In our Pre-Culinary Academy, students learn culinary arts, culinary careers, hospitality and tourism, nutrition, meal planning, food safety, accounting and food preparation. Opportunities to learn front and back of the house operations through entrepreneurship activities are also built into the curriculum. This is a three year preparatory program designed to encourage and prepare students for entry into high school culinary arts career academies or related fields of study.

Course Sequence

6th grade: Exploring Hospitality and Tourism Careers
Beginning with a broad overview of the Hospitality and Tourism career cluster, students are introduced to the terminology, careers, history, required skills, and technologies associated with each pathway in the Hospitality and Tourism career cluster. Additionally, they will be provided with opportunities to acquire and demonstrate beginning leadership skills.

7th grade: Fundamentals of Culinary Careers
This course includes but is not limited to the development of leadership skills, communication skills, and employability skills; resource management; exploration of careers in the culinary; food safety and sanitation; safe, proper use of culinary tools/equipment; interpreting recipes and developing menus; basic food preparation skills; front-of-the-house and back-of-the-house responsibilities; artistic presentation of food; and the use of technology in the culinary field.

8th grade (semester course, high school level): Nutrition and Wellness
The content includes but is not limited to selection, preparation, service and storage of foods. It allows students to use technology to practice meal management techniques directed toward nutritional food choices based on the life cycle. This course will provide an awareness of consumer issues relating to health and wellness.

8th grade (semester course, high school level): Principles of Food Preparation
The content includes but is not limited to preparing students to understand the principles of food preparation, selection and storage, basic food preparation, and selection of food services.