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Culinary

Welcome to CNMI’s Culinary page, where we offer engaging, hands-on learning opportunities to elevate your culinary skills and transform your events. Choose from courses like our Viva Vino Wine Bootcamps, Cake Fundamentals 101, Bread & Baking Fundamentals, and Charcuterie Essentials. You can also explore our Corporate Culinary Experiences to take your team-building or client engagement to the next level.

Registration and Funding

You may qualify to take any of our culinary courses at no cost. Explore funding options and register today.

Course Registration and Funding Application

Viva Vino Wine Bootcamps

No classes are currently scheduled. Please fill out this interest form to be notified of future course offerings.

Course Overview

Immerse yourself in the art of winemaking during these intensive two-week bootcamps. Designed to give you a solid foundation in practical production, these courses walk you through every step of creating wine—from fermentation to bottling. While other courses may focus more on theory, we provide hands-on skills and in-depth knowledge of the most crucial parts of the winemaking process. This training supports local economic development by helping participants gain specialized skills needed to enter or advance in the wine industry.

Viva Vino White Wine Bootcamp

Key Topics Covered

  • Safety, Sanitation & Equipment Preparation
  • Yeast Selection and Fermentation
  • White Wine Chemistry
  • Sensory Analysis
  • Nutrient Additions and Adjustments
  • Oxidative vs. Reductive Winemaking
  • Sparkling Wine Methods and Base Wine Production
  • White Wine Stability & SO2 Theory
  • Methods of Clarification & Centrifuge Operation
  • Wine Packaging: Bottles, Closures, and Labels

Courses

Location: Albuquerque, NM, CNM Robert P. Matteucci Hall (In-person)
Dates: TBD
Monday-Friday, 4-7 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Instructor: Tim Donahue

Viva Vino Sparkling Wine Bootcamp

Key Topics Covered

  • Beverage production from vineyard to bottling
  • Winery visits: Gruet, Vara, and Luna Rossa
  • Whole cluster pressing, racking, and inoculation
  • Lab chemistry: Brix, TA, pH, Malic, YAN
  • Yeast selection and nutrient additions
  • Disgorging and bottling sparkling wine
  • Developing product packaging and labels
  • Market trends, strategy, and consumer behavior
  • Regulatory and legal aspects of the beverage industry

Courses

Location: Albuquerque, NM, CNM Robert P. Matteucci Hall (In-person)
Dates: TBD
Monday-Friday, 4-7 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Instructor: Tim Donahue

Viva Vino Red Wine Bootcamp

Key Topics Covered

  • Winery safety and sanitation best practices
  • Grape selection and evaluation for red wine styles
  • Yeast nutrition and fermentation management
  • Tannin and acid balance in red wine
  • Pressing, racking, and malolactic fermentation
  • Hands-on training with commercial-grade equipment

Courses

Location: Albuquerque, NM, CNM Robert P. Matteucci Hall (In-person)
Dates: TBD
Monday-Friday, 4-7 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Instructor: Tim Donahue

Cake Fundamentals 101

No classes are currently scheduled. Please fill out this interest form to be notified of future course offerings.
This is a three-part course series. Registration includes all three classes. Individual class registration is not available.

Part 1 - Mixing & Baking Cake Layers

Learning Outcomes
  • Cake recipe selection
  • Mixing and baking techniques for moist cake layers
  • Function and role of ingredients in cakes
  • How to bake at high altitude
  • Produce a classic American Buttercream

Bake a 4” personal sized cake for the day and an 8” cake for the following class.  Make a Classic American Buttercream, decorate and take your 4” cake home.

Course

Location: Albuquerque, NM, CNM Robert P. Matteucci Hall (In-person)
Dates: TBD
Instructor: Andrea Schulte

Part 2 - Chantilly Cake

Learning Outcomes

  • Production of Chantilly Frosting
  • Fresh cooked glaze for fresh berries
  • How to cut even cake layers
  • How to frost, fill, and finish a cake

Using the 8” cake layers made in part 1, learn how to make Chantilly Frosting/Filling.  Finish your gorgeous cake and adorn it with glazed fresh berries to take home.

Course

Location: Albuquerque, NM, CNM Robert P. Matteucci Hall (In-person)
Dates: TBD
Instructor: Andrea Schulte

Part 3 - Cupcakes with Hand-Piped Flowers

Learning Outcomes

  • One-bowl Chocolate Cake
  • Swiss Meringue Buttercream
  • Utilize the buttercream and filling and how to decorate the cupcakes with hand-piped flowers

Make moist and rich chocolate cupcakes along with a delicious Swiss Meringue Buttercream for Decorating. Learn to color the buttercream and hand-pipe beautiful roses and leaves onto each cupcake to take home.

Course

Location: Albuquerque, NM, CNM Robert P. Matteucci Hall (In-person)
Dates: TBD
Instructor: Andrea Schulte

Bread & Baking Fundamentals

No classes are currently scheduled. Please fill out this interest form to be notified of future course offerings.
This is a three-part course series. Registration includes all three classes. Individual class registration is not available.

Part 1 - Focaccia Bread & Scones

Learning Outcomes

  • Mix, shape and bake Focaccia Bread. Students will top with traditional toppings
  • Make scones using the cut in method, rolling out, cutting in shapes, egg washing, and baking their scones

Participants of this course will learn how to make focaccia, scones, types of flat bread, yeast fermentation, different ways to prepare Focaccia will be included. Explore the differences between biscuits and scones.

Course

Location: Albuquerque, NM, CNM Robert P. Matteucci Hall (In-person)
Dates: TBD
Instructor: Jennifer Gomez

Part 2 - Wheat Dinner Rolls & 8-inch Fresh Fruit Custard Tarts

Learning Outcomes

  • Use techniques observed to mix, shape, egg wash, top, and baking their dinner rolls
  • Tart shells using creaming and blind baking methods
  • A silky-smooth pastry cream using a stove top method will be made to fill the tart shell
  • Students will decorate their tarts with fresh fruit and Apricot glaze

This course will cover tarts; the straight dough method, and applying what we learned about yeast fermentation to our dinner rolls. Creaming, blind baking, and stovetop custard methods will be demoed to make the tarts. Finishing off with baking and decorating with fresh fruit and Apricot glaze to preserve fruit for a beautiful shine.

Course

Location: Albuquerque, NM, CNM Robert P. Matteucci Hall (In-person)
Dates: TBD
Instructor: Jennifer Gomez

Part 3 - Bagels & Strassburger Cookies

Learning Outcomes

  • Mix, shape, poach, and bake bagels
  • Mix, bake, and decorate Strassburger cookies using techniques observed in demo

In the last course, we will add poaching to our list of methods for baking bread. Bagels require fermentation, poaching, topping and baking. We will also be including the Strassburger cookie: a pipeable cookie that uses the creaming method. After the cookies are baked and cooled we will dip them in chocolate for beautiful presentation and flavor.

Course

Location: Albuquerque, NM, CNM Robert P. Matteucci Hall (In-person)
Dates: TBD
Instructor: Jennifer Gomez

Charcuterie Essentials

No classes are currently scheduled. Please fill out this interest form to be notified of future course offerings.
This is a two-part course series. Registration includes both classes. Individual class registration is not available.

Part 1 - Build a Charcuterie Board from Scratch

Learning Outcomes

  • Mix, roll, top, and bake Artisan Crackers for their cheese board
  • Candied nuts made with a cooked syrup and spices
  • Compote or cooked fruit preserve made from whole fruit with a cooked sugar
  • Assemble cheese selection along with crackers, compote and fruit

In this course students will learn how to make items to add to build a beautiful charcuterie board.

Course

Location: Albuquerque, NM, CNM Robert P. Matteucci Hall (In-person)
Dates: TBD
Instructor: Jennifer Gomez

Part 2 - Flat Bread and Crudité Presentation Boards

Learning Outcomes

  • Learn the many types of flat bread, yeast and fermentation, shaping, and baking
  • How to put together and assemble Crudité platters with vegetables using hummus and pita bread
  • Demonstrate creativity by making their own presentation board

Learn how to make different types of flat bread. This will include yeast, mixing, fermentation, shaping, baking, and different ways to use this flat bread.

Course

Location: Albuquerque, NM, CNM Robert P. Matteucci Hall (In-person)
Dates: TBD
Instructor: Jennifer Gomez

Corporate Culinary Experiences

Transform your next corporate gathering into a memorable, team-building adventure. Our experienced team designs culinary events tailored to your group’s unique preferences, objectives, and culture. Whether you want interactive cooking classes, chef-led demonstrations, or themed culinary competitions, we’ll integrate your company message seamlessly to create an unforgettable experience.

Uniting Teams Through Culinary Creativity

  • Perfect for team-building workshops, company milestones, or client entertainment.
  • Choose from gourmet cooking challenges or wine pairings with culinary lessons.
  • Every event delivers both delicious food and meaningful connections.

Why Choose Us?

We go beyond simply cooking; our events are about building bonds, fostering creativity, and celebrating achievements. With professional chefs, premium ingredients, and innovative event design, we ensure an unparalleled experience. Plus, our team manages all the logistics—from setup to cleanup—so you can focus on enjoying the occasion and connecting with your guests.

We understand the importance of balancing quality and budget, which is why our pricing is designed to be as flexible as the experiences we offer. From basic packages to fully immersive experiences, we’ll ensure every dollar is well spent.

Ready to book your event?

Contact our Director of Business Development at [email protected]. Let us help you create an event that leaves a lasting impression!

Scheduled Maintenance

CNM Ingenuity will be performing scheduled maintenance on Saturday, January 20 from 8 p.m. – 11 p.m. Students will not be able to submit or modify any forms during this time. We appreciate your patience and understanding. Please contact us with any questions.

CNM Ingenuity is closed for the holidays beginning Thursday, December 19, 2024 and will reopen Thursday, January 2, 2025. We hope you have a wonderful holiday season and we look forward to seeing you in the New Year!