See what the students who attended in person had to say about their experience.
In this section you'll find links to the written version of the curriculum plus the F-STEP worksheet that is commonly referenced throughout.
In this section you'll be introduced to my unique culinary framework known as F-STEP.
F-STEP is an acronym that stands for Flavor, Sauce, Technique, Execution, and Preparation. Whether I'm teaching avid hobbyist or professional chefs, F-STEP is the fastest way to convey and retain the foundational principals of the culinary arts. Once understood, F-STEP will allow you to break down dishes, decoded cuisines, and unleash your true creative potential in the kitchen.
Please pay special close attention to the video titled What is F-STEP.
Understanding the first principles approach laid out in this video will be an important foundation for understanding the upcoming lessons.
The videos titled "House Keeping" and "Introducing The Sous" are marked skippable as they have no real theory or instructions contained within them. However, they were kept in this curriculum for sake of completeness and for historical purposes.
In this section, we begin our exploration of flavor by introducing an innovative framework: The Flavor Pyramid.
In part one, we delve deeply into the pyramid's foundation—The Five Basic Tastes: salty, sour, bitter, sweet, and umami.
Mastering the art of balancing and harmonizing these elemental tastes is crucial; it lays the groundwork for the advanced flavor theories presented as we work our way up the pyramid's structure.
As you ascend the Flavor Pyramid, your culinary creations will start to reflect more nuanced and personalized flavor architectures. But remember: no matter how intricate or sophisticated your flavor combinations become, a shaky foundation can cause your entire flavor structure to collapse
In the practical section of the course, students get in the kitchen and apply the theories they learned in our lecture sessions. We kick off the practical portion of our class with a menu meeting, creating a game plan for success. Then we move into the kitchen for hands on skill development.
In our day one practical, you will learn:
The principals of meat butchery and fabrication.
The concept of pan roasting and pan reduction.
Plate composition.
Vegetable Sautéing
And much more.
In each practical lesson, be sure to scroll through all the information below the video as well. This is where I will link supplemental lessons and information to further your knowledge base and mastery of the concepts covered, as well as shorter videos for review.
Note: The video titled Lunch Prep & Mise En Place is a view into the kitchen prep session, with students peppering Chef Jacob as they worked. It is marked skippable, but still worth watching to get the full boot camp experience.
If you have any questions on anything we cover in the videos, you can leave them in the comment section underneath each lesson.
In our Day One afternoon session, we delve deeper into the Flavor Pyramid. Building on the morning's exploration of the five basic tastes, we'll navigate through the more nuanced aspects of flavor. The journey includes Aroma, which is essential for the initial sensory impact of food; Sensory elements that engage texture and mouthfeel; Advanced Flavor Approaches that teach us to layer and develop tastes; and the Flavor X Factor, which encompasses those elusive qualities that turn a good dish into an unforgettable one.
As we ascend through these levels, we equip ourselves with a comprehensive toolkit for culinary creativity, enabling us to seamlessly transition between cuisines and craft dishes that are both unique and full of balanced, resonant flavors.
Intro to technique.
We start with flavor.
Sauce
Technique
Day four.
Bread Bonus Lecture
Pizza Bonus Lecture
E is for Execution
This is the first ever Culinary Boot Camp I taught, and was the debut of my F-STEP Curriculum. The audio and video quality aren't that great, but it's posted here for historical purposes, and sake of completeness. If you've watched the newer boot camp videos, you can probably skip over these, unless you're the type of person who likes listening to old garbage band recordings of your favorite band after they've made it (not that I'm your favorite chef or that I've made it, but I think you get the analogy).
In truth, these videos are mainly here because they have sentimental value to me, and they're basically an online back-up incase I ever lose my physical hard drive that contains them. If you end up watching, I hope you enjoy, and maybe gain a nugget or two of extra info.