Hearty Kitchen Academy - Loveland Center

What is HKA?

The Hearty Kitchen Academy develops skills that will last a lifetime and introduces and reinforces the fundamental concepts of food safety, personal kitchen safety, and basic cooking methods and techniques.

How does it work?

The HKA is organized in 2 phases: 

Phase 1 is an introduction to working in a commercial kitchen.  Participants of this program meet on Monday and Tuesdays utilizing classroom lectures with practical application in a professional commercial kitchen. Participants will learn to select, prep, and cook an array of proteins, vegetables, starches, and bakery items. Techniques such as searing, sautéing, simmering, baking, and roasting are reinforced and all safety and sanitation protocols are adhered to in accordance with current FDA regulations. Participants also successfully acquire the skills necessary to clean, rinse and sanitize the kitchen equipment and utensils using a three compartment sink, commercial single-tank dishwasher, and the industry standard two-bucket method.

Phase 2 operates Wednesday through Friday and takes working in a commercial kitchen to the next level.  This phase supports each participant with increasing their food prep, safety, and delivery skills in a faster pace higher intensity environment; as all participants will have the opportunity to showcase their skills each Friday at the Loveland Café.  

Phase 2 participants will know how to:

• Plan and prepare the menu;
• Dress the tables with linen tablecloths and rolled silverware;
• Serve the food restaurant style to all guests;
• Bus the tables and completely clean and sanitize the kitchen.

Why choose Loveland’s HKA?

Skills that will last a lifetime is the main ingredient. While the focus is on culinary training in the food and hospitality industry, practical home cooking skills and healthy eating habits are all strengthened throughout this program.