These hands-on, 30-hour courses offer a dynamic gateway into the essential skills, methods, and flavor systems that define global culinary excellence. Designed for culinary professionals seeking to deepen their technical mastery, each course focuses on one key component of foundational technique to demonstrate how skills like developing global soups and stocks, creating international sauces, applying core cooking methods, working with grains and plant-based ingredients, and composing globally inspired salads, sandwiches, and breakfasts reflect the ways that cuisines take shape across the globe.
These courses also offer an interconnected foundation that supports the advanced global expectations of the ProChef® Level II and III exams. More importantly, they help chefs think like global culinarians by strengthening their ability to recognize patterns across cuisines, adapt techniques with intention, and bring cultural awareness to the plate—all in an engaging, hands-on environment that encourages curiosity and growth.
These courses are taught by an exceptional team of CIA chefs whose global expertise brings each topic to life. Chef Phil Crispo, Chef Bruce Mattel, Chef Rebecca Piezer, Chef Hinnerk von Bargen, Chef Victor Gielisse and Chef Howie Velie draw on careers that span across international culinary research, global curriculum design, plant-forward innovation, and cross-continental teaching. Their experience ensures that every course is grounded in authentic technique, cultural context, and advanced professional skill.
Global Sauce Fundamentals
Join CIA Chef Bruce Mattel, former Senior Associate Dean, to discover how the right sauce can transform any dish from simple to unforgettable. In this 30-hour course, participants will prepare a variety of globally inspired sauces, including Indian chutneys, French coulis, Asian glazes, and Mediterranean spreads. Participants will explore the techniques, ingredients, and flavor profiles that make these sauces central to their cuisines, while learning to balance spice and acidity and highlight elements such as umami and freshness. They will also be introduced to a range of thickening agents and methods that support these preparations. Along the way, participants will deepen their understanding of global flavor systems, practice diverse sauce-making methods, and learn how to adapt these techniques to create innovative sauces that honor the world’s culinary traditions.
Chef Mattel, having pioneered the CIA degree program’s global culinary concentration curricula, is an expert in global flavor systems, sauce development, and contemporary thickening agents and methods.
Hyde Park Campus
February 9, 2026 – February 13, 2026
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San Antonio Campus
June 2, 2026 – July 1, 2026
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Global Cooking Methods
While ingredients and flavors may change, the core techniques of cooking travel across cultures. In this course, participants will explore and prepare international dishes such as Tagines, Moles, Stir-fries, Curries, and a myriad of other regional favorites while focusing on multiple applications of dry and moist-heat cooking methods. Dishes will follow a plant-forward approach with smaller portions of animal proteins used in a supporting capacity.
Throughout this course, participants will also apply the cooking methods learned to craft sauces and complementary accompaniments, discovering how these methods impact overall menu composition and flavor.
This course will be delivered in two, 30-hour modules. Module 1 will focus on Dry Heat applications and Module 2 will focus on Moist Heat applications. While participants are encouraged to take both modules, they may enroll in one or the other.
This course will be taught by CIA Chef Rebecca Piezer, one of CIA’s most diverse and cutting-edge instructors. She has spent extensive time studying and codifying iconic international dishes and calls on this expertise to translate them into a plant-forward framework that brings new possibilities to classic preparations.
Module 1 – Dry Heat Applications
Hyde Park Campus
February 23, 2026 – February 27, 2026
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San Antonio Campus
January 13, 2026 – February 11, 2026
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Module 2 – Moist Heat Applications
Hyde Park Campus
March 2, 2026 – March 6, 2026
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San Antonio Campus
February 24, 2026 – March 25, 2026
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Grains, Legumes, Noodles, and More
Whole grains, legumes, and other plant-based ingredients form the foundation of satisfying, flavorful meals. In this 30-hour course, participants will learn to identify both familiar and international grains, legumes, noodles, tubers, and vegetables and prepare them using global flavors and techniques. Participants will gain hands-on skills, and a deeper understanding of how these ingredients can be prepared to maximize their flavor, texture, and versatility.
This course will be taught by CIA Chef Howie Velie. Chef Velie, a former Culinary Associate Dean, spent many years teaching at the CIA’s Singapore campus and traveling extensively throughout Asia and beyond. He is a member of the World Master Chefs Society and holds a Culinary Medicine Certification.
Hyde Park Campus
March 30, 2026 – April 3, 2026
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San Antonio Campus
March 30, 2026 – April 14, 2026
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Global Salads and Sandwiches
Sandwiches, bowls, and other hand-held grab-and-go items are at the forefront of today’s foodservice trends, offering guests fresh, portable, and flavor-driven options. In this 30-hour course, participants will prepare a wide selection of traditional and global sandwiches, including bánh mì, tacos, piadinas, and sandos, while developing skills in layering flavors, textures, and presentation. Participants will also explore globally inspired salads, bowls, and dressings that can stand alone as satisfying main courses, complement menus as sides, or serve as versatile components in other recipes. By the end of the course, participants will gain a toolkit of versatile, on-trend items that appeal to modern diners and work across a variety of service formats.
Hyde Park Campus
April 13, 2026 – April 17, 2026
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San Antonio Campus
July 7, 2026 – August 5, 2026
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Global Culinary Foundations
Strong culinary foundations connect kitchens across the globe. In this 30-hour course, participants will explore the fundamentals of culinary technique through a global lens. The course begins with an introduction to knife handling, including proper care, maintenance, and practice with a range of common knife cuts. From there, participants will prepare stocks, broths, and other bases from scratch and compare these to their commercial counterparts. Using these bases, participants will apply their skills to create a variety of iconic global soups, including Japanese ramen, Vietnamese pho, and Mexican caldo. By the end of this course, participants will gain practical insight into how different cultures build flavor and structure from the same basic techniques.
This course will be taught by CIA Chef Phil Crispo. Chef Crispo has spent his culinary career traveling the globe to explore regional cuisines and flavor systems His travels have taken him on journeys through India and Asia, and most recently to Sardinia and Oaxaca. Chef Crispo has presented at CIA’s Worlds of Flavor conference and is recognized as a highly respected member of the culinary community.
San Antonio Campus
April 28, 2026 – May 27, 2026
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Menu Innovation, Composition, and Plating
From concept to table, learn to craft dining experiences that captivate guests from first sight to last bite. In this 30-hour course, participants will use a guided market table approach to explore diverse cooking techniques and transform global ingredients into thoughtfully composed dishes and menus. Participants will develop skills in plating for main courses, sharables, small plates, buffet presentations, and even non-traditional service formats like disposable, take-away, and grab-and-go items. Participants will leave with practical techniques to elevate both the visual appeal and overall impact of their culinary creations.
Hyde Park Campus
May 11, 2026 – May 15, 2026
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International Breakfast
Start the day the global way! Every culture has its own take on breakfast. In this 30-hour course, participants will immerse themselves in these global traditions, from Western-style bacon and eggs to Mexican tetelas, Asian congee, and Hawaiian musubi. Participants will gain skills in preparing eggs, cereals, quick breads, and accompaniments, while also discovering the diverse flavors and techniques that shape breakfast traditions around the world.
Hyde Park Campus
May 18, 2026 – May 22, 2026
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