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MCCC Offers New Associate Degree in Culinology™
6-29-06
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This fall Mercer
County Community College will begin offering a new associate degree
program in Culinology™, which blends the disciplines of food
science and the culinary arts. Developed in cooperation with the
Research Chefs Association and Rutgers University, the program opens
up career fields in the research and development of food products,
tastes and flavors, food storage and manufacturing.
According to
Jeffrey Cousminer of the Research Chefs Association, who worked
to develop Culinology as an educational program, the effort to consolidate
the two fields began about ten years ago. "As the food industry
has grown more competitive, the emphasis on quality has grown too.
That means having the people who know how to produce that quality."
Cousminer said
that prior to this integration of food scientists and chefs, they
spoke different languages. "Food scientists produced safe,
nutritious and easily manufactured food, but we often didn't get
the authenticity or restaurant quality. Chefs brought the culinary
perspective to food development. Now the culinologist does both.
Efficiency goes up, costs go down."
Students who
complete the associate degree at Mercer will be prepared to transfer
to Rutgers University to pursue a baccalaureate degree in Interdisciplinary
Food Science. They will also have the opportunity to work toward
certification with the Research Chefs Association, which has trademarked
the Culinology name.
At the MCCC
West Windsor campus, culinary students work in two professional
kitchens which are separated by a dining area. One of the kitchens
was just completed last year.
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| MCCC
faculty member Frank Benowitz with Jeff Cousminer of the Research
Chefs Association. |
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| Mercer
students work in one of the college's two professional kitchens. |
In
addition to Culinology, Mercer offers associate degrees in Hotel, Restaurant
and Institution Management and Chef (or Pastry Chef) Apprenticeship, plus
certificate programs in catering, cooking and baking. For more information
call 609-570-3447 or 570-3579.
The
Research Chefs Association is working with several colleges nationwide
that offer the Culinology program. The new field has attracted attention
from national media outlets, including USA TODAY. Read their article here.
MCCC's Culinology program (page 29)
MCCC's
Culinary programs home
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