This foundation module introduces Gastronomy and Culinary Arts. Learners who successfully complete this module will gain a historical and cultural overview, understanding and knowledge of the gastronomic world. This module provides an informative survey of political, economic, social, intellectual and cultural history of the diverse nature of gastronomy. The latter will be explored through Archaeology, Anthropology, Sociology and History.
Unit 1 - What is Gastronomy?
The relevance of gastronomy in culinary arts and the wider social community
Unit 2 - Prehistory and the Agricultural Revolution
Food and cooking before 10,000 BC; human evolution and the link to food and cooking; hunting, gathering; the beginning of agriculture; the domestication of animals
Unit 3 - The Cradle of (European) Civilisation
The Fertile Crescent and Ancient Egypt; characteristics and legacies of the first civilisations; agriculture and diet; characteristics of the Ancient Egyptian civilisation; significance of grain, beer and bread to ancient civilisations
Unit 4 - Ancient Greece and Imperial Rome
The interplay of geography, politics and cuisine in Ancient Greece and Imperial Rome; their characteristics and legacy on modern culture and cuisine; the sacramental foods: olive oil, bread, wine;
Unit 5 - The (European) Middle Ages
Feudalism; fasting and feasting; the power of the Church; markets and fairs; the Guilds; the Medieval table
Unit 6 - The Age of Exploration
The first explorers; the spice trade; American civilisations; the Columbian Exchange; the plantations, slavery and the Atlantic triangular trade
Unit 7 - New World New Needs
The arrival of new world foods in Europe; the potato
Unit 8 - The Birth of the Restaurant
France's rise to prominence in Europe; La Varenne; 18th and 19th century Paris; coffee shops, taverns and restaurants; the French Revolution and its consequences; the first restaurant reviewers and food writers
Unit 9 - The First Celebrity Chefs
The life, work and legacy of Antonin Carême; Alex Soyer; the influence of food and 19th century scientific thought on the domestic and culinary scene
Unit 10 - Celebrity Chefs of the 20th century
The life, work and legacy of Auguste Escoffier; the partnership of Escoffier and César Ritz in the socio-political context of the period
Unit 11 - The Rise of the Restaurant
The development of French cuisine in the late 19th and early 20th century; public dining; the beginning of the hospitality and tourism trade in Europe
Unit 12 - Cuisine and Food Culture after 1945
Gastronomy after 1945; Fernand Point, Paul Bocuse and the rise of Nouvelle Cuisine; modern movements in European gastronomy such as Molecular Gastronomy and Nordic Cuisine; Chefs and the media
This module will be delivered through lectures, seminars, guest lectures and tutorials.
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Formal Examination | 50 |
| Other Assessment(s) | 50 |