MOOC Afpa Fall 2016: make room for pastries!
Sign up for MOOC Afpa’s online cooking classes!
The Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) will start this November. Afpa (Adult Professional Training Association) organizes these online cooking classes. The first instalment of these courses took place last spring and it was wildly successful. More than 50,000 individuals signed up to take part.
The course organizers decided to develop a second set of classes that will take place this fall. The theme will concentrate on pastries.
For those of you that did not take part in the first set of classes there is no need to worry about having missed them. The first 5 weeks of the second set of classes will focus on reviewing the basic ideas taught during the first session. These key concepts will be boiled down into a 101 basic cooking techniques class. The following lists a few of the areas that will be covered:
- Specific kitchen terms and vocabulary
- The kitchen
- How cooking as a profession evolved
- How to choose utensils, (cutlery, dishwear, etc.)
The following lists the class schedule for this session:
- Week 1: Vegetables
- Week 2: Eggs, stocks and sauces
- Week 3: Meats
- Week 4: Fish
- Week 5: Pastries and basic creams
The last section of this course covering pastries will be an in-depth 3-week course. During this portion of the 5-week online cooking class you will learn how to make 15 different desserts for the holidays.
The MOOC Afpa cooking classes for fall 2016 have just begun and it is not too late to sign up - it’s free on MOOC’s official website.
Useful information
Online cooking classes: Course content
MOOC’s online cooking classes are aimed at teaching 101 basic techniques! Professionals specializing in the Culinary Arts chose these themes and created the classes. On top of learning a solid foundation of basic cooking skills, during the 3-week section on pastries you will learn how to create silken creams and perfect meringues!
MOOC Afpa’s method for teaching is as follows: students will learn how to follow 15 recipes in the traditional fashion. Then they will be encouraged to elaborate on these recipes using their creativity and imagination.
The pasty portion of these classes will cover classic French cooking techniques as well as contemporary ones, providing you with the skills to create unique dishes, learn new and different cooking techniques and trending food presentations.
Who can take the Mooc Afpa online cooking classes?
The Mooc Afpa online cooking classes are created for professionals and non-professionals alike. If you are looking to perfect your cooking skills, teach yourself or explore a certain culinary topic then these classes are perfect for you!
These classes require no formal training, diploma or prerequisite. They are open to all adults, no matter their age.
Join the MOOC community
These classes put the cherry on the cake with the online Mooc community message board, which allows you to chat with fellow students about your experiences and to discuss topics reviewed in your online cooking classes. This discussion board and a Facebook page are at your disposal.
Get your diploma!
Once you have completed the Mooc Afpa online cooking courses you will be given a course certificate if you have passed the quiz by responding correctly to a minimum of 70% of the questions. Passing should be as simple as pie if you are hardworking and passionate about the subject.
Online cooking class schedule and teachers
Tarts, dough of choice, Christmas training…
During the 3-week Mooc Afpa course the classes dedicated to pastries will cover several topics, including:
- Tarts: Seasonal fruits, Lemon Tart, Tarte Tatin, Cheesecake, Alsacien, Chocolate Tart
- Dough of choice and puff pastry: Paris-Brest, St. Honoré Cake, Éclair, Mille-feuille, pastry decorations
- Desserts and other specialty cakes: Black Forest Cake, Strawberry Cake, Opera Cake, Pear Charlotte Cake, Macaroons, Yule Log Cake
These online courses on pastries were created by leading specialists and professionals from the culinary sector.
Formally trained renowned chefs
Jean-Luc Kerandel
Renowned Chef, Jean-Luc Kerandel was a cooking teacher before he was put in charge of instructing fellow teachers about “food production and the restaurant industry.”
Véronique Roussel
Véronique Roussel was born into a family that was already rich in culinary history and is highly experienced in tourism, hotels and the restaurant industry. She ran a hotel/restaurant called l’Hostellerie du Vieux Moulin in Hédé (Ille-et-Vilaine). Today, she teaches at Afpa in Rennes, France.
Eric Maucuit
Eric Maucuit has a diploma from Hotel Management School and honed his cooking skills while working as chef in the French Riviera’s finest hotels and restaurants. He was chef at Sofitel (ACCOR group), which runs several restaurants. For the past 15 years he has taught future professionals in the restaurant industry at Afpa in Istres (Bouches-du-Rhône).