Degree in Culinary Arts
Associate of Specialized Technology (AST) Degree in Culinary Arts / Restaurant Management
Our accelerated culinary arts and restaurant management program is designed to prepare the student for entry level front or back-of-house management employment through a combination of lecture, hands-on labs, demonstrations, and projects. Our students are prepared to enter the highly competitive employment market in the food service/hospitality industry.
Course Overview
Introductory Courses
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FS-102 Characteristics of the Food Service Industry
This course discusses the major historical influences on the food service industry, restaurant history and evolution, major influential figures, current trends, and career opportunities.
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FS-103 Preparation
This course focuses on one the most important parts of a culinary program - having the necessary ingredients at hand and in the appropriate state before beginning a dish. This course covers the basic techniques necessary to prepare a full repertoire of stocks, soups, both classic and contemporary sauces, and main dishes.
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FS-104 The Cooking Process
This course focuses on the type of heat transfers, cooking methods, and the effects heat has on various types of foods. Basic methods covered include both dry and moist heat methods.
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FS-105 Cooking Science
This course focuses on the components of standardized recipes, how to analyze a recipe, important aspects of measurement and portion control, procedures for converting recipes
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FS-199 Lab Series I
Laboratory practicum illustrating the topic covered in the FS-1XX class series.
Cooking Courses
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FS-202 Stocks
This course describes common procedures used to prepare stock, ingredients used in making stock, and explains the function of a stock in making sauces and soups.
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FS-203 Sauces
This course focuses on the procedures necessary to prepare a full repertoire of both classic and contemporary sauces. Their uses, and the reasons for using a sauce to finish a dish.
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FS-204 Soups
This course discusses the classifications of soups, preparation methods, methods of thickening, holding, and serving.
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FS-205 Meat, Fish, & Poultry Cookery
This course begins with the basics of type, grade, and cuts of these main dish items. Discussions include: roasting, baking, broiling, frying, boiling, sauté, and braising. Recipes, seasoning, and serving are also covered.
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FS-206 Vegetable, Rice, & Pasta Cookery
Discussion includes: achieving proper doneness in vegetables, rice and pasta, general rules and methods of cookery, seasoning, and serving.
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FS-207 Breakfast Cookery
This course focuses on the special techniques necessary for breakfast cookery. Topics covered include eggs, hot cereal g, pancakes, crepes, waffles, and French toast, cooking, holding, portioning, and finishing for service.
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FS-208 Pantry Cookery & Garde-manger
This course covers the various responsibilities of the garde-manger and charcuterie kitchen areas and the types of items they produce, the fundamental techniques to use in this production area.
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FS-209 Vegetarian Cookery
This course focuses on the special techniques necessary for preparing vegetarian entrees and side dishes.
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FS-299 Lab Series II
Laboratory practicum illustrating the topics covered in the second term classes.
Baking Courses
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FS-301 Yeast Dough
This course compares different yeast products, discusses the steps of yeast dough production, mixing, fermentation, and baking.
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FS-302 Quickbreads and Pies
This course discusses the characteristics and production methods of quickbreads and pies. Includes biscuits, muffins, loaf cakes, and doughnuts.
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FS-303 Cookies
This course lists and describes cookie characteristics, discusses preparation fundamentals and basic decorating techniques.
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FS-304 Cakes
This course covers cake mixing methods, cake preparation fundamentals, assembling and icing, and decorating techniques.
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FS-305 Custards & Creams
This course covers the preparation of custards, puddings, Bavarians, mousses, soufflés, and frozen desserts.
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FS-399 Lab Series III
Laboratory practicum illustrating the topics covered in the third term classes.
Additional Relevant Coursework
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JP-100 Job Readiness
This course offers a study of goals, the importance of maintaining good relationships with fellow workers and supervisors, work habits, interviewing techniques, evaluating information, and the decision-making process.
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LS-101 Interpersonal Skills I
This course offers a study of life/work habits, communication and conflict negotiation, reading, and decision-making.
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LS-102 Interpersonal Skills II
This course offers a study of the basic rules of grammar and communications, writing, basic math including fractions and percentages, and the use of the calculator.
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WE-100 Externship I (Supervised Work Experience)
This course is an externship at a local restaurant or other food service operation which gives the student the opportunity to put into practice what they have learned in class and to learn additional cooking techniques.
Food Management Courses
Not all the courses listed below are required to complete the AST Degree in Culinary Arts / Restaurant Management. Please refer to the School Catalog for additional information about required and elective course options.
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AM-201 Introduction to the Hospitality Industry
This course presents a general overview of the food service industry as well as a more detailed look at restaurants and institutional food service. Travel and the tourism industry are also featured. The course discusses hotel and motel management, current issues in hospitality management, and contemplates the future of the hospitality industry.
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AM-202 Legal Aspects of Hospitality Management
This course is devoted to the legal considerations of managers in food service operations. It provides non-technical explanations of legal subjects specific to food service. This course focuses on actions that managers can take to avoid legal trouble. This course provides a practical, operational approach to business law for food service managers.
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FM-202 Food Service Management Accounting
This accounting course specifically focuses on the requirements of the food service industry. It provides the student with a basis for planning and protecting an operation's financial success. The course covers methods of financial analysis, forecasting, and budget and cost management.
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FM-203 Basic Cost Control for Food Service Managers
This course presents practical techniques for protecting food service profits. The course is presented in a clear, concise manner. It provides a sound foundation of concepts and applications of management cost control procedures.
Human Resources Courses
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HR-202 Food Service Supervision: Achieving Success Through People
This course presents the daily responsibilities in a realistic, practical format. This course goes beyond the theories of management to detail proven ideas for effective supervision.
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HR-203 Hospitality & Restaurant Management
This course covers the traits and skills of effective restaurant or foodservice leadership. By reviewing case studies and completing projects, students gain an understating of hospitality and restaurant management and leadership
Marketing and Operations Management Courses
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MM-202 Introduction to Marketing in the Food Service Industry
This course addresses the key marketing strategies necessary to compete for consumers in an increasingly tight market. It examines interrelationships between marketing, sales, advertising, and their effects on consumers.
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OM-201 Applied Food Service Sanitation
The Applied Food Service Sanitation course is the cornerstone and a required course of the Hospitality Management Program. This course is an up-to-date course on food safety and sanitation – combining food safety and current issues on sanitation. The successful completion of this course will allow the student to take the ServSafe Certification Exam offered by the National Restaurant Association.
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OM-202 Nutrition for the Food Service Manager
This course addresses the fundamental nutritional concepts for the food service professional. It uses non-technical language to demonstrate how to apply nutritional information to a food service operation. This course offers examples of marketing and implementing nutritional programs to a broad spectrum of customers.
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OM-203 Managing Service
In today's competitive climate, providing superior service is essential to the success of an operation. This practical course teaches the basics and nuances of providing quality service. The students will learn the differences between service styles and when each is appropriate; how to plan and implement an effective menu; the proper table service of alcohol; making food and beverage recommendations; as well as handling complaints and suggestive selling.
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OM-204 Professional Baking
This lecture and demonstration course provides the student with a balance of theoretical and practical information, helping the student understand the why and how of quality baking. Fundamental principles and procedures for preparing baked goods, pastries and desserts will be given to the student.
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OM-205 Managing Food Service Facilities and Equipment
The fundamentals of facilities and equipment design and maintenance are presented in this course. The course delivers a step-by-step look at facilities development, beginning with the initial concept and planning of the project. The course emphasizes the financial implications of functional layout and design.
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OM-206 Bar & Beverage Management
This course addresses the fundamental beverage service management for the food service professional. This course offers examples of marketing and implementing a well-managed beverage program to a broad spectrum of customers.
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OM-207 Catering Menu Management
This course begins with an overview of banquets and catering and discusses developing a food service and a menu. The course covers menu pricing control, beverage management, and menu design. Students will then learn about food and beverage control, computer use in food service, and finally marketing in catering management.
General Education Courses
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GE-100 Business Mathematics
In this course the student will be introduced to the math that businesses use in their day-to-day operations. In addition, the student will be introduced to payroll processing, sales tax, stock and bond sales and other calculations. Using a combination of the textbook and lab work the student will develop the math skills to handle the basic requirements of business operations. Basic user operations of spreadsheet software will be taught as part of this section of training.
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GE-200 Business English
This course is a review of business English required for the workplace. A review of the parts of speech, grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and business letter writing will be covered. Also, job applications, resume writing and interviewing skills will be covered.
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GE-500 The History of World Cuisines
This course investigates the effects geography, philosophy, religion, culture, and climate have on the cuisine and dining etiquette of Asia, Europe and the Western Mediterranean, Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, and Africa and Latin America
The staff and faculty seek to help the student develop positive self-images to get the Associate of Specialized Technology (AST) Degree in Culinary Arts / Restaurant Management and enhance their marketable skills. The faculty, using modern educational techniques, teaches the students in a realistic job setting.
Technical skills are taught and practiced
There are a great many things to learn about the culinary industry; but most of the skills needed are built on a foundation of good technique. JNA’s programs are designed to give students a strong foundation of techniques to develop their career path upon. Everything new or great in the culinary field begins with the base skills taught in our classes and reinforced in our hands-on labs.
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Proper equipment utilization
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Disciplined knife skills
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Applying cooking techniques to food using classic rules
Theories are investigated
Students who opt for an Associate in Specialized Technology Degree in Culinary Arts / Restaurant Management are provided with an extensive culinary education followed by a high-quality education in restaurant and hospitality management. Several of the courses offered in this program provide students with the opportunity to sit for ManageFirst certification exams offered by the National Restaurant Association.
Innovative cooking and presentation skills are explored
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Gaining firsthand knowledge of where the base techniques are heading
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Industry and social trends are discussed in class as well as labs
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Utilization of scientific and equipment advances
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Balance and symmetry are taught in plating techniques
Students are given insight into the expertise needed to progress in the restaurant and hospitality management career path. Over 100 years of combined experience is shared by our instructors, in a variety of culinary and hospitality positions around the Philadelphia region and the world. Our location in Philadelphia allows student the opportunity to explore a limitless variety of culinary/hospitality concepts. Through classroom demonstrations by innovative chefs and class field trips to restaurant and other hospitality locations students are given the opportunity to meet the movers and shakers of our industry.