Cooking and Catering

Course details

Stratford's cooking and catering course has all the ingredients you need to get started toward learning how to cook. You can even learn the fundamentals of starting a catering business of your own! This is a great opportunity to turn your love of cuisine into a rewarding, new cooking career.

This in-depth course covers food safety as well as a variety of professional food preparation techniques. So, whether you are thinking about starting a catering business of your own or just want to learn more about how to cook, Stratford's cooking and catering course can help.

Cooking and Catering Course Outline

Stratford's in-depth curriculum can help you take the first step in learning more about starting a home based catering business. Our quality cooking classes can provide a thorough introduction to fundamental culinary skills.

Cooking and Catering Module 1
An Introduction to Cooking and Catering

• A Brief History of Cooking and the Culinary Arts
• Food Service Concepts Today
• Menu Planning and Development
• Standardization Practices, Sanitation, and Safety
• Restaurant Tools and Equipment
• Types of Restaurants
• Introduction to Food Service Work Stations and Areas
• Dining Room Organization

Cooking and Catering Module 2

Cooking Principles and Procedures

• Influences on modern cuisine
• Kitchen organization
• Standards of professionalism
• The safe workplace and injury prevention
• Sanitation
• Tools and equipment
• Basic cooking methods
• Mise en place
• Herbs, spices, and seasonings
• The recipe
• Stocks, sauces, and soups

Cooking and Catering Module 3

Cooking Meats, Fish and Poultry

• Choosing Quality Beef, Veal and Pork
• Methods of Cooking Beef and Veal
• Methods of Cooking Pork
• Choosing Quality Fish
• Methods of Cooking Fish
• Choosing Quality Poultry
• Methods of Cooking Poultry
• Specialty Seafood and Meats

Cooking and Catering Module 4

Cooking Vegetables, Grains and Sides

• Cooking with Vegetables 
• Cooking with Potatoes 
• Rice and Grains 
• Pasta 
• Salads and Dressings 
• Eggs 
• Breakfast Foods and Beverages 
• Sandwiches 
• Dairy Products 

Cooking and Catering Module 5

Baking Basics

• Baking Equipment
• Baking Ingredients
• How to Measure
• Biscuits and Scones
• Muffins and Quick Breads
• Brownies and Bars
• Cookies
• Crisps and Cobblers
• Custards and Bread Puddings
• Cakes
• Pies and Tarts
• Frosting, Glazes and Sauces

Cooking and Catering Module 6

Professional Catering

• Types of Catering
• Choosing Your Client
• Social Media Marketing
• The Seven Functions of Catering
• Planning--The Basic Catering Management Function
• Operations--Execution of Tasks
• Organizing the Event
• Catering Equipment
• Implementing
• Controlling
• Understanding Risk Management, Insurance and Legal Issues
• Beverage Management
• Conflict Resolution
• Sustainable Catering: One Ecological Step at a Time
• Human Resource Management