The Academy of Baking & Pastry Arts provide students an array of academic options that include college preparatory, honors and concurrent college/high school classes. These academies prepare students for post-secondary education and/or careers in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts. Students in the academies spend two hours each day concentrating in their career theme. They experience classes in the critical areas of the culinary professions including Regional and International Cuisine, Commercial Baking, Pastry Arts and Garde’ Manager skills.
The Academy of Baking & Pastry Arts offers students the opportunity to learn from a dedicated staff, who, in addition to their teaching certifications, are experienced professionals in the baking & pastry arts field. On a daily basis, students utilize GCIT's professional baking equipment to prepare a variety of items including breads, cookies and cakes.
Students will attend class each day and learn baking & pastry theories. At times, class will include notetaking, homework, tests, videos, demonstrations, and reports. Students not only learn recipes and techniques, but also the responsibilities of running a kitchen. This includes how to budget and order ingredients, how to determine product costs, and food safety.
After theory/review, students move to the kitchen to complete the “hands-on” portion of the program. Students are assigned to stations in the kitchen on a rotating basis so they may learn the importance of each position. This includes measuring ingredients/prep, baking, decorating, and sanitizing.
Baking students gain real life experiences in the GCIT kitchen and bake shop, as they prepare a variety of baked goods for the staff cafe and GCIT's Fresh Start Bakery. The bakery is open to the public several days a week and features a number of items including seasonal items for Christmas, St. Patrick's Day, Valentine's Day and more.
As juniors, Baking & Pastry Arts students are members in good standing with many professional organizations including ProStart, American Culinary Federation, National Restaurant Association, Retail Bakers Association, and Professional Chef Association of South Jersey. Many of our graduates attend a culinary or pastry college, and GCIT has articulation agreements with Johnson and Wales University, Atlantic Cape Community College, and Culinary Institute of America.
GCIT prepares students for success. Graduates of the Academy of Baking & Pastry Arts have been accepted into prestigious colleges, become successful business owners, and are climbing the ladder of success at renowned restaurants and baking/pastry establishments.
