Amanda Gargano, CEC, CCE, M.S.Ed.
Culinary Arts | Hotel Restaurant Culinary Arts
Email: agargano@cypresscollege.edu
Phone: (714) 484-7000
Office Hours: Tuesday 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. (virtual), Wednesday 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Thursday 8 – 8:30 a.m.
Location: BUS - 117
Growing up in a Sicilian restaurant family in Chicago sparked my passion for food from a young age. After graduating from Kendall College School of Culinary Arts, I developed an overwhelming sense of wanderlust. My travels led me to accept various culinary roles around the country, including a position at the prestigious Breakers Resort in Palm Beach, Florida and an Executive Chef position in New York.
Throughout my journey, I earned an Associates degree in Culinary Arts, a Bachelor’s in Nutrition and Food Science and a Master’s degree in Technical Education. I am also a Certified Executive Chef and Certified Culinary Educator through the American Culinary Federation (ACF)
After working as a Chef Instructor at a culinary high school in New York for several years, I decided to pack my bags and head west to Southern California to join Cypress College’s Hotel, Restaurant and Culinary Arts team. I love working with my students to help hone their technical skills and challenge their creativity.
When I’m not in the kitchen, you will find me hanging with my puppies Roux and Demi, bodybuilding, making pottery, traveling and eating chocolate chip cookies.
HRC 235 Culinary Fundamentals II
This course focuses on the advanced principles, skills and techniques associated with culinary arts, involving various advanced cooking methods, classic and modern techniques. HRC 235 expands upon the concepts presented in HRC 135 and explores the fabrication and cookery of various protein sources to create composed dishes.
HRC 145 The Art of Garde Manger
This course will focus on the discussion, application and production methods utilized in today’s modern Garde Manger kitchen. Topics will include hot and cold hors d’oeuvres, cold set mousse, concepts and applications of salt-curing meats fish and principles of smoking.
Course Requirements
Prerequisite: Completion of HRC 120 and HRC 135
HRC 145 is a hybrid course format designed for the online learning and lab activities to complement each other. You will need knowledge of how to use a computer, browse the web, send and receive emails and use a word processing program. The classroom portion of the course will take place in an online learning environment.
Required textbook: Garde Manger: The Art and Craft of the Cold Kitchen (4th ed) by The Culinary Institute of America