Psst, wanna see a culinary school final exam?

Posted on | April 10, 2009

Here you go, my first term final exam. I hastily jotted the questions and answers when they were given to us the day before we took the test so it’s not 100% accurate, but it’s pretty close. (And I left out the culinary math … you don’t need the headache!)

If you want to take the test, I’ve placed the correct answers at the end. Do let me know how you do. And good luck!

First term culinary school exam

  1. What kind of metal is the best conductor of heat?
  2. How should you adjust the temperature in a convection oven?
  3. What is the difference between a chinois and a china cap?
  4. What should you do with cheesecloth before you use it?
  5. What is a bundle of herbs called?
  6. What is the correct order for breading?
  7. How do you weigh 2 lb of flour?
  8. What is the advantage of parcooking?
  9. What is the end product of clarified butter?
  10. What does mise en place mean?
  11. What is the temperature range for poaching?
  12. What is the temperature range for simmering?
  13. What is the temperature range for boiling?
  14. What is the temperature range for steaming?
  15. How can cooking alter food?
  16. What is the point where an oil breaks down called?
  17. What is the proportion of a mirepoix?
  18. What is the difference between white stock and brown stock?
  19. What are the four ingredients in stocks?
  20. What are the five elements of taste?
  21. What is the thickener in a puree?
  22. Where does bacon come from?
  23. What should be trimmed from pork tenderloin?
  24. Who are the five people most likely to be effected by a foodborne illness?
  25. What are the potential biological food hazards?
  26. What are the potential chemical food hazards?
  27. What are the potential physical food hazards?
  28. Describe two-stage cooling
  29. What are five ways to control contrast?
  30. We were only told this was a fun question, but when I saw the test, I learned it was to describe your perfect meal

And here are the answers (I’m dying to know how you did; do let me know)

  1. Copper
  2. Decrease by 25 – 50F %
  3. Chinois is fine mesh, china cap is perforated metal
  4. Rinse it.
  5. Bouquet garni
  6. Flour, egg wash, bread crumbs
  7. With a scale
  8. It can assist in food preparation, can remove undesirable flavors, can soften firm foods, can set colors, can shorten cooking times
  9. Butter fat
  10. Everything in its place
  11. 160 – 185
  12. 185 – 205
  13. 212
  14. 212 +
  15. It changes flavor, texture, taste, color
  16. The smoke point
  17. 50% onions, 25% carrots, 25% celery
  18. In brown stock the bones are roasted
  19. Cold liquid, bones, sachet, mirepoix
  20. Sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami
  21. Puree
  22. The belly
  23. Silver skin
  24. Pregnant, elderly, very young, those on medication, those with compromised immune systems
  25. Viruses, parasites, fungi, bacteria
  26. Toxic metals or chemicals
  27. Anything that does not belong in food
  28. 135 F to 70 F in 2 hours; 70 F to 41 F in 4 hours
  29. Color, texture, height, size, shape
  30. Go ahead and describe your perfect meal; but do it in a comment so I can enjoy it with you!

Comments

11 Responses to “Psst, wanna see a culinary school final exam?”

  1. Adrienne
    April 10th, 2009 @ 6:50 am

    Oh dear. I only got about 10 correct! Luckily, I work in an office :)

  2. Dawn
    April 10th, 2009 @ 7:31 am

    This was great…thanks for sharing. I am in my second year of culinary school, so it was nice to see I haven’t forgotten the basics! :o ) Good luck on your schooling. It’s been a great time for me and I hope you are enjoying it as well!

  3. lyricalgirl65
    April 10th, 2009 @ 3:35 pm

    well I knew the food dangers… and who is affected… the senses…. the bouquet garni and mise en place. so I work in healthcare and watch food network. How do you pick one perfect meal? Mine is grilled (take your pick – I’m from texas) sweet potatoes… green beans…. tres leches cake. coffee and kahlua to top it off. oh… and the salad I learned how to make at central market. Thx for the quiz have a lot to learn.

  4. raphael
    April 10th, 2009 @ 5:07 pm

    Follow you and it’s a joy
    …it’s still easy… wait till you go to hotel management school in Lausanne… ha ha ha
    Enjoy your journey, seems like you have fun
    cheers Raphael

  5. Brianna King
    April 10th, 2009 @ 5:30 pm

    I got most right but I have to admit I’m an alum haha. Good luck with your classes. It will be tough but totally worth it in the end.

  6. Lesley
    April 11th, 2009 @ 5:48 am

    I did surprisingly well (the questions involving critters excepted). But is the puree question a trick question?

    My perfect meal? One made by someone else!

  7. AldeaP
    April 11th, 2009 @ 6:18 am

    I got 10 wrong, so knowledge-wise for a non-pro not so bad?

    My perfect meal is complex, several courses, excellent wine pairing and lots of colors and textures. An example would be a recent dinner party: chipotle mussels, jicama tangerine salad, rabbit mole w/mashed sweets and a chocolate raspberry cake for dessert.

    I forgot which wines, but we had a lovely rose and an awesome tempranillo blend, plus with dessert we had an ice wine. Yum!

  8. Sarah
    April 16th, 2009 @ 7:58 am

    I just wanted to say thank you for your blog. It’s so awesome! I wish to attend culinary school sometime in the future, so until then I get to live the experiences through you. Thanks so much for this blog, it’s GREAT!

  9. Chef Justin
    July 5th, 2009 @ 9:31 am

    Over 50% of culinary students drop out after the first year of culinary school. 25% drop out the second. After graduation maybe only 10% realized this is for them. Later only 5% eventually become a chef. Of that 5% less than 3% become something great. Cooking sounds fun. It is fun. Culinary school looks fun. It is fun. Get a job. A real job. 60 hours a week or more. No over time. Chef on your back all night long. It is fun. Only the strong survive. This is no food network. This is no travel channel. This is life cooking in a restaurant. You either love it or you quit. Have fun in culinary school. Wait till you see what’s on the other side. We’ll be waitting for you.

    Cheers.

    Just want to shed some light. Wake up from your daydream.

  10. student
    July 6th, 2009 @ 6:55 am

    Hi all! Update on those statistics in the previous message … I contacted “Chef Justin” and asked him where he got is statistics from. He said:

    “The stats are not real but, an exaderation {sic} of the truth.”

    Thought you should know.

  11. samuel almojela
    January 14th, 2010 @ 5:36 pm

    i learned a lot thank you so much ,coz im preparing for an exam ,do you still some question and answer ?coz i want more ,thanks ,hoping for ur reply

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