Like the first level, L2 focuses on fundamental skills that every professional cook needs to master. Weeks are broken down by animal and multiple techniques are applied to each, such as braising, sauteing, grilling, and roasting. At this level, students will continue to practice skills learned in L1 to build a stronger knowledge base as they gain new skills, including whole animal butchery and understanding anatomy as it relates to cooking.
Wk1: Poultry
- Braising, pan-roasting, sauteing, and grilling chicken
- Anatomy, fabrication, and cookery of chicken, duck, and quail
- Potato cookery: making mashed potatoes and french fries
- Cooking green vegetables while maintaining vibrant color
Wk2: Pig
- Identifying tough and tender cuts: whole hog anatomy
- Sausage preparation methods, including grinding, casing, and cooking
- Stewing and stock-making techniques utilizing several parts of the animal
- Meat preservation methods, including dry curing and brining
- Utilization of the whole hog, “nose to tail”
Wk3: Lamb + Beef
- Whole lamb fabrication, anatomy identification, and full utilization
- Dry and moist heat cooking methods, including sauteing, flaming, braising, and stewing
- Smoking technique using bacon and pastrami
- Sausage preparation methods continued
- Review of hot sandwich preparation techniques
Wk4: Finfish
- Anatomy and identification of round and flatfish
- Fabrication and use for various parts of finfish
- Cooking methods applied to fish, including sauteing, deep frying, grilling, and oil poaching
- Preservation of fish through curing techniques
- Textural manipulation of fish through knife cuts and varied cooking techniques
Wk5: Shellfish
- Identification, handling, and fabrication of shellfish, including lobster, shrimp, mussels, scallops, and clams
- Working with fresh pasta, continued
- Flavor development in shellfish stock making
- Stage-cooking technique using seafood
- Sauteing, poaching, and butter poaching techniques applied to shellfish
Wk6: Review & Exit Exam
