Culinary & Pastry Arts
About
The Culinary and Pastry Arts CTE program prepares students to pursue post-secondary education in culinary or pastry arts and the field of hospitality. Students learn industry standards for food preparation, business efficiencies, menu planning, inventory control, management, and safety and sanitation skills as well as basic cooking and food preparation. Focused on project-based learning, these students provide in-house catering for special events.
Students also learn techniques in preparing various pastries, breads, cakes, custards, and pies/tarts. They are taught how to properly use baking equipment and tools and learn necessary safety precautions. This program also focuses on theoretical studies of raw ingredients, their purposes, and structure. Special annual projects include a plated dessert competition and our very own cupcake wars, building students’ creativity and confidence.
Mercy CTE is part of the Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP). C-CAP offers our students opportunities to compete in cooking competitions and provides professional development with well-known chefs during the summer and school year.
Certifications
- National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation ManageFirst Nutrition Certification
- 93% of culinary arts students earned this certification over the past 5 years
- ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification
- Every restaurant in the state of Pennsylvania is required to have one ServSafe-credited person on duty per shift
- 82% of culinary arts students earned this certification over the past 5 years
- OSHA 10
Destinations
- Full-time or part-time employment with companies such as Parkhurst Dining Services at Philadelphia University, Jefferson Hospital, various local restaurants, ShopRite Bakery, Constellation Catering Group, Philadelphia Cricket Club, and DiBruno Brothers.
- Further training and education at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College, Johnson & Wales University, Community College of Philadelphia, Culinary Institute of America, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania for Culinary Arts.
- Graduate of the class of 2004 recently competed on Bravo Tv’s hit series Top Chef.
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