Master Chef Certificate Program

If you are passionate about cooking, ready to boost your confidence in the kitchen, or thinking about a career as a professional chef, we have a program for you. Our 12-Week Professional Master Chef Program will teach you all you know to succeed in today's restaurant environment. This French-based system is a comprehensive cooking program designed to teach you cooking in individual modules that build from Knife Skills, to Sauces, to Vegetables, to full Meals.

Many of Chef Eric’s students are cooking professionally in restaurants, as caterers and as personal chefs. Others have found culinary confidence in their private kitchens cooking for family and loved ones, hosting dinner parties and creating wonderful meals and delicious desserts.

Our classes encompass current cooking techniques and original recipes to rival the finest dining establishments and culinary publications so that your meals and desserts are timeless and treasured. You will learn all you need to succeed in today's restaurant kitchens, as well as master techniques that you can use at home. AND we are happy to offer assist in career guidance for those who are ready to make the culinary arts their life’s passion.

This program is for individuals who want to cook like a professional and feel confident enough to take that knowledge into the workplace and their homes. The program meets weekly, 3 hours a day, for twelve weeks.

Plating, presentation, costing are components of this program.

• Class 1: Introduction to the Kitchen / Knife Skills – Here we start with a strong foundation for your culinary education – the fundamental concepts, skills and techniques of basic cooking with emphasis on ingredients, cooking theories and techniques. Sanitation Instruction and Kitchen Equipment usage are emphasized. And don’t forget that essential of any kitchen – knives. We’ll cover the selection, use, sharpening and care of knives as well as how to masterfully Julienne, Batonette, Paysanne, Oblique, Tourne and Dice.
• Class 2: All About Stocks – Learn the secrets of flavorful stocks and further strengthen your foundation as a Master Chef. Starting with the standard mise en place, sharpen those knife skills by slicing, chopping and mincing mirepoix for all types of white and brown stocks. We make traditional Vegetable, Chicken, Beef and Seafood stocks and we roast bones for the stocks. Next you’ll get up close and personal by familiarizing yourself with seasonings and aromatics used in stocks, soups and sauces.
• Class 3: Grand Sauces – This class will open your eyes to the elegant power of clarified butter and roux and how they are used to elevate Hollandaise, Béchamel, Velouté, Beurre Blanc and Espagnol sauces to luscious new levels. Sauces are the primary foundation of many dishes and this building-block class is an important part of a Chef’s education. Learn to make vegetarian versions of these Grand Sauces and to repair broken sauces easily.
• Class 4: Breakfast and Eggs – Traditionally hailed as the most important meal of the day, breakfast is also a very important part of the foodservice industry. This class covers many different ways to prepare eggs, ranging from omelets and poached eggs with Hollandaise Sauce to Savory Soufflés and Torta Espanola. Batters and pastry dough skills will also be taught, a traditional staple skill that every professional chef must have.
• Class 5: Vegetables – In a world that is increasingly aware of nutrition and healthful choices, knowing your vegetables is a must in any chef’s education. Vegetables and the unique cooking techniques that serve them best will be discussed in this class, as well as product quality, freshness, shelf life and storage. Vegetarian main dishes and Vegetable side dishes are prepared in this important class, with emphasis on a wide variety of produce and best methods for shopping at Farmer’s Markets. Recipes include classics ranging from Haricot Vert Amandine to Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Vegetable Ragout to Tempura Vegetables and more.
• Class 6: Potatoes – A versatile and important product, potatoes take their place in the spotlight in this class. In this culinary cooking class, several different cooking techniques will be discussed and practiced, including Appariel Duchesse, Sautéed potatoes, Pan-fried potatoes, traditional French Fries, Potatoes baked in casserole, and the classic Potato Chip. Most restaurants utilize a variety of potato side dishes for every menu they offer and you will learn a wide selection in this class.
• Class 7: Pasta, Rice and Dumplings – Today’s class will make you a maestro of this versatile kitchen staple – starch! Pasta, rice and dumplings are generally made with ingredients that are inexpensive and easily stored in the kitchen. During this class, students get to dig in with Chef Eric to learn the basics of dough and dumpling mixing and create dishes such as Pasta, Spaetzle and Gnocchi. We’ll also learn how additional ingredients such as seasonings, herbs and more can be used to change the color, shape, texture or taste of the final product. We also make Sauces – Pesto, Alfredo, Beurre Noisette (Brown Butter) and Tomato. Gluten-free options are explored in this class.
• Class 8: Appetizers and Hors oeuvres – A classic that is continually reinvented, appetizers and hors d-oeuvres are an essential part of any chef’s culinary education. This class focuses on dishes that can function as first courses in a multi-course meal, as well as small items that can be served at a cocktail party or small catered affair. A range of cooking techniques are employed and the only limits are your imagination. Marinades, Sauces, Chutneys and Vinaigrettes are all given their due. Canapés, Sate’s, Pate a choux and a wide range of other hot and cold hors oeuvres will also be covered.
• Class 9: Dry Heat Cooking Methods – Now it’s time to start putting all the culinary knowledge you’ve gained in the previous classes together. This class covers dry heat cooking methods such as Sautéing, Broiling, Grilling and Roasting. All students will prepare, cook and serve a complete meal consisting of protein, starch and vegetable, utilizing the knowledge and skills they have acquired in the previous cooking classes. Important techniques of Fish and Poultry butchery are introduced in this class. Meal plating and presentation are key components, as students prepare, plate and garnish meals worthy of the finest restaurants.
• Class 10: Moist Heat Cooking Methods – Moist heat techniques, including Poaching, Steaming, Searing, Braising and using a Court bouillon and Cuisson, are the primary focus for this class. Moist heat cooking is used to produce flavorful dishes by gently cooking the item in varied amounts of liquid, which students use to create a sauce for the finished dish. In this cooking class, all students will again have the opportunity to prepare, cook and serve a complete meal consisting of protein, starch and vegetable, using this newly-acquired skill.  Meal plating, garnishing and presentation will continue to be emphasized.
• Class 11: Chef’s Menu – In this class students get to demonstrate their newfound culinary skills. Chef Eric selects recipes for the students to make without substantial assistance and critiques plating, presentation, timing and taste of the menus. Butchery, sauce making, advanced meal preparation, garnishing and plating techniques are emphasized. Students apply all of  their knowledge and skill in this penultimate class.
• Class 12: Final Class – Students prepare an intricate menu including an entrée, vegetable and side dish without the use of recipes. A final food tasting, critique and student discussion will wind up the class, followed with a strong finish as Culinary Master Chef Program Certificates are presented to graduates. Timing, plating, garnishing and presentation are essential components to the success of the students’ final menu.

We offer career guidance and internships for those who wish to pursue a life in the culinary arts. We have students working for Wolfgang Puck at Spago, at Hinoki and the Bird, as Chef’s/Pastry Chef’s in  restaurants around the world, as Personal Chef’s everywhere, Caterers, owners of their own businesses, at the mom and pop cafe’s down the street – many times as owners! Where do you want to be?

Cost Includes a Chef Apron, Class Binder and all ingredients and equipment.

This information-packed series is what CHEF ERIC spent years learning at the CIA.