Essential Functions

The purpose of the essential functions list is to allow prospective students who are considering a career to be informed of the physical, emotional, and psychological demands related to training and employment in a field of study. These lists are provided to allow prospective students to make informed career choices by providing them with a summary of the physical abilities and personality traits that are generally required for the successful completion of a curriculum and result in employment in a field of study after graduation. For students to be successful in the Culinary Arts programs, they must be able to perform the following essential functions:

Ability to Use Senses.

• Visual: Have the acuity to identify color changes in food as it is cooking or in storage and to read fine print on equipment, recipes, or other documents required in a food service operation.
• Hearing: Have the ability to hear cooking sounds and emergency signals (with auditory aids or full-time interpreter for the hearing impaired) and the ability to understand a normal speaking voice without direct access to the speaker's face.
• Smelling: Have the ability to evaluate quality of ingredients and distinguish aromas in order to evaluate cooking techniques and determine proper methodologies of recipes.
• Taste: Have the ability to determine flavor profiles in relationship to ingredients used in recipes for basic food preparations.

Motor Ability.

• Have the physical ability to walk long distances and stand for long periods of time; to lift, move, and transfer equipment or foods of at least 50 pounds; and to maneuver in limited space.
• Have the ability to work while in hot/humid and/or cold conditions.
• Have the manual dexterity to use knives and other small and large equipment efficiently and safely while wearing essential food safety gloves and/or other necessary sanitation wear.

Ability to Understand Food Safety.

• Have a practical awareness of cross-contamination, time/temperature abuse, and food-borne illnesses.
• Be able to wear necessary food safety gear such as gloves and head covering.
• Be able to maintain a sanitary environment at all times.

Ability to Communicate.

• Be able to communicate effectively in verbal and written forms to class partners and/or team and to instructors.
• Be able to write and perform routine mathematical calculations clearly and correctly.
• Have basic proficiency in technology (computers and peripheral components).

Ability to Solve Problems.

• Have the intellectual and conceptual ability for measuring, calculating, reasoning, analyzing, and prioritizing daily functions in today's kitchens.
• Be able to work in a fast-paced environment with a sense of urgency without jeopardizing the safety of themselves or others.
• Be able to react and adjust as instructed by the chef during production or service time in order to meet the needs of guests.

Ability to Maintain Emotional Stability.

• Be able to function safely under stress in today's kitchens and adapt to changing staff and client situations.
• Be able to maintain composure and professionalism at all times in culinary labs.

Ability to Perform Practical Outcomes.

• Be able to function under the practical guidelines of cooking techniques under timed kitchen labs.