Baking & Pastry Arts Certificate Program

Our Baking & Pastry Arts track covers 25 subjects with nearly 650 hours of intensive hands-on instruction. Our baking labs are filled with a wide array of professional equipment and individual work stations that will provide everything you need when learning to craft chocolates, bake breads, construct wedding cakes, and more.

Classes are never more than 16 students, providing opportunities for one-on-one instruction and connection with your peers. NOCHI’s network of professional connections are also a valuable resource to supplement the core curriculum and provide career pathways after graduation.

Interested? Cohorts begin twice a year, so we’re ready whenever you are!

Baking and Pastry Fundamentals I (BPF 101)

• Proper handling of knives and other common kitchen tools

• Preparation and use of a variety of fruit and vegetable cuts

• Preparation of common products using basic mixing methods

Baking and Pastry Fundamentals II (BPF 102)

• Proper execution of pate choux, pie and tart dough, biscuits, and scones

• Preparation of simple decorated cakes and desserts

Basic and Classic Cakes (BCC 101)

• Proper execution of cakes, frostings, and icings

• Introduction to French and regional cakes using traditional and fundamental techniques

BAKESHOP INGREDIENTS, EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY I (BET 101)

• Proper nomenclature, use, operation and care of large and small bakeshop equipment items such as ovens, ranges, fryers, mixers, ice cream machines, refrigerators, kettles, and blenders

MATH ACROSS THE CURRICULUM I (NMC 101)

• How to employ the principles of mathematics to various bakery applications

Hearth Breads and Rolls (BHB 201)

• Proper procedures for making various types of doughs and shapes

• Preparation of an assortment of breads, loaves, rolls and laminated pastries

Modern Approaches to Baking (BMA 201)

• Preparation of modern techniques and trends, including whole grains, alternative grains, and functional ingredients

• Preparation of products specific for dietary trends, including lower sugar, gluten-free, whole grain, and vegan

Culinary Fundamentals for Baking & Pastry (BCF 201)

• A variety of cooking methods and their applications to a number of meat, fish, poultry, vegetable, grain, and starch-based products.

• Breakfast and brunch dishes.

• Practice preparing multiple finished dishes.

Confectionary Arts (BCA 301)

• Variety of cake decorating mediums and styles of special occasion cakes

• Preparation of decorated cakes for multiple occasions

Individual Production Pastries (BIP 301)

• Preparation of individual dessert varieties

• Assortment of complete individual desserts including appropriate accompaniments and sauces for both plated and buffet presentations

Contemporary Cakes (BCK 301)

• Fundamental principles of preparing contemporary cakes

• Preparation of a variety of contemporary cakes

Chocolate and Confections (BCH 301)

• Preparation of various types and styles of chocolates and other confections

• Assortment of chocolates, candies and other confections for a buffet or mignardise presentation

CAREER DEVELOPMENT (NCD 301)

• Creation of a professional career portfolio including resumes, cover letters and photographs depicting their skills and competencies

• Field trips and research projects to familiarize themselves with various opportunities in the multiple facets of the foodservice industry as well as other related fields

INTRODUCTION TO A LA CARTE (NAD 401)

• Prepare and taste items; receive feedback; and revise recipes, production lists and mise en place plans in preparation for pop-up

BANQUETING & CATERING (NBC 401)

• Application of principles of batch cookery to the basic baking and pastry fundamentals

• Students will plan and execute dessert buffet

Pop-Up Capstone

Before our Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry students complete their six-month certifications, they come together to create a pop-up café as their capstone project. This original concept is dreamed up and executed entirely by the students as their culmination of everything they’ve learned at NOCHI.

Using knowledge gained in previous courses, students design menus, create recipes and develop a budget to support their restaurant concept. Their restaurant is then operated over a four-week period with service to the public.