CIBO- Professional Intensive Two (2) Month Training Cooking Course Curriculum For Those Who Want To Begin or Switch To A Career In Cooking

Q: WHY do you want to become a chef?

In the age of television, the internet and the celebrity-driven restaurant empires, the chefs of the kitchen have been transformed into “rock-star” gods!  It is quite a phenomenon, but make no mistake about it– beyond the glitter of Hollywood promotion working in a professional kitchen is still one of the toughest, time consuming, stressful jobs in the market place.

Slaving over a  hot, burning stove, sometimes seven days a week is anything but glamorous and yet people still are pursing this career path.  If you think that you are under-paid, over-worked, and under-appreciated in your current job– spend a little time as a line cook making the same dish over and over again!  After experiencing that you may want to go back to your old job!

However, after taking the CIBO course and learning the nitty-gritty of some theory and a great deal of practice, you will find that being a chef can be one the most fulfilling and rewarding career you would ever hope for. It’s s a job that is at times tedious and stressful, but also fun, creative, and  can transform and alter your life in the most positive way.  Food is life and feeding people and making them happy is an admiral goal.

Q: What will I learn?

Part One 1: The Fundamentals  (100 hrs.)
You will be working in a professional kitchen under the direction of the noted chef, Stefano Corvucci, who not only owns two restaurants in Bologna, but is also the CEO of the Culinary Institute of Bologna in the culinary capital of Italy – Bologna.  He, better than most understands why you are coming to CIBO.  Trained at Bologna University to be a lawyer he abandoned his career as an attorney to follow is passion for food and the restaurant business.  He worked as a waiter, busboy, and line cook.  He worked his way up the ladder and wished he could have had a quick formal culinary program to make efficient use of his time to become a chef.  This course will do just that!  Quickly in two months you will have a  full immersion  into all aspects of becoming a restaurant chef.  All instruction and hands on experience is at 

baking, patisserie and a thorough analysis of authentic Italian regional raw ingredients introduce participants to the foundation of professional Italian cuisine. Working alongside master chefs including members of the National Team, the segment culminates with a cooking test for each participants ensuring that he/she is fully prepared for the next stages of the program.

Cultural and foodie  travel includes visits daily to the Bologna’s famous “Middle-market”.  Having lived and worked in Bologna for many years, our staff has an intimate knowledge of the local color, history and people of the area. CIBO’s restaurant and cooking school has buying ingredients at the same market with the same store owners for many years. This intimate relationship with the people who provide the basis of everything you cook enables us to acquaint you with your raw ingredients in a way that will bring meaning and excellence to your cooking.

We will visit wineries, balsamic vinegar and parmigiana reggiano farms so you can understand what you are cooking and creating. Seeing how foods are made will give new meaning to your creations.  We will make a and a special visit to an artisan pastry and gelato shop in the area.

Part 2: Pasta and Cheese Making, Curing Meats & Seafood, Pickling (25 hrs.)
Now, after acquiring a thorough understanding of regional Italian flavors and raw ingredients, participants begin the technique of new recipe development. Cheese, cured meats, sausage, marinated vegetables and salted fish are all items that play a major role in Italian regional cuisine.

This phase has been developed as a result of years of research where ICI has found that even as many countries outside Italy cannot obtain authentic Italian delicacy items, they do have the resources to make them for in-house use. Designed for everyday restaurant conditions, these methods of production can be used anywhere in the world for both private production as well as large scale industrial production.

Cultural travel includes visits to a traditional street market, an artisan cheese maker and a maker of prosciutto, pancetta and sopprasata.

Part 3: Desserts & Cake Decorating (Genoa)  (25 hrs.)
A chef is a manager and needs to know every aspect of the menu and its execution. This includes dessert and gelato. Regardless of expertise, novice or master, participants will gain a profound understanding of

 

Part 4: Professional Cooking and Wines Part I (50 hrs.)
Under the supervision, and with assistance of master chefs, participants prepare and  For one week, menus and recipes chosen by the chefs will be presented as part of normal restaurant service in Italy and anywhere else in the world. Plates will range from traditional fare to award winning haute cuisine. Critique and discussion will consider the diner’s view as well as criteria for objectively judging dishes, and production technique, according to international culinary competitions.

During menu development, participants will take part in a tasting by a sommelier and understand why the week’s wines are chosen for each course. The last day of this stage lets participants sit and enjoy as a pasta party is prepared by master chefs in honor of a successful week of cooking.

Cultural travel includes a visit to a seaside fish market and a maker of fine extra virgin olive oil.

Part 5: Artisan and Hearth Baking (50 hrs.)
Having touched the surface during the first stage of the program, participants are now fully immersed in the art of artisan bread making for which Italy has been famous around the globe for centuries. Following a chemistry review and analysis of Europe’s unique flour combinations for taste, texture and elasticity, begins the preparation of doughs for traditional regional and international baked specialties using advanced techniques with natural yeast, mixed yeast and compressed yeast.

Focaccia, pizza, specialty and hearth breads, grissini, ciabatta e ciabattina and more are prepared in conventional ovens as well as high temperature traditional wood burning ovens. Participants work alongside artisan master and culminates with a large student party!

Finally, participants work with the chef with Europe’s newest food styling and decorating technique, Artistic Baking!

Cultural travel includes visits to both industrial and artisan bread makers as well as a one thousand year old hearth oven in the Italian countryside.

Part 6: Professional Cooking and Wines Part II (50 hrs.)
With newly acquired skills, many of which seasoned chefs do not possess, participants will now recreate and create dishes, develop menus and prepare and present a series of dinners to an audience of their peers as well as special guest chefs. Wines for the events will be chosen by participants based on the knowledge acquired.

Masters supervising the brigade will point out common errors that foreign chefs make while executing Mediterranean style cuisine. This stage culminates with a gala dinner and awarding of certificates and prizes based on performance and signature dishes.

Cultural travel includes a visit to an open air marketplace 

LOCATION
Located in the heart of the Bologna