Baking & Pastry Arts
BAKING & PASTRY ARTS (CIP Code: 12.0501)
The Baking & Pastry Arts program strives to teach students the skills they will need to be successful both in industry and in continuing education. All of our products are handmade from scratch and solely produced by students. With knowledge of mixing methods, equipment use and safety practices, the student will have an upperhand for entering the pastry industry.
Instructor: Mr. Christopher Polos (cpolos@nmtcc.org)
Please see the tabs below for more detailed information about the program.
- Program Overview and Outcomes
- Industry Certifications
- Cooperative Education Opportunities
- Task List
- Course Materials
- Classroom Expectations
- Honors Course
- Acknowledgements
Program Overview and Outcomes
This course presents the principles of Baking and Pastry Arts and restaurant operations for the students. This combination of hands-on and theoretical/guided practice will involve production for the public for North Montco Technical Career Center (NMTCC)’s restaurant entities, enforcing practical skills with public evaluation. Additionally, students will learn the basics of sanitation, safety, preparation, and production, various baking methods, nutrition, applied mathematical operations, menu development, inventory controls, communication skills, and basic supervisory techniques. Students will also execute dining room service skills and will interact directly with retail guests. Sanitary practices and compliance with laws and ordinances of the Department of Health are enforced. Students are required to have a professional chef's uniform to participate in class according to departmental uniform policies. Upon completing the program, students will be prepared to enter the workforce and be college-ready.
Outcomes:
- Demonstrate knowledge of safety and sanitation
- Demonstrate customer service skills
- Perform daily MEP and closing tasks
- Understand special dietary restrictions
- Prepare food by oneself or with others, following all Montgomery County Health Department codes and guidelines
Career/College
Career Possibilities:
- Production Mixer
- Assistant Baker
- Pastry Cook
- Cake Decorator
Career possibilities with additional education:
- Executive Pastry Chef
- Pastry Sous Chef
- Bakery Manager
- Chocolatier
- Retail Bakery Owner
- Related Sales and Marketing
Pathways to College:
- PDE SOAR Agreements
Montgomery County Community College-Central Campus
Delaware County Community College
Community College of Philadelphia
- 1:1 Articulation Agreements
St. Francis University
The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College
Profile of a Graduate
Industry Certifications
Students in the Baking and Pastry Arts program have the opportunity to earn the following industry certifications:
- NOCTI – Commercial Retail Baking
- OSHA 10-hour course (Culinary)
- S/P2 Culinary Workplace Safety
- ServSafe Allergens
- ServSafe Food Handler
- ServSafe Manager Food Safety
- ACF: Protein Nutrition and Egg Chemistry Certificate
Cooperative Education Opportunities
Cooperative Education allows students to be employed during the school day while gaining meaningful instruction in a technical area, applying classroom knowledge to real-world experiences and developing life-long career skills. Students may be allowed to go to work for a number of days determined by their teacher and the cooperative education coordinator.
Task List
A program task list is an instructional tool to measure the technical competency of a student. During your enrollment in the baking and pastry arts program, you will be taught and assessed on the following tasks:
100 Introduction to the Hospitality and Baking Industry
200 Sanitation and Safety
300 Business and Math Skills
400 Baking Preparation
500 Baking Fundamentals
600 Purchasing, Receiving, Inventory, and Storage
700 Nutrition
800 Baking Planning
900 Human Relations Skills
1000 NMTCC Value-Added Baking Tasks
1100 NMTCC Career Education and Work Global Tasks
Course Materials
Equipment / Uniforms / Other Requirements
All tools and equipment are supplied within this program throughout your NMTCC career. Students need to purchase the following additional materials:
- Culinary Uniform (chef jacket, chef pants, hat or alternate hair restraint, and black slip-resistant shoes) - https://www.djbspecialties.com/stores/nmtccstore
- Binder, Notebook, and Pen/Pencil
Program Fees:
Activity Fee - $35
Culinary Uniform Details:
NMTCC will require that all students be dressed in professional attire while in the Culinary Lab classes. This policy reflects current industry standards set forth by the American Culinary Federation, and the lack of any of the following items will be reason for the Chef Instructor to disallow certain production activities and will result in a reduction of the daily grade.
1. White chef's jacket or cook’s shirt. Must be fully buttoned at all times while on the NMTCC campus. Jackets must be cleaned, unwrinkled, and spot-free.
2. Chef pants, straight leg, and hemmed to the top of the shoe. Pants must be clean and wrinkle-free.
3. Appropriate hair restraint as determined by the instructor, worn properly on the head with all hair tucked inside.
4. Clean, wrinkle-free white bib apron (optional but suggested) and white side towels (clean and sanitary).
5. Appropriate clothing underneath the chef's jacket – shirt decals or any inappropriate content should not be visible through the jacket.
6. Black slip-resistant shoes worn with socks. Shoes with a high heel, canvas athletic shoes, or any open-toed type shoes will not be permitted.
7. For men, any facial hair will be groomed and neatly trimmed with beard guards when deemed appropriate by the culinary instructor.
8. No enamel-based nail polish, gels, and/or imitation nails may be worn. Nails should be clean, neat, and trimmed.
9. Extensions, long braids, or other hairstyles must be fully restrained, if necessary, with a commercial, extra-large hairnet.
10. All students with hair worn below the collar must keep their hair tied up under the chef hat or wear a hair net in addition to their chef hat. A limited supply of hairnets will be supplied; otherwise, they are the responsibility of the student.
11. No watches or any other type of jewelry is permitted in the lab. Visible facial jewelry or large earrings of any sort must be removed before entering the lab; this includes tongue and ear piercings.
12. Observe standards of personal hygiene: clean hair appropriately tied up, no jewelry, no perfume, and clean fingernails. Bathe regularly and use deodorant. It is part of the sanitation standards of the business.
13. Take pride in your appearance as a chef and student at NMTCC.
uniform compliance is required during any food production activity, or when representing anything relating to NMTCC. If for any reason a student’s uniform does not meet the prescribed standards set forth in this policy, the student may be assigned alternative duties by the culinary instructor. Failure on each discipline infraction will result in points deducted from your work ethic grade.
Textbooks / Learning Management System / Communication
Textbooks and assignments will be accessed through our Canvas learning management system. The textbooks used in class are:
- Professional Baking-Edition 5
- On Baking-Edition 3
- Effective Knife Techniques
- Visualizing Nutrition: Everyday Choices
- ServeSafe Food Handler Course book-Edition 7
NMTCC provides students with a Google Account and a Canvas account. To access these accounts, see below for links, and username and password format:
Google account: https://www.gmail.com
Canvas account: https://nmtcc.instructure.com/login/canvas
Username: (first initial) (last name) (2 digit Graduation yr)@students.nmtcc.org
Password: 9-digit student ID number (found on back of ID card)
Example: username: jdoe24@students.nmtcc.org
password: 000012345
Classroom Expectations
- Daily Class Procedures
- Classroom Rules
- Safety
- Physical Criteria
- Grading Policy
- Attendance Policy
- Senior Portfolio
Daily Class Procedures
Students will arrive at class in their work clothes and ready to work. Students will sit down, work on the daily assignment, and wait for further instruction from the teacher. Students will stay productive throughout the class period. Students will start to clean up a minimum of 10 minutes before dismissal times (some jobs may require a longer clean-up time). Lecture or theoretical time is approximately 30% of class, comprised of computer and direct instruction. Practical skills time is approximately 70% of the class time.
Classroom Rules
Classroom Rules:
- You must read and follow all school rules.
- Be respectful!
- Come to class prepared (full uniform, pencil/paper, assignments).
- Hall passes must be issued before being permitted to leave class at any time.
- Never touch any equipment unless instructed to or given permission to do so.
- Equipment is to NEVER leave the classroom unless authorized.
- Please treat other people’s property as you would like people to treat your property.
- No cell phones in the lab/classroom unless permitted.
- Your best effort is expected at all times.
- Come to class on time with a positive attitude.
- You are expected to follow all lab rules and instructions given by your instructor in order to participate. Failure to follow lab rules will result in a failure for that day.
- Using the equipment and technology is a privilege. When you or other people are using the equipment and technology, your behavior and conduct are to comply with the teacher’s instructions.
- You may not use the equipment or technology for any other reason, except for the purpose explained by the teacher. At any time, the teacher has the right to take away or forbid the use of the equipment or technology for any amount of time.
- Students are responsible for the proper care and maintenance of all equipment and technology used in this program. In the case of a student destroying or damaging the equipment or technology, the student may be responsible for reimbursement of the equipment or technology.
- The teacher will give an alternate assignment for those who fail to follow these rules.
Discipline Procedures:
- First act of misbehaving for the school year is a warning.
- Second act of misbehaving for the school year is an assigned seat at the front of the room.
- Third act of misbehaving for the school year is a write-up and a phone call home.
- Fourth act of misbehaving for the school year, we create a behavior contract and a phone call home.
- Fifth act of misbehaving for the school year, you are referred to the Dean of Students and a phone call home.
Each discipline infraction will result in points deducted from your work ethic grade.
Safety
Safety is not an option! Safety is YOUR responsibility! Students are required to follow all rules and regulations. In addition to following all NMTCC’s listed and/ or posted safety and MSDS Policies, refer to the specific equipment manufacturer’s user, operator, or consumer guides and or shop manuals for complete safety details when using any equipment. Students are not permitted to use any equipment or tools unless they have received and documented that they have received the appropriate safety instruction.
Potential Safety Hazards:
- Various chemicals
- Flammable, caustic, corrosive, poisonous, slippery, and unstable compounds
- Grease, oils, degreasers, and cleaners
Physical Criteria
Grading Policy
Knowledge grades are based on quizzes, tests, worksheets, and homework. Knowledge grades are 30% of the grade.
Skill grades are based upon visual assessments, job completion, and data-based proof of skills. Skills grades are 40% of the grade.
Work Ethics are graded daily and applied to the overall rubric during the course of the task at hand. Work ethic is 30% of the grade.
Attendance Policy
Due to the amount of work it takes to complete some of the assignments, your attendance is essential to get the most out of your learning experience. If you are going to be absent or late, please have your parent or guardian email nmattendance@nmtcc.org, call the school or bring in a note. Students who are absent will receive a Work Ethic grade of a "0" for the day. If the absence is excused, the student will receive a Work Ethic grade of a "5" with an opportunity to make up the assignment and have their Work Ethic grade changed to a "10". Students who are late will receive a Work Ethic grade of a "5" for the day. If the lateness is excused, the student will receive a Work Ethic grade of a "5" with an opportunity to make up the assignment and have their Work Ethic grade changed to a "10".
Senior Portfolio
Every student must complete a Senior Portfolio. Portfolios will be created by following the sequence of grade-level assignments. Senior Portfolio artifacts will be graded per program expectations and assignment criteria and will be included in the marking period grade for which the assignment is due. Portfolios will be housed in their Google Drive. Students will be able to take the portfolios with them or have access to them after graduation.
Honors Course
Students have the opportunity to enroll in the Honors level course of their CTE program. The Honors course is for 12th-grade students who have demonstrated a high level of interest and achievement in their program and who aspire to an advanced level of learning. Students in the Honors course will be exposed to individualized industry-related advanced work, rigorous study of CTE subject matter with embedded academic content, and practical application of knowledge and skills to work-based situations. Students must meet the required prerequisites and submit a completed Academic Teacher Recommendation form during their 11th-grade year to be considered for the Honors level course.
Prerequisites:
100% of POS Tasks
GPA of >90% in CTE program
GPA of >80% in academic courses
Recommendation Form completed by academic teacher
Specific Industry Certification:
- ServSafe Food Handler
- OSHA 10-hour course
Acknowledgements
Parents are asked to review and acknowledge the program information by either:
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Visiting the Parent Portal using this link, or
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Signing the program syllabus distributed in class and returning it to the program teacher.
