ACF-CMC Exam Format | ACF-CMC Course Contents | ACF-CMC Course Outline | ACF-CMC Exam Syllabus | ACF-CMC Exam Objectives

Exam Name: Certified Master Chef (CMC)
Issuing Organization: American Culinary Federation (ACF)
Level: Advanced (Highest professional certification in ACF)
Target Audience: Experienced executive chefs, culinary educators, and high-level culinary professionals.
Total Duration: 8 consecutive days (approx. 8-10 hours per day)
Number of Sections: 5 major practical components (each with multiple tasks)
Passing Score: Minimum 75% in each section (no averaging across sections)
Classical Cuisine (5-course menu)
International Cuisine (3-course menu from assigned country)
Garde Manger (Charcuterie, pâté, terrines, buffet display)
Baking & Pastry (Desserts, bread, laminated dough)
Freestyle Cooking (Market basket challenge)

Work Performance – Kitchen Score – 35%
- Cooking Techniques and Fundamentals – 40%
- Mise en Place/Organization – 15%
- Professionalism – 10%
- Utilization of Ingredients – 20%
- Work Flow – 15%

Tasting and Presentation – 65%
- Menu Formatting – 2%
- Achieving Stated Menu – 3%
- Constructing Profiles – Maintaining Food Integrity – 5%
- Developing Flavor Profiles – 40%
- Food Placement/Presenting Food – 10%
- Achieving Nutritional Balance/Plate Composition – 5%


- Culinary Knowledge & Theory
- Classical & Modern Cuisine
- French mother sauces & derivatives
- Haute cuisine vs. Nouvelle cuisine
- Global culinary influences (Asian, Mediterranean, Latin, etc.)
- Food Science & Chemistry
- Maillard reaction, emulsification, gelatinization
- Sous-vide, spherification, fermentation
- Culinary Terminology
- French culinary terms (e.g., mise en place, brunoise, chiffonade)
- Modern techniques (e.g., sous-vide, dehydration, hydrocolloids)

- Knife Skills & Fabrication
- Knife Cuts (Accuracy & Consistency)
- Julienne, brunoise, batonnet, paysanne
- Tourné (turned vegetables)
- Protein Fabrication
- Breaking down whole poultry, fish (e.g., filleting a round fish)
- Butchering primal cuts (e.g., beef tenderloin, lamb rack)
- Shellfish Preparation
- Deveining shrimp, shucking oysters, cleaning squid

- Cooking Techniques & Methods
- Dry Heat Methods
- Roasting, grilling, sautéing, frying (deep, shallow, pan)
- Moist Heat Methods
- Poaching, braising, steaming, sous-vide
- Combination Cooking
- Stewing, braising, confit

- Stocks, Sauces & Soups
- Stocks
- White, brown, fish (fumet), vegetable
- Proper reduction & gelatin content
- Sauces
- Five mother sauces (Béchamel, Velouté, Espagnole, Tomato, Hollandaise)
- Derivatives (e.g., Mornay, Choron, Sauce Robert)
- Soups
- Clear (consommé clarification), cream, bisque, chowder

- Garde Manger (Cold Kitchen)
- Charcuterie
- Forcemeats (pâté, terrine, galantine, roulade)
- Curing & smoking (dry cure vs. brine)
- Salads & Dressings
- Emulsified dressings (vinaigrette, mayonnaise-based)
- Composition & plating
- Cheese & Hors d’Oeuvres
- Cheese varieties (bloomy rind, washed rind, blue)
- Canapés, amuse-bouche

- Baking & Pastry Fundamentals
- Doughs & Batters
- Pâte à choux, puff pastry, shortcrust
- Egg-Based Desserts
- Crème brûlée, sabayon, soufflé
- Chocolate & Sugar Work
- Tempering chocolate, sugar pulling

- Nutrition & Dietary Restrictions
- Nutrition Basics
- Macronutrients (carbs, proteins, fats)
- Micronutrients (vitamins, minerals)
- Special Diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, keto, allergies (e.g., nut-free)

- Food Safety & Sanitation
- HACCP Principles
- Critical control points in food handling
- Temperature Control
- Danger zone (41°F–135°F / 5°C–57°C)
- Proper storage (FIFO, cross-contamination prevention)

- Menu Planning & Cost Control
- Menu Engineering
- Profitability analysis (stars, plowhorses, puzzles, dogs)
- Food Costing
- Calculating food cost percentage, yield testing
- Mise en place – Preparation & organization before cooking
- Bain-marie – Water bath for gentle heating
- Liaison – Thickening agent (e.g., egg yolks & cream)
- Nappe – Sauce consistency that coats the back of a spoon
- Sous-vide – Precision low-temperature cooking in vacuum seal

- Classical vs. Modern Cuisine
- Classical French Cuisine (Haute Cuisine)
- Escoffier’s brigade system & standardized recipes
- Emphasis on mother sauces, consommés, and elaborate presentations
- Nouvelle Cuisine (Modern)
- Lighter sauces, shorter cooking times, artistic plating
- Influences from Japanese (kaiseki), Nordic (foraging), and molecular gastronomy

- Food Science & Chemistry
- Maillard Reaction (Browning of proteins)
- Critical in searing meats, baking bread
- Emulsification (Stable mixing of fat + water)
- Examples: Mayonnaise (oil + egg yolk), Hollandaise (butter + egg yolk)
- Gelatinization & Starches

- How cornstarch, arrowroot, and roux thicken sauces
- Modern Techniques
- Sous-vide: Precision temperature control (e.g., 145°F for 2 hrs for medium-rare beef)
- Spherification: Sodium alginate + calcium bath (e.g., "fake caviar")

- Culinary Terminology (Must-Know Terms)
- Mirepoix Aromatics (onions, carrots, celery) Base for stocks/sauces
- Chiffonade Thinly sliced herbs/leaves Basil for garnish
- Concassé Peeled, seeded, diced tomatoes Used in sauces
- Lardon Small strip of bacon fat Adds flavor to salads
- Escoffier, Carême, Bocuse) and global techniques (e.g., tandoor, wok hei, sous-vide).

- Knife Skills & Fabrication
- Knife Cuts (Accuracy Graded)
- Cut Dimensions Use
- Brunoise 1/8" x 1/8" x 1/8" Garnish for consommé
- Julienne 1/8" x 1/8" x 2" Stir-fry vegetables
- Tourné 7-sided, 2" long Classic French presentation

- Protein Fabrication (Hands-On Test)
- Poultry:
- Breaking down a whole chicken into 8 pieces (wings, thighs, breasts)
- Removing sinew from tenderloin
- Fish:
- Filleting a round fish (e.g., salmon) with minimal waste
- Removing pin bones with tweezers
- Meat:
- Frenching a lamb rack (clean bone exposure)
- Trimming beef tenderloin (silverskin removal)

- Cooking Techniques & Methods
- Dry Heat Methods
- Method Definition Example Dish
- Sauté Quick cook in minimal fat Sautéed mushrooms
- Grill High heat with char marks Grilled ribeye
- Deep-Fry Submerged in hot oil (350°F) Crispy fried chicken

- Moist Heat Methods
- Method Definition Example Dish
- Poach Gentle simmer in liquid (160–180°F) Poached eggs
- Braise Slow cook in liquid (tough cuts) Braised short ribs
- Sous-vide Vacuum-sealed, precise temp Perfect medium-rare steak

- Stocks, Sauces & Soups
- Mother Sauces & Derivatives
- Sauce Base Derivative
- Béchamel Milk + roux Mornay (add cheese)
- Velouté White stock + roux Allemande (add egg yolk)
- Hollandaise Butter + egg yolk Béarnaise (add tarragon)
- Consommé Clarification
- Raft Method:
- Ground meat + egg whites + mirepoix
- Simmer gently, straining for crystal-clear broth

- Garde Manger (Cold Kitchen)
- Focus: Charcuterie, salads, and hors d'oeuvres.
- Charcuterie
- Forcemeats:
- Pâté (coarse texture)
- Terrine (layered, cooked in mold)

- Curing:
- Dry cure (salt + spices, e.g., pancetta)
- Wet cure (brine, e.g., corned beef)

- Plating Techniques
- Modern vs. Classical Presentation
- Classic: Symmetrical, structured
- Modern: Asymmetrical, "organic" look

- Baking & Pastry Fundamentals
- Doughs & Batters
- Pâte à Choux (Cream puffs, gougères)
- Puff Pastry (Laminated dough for vol-au-vents)

- Egg-Based Desserts
- Crème Brûlée (Proper torching for caramelized sugar)
- Soufflé (Proper egg white folding for rise)
- Overworking dough = tough pastry (e.g., gluten development in pie crust).

- Nutrition & Dietary Restrictions
- Gluten-Free Alternatives (Almond flour, xanthan gum)
- Vegan Substitutes (Aquafaba for egg whites)
- Know common allergens (peanuts, shellfish, dairy).

- Food Safety & Sanitation
- Danger Zone (41°F–135°F / 5°C–57°C)
- Proper Cooling Methods (Ice bath, shallow pans)
- Labeling & FIFO (First In, First Out) are tested.

- Menu Planning & Cost Control
- Food Cost % Formula:
- (Cost of Ingredients / Selling Price) x 100
- Menu Engineering (Stars, Plowhorses, Puzzles, Dogs)