Study each topic below — these are the core knowledge areas tested in Year 1. Build a solid foundation here before advancing to Year 2 material.
🦺Food Safety & HACCP
- Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)
- Danger Zone: 4°C to 60°C (40°F to 140°F)
- Cross-contamination prevention
- Proper food storage temperatures
📖Knife Skills & Cuts
- Proper knife grip and stance
- Classic cuts: brunoise, julienne, chiffonade, batonnet
- Knife maintenance and honing
- Safety protocols in prep work
📖Stocks & Sauces
- Five mother sauces: béchamel, velouté, espagnole, hollandaise, tomato
- Stock preparation (brown, white, vegetable)
- Sauce consistency and roux ratios
- Thickening agents and techniques
⚙️Cooking Methods
- Moist heat: steaming, poaching, braising, simmering
- Dry heat: roasting, grilling, sautéing, broiling
- Combination methods and mise en place
- Temperature control and timing
🍽️Proteins & Meat Cookery
- Beef, pork, poultry, lamb doneness temperatures
- Carryover cooking and resting periods
- Muscle structure and fiber direction
- Curing and preservation basics
💡Baking Basics
- Ingredient ratios and measurements
- Leavening agents and chemical reactions
- Dough hydration and fermentation
- Oven spring and crust development
📖Menu Costing
- Food cost percentage calculations
- Portion control and standardized recipes
- Plate costing and food waste tracking
- Pricing strategies and margins
📖Nutrition & Dietary Needs
- Canada's Food Guide recommendations
- Macronutrients and micronutrients
- Common dietary restrictions (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free)
- Allergen identification and management
📋Canada Food Safety Regulations
- Safe Food for Canadians Regulations
- Provincial health code compliance
- Inspection standards and documentation
- Traceability and recall procedures
📖Allergen Management Systems
- The 10 major food allergens in Canada
- Precautionary labelling requirements
- Cross-contact prevention protocols
- Guest communication and accommodation
⚙️Advanced Sauce Techniques
- Emulsification principles
- Gastrique and beurre blanc preparation
- Reduction and glaze development
- Flavor balance and seasoning
📖Butchery & Fabrication
- Whole animal breakdown and yield
- Primal and sub-primal cuts
- Butchering safety and equipment
- Offal utilization and nose-to-tail cooking
📖Bakery Production Planning
- Production scheduling and batch calculations
- Fermentation timing and control
- Quality assurance standards
- Shelf life and storage optimization
📖Garde Manger & Cold Preparation
- Pantry station organization
- Aspic, terrine, and charcuterie basics
- Salad dressing emulsions
- Plating and food presentation
📖Kitchen Management & Leadership
- Mise en place and station setup
- Team communication and coordination
- Waste reduction and sustainability
- Documentation and training
📖Specialty Diets & Health
- Halal and kosher food preparation
- Ketogenic and paleo menu planning
- Reduced sodium and sugar substitutions
- Nutritional analysis and documentation