Food Preparation - Foundations of Cooking

Understand and learn how to prepare and cook food. Expand your knowledge and understadning of the principles for selecting, cleaning, cutting, preserving, flavouring, mixing, cooking; and everything else involved in preparing food for consumption.  Become a better cook at home, socially, or for work

This is a stand alone course; but one that also complements Food and Beverage Management, Event Management and Self Sufficiency. Some students may wish to become more self sufficient, others may wish to work in a restaurant, catering services, culinary supplies (eg. a kitchen shop) or hospitality services.
Course Structure: Food Preparation - Foundations of Cooking
 

1. Introduction
   • History of cooking/ Trends
   • Principles of Cooking
   • Nutrition
   • Scope of the Catering industry
   • Weights and measures
   • Basic cooking techniques
   • Terms
2. Fruit and vegetables
   • Why eat Fruit & Veg; How much a person should eat; How poor preparation can damage nutritional value
   • How to choose fruit and vegetables when shopping
   • Basics of preparation- peeling slicing etc
   • Cooking techniques
   • Nutritional information relating to food group
3. Cereals & Starches; Bread, cereals and potatoes
   • Preparation- including how to make fresh pasta
   • Why eat cereals & starche; How much a person should eat; How poor preparation can damage nutritional value
   • How to prepare potatoes- different types of potato dishes- mashed, boiled, daulphinoise etc
   • Cooking pasta- different recipes
   • Cooking Rice, cous cous etc.
   • Nutritional information relating to food group
4. Meat Fish and Alternatives
   • How much a person should eat
   • How poor preparation can damage nutritional value
   • Selecting the perfect cut of meat/ basic butchery, fish mongery
   • How to prepare and cook it, which sauces compliment it.
   • Eggs- cooking different types
   • Cooking with pulses
   • Nutritional information relating to food group
5. Milk and dairy
   • How much a person should eat
   • How poor preparation can damage nutritional value
   • Cheese making basics
   • Cheese types and recipes
   • Basic recipes e.g. Macaroni cheese
   • Dairy free cooking
   • Yoghurt
   • How to make it, use in sauces
   • Dairy free cooking
   • Nutritional information relating to food group
6. Fats and Sugars
   • How much a person should eat
   • How poor preparation can damage nutritional value
   • How to make perfect puddings
   • Types of fat
   • How to adapt recipes to reduce sugar and fat- catering for low fat and low sugar dietary requirements
   • Nutritional information relating to food group
7. Flavouring Food
   •  More on complimenting foods- sauces- cream, wine, butter, vinaigrette etc
   • Stocks
   • Use of herbs/ seasoning
8. Menu planning on a Small Scale
   • Designing menus- complimenting foods
   • Recipes simple to advanced- Seasonal foods
   • Planning a dinner party- case study
9. Menu Planning on a Large Scale
   • Planning Meals/Catering for parties and events; outdoor, indoor etc
   • Restaurant Menus/Catering

Cooking is defined as the process of preparing food for eating by applying heat. Scientists have found it difficult to determine when exactly human beings started cooking and in general believe that the controlled use of fire by humans for the purpose of cooking food existed somewhere between 125,000 and 250,000 years ago.

Today’s cooking results of the evolution of agriculture, commerce and greater transport links between countries which has allowed us to access new ingredients and learn different cooking techniques and recipes. We have also benefited from new inventions and technologies from the first pottery pots used for boiling water to the invention of the microwave and beyond.

Most cultures have developed different cooking traditions and practices which are influenced by factors such as climate, which affects the foods available to the cook, economic conditions and religious traditions. Today when visiting large towns and cities we are able to choose between a wide variety of different cuisines e.g. French, Italian, Chinese and Indian. We shall examine each of these types of cuisine in later lessons. However, it is also notable that in the past 100 years traditional food choice and eating habits have also changed dramatically. As a society we are eating away from home much more than ever before. When at home we are also eating more pre-packaged meals or take-outs

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the Academy, marked by the Academy's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.