II Level Master Course in Italian Cuisine and Oenology

Nine weeks of theoretical and practical lessons and the opportunity of a practical training period at the best Italian restaurants

The II Level Master Course in Italian Cuisine and Oenology , lasting 180 days, is set out in two parts: the first, with a 55-day length, of theoretical-practical lessons at the ICIF headquarters, supplemented with educational field trips; the second consists in a 120-day professional internship (optional, not included in the subscription cost), at restaurants selected by the school.

The Master teaches regional traditional cuisine and its modern-creative evolution, the basic techniques, the appropriate decorations, the art of presentation and other fundamental notions on agricultural-food products, spices, aromatic herbs, food raw materials, together with a detailed study of wines and oils.

During their stay at the school, all students will be divided into groups and will take turns preparing all of the ingredients necessary for the recipes. They will also be involved in practical tasks carried out in both the kitchen and dining room.

Minimum attendance 12 – maximum 24.

Duration

The Course has a total duration of 6 months:

• 9 weeks of theoretical and practical lessons at the Institute
• 15 weeks of internship (optional) at an Italian restaurant previously selected by the Institute.

Those who can enroll are:

• Holders of diplomas from higher education hospitality institutes or centers
• Foreign and Italian professionals from the food and wine sector
• Workers from the sector with at least three years of documented experience in the hospitality industry worldwide.

Lesson topics

Cooking

• General knowledge and technical vocabulary. Traditional, regional and modern-creative cuisine
• Italian regional cuisine: condiments, herbs and spices, sauces, cold and hot antipasti, cold cuts and salami, fresh, dried and filled pasta, rice, gnocchi, polenta, white and red meats, game, seafood, vegetables, mushrooms, cheeses
• Preparation of the main regional dishes
• Innovative cooking methods (vacuum, low temperature and smoking)
• The drafting of menus for food intolerances

Pastry

• Dry pastries and yeasted doughs, basic creams, meringues, chocolate work
• Preparation of cakes, sweets and traditional small pastries
• Restaurant desserts

Bread-making

• Proving and baking techniques
• Bread-sticks, focaccia and pizza

Ice-cream making

• Basic preparations for ice creams and sorbets
• Ice-cream cakes and semifreddos
• Sorbets in modern cuisine

Wine

• Italian territories and viticulture
• Location of main Italian grape varieties and vinification techniques
• Italian labels: DOP (DOCG e DOC) e IGP (IGT)
• Tasting techniques: terminology, method, sensorial analysis
• Food and wine pairing: specific terms and method, graphical visualization of practical test
• Wine storage criteria and serving techniques

Restaurant

• The food-service concept in Italy. Trattorias, pizzerias, typical and traditional restaurants
• Serving techniques
• Food tastings: methodology, terminology, sensorial analysis, graphical evaluation sheets
• The quest for typical and traditional flavors
• The art of hospitality and service
• How to manage an Italian restaurant

Food products

• Typical products: characteristics, nutritional values and use in diets
• Sensorial analysis of typical products and aromatic herbs
• Processing techniques
• Visits to cultivation and production areas, small laboratories and large food companies

Food & Beverage Management

• Restaurant management
• Marketing Strategies and promoting your own restaurant
• Introduction to the costs and to the Computer System for the calculation of ‘food cost’
• Planning and control of supply for the catering industry
• Creating and promoting a menu

HALAL Certification - Cooking for Muslims

• Theoretical introduction to compliance with the dictates of the Islamic faith by members of HIA (INTERNATIONAL HALAL AUTHORITY)
• Preparation of Italian dishes cooked according to HALAL dietary laws

HACCP and food safety

• Notions of microbiology applied to food
• Main FBD (Food Borne Diseases)
• Main systems for food storage
• Sanitary procedures (hygiene in the workplace, personal hygiene)
• HACCP system
• Correct choice of food contact materials and equipment

Italian language

• Basic knowledge of Italian language and grammar
• Group conversations

The recipes prepared may vary according to the season and to product availability. The number of recipes prepared varies according to their level of difficulty and, in the case of hands-on classes, from the level of skill and speed of execution of the participating students.

Internship (optional)

The professional internship – optional – takes place at the end of the Master Course at restaurants belonging to the Jeunes Restaurateurs d’Europe Association, with which ICIF has stipulated an agreement.

The restaurants for the internship training are selected by ICIF experienced staff. Here the students can put into practice and improve those skills learned during the course, as well as improving their knowledge in their particular area of interest.

The group is divided and each student is sent to a different restaurant.

Board and accommodation are supplied by the restaurateurs hosting the students, who provide them with the accommodation at their disposal.

Fees

The fee for the Master Course is of 10.000,00 Euro. The fee for the Course includes:

• Accommodation at the Institute´s guesthouse in mini-apartments (comprising of two rooms with one, two or three beds and a bathroom) with breakfast included for the period of 9 weeks
• Meals at the School from Monday to Saturday (the School is closed on Sundays and on national holidays)
• Theoretical-practical lessons, as per scheduled program
• Educational material (hand-outs, audio-visual aids, etc.)
• Food products for lessons and tastings
• Use of equipment and tools during lessons in the designated classrooms
• A complete chef´s uniform consisting of: a chef´s jacket with the Institute´s logo, a pair of chef´s pants, an apron with the Institute´s logo and a cotton bandana with the Institute´s logo
• Assistance, during the Course, in the bureaucratic procedures for the issuing of the temporary residence permit and of the tax identification number
• Diploma from the Institute at the completion of the course

Anything not mentioned above is not included.

ADDITIONAL FEES NOT INCLUDED IN THE FEE OF THE COURSE:

• 50 € for the health insurance that covers the basic medical expenses and the expenses or the recover to the Hospital only for accidents during the job time for the whole period of the course (only if the student does not stipulate already a Sanitary Insurance in his proper country).
• 50 € for those who intend to take advantage of the group bus transfer, only upon arrival in Italy, organized by the ICIF Institute on the Sunday before the beginning of the course, from Milan Malpensa airport. The payment of the 50 euro can be done in the balance of the course by bank transfer, or in cash or by credit card at the office of ICIF Direction on the first day of the course.