Our flagship 101 is the most important, eye-opening, rewarding, and comprehensive 25+ hours of food education you will ever receive.
The 101 will empower you to:
- Finally, understand the WHY behind the what, how, and when
- Thinking about techniques as choices not just instructions
- Think in a chef's language. Like artisans do
- Set up you kitchen as your personal studio
- Improvise with ingredients and flavour
- Teach and influence others
What's Inside the Fundamentals 101?
- We blend, “OH, so that’s how it’s done!” discoveries with, “AH, so that’s why!” moments. These are the same experiences that also get our professional culinary students excited.
- 25+ hours of combined theory and practice equivalent to our popular brick-and-mortar Basics I course.
- All content is from our brick-and-mortar professional culinary program - the best reviewed in North America.
Course Curriculum
- Tools and Language of the Craft
- Knife Handling Techniques
- Kitchen IQ
- Moist & Dry Techniques
- Heat and Maillard Reactions
- Protein Coagulation
- Mind’s Palate & Plating
- The Art of Entertainment
What’s Included
Your Fundamentals 101 tuition includes the following:
- The 101 Course
We constantly make adjustments to our courses. When new content gets added to 101, you’ll automatically get access to those changes… forever.
- The Northwest Method Handbook
You’ll receive a PDF version of the very same handbook our pro students study from. We continually forage and vet the latest what, how, why, who, when, and where of food and pass it along to you.
- Supplemental Resources
You’ll get access to the 101 FAQs Podcast and student-only emails and updates to keep bringing fresh ideas to your table.
The Graduate Perks
When you graduate from the 101 course, you’ll also have access to the following:
- Continue your education
Students who complete Fundamentals 101 will receive exclusive bundles, bonuses, and special access to additional courses.
- Additional content
Access to other audio and video perks—experiments in our professional kitchens, new recipe developments, interesting tidbits of newly foraged and vetted information.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the class taught? Virtual or through videos?
These are not live “Zoom” classes with a cohort of students set at specific dates and times. We use the Thinkific platform, a Vancouver company (two grads of our live enthusiast classes have worked for them). The benefit of this is you decide the times and pace that work best for you. You can also redo and replay any lesson you want, any time.
What skill level do I need to be at?
If you lack confidence and essential skills, great, we’re exactly what you need. If you have some basic skills and are looking to level up, also great. We’ll take you there and teach you well beyond the fundamentals.
How do I get feedback?
At the end of every lesson there will be an area where you can post pictures of your practices and receive feedback from an instructor as well as your fellow students. We’re not looking for perfection, but looking to assess your natural progressions.
What if I have questions?
We accumulate pressing questions from students monthly, select the most common ones, and answer them with a video/audio discussion. You’ll have access to a private podcast feed for your listening enjoyment and convenience.
Can I skip the 101 and go straight into the other courses?
Firstly, we teach a method that is different from what you might expect. So we can’t emphasize enough how important it is that we’re all on the same page. We can’t force you to take the 101 first. But, once we move on to any other course past the 101, we need to make sure everyone is familiar with our lingo, rhythm, and the details behind all the techniques and flow.
But what if I really, really, really want to go straight to other courses?
We get students in our Pro classes with several years of industry experience who still don’t have the fundamentals they think they have. Even the seasoned cooks who have taken our Basics I course learned significantly more than they expected.
Do I get anything when I finish the 101 course?
When you complete all the lessons in the 101 course, you’ll unlock a special graduation gift—an ever-growing collection of podcasts, videos, and other goodies that we’ve been foraging and curating over the years. Oh, and you’ll get a Completion Certificate too!
What’s the deal with the Graduate Courses?
The next family of courses will include themes from our professional culinary and pastry/bread programs. They follow the same pattern as the Fundamentals 101, but assume you already have the knowledge and skills garnered from completing the 101 course. To view the full list of Graduate courses, click here.
Unlock the Graduate Courses
As a graduate of the Fundamentals 101 course, you’ll unlock the ability to continue your education with our a-la-carte course options at exclusive discounts. Pick and choose what you’d like to learn next.
The courses will become available over the next few months. In fact, Fundamentals 201 and Best of Italy are available now!
Pastry Doughs Fundamentals
Coming 2023
Cake Decorating Fundamentals
Coming 2023
Chocolate Fundamentals
Coming 2023
Artisanal Breads Fundamentals
Coming 2023
Pastry Fundamentals 101
Coming 2023
Plant-Based Fundamentals II
Coming 2023