Basic Culinary Training Division | Initial Entry Training (IET)

Course Description

The entry-level Culinary Specialist course consists of eight weeks, two days of extensive hands-on training (75 percent) on US Army and US Marine Corps food service-related equipment. Within this curriculum, we train over 4,000 Soldiers and Marines annually.

During the training phase, students are provided an extensive classroom and hands-on exposure to the equipment they will be operating at their permanent duty stations. This provides the students experience, knowledge, and confidence in their abilities to perform the day-to-day operations upon graduation.

The training subjects are covered in classroom, kitchen laboratory, garrison, and field training environments involving both instructor led and hands-on training areas:

Techniques of Cooking

Students are instructed in knife sharpening, cutting, scaling, and weighing procedures
Garnishing
Salads and salad dressings
Eggs, cereal, and breakfast products
Soups, sauces, gravy, and dressings
Vegetables
Potato and pasta products
Beef, poultry, and seafood

The students complete a written and performance examination on required skills and knowledge in cooking terms, utensils, measuring, weighing, recipes, and basic cooking principles. A hands-on performance oriented test is designed to evaluate student's ability to produce four standard products IAW the recipe card.

Small Quantity Baking

Students are instructed in baking utensils and equipment
Cookies, pies, cakes, and frosting
Yeast and sweet dough products

The students complete a written and performance examination on baking terms, utensils used in baking, and basic principles of baking. A hands-on performance test is designed to evaluate the student's ability to produce four standard baked items IAW recipe card.