Plant-Based Culinary Arts - Los Angeles Campus

FUNDAMENTALS OF PLANT-BASED CUISINE

52 hours

Focusing on fundamental culinary techniques and criteria for selecting quality ingredients, this course will offer an introduction to the foundation for preparing plant-based, whole-foods cuisine.

Course highlights:

• Knife skills training.
• Principles of food science.
• Culinary techniques including sauté, roast, blanch, braise and pressure cook.
• Exploring the health benefits, healing qualities and versatility of sea vegetables and how to prepare them.
• Dishes include: arame strudel, wakame salad with orange and coconut-lime flan.

GRAINS, BEANS AND STEWS

56 hours

In this course, we continue your education on plant-forward cuisine to include a variety of bean and grain, seitan, stock, soup and sauce preparations. We also teach how to prepare eggs in a variety of savory and sweet applications. 

Course highlights:

• Identifying and preparing a variety of beans in salads, purees, stews and soups.
• Identifying and preparing whole grains using various techniques.
• Preparing vegan and vegetarian stocks using traditional culinary techniques.
• Preparing vegan and vegetarian versions of mother sauces and other modern vegan sauces.
• Preparing soups and stews.
• Preparing soufflés, custards and emulsified sauces.
• Dishes include: curried red lentil soup with coconut; beet borscht with tofu sour cream; shiitake broth with shrimp, soba and baby bok choy; and baked quinoa with fresh peas and herbs.

HIGH-PROTEIN FOODS

56 hours

In this course, we prepare soups and stews highlighting whole grains, beans, vegetables and non-dairy alternatives. We teach how protein sources come in a variety of forms — both plant and animal. We also teach how to source and prepare poultry, fish and shellfish, as well as how to prepare soy foods in health-conscience, traditional forms.

Course highlights:

• Identifying and preparing traditional soy foods, such as tempeh, tofu, edamame, miso, shoyu and tamari.
• Fabricating and preparing poultry, finfish and shellfish.
• Making seitan and preparing it in a variety of ways.
• Plating theory.
• Dishes include: stuffed poblano chilies with browned tempeh; hazelnut-crusted flounder with mango salsa; and golden turmeric panna cotta with ginger-pepper lace cookies.

ADVANCED CULINARY APPLICATIONS

52 hours

In this course, you will apply your growing command of plant-based techniques to preparing salads, hors d’oeuvres, pâtés and terrines, and a buffet. In the career realm, you will hone your skills at menu planning and recipe writing while exploring career paths in personal and private cooking, catering and teaching. You will also study theoretical approaches to the energetics of food, factors that impact longevity, and the role of fats, protein and carbohydrates in a healthy, whole-foods diet.

Course highlights:

• Preparing pâtés and terrines.
• Preparing salads that showcase whole, seasonal ingredients.
• Writing and formatting a recipe properly.
• Learning how to design menus that are nutritious and balanced according to the program’s criteria.
• Preparing balanced, plant-based brunch and buffet menus.
• Preparing appetizers, entrees and desserts to order.
• Dishes include: massaged kale salad with roasted chickpeas and pickled red onions; truffled portobello mousse with fig-thyme preserve; and Asian buckwheat noodle salad.

BAKING AND DESSERTS

56 hours

The quality of our baking and desserts can benefit from using ingredients that are more natural, unprocessed and whole. In this course, we convert conventional baking recipes to alternatives featuring whole-grain flours and less-refined sweeteners, without sacrificing taste or texture. You will also prepare baked goods and desserts that meet special dietary needs, such as vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free.

Course highlights: 

• Preparing pies, tarts and galettes using vegan ingredients.
• Baking and decorating cakes.
• Preparing vegan cookies, puddings and ice creams.
• Preparing flourless desserts.
• Understanding how to utilize sugar, butter and white flour alternatives.
• Dishes include: chocolate cherry pecan bars; ginger cake with lemon coconut cream; and black sesame ice cream.

BREAD AND PASTA

52 hours

As you continue to explore the art and science of baking, you will focus on yeasted breads, quick breads, pizza and focaccia with wheat-free and gluten-free options. This course also includes pasta making.

Course highlights: 

• Preparing quick breads, scones, pancakes, crêpes, waffles and biscuits.
• Preparing hearth and pan breads.
• Using alternative flours and ingredients in bread baking.
• Preparing ravioli, tortellini, fettucine and gnocchi.
• Preparing and serving a healthful brunch à la minute.
• Dishes include: herb ravioli with porcini mushroom pesto and tofu ricotta; wild rice pancakes; and bulgur raisin pan bread.

FOOD AND HEALING 1 AND ADVANCED CULINARY TECHNIQUES

52 hours

The link between diet, lifestyle and wellness is well-established, and this course will provide perspectives on this relationship by looking at cardiovascular system health, the microbiome and detoxification systems. On the culinary side, we prepare raw foods, living foods, and spa and retreat specialties. You will also focus on improvisational cooking using seasonal ingredients and developing a vegan, four-course banquet project.

Course highlights:

• Improvisational cooking.
• Preparing spa and retreat cuisine.
• Preparing raw foods.
• Recipe costing and testing.
• Dishes include: pomegranate, blueberry and ginger elixir; vegetable and tempeh wraps with avocado-cilantro cream; and Mediterranean roasted black cod with muhammara.

FOOD AND HEALING 2 AND WORLD CUISINES

56 hours

This course extends the emphasis on integrative health as it explores food and the immune system, kitchen pharmacy, diets designed to promote cancer prevention and treatment support, Ayurveda and Macrobiotics. You will prepare specialty dishes from Asia, Mexico, India and Italy.

Course highlights:

• Preparing dishes and meals designed to boost immunity.
• Preparing Macrobiotic cuisine.
• Preparing Ayurvedic cuisine.
• Preparing world cuisine menus.
• Presenting a four-course vegan banquet.
• Dishes include: hiziki with carrots, onions and agé tofu; burdock, carrot and onion kimpura; and eggplant buns with fermented plum condiment.

EXTERNSHIP

200 hours

At the end of their in-class training, all plant-based culinary arts students are assigned an externship. While we recommend that students extern in restaurant kitchens, they may request venues such as hotels, catering companies, corporate dining rooms or pastry shops in accordance with their professional goals.

Please note: Dishes are examples and are subject to change with curriculum updates, without notice.