Most cooking schools introduce the student early in the curriculum to the practicalities of running a kitchen. He'll learn about the significance of the uniforms, basic techniques of food preparation including how to use a knife, and he probably will take field trips to restaurants and hotels to see how food is prepared in the "real world." Back in the classroom, he'll be taught the basics of cooking and how to keep his kitchen sanitary.
Traditionally, all cooking schools will offer courses in the preparation of a variety of dishes from other cultures like Italian, Greek, French, Asian and others. Those courses dwell on the cooking techniques of the various countries culminating with the actual preparation of those dishes as well as the presentation to the diner of what they make.
The student will be taught the basics of nutrition, including actual methods of preparation, and substitutes for less-healthy ingredients like salt and fat. She will also learn about cholesterol and how to make low-fat entrees as well as vegetarian dishes.
No culinary school's curriculum would be complete without these courses. The student will be taught the layout of the typical bake shop, including the equipment and the process of making pastry items like pies, cakes, cookies and various forms of bread.
Most cooking schools emphasize this part of food preparation, and it could include menu forecasting, routine ordering, pricing and delivery. They also cover handling and storage techniques as well as the close inspection of invoices, various inventory controls, as well as the sources for those products. The student may also learn the ethical and legal ramifications of the procurement process.
Here you will learn the basics of serving wine, including the terms used by the wine industry. Most wine courses begin by identifying the various grapes and their characteristics and how each of them complements certain dishes. Wine tastings are a part of many programs where the students are given glasses of several wines so they can learn about the aroma, body and flavor of each.