Culinary Arts
Instructor: Chef Rachel Conover
I am Chef Jessica Rachel Conover. I have been in the foodservice industry for over 20 years. I began cooking at Art’s Supermarket and Deli in my hometown of Sandwich, IL in highschool. From there, my passion for food led me to Culinary School at Joliet Junior College. I then honed my skills in a variety of restaurants in the Chicagoland area as well as Ireland. This training led to Executive Chef positions and has enabled me to travel and experience culinary culture around the world.
I am currently entering my 6th year as the Culinary Arts Instructor at Indian Valley Vocational Center. I strive to provide real world job skills to my students through our Culinary Cafe and ProStart Curriculum. Through my teaching I hope to inspire the next generation of culinarians that can positively impact their communities.
CULINARY ARTS I
Grades: 11, 12
SIS #: 16052A001
Culinary Arts I is the first year of a two-year sequence.
Units of study - Sanitation, Knife Skills, Nutrition, Customer Service, Intro to Baking and Cooking Methods, Culinary Math and Measuring, Culinary Professionalism
Tasks you will complete -
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Clean and sanitize work areas, equipment, utensils, dishes, or silverware
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Store food in designated containers and storage areas to prevent spoilage
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Portion and wrap the food, or place it directly on plates for service to patrons
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Take and record temperature of food and food storage areas, such as refrigerators and freezers
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Prepare a variety of foods, such as meats, vegetables, or desserts, according to customers' orders, recipes or Chef’s instructions, following approved procedures
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Execute recipes for consistency and cost controls
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Prepare, present and evaluate food using culinary language to describe flavor, texture and overall presentation
Skills/abilities you need to be successful - active listening, coordination, service orientation, social perceptiveness, arm-hand steadiness, manual dexterity, verbal and nonverbal communication, finger dexterity, basic math and measuring, ability to stand for long periods, time management
Certification you may be eligible to receive upon successful completion -
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ServSafe Food Handler and Food Manager Certification
Related careers - Certified Executive Chef, Chef, Instructor, Cook, Executive Sous Chef, Line Cook, Server, Front of House Manager, Purchasing Manager, Banquet Manager
CULINARY ARTS II
Grade: 12
Required: 70% or higher in Culinary Arts I
SIS #: 16055A001
Culinary Arts II is the second year of a two-year sequence.
Units of study - Sanitation, Knife Skills, Nutrition, Customer Service, Baking and Decorating Cooking Methods, Culinary Professionalism, Recipe and Menu Development, Food Costing and Portioning, Purchasing and Inventory Controls, Culinary Leadership/Management
Tasks you will complete -
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Monitor sanitation practices to ensure that employees follow standards and regulations
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Check the quality of raw or cooked food products to ensure that standards are met
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Estimate amounts and costs of required supplies, such as food and ingredients
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Instruct cooks or other workers in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, or presentation of food
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Supervise or coordinate activities of cooks or workers engaged in food preparation
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Engage in providing excellent customer service
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Develop menus with appropriate recipes and costing
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Communicate effectively with team members, customers and community business partners
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Operate a Point of Sale System with accuracy
Skills/abilities you need to be successful - quality food production, customer service, manage peers, monitoring food quality, coordination, self management, social perceptiveness, strong verbal communication, problem solving, information prioritization and arrangement, professional conflict resolution
Certification you may be eligible to receive upon successful completion -
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ServSafe Food Handler and Food Manager Certification
Related careers - Certified Executive Chef, Chef, Instructor, Cook, Executive Sous Chef, Line Cook, Server, Front of House Manager, Purchasing Manager, Banquet Manager
Articulated Credit: JJC HOSP 120 - Exploring the Hospitality Industry (3 credits)
Chef Conover can be reached at (815) 786-9873, extension 226, or via email at RConover@ivvc.net.