commercial Cooking Certificate

TSI Exempt

Plan of Study Grid

Fall		Credit Hours
CHEF 1305	Sanitation and Safety	3
CHEF 1301	Basic Food Preparation	3
PSTR 1301	Fundamentals of Baking	3
CHEF 1371	Professional Kitchen Essentials	3
	Credit Hours	12
Spring
RSTO 2307	Catering	3
CHEF 1345	International Cuisine	3
CHEF 2301	Intermediate Food Preparation	3
CHEF 1264	CAPSTONE: Practicum I	2
	Credit Hours	11
	Total Credit Hours	23

Culinary Arts Associate of Applied Science

TSI Liable

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Fall		Credit Hours
CHEF 1301	Basic Food Preparation	3
CHEF 1305	Sanitation and Safety	3
PSTR 1301	Fundamentals of Baking	3
ENGL 1301	Composition I 1	3
CHEF 1371	Professional Kitchen Essentials	3
	Credit Hours	15
Spring
CHEF 2301	Intermediate Food Preparation	3
RSTO 2307	Catering	3
RSTO 2301	Principles of Food and Beverage Controls	3
RSTO 1204	Dining Room Service	2
Speech Elective 1		3
	Credit Hours	14
Second Year
Fall
CHEF 1345	International Cuisine	3
PSTR 2331	Advanced Pastry Shop	3
BIOL 1322	Nutrition and Diet Therapy 1	3
CHEF 1340	Meat Preparation and Cooking	3
BUSI 1301	Business Principles	3
Social and Behavioral Sciences Elective 1		3
	Credit Hours	18
Spring
CHEF 2331	Advanced Food Preparation	3
RSTO 1201	Beverage Management	2
CHEF 1341	American Regional Cuisine	3
Humanities Elective 1		3
CHEF 2264	CAPSTONE: Practicum II	2
	Credit Hours	13
	Total Credit Hours	60

¹

Identifies courses to fulfill minimum 15 credit hour General Education requirement

Culinary Arts Associate of Applied Science - Specialization: Baking and Pastry Arts

TSI Liable

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Fall		Credit Hours
CHEF 1301	Basic Food Preparation	3
CHEF 1305	Sanitation and Safety	3
PSTR 1301	Fundamentals of Baking	3
ENGL 1301	Composition I 1	3
PSTR 1302	Cake Baking and Production	3
	Credit Hours	15
Spring
PSTR 1310	Pies, Tarts, Teacakes and Cookies	3
PSTR 1306	Cake Decorating I	3
RSTO 2301	Principles of Food and Beverage Controls	3
PSTR 1305	Breads and Rolls	3
Speech Elective 1		3
	Credit Hours	15
Second Year
Fall
PSTR 2331	Advanced Pastry Shop	3
PSTR 2301	Chocolates and Confections	3
BIOL 1322	Nutrition and Diet Therapy 1	3
Social and Behavioral Sciences Elective 1		3
BUSI 1301	Business Principles	3
	Credit Hours	15
Spring
PSTR 2307	Cake Decorating II	3
PSTR 1440	Plated Desserts	4
PSTR 1342	Quantity Bakeshop Production	3
Humanities Elective 1		3
PSTR 2264	Capstone: Practicum	2
	Credit Hours	15
	Total Credit Hours	60

¹

Identifies courses to fulfill minimum 15 credit hour General Education requirement

Culinary Arts Associate of Applied Science - Specialization: Restaurant Management 

TSI Liable

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Fall		Credit Hours
CHEF 1301	Basic Food Preparation	3
CHEF 1305	Sanitation and Safety	3
MATH 1324	Mathematics for Business & Social Sciences 1	3
HAMG 1321	Introduction to Hospitality Industry	3
	Credit Hours	12
Spring
CHEF 1371	Professional Kitchen Essentials	3
RSTO 1204	Dining Room Service	2
RSTO 1201	Beverage Management	2
PSTR 1301	Fundamentals of Baking	3
ECON 2301	Principles of Economics I - Macro 1	3
	Credit Hours	13
Summer
ENGL 1301	Composition I 1	3
RSTO 2301	Principles of Food and Beverage Controls	3
	Credit Hours	6
Second Year
Fall
RSTO 2307	Catering	3
RSTO 1306	Facilities Layout and Design	3
PHIL 1301	Introduction to Philosophy 1	3
RSTO 1321	Menu Management	3
	Credit Hours	12
Spring
CHEF 2301	Intermediate Food Preparation	3
ECON 2302	Principles of Economics II - Micro	3
ENGL 1302	Composition II - Rhetoric	3
HAMG 2305	Hospitality Management and Leadership	3
	Credit Hours	12
Summer
Humanities Elective 1		3
RSTO 2264	CAPSTONE: PRACTICUM	2
	Credit Hours	5
	Total Credit Hours	60

¹

Identifies courses to fulfill minimum 15 credit hour General Education requirement