Aspiring chefs will be able to explore the world of culinary arts when a new course starts at Isothermal Community College this month.

The basic culinary skills course will kick off with its first class on Tuesday, Jan. 22. The classes will continue to run from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday until Thursday, April 18.

The intensive training includes 212 contact hours, which will cover the concepts, skills, and techniques involved in volume food production for restaurant or institutional settings. Emphasis will be on the development of knife skills, tool and equipment handling, and the principles of food preparation and safety.

In addition, students will build their palates, learning how one taste or texture affects another while broadening their knowledge of the chemistry of food.

The course will pair lecture with a great deal of hands-on training. Students will focus on traditional cooking techniques as well as new and innovative methods. They will also develop industry-recognized professional prep skills and explore opportunities for careers in the culinary field.

Students who successfully complete the course will receive a certificate of completion from Isothermal Community College. The class will be held in the college’s new culinary training facility at the Rutherford Opportunity Center in Forest City.

Those interested in learning more may call Dee Spurlin at 828-395-1416.

This is the first full course in the college’s new culinary arts program, which will become available to area high school students later this year. There will also be a wide variety of one- or two-session public classes. A holiday gingerbread house class and an Italian dinner class have already been held.

The culinary arts program is made possible through the support of partners, including the Appalachian Regional Commission and Rutherford County Schools.

– Submitted by Mike Gavin