Culinary Arts Program
Student Handbook
Table of Contents
Introduction
3
Student Records
4
About the Program
5
Prerequisites and Co‐requisites
7
Attendance Regulations
7
Grades, Make‐ups & Incomplete grades
8
Food Safety
9
Professionalism
9
Personal Hygiene & Uniforms
10
Practicum
10
Lab Supplies
11
Student Health Service & Liability Fees
12
Required Immunizations
12
Practicum Documents
12
INTRODUCTION This handbook is a procedural manual for culinary arts students admitted and enrolled in the Culinary Arts Program (CAP). The student is responsible for reading, understanding, and complying with the CAP Student Handbook. Revisions are based on procedural changes and new requirements from the Laredo Community College Board of Trustees, Accreditation Organizations, Federal, State, and Local Agencies. Students will be notified of such revisions and are responsible to remain current with changes or revisions to this handbook. The handbook provides information regarding student’s conduct, procedures, and general practices within the program. The CAP student is expected to abide by the procedures and guidelines outlined in this handbook, the Laredo Community College Catalog, and the Laredo Community College Student Handbook. The administration, faculty and staff of Laredo Community College’s Culinary Arts Program are dedicated to assisting students to achieve academic and employment success in their chosen career fields. The processes do not take place in the classroom alone, but require a coordination of academic and administrative support services.
STUDENT RECORDS In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Law, information regarding a student’s academic records cannot be released without the student’s participation and/or consent. Only information considered ―Public Information‖ is available to outside sources under certain circumstances. Students will be required to have their picture identification available when requesting information. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY POLICY In compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Laredo Community College is open to all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, disability, or national origin who are otherwise eligible for admission as students. Laredo Community College is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and no applicant or employee will be discriminated against because of race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, disability, or national origin. This institution will not enter knowingly into any contractual agreements for services or supplies with any firm failing to follow fair employment practices.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM The Culinary Arts Program is designed to teach students the general knowledge and specific skills necessary to grow into positions of influence in the food service and hospitality industry. Culinary and hospitality education requires that the achievement and application of professional knowledge be accompanied by necessary sets of skills and professional attitudes. This program requires that all students safely and effectively meet certain functions and standards that are essential for successful completion of all phases of the program. To participate in and successfully complete the program each student must comply with the following: 1. Have the ability to sufficiently perform kitchen laboratory skills, practicum, dining room, and classroom activities and procedures. Examples of relevant activities include, but are not limited to: a. lift and transport food that may be hot, and other culinary or baking product, equipment, small wares, and utensils b. lift and transport trays with plated foods, small wares, and other items, and serve and clear tables where guests are seated c. safely pour and serve liquids and beverages, including hot liquids d. safely handle hot foods or other items coming out of a heat source e. safely use knives for food preparation and other commercial cooking, baking, or serving utensils f. perform repetitive motion skills required in the kitchen and food industry, such as whisking, or dicing g. follow and maintain the National Restaurant Association’s Serve‐Safe® sanitation standards for safe food handling
h. safely and effectively operate standard commercial cooking and foodservice equipment i. participate and/or work in an environment where commercial microwaves and convection ovens are being used continuously j. test and evaluate food and beverage products k. produce food products within the time designated by a course objective within a class or for a hands‐on cooking or baking practical l. handle and cook different varieties of fish, seafood, beef, pork, chicken, or other such meats; vegetables; and fruit products m. handle and bake/cook with different flours including all grains, as well as chocolate, fruits, and nuts 2. The student must be able to attend and actively participate in all classroom courses. 3. The student must be able to attend and actively participate in production kitchen classes, instructional kitchen classes, and/or laboratory classes or practicum as required. 4. The student must be able to communicate effectively and professionally when interacting with peers, faculty, staff, other college personnel, guests, and employers. Examples of relevant communication activity include, but are not limited to: a. use of effective verbal and/or non‐verbal communication skills b. effective utilization of the English language
5. The student must be able to sufficiently meet and perform all course objectives that are essential to all classroom, laboratory, dining room, practicum, and kitchen courses. 6. The student must be able to sufficiently maintain the safety and well‐being of fellow students without posing a safety threat to you or others in all environments on or off‐campus. PREREQUISITES/CO‐REQUISITES Students must meet or exceed the basic skills requirements to register for the CAP courses. Because of the unique nature of the curriculum, there are some courses that must be passed before you will be permitted to take the next course. These courses must be taken in sequence or may have to be taken concurrently with others. If a course with a co‐requisite is dropped, the concurrent courses must be dropped as well. These prerequisites and co‐requisites are set by the program, approved by the Curriculum Committee and enforced by the Enrollment Office. If there are questions, please contact a representative of the Student Success Center for further clarification. ATTENDANCE REGULATIONS Attendance will be taken up until the official census date, which is the first 11 class days during the fall and spring semester, and for the first three days during the summer sessions. Students who attend at least one day of class leading up to the census date will be officially enrolled in the course, and faculty members will drop any students who have not attended at least one class day. Once the official census date for the semester or session has passed, no formal attendance will be required except for programs where the respective accreditation agency requires attendance records.
Students who do not intend to remain enrolled after attending at least one class day must initiate a drop request from any or all classes by submitting a drop slip to the Enrollment and Registration Center. Responsibility for class attendance rests with the student. Regular and punctual attendance is expected. GRADES Students must maintain a “C” in all Culinary Arts courses in order to meet the minimum standard for satisfactory scholastic progress. MAKE‐UPS Students absent from a kitchen lab will only be allowed to make‐up that day’s assignment if the absence is due to extenuating circumstances. Make‐up work will only be allowed for the lecture component of the course. INCOMPLETE GRADE A grade of “I” (Incomplete) will be granted only in extraordinary circumstance such as verifiable serious illness or death in the immediate family. Departments may stipulate additional criteria with approval of the Vice‐President for Instruction. When the “I” grade is reported to the Office of the Registrar, the instructor must sign a form indicating the work which must be completed by the student. Students have a maximum of four (4) months to complete the work. Once completed within the specified time, the instructor will prepare the appropriate paperwork to change the “I” grade to the appropriate grade earned. The student’s grade point average within the specified time the “I” grade will remain on the student’s transcript and is computed as an “F” grade.
FOOD SAFETY This program has comprehensive food safety and sanitation instruction. Students are responsible for food safety and food preparation area sanitation. As an integral part of the students learning experience, the students are expected to abide by the guidelines set forth in each food production area. You are expected to taste food in kitchens using tasting spoons. PROFESSIONALISM As professionals, we are constantly working to enhance the status of the hospitality industry. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni all share a common pride in their work, workplace, and appearance. We have all chosen the hospitality industry as our vocation. It is a respected profession. It takes many years of hard work, training, dedication, and tenacity to become a leader in this industry, but it takes only a few moments to dress, act, and think like a professional. The following standards of conduct are expected of anyone who aspires to be regarded as a professional in the hospitality industry. Professionals: refrain from abusive and foul language speak and act without prejudice to race, color, creed, religion, age, gender disability, ethnicity, veteran status, marital status, or sexual orientation demonstrate and adhere to ethical business practices, with due respect for customers and colleagues treat all equipment and property with respect as if personal property are polite and courteous to all visitors, peers, and colleagues work with a positive attitude dedicate themselves to learning stay open‐minded to the opinions of others share knowledge with others
PERSONAL HYGEINE Every professional in the culinary field should be aware of the necessity to maintain the highest standards of personal hygiene and to present a businesslike appearance at all times. In the first semester you will register in the Safety and Sanitation course where you will learn all the requirements about personal hygiene and food contamination. UNIFORMS The professional chef’s uniform represents a long and proud tradition. Upon you purchasing the uniform you are expected to wear it with pride and ensure it is neat and clean at the start of each class. Sitting on the floor, the ground, or the stairs in your uniform is not acceptable. The maintenance of your appearance is a professional matter; therefore, you are responsible for laundering and ironing your uniform. PRACTICUM The purpose of the Practicum is to provide a capstone experience for students majoring in Culinary Arts. A capstone learning experience is defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board as a final learning experience that allows the student to apply the broad knowledge of the profession. For this reason, it is recommended that students enroll in the Practicum course during the final semester. All practicum experiences will provide the following benefits: Students will gain valuable experience in the field Students will be able to apply knowledge and skills in a real‐life work setting Students will have the opportunity to work with specialized equipment Students will develop professional contacts and references
Student responsibilities: A student must work a minimum of 10 hours weekly to meet the 160 hour program requirement per semester In the case of an absence, the student must make arrangements with their immediate supervisor to make up the hours missed Student must use the LCC uniform at all times Student must arrive on time unless previous arrangements were made Student must have a positive attitude Student is responsible for turning in weekly timesheets to supervisor and instructor LAB SUPPLIES All Culinary Arts students will be responsible for the purchase of supplies that will be used; the instructor will furnish specific information. The supplies are as follows: White full sleeve Chef’s coat with the LCC approved logo Chef’s black hat Black pants T‐shirt to wear under the Chef’s coat Duty shoes with closed toes Hunter green apron 10 piece knife set with case Set of standard dry measuring cups Set of measuring spoons White dish cloth Black polo shirt with the LCC approved logo
Garnishing Tools Pastry bag with accessories STUDENT HEALTH SERVICE & LIABILITY FEES Each student enrolled at LCC will be assessed a health service fee for accident insurance coverage. There will be an additional fee for student liability insurance assessed to students enrolled in specific courses. The fee will be assessed at the time a student enrolls in a course within a sequence requiring coverage. The fee is subject to change dependent upon the amount charged the college by the independent insurance carrier. REQUIRED IMMUNIZATIONS Prior to the first day of class, students must show proof to the campus nurse of the current required immunizations, student needs: 1. Annual negative TB skin test 2. One dose of Tetanus‐Diphtheria‐Pertussis (Tdap) every 10 years PRACTICUM DOCUMENTS 1. Practicum Rotation check list 2. Practicum Time Sheet
