Culinary Arts
15 courses · Woodland Community College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Classes: Fall 2026
CUL-6 Food and Beverage Service Management
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours
- Transfers to
- CSU
- C-ID
- HOSP 130
This course provides a theoretical and technical foundation for managing the service of meals in various commercial settings. Topics include the combination of production and service delivery, guest contact relations, reservations management and point-of-sale systems. Students will examine the business aspect of the food industry and acquire a working knowledge of purchasing, cost control, menu planning, recipe development, marketing a food establishment, and legal aspects of opening and running a business.
CUL-10 Principles of Professional Food Preparation
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 18 lecture hours, 108 lab hours
- Transfers to
- CSU
- C-ID
- HOSP 160X
In this course students will develop foundational cooking methods and culinary techniques in the production of vegetables, salads, meats, poultry, fish, soups, stocks, sauces and eggs. Students employ standard techniques with special attention to commercial and quantity preparation while applying proper kitchen sanitation. Topics include tool and equipment use, weights and measures, physical facilities and recipe conversions.
CUL-11 Art of Professional Cooking
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- 18 lecture hours, 162 lab hours, 108 supervised work experience hours
- Prerequisite
- Satisfactory completion of CUL10 or CUL76A
- Transfers to
- CSU
- C-ID
- HOSP 160
This courses teachers the art of professional cooking working with eggs, sauces, vegetables, grains, meat, poultry, and seafood that will help students succeed in a professional kitchen. Emphasis on food safety and sanitation, product identification, and palate development. Students will practice classic and advanced techniques of preparation and cooking focusing on the theory, methods, and critical evaluation of each. Students will complete meals drawn from a variety of local sources, preparing, presenting, and evaluating.
CUL-20 Principles of Baking
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 18 lecture hours, 108 lab hours
- Transfers to
- CSU
- C-ID
- HOSP 180X
This introductory course in baking and pastry arts offers intensive hands-on laboratory training in a professional baking environment. Emphasis on production and quality control of baked goods. Laboratory classes focus on basic production techniques for yeast dough and other leavened dough, batters and mixes, cookies, pastries, pies, fillings, toppings, and presentation of these items.
CUL-21 Advanced Baking & Pastry
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 18 lecture hours, 108 lab hours
- Prerequisite
- Satisfactory completion of CUL20 or CUL74
- Transfers to
- CSU
Students will begin to master ingredients, tools, and techniques utilized in developing sweet and savory pastry and desserts, exploring French techniques and European desserts. This course emphasizes the chemical function of ingredients and scalability of items for commercial baking. Students will practice traditional and modern techniques of preparation and decoration, working with cakes and individually plated desserts and pastries. Students will create intricate and delicious desserts that they will present and evaluate.
CUL-32 Culinary Internship
- Units
- 1-3
- Hours
- 54–162 lab hours, 54–162 supervised work experience hours
- Prerequisite
- Satisfactory completion of CUL10 (or CUL76A), or CUL20 (or CUL74)
- Transfers to
- CSU
On-the-job, faculty-supervised experience at an approved culinary job site that is related to the student’s major. The course stresses good work habits and meeting of competencies through actual on-the-job performance. Students will work 54 hours for 1 unit of credit.
CUL-50 American Regional and Global Cuisines
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 36 lecture hours, 54 lab hours
- Prerequisite
- Satisfactory completion of CUL10 or CUL76A
The first half of this course provides an American outlook on foods and culture and preservation of sustainable foods from all regions of the United States. Students will learn traditional American food preparation techniques, flavors, and regional cuisines. The second half of the course focuses on foods and techniques from around the globe. Emphasis on indigenous ingredients as well as the cultural aspects of each region’s cooking style. Includes the preparation of the various regional foods.
CUL-51 Garde Manger
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 36 lecture hours, 54 lab hours
- Prerequisite
- Satisfactory completion of CUL10 or CUL76A
This course is an in-depth study of garde manger, the art of decorative cold food preparation and presentation, providing a detailed practical study of cold food preparation, artistic combination and display of cold foods, and production of appetizers, hors d’oeuvres, salads, and sandwiches. Emphasis on ingredient selection, flavor combinations, preparation methodologies, cost effective applications, displaying, garnishing, and plating.
CUL-52 Menu and Recipe Management
- Units
- 2.5
- Hours
- 36 lecture hours, 27 lab hours
This course offers a comprehensive foundation for creating and evaluating recipes and menus for food service operations. Students examine the fundamental elements of menu planning, include pricing, ordering, recipe conversion, and alternative types of menus and food preferences. Topics include cycle menus, cost-control, and nutrition.
CUL-53 The Professional Chef
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- 18 lecture hours, 162 lab hours, 108 supervised work experience hours
- Prerequisite
- Satisfactory completion of CUL6 (or CUL72 + CUL80), and CUL10 (or CUL76A)
This course focuses on modern fine dining restaurants cooking methods and menus, including an examination of taste, cooking techniques, ingredients, flavoring techniques, and artistic plating. This course will also cover advanced principles of meat cookery, advanced meat & seafood fabrication. Mise en place practices, advanced knife skills and menu engineering.
CUL-54 ServSafe Manager
- Units
- 0.5
- Hours
- 9 lecture hours
Students will become proficient in the foodservice safety standards set forth by the National Restaurant Association. They will study food and restaurant safety, foodborne illnesses, and food safety management. Students in this course will prepare for and take the official examination, and upon passing, will receive a 5-year ServSafe® certification. Industry professionals seeking recertification who do not need college credit may take CUL554, the noncredit version of this course.
CUL-55 Culinary Nutrition
- Units
- 2
- Hours
- 18 lecture hours, 54 lab hours
- Prerequisite
- Satisfactory completion of CUL10 (or CUL76A), and CUL52
This course introduces concepts of nutrition as applied in culinary arts by exploring basic nutrients, diet modifications, and recipe substitutions. Students create menus focusing on food allergies, intolerances, preferences, and restrictions and practice techniques to reduce sodium, cook without oil or salt, and use healthy ingredients.
CUL-56 Catering & Event Management
- Units
- 2
- Hours
- 18 lecture hours, 54 lab hours
This course focuses on the application of culinary techniques through planning and preparation of menu items for catered events. Topics cover event preparation and planning, including menu choices for planning, production and service of buffets, banquets, teas and receptions. Students experience artistic production and participate in community catered events.
CUL-550 Culinary Math
- Units
- 0
- Hours
- 9 lecture hours
Students learn and apply basic mathematics in a working situation using recipe conversions, costing standardized recipes, following production sheets, using portion control, and limiting the percentage of food waste, estimations, food costs, recipe costing, yield analysis.
CUL-554 Servsafe Manager
- Units
- 0
- Hours
- 9 lecture hours
Students will become proficient in the foodservice safety standards set forth by the National Restaurant Association. They will study food and restaurant safety, foodborne illnesses, and food safety management. Students in this course will prepare for and take the official examination, and upon passing, will receive a 5-year ServSafe® certification. This is a non-credit course, designed for working professionals seeking recertification. Students that require credit for a degree or certificate should take the credit version (CUL54).