Business & Professional Development/ Business Careers

Culinary KickStart Certificate CLFB-5150

An excellent introduction to the food service industry, graduates of this certificate program will learn about career paths in the industry and receive hands-on training in the Kirkwood Culinary Kitchen at NewBo City Market. Students will learn essential principles and skills such as foundations of professionalism, exceptional customer service, and proper food handling. Techniques such as knife skills, cooking methods, and preparing different food groups will be covered during the hands-on training. These noncredit classes will provide applicable training in order to enter the workplace. This program also includes the ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification exam. Classes included: Welcome to the Food Industry; Keeping Food Safe; Workplace Safety; Kitchen Essentials 1: Professionalism; Kitchen Essentials 2: Equipment and Techniques; Stocks, Sauces, and Soups; Communication for Food Service Professionals; Management Essentials; Fruits and Vegetables; Serving Your Guests; Potatoes and Grains; Building a Successful Career in the Food Industry; Kirkwood Culinary KickStart Project Class.

Ready to learn more? Complete our online form or contact us at 319-398-1022.

Upcoming Offerings:
No upcoming dates at this time. 

Tuition Assistance:
Yes. Full tuition assistance is available to support your career goals. Fill out our referral form at www.kirkwood.edu/cefunding.
*Some eligibility restrictions may apply.

Industry Credentials Earned:
ServSafe® Food Protection Manager Certification.

Careers:
Source: Career Coach 2018, Kirkwood Community College region.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
Average hourly earnings: $13.48
Starting hourly earnings: $9.50
Projected job openings (2018 – 2023): 868

Cooks, Restaurant
Average hourly earnings: $11.66
Starting hourly earnings: $8.62
Projected job openings (2018 – 2023): 1,644

First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
Average hourly earnings: $15.01
Starting hourly earnings: $9.94
Projected job openings (2018 – 2023): 1,428

Entrance Requirements/Prerequisites:
None.

Delivery Method:
Classroom, Lab

Length of Program and CEU Credits:
108 hours, 12.96 CEUs

Program Completion Requirements:
This is a pass/fail certificate. Students will need to complete the final project portfolio components of this program and students may have one unexcused absence throughout the course.

Course Objectives:
• Identify skills needed by food service professionals.
• Demonstrate safe receiving, storing, handling, labeling, preparation, holding, and serving of food.
• Identify ways to prevent cross-contamination.
• Understand the components and functions of a standardized recipe.
• Demonstrate measuring and portioning using the appropriate tools.
• Demonstrate a variety of knife cuts and proper knife care.
• Apply effective mise en place in the kitchen workspace.
• Explain the difference between seasoning and flavoring.
• Identify the four essential parts of a stock and the ingredients for each part.
• Prepare several kinds of sauces.
• Identify the difference between dry-heat, moist-heat, and combination-heat cooking methods.
• Apply the concept of teamwork within the food service environment.
• Explain the importance of customer service to the restaurant and food service industry.

Learning Outcomes:
Students that successfully complete this program will have a wide range of foundational knowledge in the hospitality and foodservice industry.

Other Items to Know About this Course:
All classroom materials are included in the tuition fee and will be provided in class. Students will be provided their own chef knife set, chef jacket, textbooks, and workbooks to use for class and lab.

Pathway to Credit Program:
None.

Related Information: 
NA