Spring 2026 Course Syllabus
Course: CHEF-1340 (Section: 1, CRN: 11597)
Meat Preparation and Cooking 		LSCPA Logo Image
Instructor Information
Instructor Michelle Watson
Email watsonma@lamarpa.edu
Phone (409) 681-4311
Office Press - Room: 106C
Office Hours Mon-Thurs 7:30am-9am
Mon-Thurs 3:30pm-4:30pm
Additional Contact Information Office #-409-681-4311
Course Information
Description Study of the preparation, storage, and cooking techniques for beef, pork, lamb, poultry, seafood, and game. Includes moist,dry, and combination heat preparation methods as related to both classical and modern methods of preparation of dishes.
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.

Home Butchering Handbook 

eBook

by Angela England; Jamie Waldron (9781615643424) 
Additional Materials/Resources
Hat or Hair Net
Chef Coat
Black Pants 
Slip Resistant Shoes
Knife Kit
Apron
Corequisites/Prerequisites None
Learning Outcomes
  • Students will demonstrate competency in identifying, handling, fabricating, and preparing meat, poultry, seafood, and related products by applying industry-standard sanitation practices, fabrication techniques, and appropriate cooking methods to achieve required quality, safety, flavor, texture, and presentation standards.
  • Students will identify and procure appropriate meat cuts through purchasing insights, inventory and financial know how, while maintaining safety and sanitation standards.
Program Student Learning Outcomes •Identify concepts, terms, and phrases associated with the culinary arts and hospitality industry.
•Identify and implement sanitation and safety procedures and regulations as required in the industry.
•Use fundamental cooking and baking techniques as well as advanced cooking skills.
•Identify and use advanced food service management theory, including food and labor cost controls, labor regulations, tax laws , tip reporting, franchise regulations and product liability laws.
Lecture Topics Outline

Week 

Topic Area 

Key Focus 

1 

Orientation & Eggs 

Course intro; egg cookery basics 

2–3 

Poultry 

Lecture + lab on poultry fabrication & cooking 

4–5 

Principles of Meat Cookery 

Core concepts (heat transfer, doneness, etc.) 

6–8 

Beef 

Lecture + extensive hands-on beef prep 

8–9 

Veal & Lamb 

Techniques and cooking methods 
Sausage/Jerky making 101

10–11 

Fish & Seafood 

Identification, prep, cookery 
Group Project

12–13 

Pork & Game 

Pork prep and game protein work 

14 

Review 

Final exam prep 

15 

Final Practical & Written Exams 

Capstone assessments 

16 

Deep Cleaning/Wrap-up 

Lab clean-up and kitchen closure 

Major Assignments Schedule
Week 1: Syllabus review. Course overview. History of Butchery. Professional Butchery. Basic Principles and Concepts.
Eggs. Egg cookery. Eggs Explained. Culinary Applications. All things Knives.
Week 2:  Poultry. Cookery, Types, Methods
Week 3:   Fundamental Principles and Best Practices applied. Industry Trends and Methods
Week 4:  Beef. Primal, Sub-Primal. Fabricated cuts. Guest lecturer. Test wks. 1-4
Week 5:   Lamb and Veal. Primal, Sub-Primal. Fabricated cuts. The Basics. 
Week 6:  Sausage and Jerky making 101. 
Week 7:  Forced Meats. Seafood: Fish, Crustaceans, and Shellfish
Week 8:  Sausages, Pâtés, Terrines. Test wks.1-7
Week 9:  Pork and Game, Garnishments and Decorative Techniques. Competition Cooking. Guest Lecturer.
Week 10:  Group Menu assignment.
Week 11:  Fabrication and Knife work review. Recipe mastery.
Week 12   Course Review. Test wks. 1-12
Week 13: Menu Planning, production and execution, Procurement, Inventory and Pricing 
Week 14: Table displays and set ups. Action Stations. Executing Party Menus and Themed Buffets 
Week 15:  Menu Assignment. Practical Final
Final Exam Date May 7, 2026 - 9:0 AM   Through  May 7, 2026 - 12:0 AM
Grading Scale  90 - 100=A 80 - 89=B  70 - 79=C   60 - 69=D  Below 59 = F
Determination of
Final Grade		 Tests - 35%, Quizzes - 5%, Assignments - 20%,  Class Participation 15%, Attendance 10%, Final Exam - 15%
Course Policies
Instructor Policies Due dates are given and enough time is given to complete all work. No make-up work unless approved.
 
There will be a practical final exam in the kitchen. All students must take the exam on the scheduled date and time, failure to do so will effect your final grade.
 
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. 
 
Please complete work assigned in Blackboard-in Blackboard-No emailed work is accepted.
 
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. Please stay off your phone! No blue tooth technology or recording of lectures in any format (unless approved by the instructor). 

No ear buds in the classroom or the kitchen.
 
Students must be in a clean uniform and in full uniform at all times. If you do not show up in full uniform you will be sent home to do so. You may use the kitchen washer/dryer to clen your uniform if you need to do so.
Hair must be worn off the shoulder with a hat or secured with a hair net while in the kitchen.
 
Attendance Policy Attendance is worth 10% of you overall grade for this class.

If you are more than 15 minutes late you will be marked absent for the day.
If you are more than 15 minutes late you will not be admitted to the class.
No one is allowed to leave class early unless it's an emergency. 

Absent to class- please notify me or email me. You must have a valid excuse.
You may be asked for a Doctors note or other written proof to excuse an absence. 
Additional Information Please bring a pen to class with you everyday.

Each and every student is responsible for cleaning up after themselves.
This includes every dish or piece of equipment you used. (spoons to blenders and everything in between)
Your work station, including the table and floor.
Communal equipment such as the stove, the oven and the dish room and the floor around them, everything you touch.

The Chef will stop class with enough time for students to clean during class time.
Students will work as a team to clean at the end of class.
All sinks must be emptied of dishes and debris, drained and wiped down.
The dish machine must be emptied, drained and turned off. Leave it open to dry.
All clean dishes must be put on the drying rack to air dry.
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.
Large kitchen maintenance and deep cleaning projects will be carried out by students as needed, and counted as lab time, to maintain a spotless and organized kitchen.

Students will take turns sweeping and mopping at the end of each class.
Students will take turns taking out the trash at the end of each class or when the Chef requires it.
Students will be responsible for checking in and putting away deliveries when they arrive.
Students will take turns sweeping and mopping the walk-in refrigerator and the dry storage when necessary.
If you make a mess you will be responsible for cleaning it up.
Cleaning will be counted as part of class participation and will effect your overall grade.

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.
 Without the permission of the Chef, no one will be permitted to leave class before the rest of the class is dismissed for any reason,
unless it is an emergency.
Do not go behind the counter of the Bistro or help yourself to things in the Bistro for any
reason.

Do not pack-up the food you have made until everyone in the class has had an opportunity to taste it.
Do not assume that all food you make is for you to take home.
From time to time you will be asked to prepare items that will then be used on projects in other classes or for departmental needs or functions.

DO NOT LEAVE FOR THE DAY WITHOUT DOING A WALKTHROUGH WITH 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 behind the counter of the Bistro or
help yourself to things in the Bistro for any
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.
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
Commercial Music, Visual and Performing Arts
Chair:CASP
Email:CASP
Phone:(409) 983-4921