The Culinary Institute of America’s ProChef® is an internationally-recognized training program for contemporary chefs and culinary teams. As an Aimbridge property, you now have the opportunity to offer a virtual apprenticeship to your cooks.
Lobster Ink’s expertise in technology-enhanced learning has taken the ProChef® curriculum to the next level. Consisting of 20 courses and 157 lessons, the ProChef® Learning Path is accessible across any device and caters to the demands of the modern kitchen, with self-paced and on-the-job training. Extra course material, such as recipes and other digital content, are also available for download.
While Lobster Ink training can be taken on an associate’s own device, and therefore can be done at any time and anywhere, please note that we are required by law to pay hourly associates for every hour worked. In order to remain compliant, please adhere to the following best practices:
Remember, training is considered work and hourly associates cannot perform work without pay.
Lobster Ink’s proprietary learning methodology, combined with the CIA’s 60+ years of experience, delivers a quintessential online culinary school experience.
To retain its freshness, leafy vegetables need to be prepared with the right technique. This knife skills cooking class will show your team how to chop, cut and mince like professional chefs.
Learn how to produce the perfect Batonnet and Julienne cut with this preview lesson on precision cuts. Mastering these kitchen knife skills will set the scene for swift execution - a crucial skill for any chef.
Making protein-based foods edible often relies on food science to work its magic. The denaturation process is no exception, as it changes the structure of proteins in food, making it edible and digestible.
Food science principles in action, the Maillard Reaction gives protein-based food the distinctive flavor and texture when grilled, fried, baked or roasted. Our ProTip shows how to grill meat to perfection.
Keep greens vibrant during the cooking process with this ProTip from the vegetable cookery course, and up your team’s vegetable preparation game with the fundamental principles of vegetable cookery.
Learn how to make the perfect butternut purée and discover the distinction in taste when using different preparation methods. Our ProTip will also show your team how to save a purée that’s too thin.
A serious kitchen accident or outbreak of foodborne illness can ruin reputations and end careers. Come to grips with kitchen safety measures with our food and kitchen safety awareness training course.
Lessons: 8
Ensuring optimal safety and hygiene standards is vital for every professional chef. Follow the food safety guidelines and train your team on the practices, rules and procedures involved when implementing food safety standards.
Lessons: 10
The best chefs not only make delicious food, they also understand its nutritional importance. Study the fundamentals of nutrition, and learn more about proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals in food.
Lessons: 7
Converting recipes from metric to imperial measurements, or vice versa, can be tricky. Learn all about measurement and weight conversion, ratios in cooking and how to modify recipes depending on the guest amount.
Lessons: 3
Cooking is chemistry and, to cook well, chefs need to understand the principles of food science. This introduction to food science course offers an overview of the six basic principles of food science and how to use them.
Lessons: 6
Things can get pretty heated in a commercial kitchen, and without proper coordination it simply cannot function. Learn about the Kitchen Brigade system and the roles and responsibilities within the kitchen hierarchy.
Lessons: 2
There is no such thing as a good chef with clumsy knife skills. Knowing how to handle, maintain and use different types of knives is crucial. Learn how to chop, slice and cut like a pro with this kitchen knife skills course.
Lessons: 7
If crispy-skinned roast chicken, seared meat, or crunchy fries are on the menu, your team needs to know how to master dry cooking methods. Learn about the benefits of dry heat cooking and get to know its most common techniques.
Lessons: 7
What is moist heat cooking? It’s the process of preparing flavorful dishes using moist cooking methods, such as poaching, braising, stewing and en papillote. Learn about these methods and the benefits of moist heat cooking in this course.
Lessons: 6
A well-prepared stock can make any meal sing. Know more about the foundation of stocks and fumet, the mise en place of stocks and how to prepare a high-quality stock.
Lessons: 9
The sauce production course teaches sauce making basics with a special focus on the grand sauces. Knowing how to prepare different types of roux creates a solid foundation for the preparation of mother sauces.
Lessons: 11
When soup is made well, it shows a chef’s skill and knowledge. This soup course takes learners through the theory of soup and how to prepare various kinds of soup, including consommé, broth, cream soup, bisque and purée soup.
Lessons: 13
One does not simply cook an egg. Learn how to cook eggs with the skill, precision and respect this pantry staple deserves. Learners will also have access to our tried and tested breakfast eggs recipes.
Lessons: 9
This vegetable cookery course teaches the basics of identifying, preparing and cooking vegetables to best preserve color and create appetizing textures.
Lessons: 15
Everyone can make potatoes, but preparing potatoes like a professional chef takes skill. Learn about the components of a potato, how to define different types of potatoes and the best way to cook potatoes.
Lessons: 11
Our pasta making course will teach learners how to make, roll, cook, serve and garnish pasta. Your team will also learn how to cook filled and unfilled pasta, and how to attractively plate pasta. Bon appétit!
Lessons: 6
Grains’ relevance stretches far beyond the cereal section. For a start, they form the basis of the world’s diet. Knowing how to cook grains will take your team one step closer to mastering the foundations of cooking.
Lessons: 5
Legumes are so useful as a food staple that they’ve been grown and harvested for thousands of years. This course teaches the theory and method for soaking and cooking dried legumes, including chickpeas and black beans.
Lessons: 4
Rice is the oldest known food still widely consumed today. This course introduces learners to rice theory, the different types of rice and how to make rice pilaf, risotto, and steamed rice.
Lessons: 4
Fresh, delicate and healthy, the perfect salad is so much more than a pile of lettuce. Learn how to prepare salad, creamy dressings and vinaigrette, and become an expert in balancing textures and flavors in salads.
Lessons: 14