Independent Component 2

Log of Hours

A Doc uploaded on Google Docs

click here
Evidence

Pictures of what we did in class

click here

Literal:

• I, Donna Mae Ratonel, affirm that I completed my independent component, which represents 90 hours of work.
• I enrolled in advanced baking that goes over a much more cumbersome desserts.This class had better techniques, teams, and time management.  There were also a couple of one-on-one teaching because the instructor had less students to focus on. We were also taught more about making our own garnishes and different type of techniques.
  
  

Interpretive:

The class taught me better time management which is important to becoming a pastry chef. Communication was a lot easier but also because there were less people to communicate with. My creativity was challenge because everyone was stepping up on their plate. My instructor was almost always impressed with my work (plating and taste) which was really nice.

Applied:

Advanced Baking definitely helped me solidify 3 of my answers for my EQ. Chemistry was cleared up with making desserts that was made up different components that was fairly hard to do. Food Presentation was big in this class. I feel that I excelled a lot in that part. Finally, communication was easier and speaking up in a team went better for me, especially when I was chef of the day.

Independent Component 2 Plan Approval

1) Write a description of what you plan on doing for your independent study component.
I'm going to take the Advanced Baking class from the same school. Hopefully, they teach me more about the value of communication and organization in the kitchen.


2)Describe in detail how you think your plan will meet the 30 hours work requirement.
Since it's a class that covers a whole semester, it has a total of more than 100 hours. I'll have to attend class for at least a month to meet 30 hours.


3)How does your independent study component relate to your EQ?
This class will help me further develop and understand skills that is important for a pastry chef. 

Independent Component I

Log of Hours

A Pdf uploaded on Google Docs

click here

Evidence

Pictures of what we did in class

click here

Literal:

• I, Donna Mae Ratonel, affirm that I completed my independent component, which represents 30 hours of work.
• I joined a Culinary ROP class in Fullerton with a total of 190 hours (a part of my hours here is also my service learning.) I attended with only one or two missing classes throughout first semester. I learned how to do numerous types of bread and desserts. I learned different skills like plating, making the bread, the roles of each ingredients, and learning what we did wrong if we messed up. The class also taught me how to practice safety and etiquettes in the kitchen as well as working in different teams.

Interpretive:

Being in the class with good instructors and teammates, taught me how to communicate well in the kitchen as well as using kitchen terms. Our book, Professional Baking, which we had to read and take notes on, helped me understand the importance of chemistry in baking. Our instructor also helped a lot with explaining how to decorate our plate with playing with the fundamentals of plating.

Applied:

The hours I spent in Culinary Arts Institute were great. My EQ, “What is the most important skill of a successful pastry chef?” was answered in a first-hand way. I learned that communication skills is important and that artistic skills is nothing if you don’t understand the chemistry that goes on when you’re making a dish.

Answer 3

"What is the most important skill of a successful pastry chef?"

1) A pastry chef must practice good communication skills in order to work well in the kitchen.

2) Evidence and Sources.

• Learning culinary terms. Service Learning in Culinary Arts Institute under Chef Samantha Weisenberg.

• Messing up the recipe. Boyle, Tish, and Timothy Moriarty. A Neoclassical View of Plated Desserts. New York: John Wiley, 2000. Print.

• Communication between shifts. Fourth Interview- Chef Jennifer Villaruz

Room Creativity

1) How do you plan to address the room creativity expectation?

            I will have pictures of plated desserts I did for my ROP class around the class. Put pastel and café like table covers. I also would like the class to smell like a bakery just to get into the ambience.

2) What activity ideas do you have for answer 1 or 2?

I will have the class draw plated crepes to give them a head start for my first activity. This is also perfect for the students who didn’t have breakfast. They will have pictures to look at on their tables. So for my first answer, which is food presentation, I’m going to have the class decorate their crepes based on what they had from the sponge. Similar to what I had the class do from my 20-minute presentation. I changed my first answer to chemistry and I plan to have the class do a measurement quiz or tasting tests. I changed my first answer to chemistry and I plan to have the class do a measurement quiz or tasting tests. 

Answer 2

"What is the most important skill of a successful pastry chef?"


1) A successful pastry chef must have good plating skills.


2) Evidence and Sources

• Feeding customers' eyes. It's important for your customers to be interested in your product even before tasting it in their mouth. Wemischner, Robert. The Dessert Architect. Clifton Park, NY: Delmar, 2010. Print.
• There are four things a plated dessert should have- height, color, taste, texture. From Chef Samantha Weisenberg in Culinary Arts Institute.
• Must stay current in trends. It's important to be kept updated with the trends just like in fashion. "Anatomy of a Dessert: Make Sure It's Simple." Monkeydish.com. Web. 8 Mar. 2012. <http://www.monkeydish.com/20-minute-university/anatomy-dessert-make-sure-its-simple>.

The Product

My service learning in Culinary Arts Institute is what gave me my product. After two classes in their school, Basic Baking and Safety and Sanitation, I now have (and practice) good kitchen etiquettes and I can make all sorts of desserts. I gained a Basic Baking certificate and a Safety and Sanitation Certificate that verifies I passed the class. I also got A's in both of them. Plus, I got a SerfSave Certificate, which gives me the advantage to work in the food industry.