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Fall 2025 Course Syllabus
Course: CHEF-1341 (Section: 1, CRN: 93460) American Regional Cuisine |
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| Instructor Information | |||||||||
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| Instructor | Michelle Watson | ||||||||
| watsonma@lamarpa.edu | |||||||||
| Phone | (409) 681-4311 | ||||||||
| Office | Press - Room: 106C | ||||||||
| Office Hours | (M-TR 8am-9am, M-TR 1pm-3pm) | ||||||||
| Additional Contact Information | 409-681-4311 | ||||||||
| Course Information | |||||||||
| Description | A study of the development of regional cuisine's in the United States with emphasis on the similarities in production and service systems. Application of skills to develop, organize, and acquire knowledge of recipe strategies and production systems. | ||||||||
| Required Textbooks |
Textbook Purchasing Statement: A student attending Lamar State College Port Arthur is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from the college-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer.
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| Additional Materials/Resources |
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| Corequisites/Prerequisites | None | ||||||||
| Learning Outcomes |
A study of the development of regional cuisine's in the United States with emphasis on the histories, similarities in production and service systems. Application of skills to develop, organize, and acquire knowledge of indigenous ingredients, recipe strategies and production systems. |
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| Program Student Learning Outcomes |
Compare the unique similarities and differences in American cuisines and their regions. Explain the importance of the immigration phenomena in the shaping of American cuisine. Understand the historical limitations of using regional crops, preservation techniques and the use of seasonal heirloom recipes. Produce regional cuisine recipes which employ standard principles, concepts, and quality factors. |
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| Lecture Topics Outline |
New England Cuisine Southern Cuisine Mid-Atlantic Cuisine Chesapeake Bay Cuisine Appalachian Cuisine Southern Louisiana-Cajun and Creole Tex-Mex/Southwestern Cuisine California Cuisine Pacific Northwest Cuisine Hawaiian Cuisine New York City Cuisine Floribbean Cuisine |
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| Major Assignments Schedule |
Week 1-2 Intro to American Regional Cuisine Factors that shape Cuisine Topography and Geography Attitudes and Influences New England Region Clam Boils Week 3 Southern Cuisine Plantation Early South Micro-Cuisines Iconic recipes Soul food Week 4 Mid-Atlantic Cuisine Maryland Gullah Colonial and Slave Influences Test Week 5 Chesapeake Bay Cuisine Seafood and Fishing Culture Sustainability Technology Development Crabbing in the Chesapeake Bay Test Week 6 Appalachian Cuisine Traditional practices and ingredients Farm to Table Foraging and Preserving Hiking the Appalachian Trail Week 7 Southern Louisiana Cuisine Cajun vs Creole Traditions and Influences Indigenous People and Settlers Soul Food Test Week 8 Tex-Mex and Southwestern Cuisine Fusions Traditions vs Cultural Influences Key Ingredients Latin American Influences Week 9 California Cuisine Alice Waters and Wolfgang Puck Key Ingredients Formation of Cuisines Major Cities Signature Dishes Week 10 Pacific Northwest Farm to Table Local Ingredients Indigenous Traditions Climate Change and Salmon Spawning Test Week 11 Hawaiian Cuisine Unique History Polynesian and Asian Culture Traditions and Modern Interpretations Medicinal and Spiritual uses of traditional ingredients Week 12 NYC Cuisine Melting Pot Signature dishes Cultural Influences Explore NYC through it's immigrant past Pop-ups Global Cultures and Cuisines Take Home Assignment Week 13 Floribbean Cuisine Local Ingredients Contemporary Cooking Miami and South Florida Cuba Israeli Food in South Florida Caribbean and Puerto Rico Test Week 14-16 Practical Exam Research and Preparation Other Cuisines and Regional American Food Traditions may be covered in this class. |
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| Final Exam Date | December 1, 2025 - 9:0 AM Through December 2, 2025 - 11:0 AM | ||||||||
| Grading Scale | 90 - 100=A 80 - 89=B 70 - 79=C 60 - 69=D Below 59 = F | ||||||||
| Determination of Final Grade |
Tests - 40%, Assignments/Projects - 15%, Final Exam - 20%, Discussion/Lab 15% Attendance 10% |
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| Course Policies | |||||||||
| Instructor Policies |
LATE WORK is highly discouraged and will incur a 10 point penalty for every day it is late. Due dates are given and provide enough time to complete all work. There will be a practical final exam. All students must take the exam on the scheduled date and time, and failure to do so will result in a 0 on the final exam. Every student MUST have a copy of the required textbooks by the SECOND week of class. The student will still be responsible for any assignments given. Students are responsible for completing all assignments. A failure to follow oral and/or written instructions will result in penalties. Academic dishonesty will result in a zero on any assignment; a second incidence of academic dishonesty will be handled based on campus policies and procedures with the department chair. No cell phones should be visible or heard during class. No earbuds or listening devices. This includes classroom and lab/kitchen. Students must be in a clean uniform and in full uniform at all times. If you show up to class out of uniform or in a dirty uniform you will be sent home. You may use the kitchen washer/dryer to clean your uniform if you need to. Hair must be neat and off the shoulder with a hat or secured in hair net. No large earrings or dangling jewelry. No heavy perfumes or colognes. IN THE KITCHEN/LAB- All students are required to clean up after themselves. Students must clean ALL of their own dishes, any and all equipment used and work stations top and bottom. Including floors and counters and all surfaces. Dish room, sinks, walk-ins and refrigeration. Each class will sweep and mop and take out the trash to the dumpster at the end of class every day. Please lock the gate behind you. Large kitchen maintenance and deep cleaning projects will be assigned regularly and counted as lab time as needed to keep up with maintaining a spotless and organized kitchen. Students will put dishes away from the previous class before starting cooking for the day. Proper storage and rotation of food deliveries and maintaining organization of stored foods will be the responsibility of students as instructed by the Chef. No student will be excused from the kitchen until they are checked out by the Chef. All students will stay until all cleaning is complete and the class will be excused as a group together. Please schedule work around class time. No one will be permitted to leave class before the rest of the class is dismissed, unless it is an emergency. No food is to leave the kitchen without permission of the Chef. Do not go in the Bistro during class hours, Do not go behind the counter of the Bistro or help yourself to things in the Bistro for any reason. |
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| Attendance Policy |
Attendance is 10% of your grade in this class. Frequent absences will have a negative impact on your grade. Students more than 15 minutes late will be marked absent for the day. Students more than 15 minutes late will not be allowed to join the class that day. I will not let you join the rest of the class in lab if you are more than 15 minutes late to class. Please notify me if you will be absent. Please speak with me if you have an issue that needs to be discussed privately. |
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| Additional Information |
A hat must be worn in the kitchen at all times. If you don't have one, a hairnet will be provided. Students clean as a team. Everyone must stay until all the clean-up is done. No exceptions. Please do not take this class if you can't work it around your work schedule. Students must be checked-out upon completion of clean-up before you can leave for the day. No food is to exit the building (including food you make) without permission from the Chef. Do not go behind the counter in the Bistro for any reason. Do not go in the Bistro during class. Please park in the parking lot across the street from the Police Station. |
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| Institutional Policies | |||||||||
| MyLSCPA | Be sure to check your campus email and Course Homepage using MyLSCPA campus web portal. You can also access your grades, transcripts, academic advisors, degree progress, and other services through MyLSCPA. | ||||||||
| Academic Honesty | Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSCPA policies (Academic Dishonesty section in the Student Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty. | ||||||||
| ADA Considerations | The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Disability Services Coordinator, Room 117, in the Student Sucess Center. The phone number is (409) 984-6241. | ||||||||
| COVID 19 Information | The Lamar State College Port Arthur (LSCPA) Student Code of Conduct COVID 19 Policy requires students who have been diagnosed with COVID 19 to report their condition directly to their local health department. Students should also contact their course faculty to report their quarantine status. In addition, this policy requires all students to wear face coverings when directly exposed to COVID 19 in compliance with the criteria included in the policy. For more information please refer to the COVID 19 link on the LSCPA website. | ||||||||
| Facility Policies | No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. Use of electronic devices is prohibited. | ||||||||
| HB 2504 | This syllabus is part of LSCPA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504. | ||||||||
| Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect | As per Texas law and LSCPA policy, all LSCPA employees, including faculty, are required to report allegations or disclosures of child abuse or neglect to the designated authorities, which may include a local or state law enforcement agency or the Texas Department of Family Protective Services. For more information about mandatory reporting requirements, see LSCPA's Policy and Procedure Manual. | ||||||||
| Title IX and Sexual Misconduct | LSCPA is committed to establishing and maintaining an environment that is free from all forms of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, sexual violence, and other forms of sexual misconduct. All LSCPA employees, including faculty, have the responsibility to report disclosures of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual assault (including rape and acquaintance rape), domestic violence, dating violence, relationship violence, or stalking, to LSCPA's Title IX Coordinator, whose role is to coordinate the college's response to sexual misconduct. For more information about Title IX protections, faculty reporting responsibilities, options for confidential reporting, and the resources available for support visit LSCPA's Title IX website. | ||||||||
| Clery Act Crime Reporting |
For more information about the Clery Act and crime reporting, see the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report and the Campus Security website. |
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| Grievance / Complaint / Concern | If you have a grievance, complaint, or concern about this course that has not been resolved through discussion with the Instructor, please consult the Department Chair. | ||||||||
| Department Information |
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