The production of yeast goods is one of the basic fundamental skills of a professional baker. In a bake shop lab, students will apply the fundamental concepts discussed in Baking Essentials 1 to produce yeast-raised products. As an introductory course to yeast-raised goods, students will focus on straight doughs, the applicable mixing methods, and pre- and post-finishing techniques. Students will apply food safety and sanitation concepts, as well as practice safe work procedures and working in a professional and respectful manner. Students will apply their ability to read and comprehend recipes and apply accurate scaling. They will be evaluated on daily practical work, theoretical testing, and an applied practical test.
Rich yeast doughs and quick breads are essential products found in a baking and pastry environment. Students will enhance their skills and knowledge of fermentation through the preparation and presentation of rich yeast dough and laminated products that include a variety of shaping, filling, and finishing techniques. Students will produce Viennoiserie products in a lab and theoretical setting. They will also learn to prepare quick bread items including muffins, biscuits, scones, loaves, and batters. Students will be evaluated through daily practical performance, theoretical testing, and practical testing.
Cakes are often served as a significant part of a celebration. Understanding cake mixing, baking, and assembly are essential skills for bakers. This course applies the essential principles of the production of cakes, including the preparation of base cake recipes and appropriate fillings, frostings, glazes, and decoration including piping. In a lab setting, students will follow formulas to construct cakes while using a variety of ingredients, mixing methods, and finishing techniques suitable for presentation in a retail bakery operation. Students will have an opportunity to work collaboratively to prepare and assemble a specialty or occasion cake. They will be evaluated through daily performance and theoretical and practical testing.
Cookies range from simple to elaborate in shape, texture and flavour. They are popular and profitable products in a bake shop. Students will explore how ingredients interact to produce cookies with a variety of desired shapes, flavors, textures, and characteristics. Through theoretical and practical study, students will have an opportunity to cut and present cookies for sale to the public. Batch production will be integrated into the preparation of an event planned to showcase student work. Students will be evaluated based on their theoretical testing, practical research assignment, and daily lab performance.
A fundamental understanding of a variety of pastries is essential for every professional baker. This course will provide students with a fundamental knowledge of pastry production that includes mixing and baking a variety of pastry doughs, making fillings, and applying appropriate finishes. Working in a bakery lab, students will prepare a variety of pies, tarts, and pastries using a combination of doughs, fillings, and finishes for retail sale. Students will apply food safe and sanitation concepts, as well as practice safe work procedures and working in a professional and respectful manner. Students will be evaluated through daily practical work, theoretical testing and an applied practical test.
Leadership skills, teamwork and customer service attitudes are major components of a successful career in the baking industry. Through a series of workshops, this course will teach students the skills needed to demonstrate professionalism and foster a positive work environment while working both independently and in a team. Theoretical study will evaluate the impact of how positive leadership skills are required for a baking career. Students will practice providing excellent customer service and will solve problems through in-class exercises and role play. Intercultural competencies and leadership skills will be applied through personal assessments, in-class activities and case studies teamwork.
Before entering a commercial bake shop, students must understand the safety and sanitation practices as outlined within industry and government standards. Baking Essentials 1 provides theoretical and introductory knowledge for the professions of baker and pastry cook. This course will focus on food safety, personal hygiene, safety practices and procedures, and the sanitation procedures required in a commercial bakery. Students will learn to scale ingredients accurately, convert weights and measures, and how to use baker's math for conversions and percentages. Students will learn to identify and use baking and pastry equipment and hand tools. Students will analyze the characteristics and functions of ingredients in relation to one another, as well as their proportions within formulas. Evaluation includes theoretical testing, individual and group assignments.
The Retail Bakery Simulation evaluates students on their application of baking skills, production organization, and product merchandising through the planning and execution of a one day retail baking sale. Student teams will select and make products, requisition ingredients, calculate costs and selling prices, package, promote, and operate the sale to the public. Students will be expected to apply knowledge from previous course work to meet industry and government guidelines and regulations for baked goods and to achieve cost effective business outcomes. Students will be evaluated through group project work, performance appraisals completed by student colleagues, and by the successful baking and business outcomes of the sale.
Consumer demands dictate that commercial bakeries produce bread using a wider variety of ingredients, flavours and nutritional components. Breads 2 is a lab-based course that builds on the skills learned in Breads 1. Emphasis will be on the use of pre-ferments, sourdough starters and soakers to build flavour and texture in breads, as well as how these techniques can increase the shelf life of breads. Students will learn to build and maintain a sourdough starter or natural starter to create both wheat based and rye based artisan style breads. Students will learn about decorative and display techniques associated with breads. They will be evaluated on daily practical work, theoretical testing, and an applied practical test.
The pastry showcase is the jewel of the bakery, tempting customers with a variety of shapes, colours and textures. Pastry 2 will build on the fundamentals learned in Pastry 1 to create delicious and beautiful pastries to fill the bakery showcase. Students will combine recipes and techniques, introducing new ways to garnish and finish an array of pastries. Choux pastry, puff pastry, and an assortment of enhanced fillings will be assembled and finished in a variety of ways. Students will be evaluated through daily practical performance, theoretical testing, and practical testing.
The culinary industry is expanding to include additional positions for pastry chefs. This course requires students to use their knowledge to create restaurant quality desserts. Students will prepare sauces and the frozen elements that are essential for plated desserts. Students will also learn basic sugar work and gain knowledge in working with chocolate. An emphasis will be placed on building attractive plated desserts using complimentary components, including a variety flavours, textures, temperatures and colours. Students will have the opportunity to complete a research project that involves creating their own plated dessert. Evaluation will include theoretical testing and daily practical evaluation.
In order to be successful, bakers must have knowledge of recipe modification, controlling inventory, and maintaining work flow in addition to their technical skills. Baking Essentials 2 prepares students to combine applied baking skills with nutritional knowledge, inventory management procedures and scheduling in a professional baking environment. Students will practice modifying formulas for nutritional purposes, labeling baked products according to regulations, requisitioning and valuing inventory, and creating work and production schedules. Students will be evaluated in the lab and classroom in group and individual assignments. Their learning will be applied in the final Retail Bakery Simulation project which involves planning, organizing and operating a retail baking sale.
Your success in the business world will depend on your ability to communicate effectively with people in your own organization, as well as with clients and the public. You will represent your organization, and your organization's success will depend on you.
This communication course is designed to develop your basic understanding of the principles of communication, with emphasis on their practical application in business situations. You will learn how to prepare and use written and oral communication effectively and efficiently. Since precision, clarity, and accuracy are essential to effective business communication, this course will emphasize grammar and punctuation as well as style, content, and strategy. By reading assigned material, participating in discussions, honing your writing skills, completing assignments, and making oral presentations, you will have the opportunity to develop sound business communication skills.
The Co-op prep class prepares students for success in the Co-op work placements in years one and two. By the end of this course students will prepare for, and participate in, a job search and interviews. Students will research and gather information on potential job positions, and will understand how to set and measure learning goals for their Co-op placement. Students will be able to identify the steps they need to achieve in order to successfully complete Cooperative Work Placement 1 and 2. Students will be able to describe how to create a portfolio.
This course develops competencies using MS Word as a word processing application, MS Excel as a spreadsheet application, and MS PowerPoint as a presentation management application.
This course covers initial assessments, airway management, breathing, shock, poisons, how to call for emergency and medical assistance, secondary assessments, wounds, HeartSaver, CPR, and medical emergencies. Upon completion, students will receive an Emergency First Aid certificate from St. John Ambulance.
Students will learn to handle fire emergencies through exploring the ABC's of fires, different types of extinguishers, and getting hands-on experience with a fire extinguisher. The training will involve a combination of hands-on work and practical theory using a computer-based training package.
Integrating classroom theory and lab training in an on-the-job experience provides the bridge required to become a baking professional. While spending a minimum of 400 hours in a term of paid employment in the culinary industry, students are given the opportunity to practice and apply the skills gained at the college as a productive full time employee. As part of the work term students will set and evaluate goals, apply self-assessment and prepare a professional portfolio. Performance is monitored and evaluated by the employer, the student, and the Hospitality Department.