Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

A newsletter for faculty, staff and students

November-December 2005 • Vol. 31, No. 6

Division sponsors culinary arts and science short course

CULINARY ARTS & SCIENCE — A “student” (left) from Tyson Foods, Inc., works on perfecting his sauce mixture as his instructor, Chef Suzie Stephens, watches during a weeklong culinary class held at the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science test kitchen.

The Poultry Science Department and Division of Agriculture are conducting a series of five-day basic culinary arts classes for professional food scientists. The Culinary Experience for Product Developers short course will satisfy 40 hours of the 120 hours of hands-on culinary training required to become a Certified Culinary Scientists (CCS). Dr. John Marcy organized the course.

Only 10 persons nationwide have met the CCS requirements set forth by the Research Chefs Association (RCA), Marcy said.

“For a land-grant university to be doing this is a pretty good thing,” said Marcy.  The only other places offering CCS classes are culinary schools in California, New York, Rhode Island and Chicago. Some 60 Tyson Foods employees involved in product development are expected to enroll in the classes here.

Marcy said most basic cooking methods will be taught during the five-day class by chefs Suzie Stephens and Morgan Stout. The five mother sauces are emphasized in this class: hollandaise sauce, espagnole (brown) sauce, velouté, tomato sauce, and béchamel.  Many other sauces can be derived from these five mother sauces.

The class will include meat-cooking methods of stewing, braising, roasting, grilling, sautéing, pan-frying and baking, Marcy said, plus garnish and plate presentation.

“All relates to the quality of the dining experience,” said Marcy.

The food industry is moving to a more culinary driven field, said Marcy. Processors employ culinary artists to design products.  It is important that product developers have a culinary arts background and a food science background, he said.

A CCS is an experienced food scientist who has learned culinary arts in order to enhance product development skills, according to the RCA.

CCS certification requires a bachelor’s degree in food science or a related area, three years in research and development and other requirements. Information about CCS and the RCA is available online at www.culinology.com/.

The next class open to product developers outside of Tyson Foods is being planned for May 2006.