Professional Chef Expert

What does the curriculum contain?

This is the final stage of our intense Professional Chefs education and brings you to the Expert Chef diploma recognised by the Hospitality industry. You can follow the Professional Chef Expert program when you have successfully finished the Professional Chef Advanced course or when you have an official international Culinary Arts diploma and you have enough prior experience in a professional kitchen. During the Expert level you have practical classes once a week at the Horeca Academie. The rest of the time we recommend you to work in a professional kitchen.

At the Horeca Academie, all our courses have been developed in close collaboration with the industry. Our teachers are professionals from the industry. We are committed to innovation and stay on top of any new developments in the culinary industry. At the Horeca Academie our curriculum contains mainly a hands on and practical approach.

Subjects:

• Menu engineering
• Food design
• Vegan/fermenting
• Kitchen services
• Coaching

This program is a full academic program and is organized over a ten month period. Classes are one day a week. Class themes all vairy based on the seasons, but are all practical and ‘hands on’ in their own way.

Knowledge and skills

Engagement in this program inspires learning about:

• the science of food
• the food heritage of Europe
• understanding of the element of taste
• and the influence of the senses
• integration of local ingredients into daily cooking practices
• sustainable processes

As a student, you will be introduced by your teacher to new tasks, knowledge, skills and concepts directly relevant to the culinary field.  Your teacher’s mission is to inspire you creatively and professionally throughout the educational program.

In conclusion, please note that participation in hands-on classes includes taking on the responsible role of a culinary professional in the kitchen. You and your classmates are practically speaking a kitchen brigade when at work in the Kitchen.

As a team, you will conclude the learning process of every day in class collectively and as a team. Every student carries equal responsibility within the team for cleaning the kitchen according to professional standards. You will also take particular care of all raw and prepared food products, according to proper food safety and HACCP guidelines.

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Basic tasks and skills

At the outset of the Expert program, the new student is familiar with the basic concepts essential to the following kitchen-specific tasks and skills:

1. culinary planning

2. culinary preparations = mise en place

3. modification of recipes

4. preparation of dishes and all necessary components

5. execution of dishes for delivery/service

6. maintenance and cleaning of the culinary workplace according to HACCP standards

Furthermore, the core tasks related to kitchen inventory management play a meaningful role in the Expert Chef professional profile.

The independent professional chef:

• orders and manages of necessary ingredients and supplies
• receives and controls ingredients and supplies based on global safety guidelines
• distributes and stores ingredients and supplies accurately
• implements a sustainable kitchen inventory management system

The Professional Chef Expert program builds on the competencies integrated in the Dutch MBO-4 vocational college program, as related to international culinary college standards.

Upon completion of the program, the Expert Chef student is capable of putting the following activities directly into practice.

The student is proficient to:

1. Develop new dishes

2. Design and engineer menus

3. Improve efficiency and cost control

4. Support improvement of food quality

5. Work to protect biodiversity on a local and international level

6. Engage in the development of sustainable business practices