POWERPOINT PRESENTATION (Chapter 1)

SITHCCC043 Work effectively as a cook

About This Unit of Competency
SITHCCC043 - Work effectively as a cook
• Describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to work as a cook.
• Applies to cooks working in hospitality and catering organisations.
• Applies to individuals who work under the guidance of more senior chefs.
 At the end of this presentation, you will be able to:
 Organise and prepare for food service or production
 Cook and present menu items for food service or
Presentation production

Objectives  Complete end of shift requirements

 Deal effectively with issues, problems and conflict in
the kitchen
Organise and Prepare
for Food Service or
Production
Organise and Prepare for Food Service or Production
This presentation will discuss organising and preparing your kitchen area.
Organising and preparing are essential in any kitchen, as these are one of the first few steps
you will complete as a cook.
These help ensure the kitchen runs smoothly by preparing each ingredient and equipment
beforehand.
 1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to
Meet Organisational Requirements
Organisational requirements are what the kitchen needs to address when preparing the recipe
amount.
Recipes are sets of instructions for preparing a dish or a menu item.
Specifications refer to the standards of quality, appearance, and delivery time.
Quality attributes include appearance, size, shape, gloss, colour, and consistency.
Style refers to how it is presented to the customer.

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to
Meet Organisational Requirements
As a cook, you will be tasked to prepare ingredients for the recipes that your workplace will be
using.
Knowing the weight or the amount needed per ingredient is essential in food preparation.
Weighing and measuring your ingredients will give you more accurate portions.
Doing this helps maintain the consistency of the food taste no matter how many times it is
prepared.

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.1 Culinary Terms
You will encounter culinary jargon when working in a kitchen.
As a cook, you need to familiarise yourself with these culinary terms as they will frequently be
used in the kitchen.
The following are the most common terms and their definitions:

Culinary Term Definition

À la carte These are individual dishes or food items bought from a restaurant menu.

Al Dente Cooked food that is still firm when bitten.

Au gratin It is any dish topped with cheese or breadcrumbs mixed with butter.

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.1 Culinary Terms
The following are the most common terms and their definitions:

Culinary Term Definition

Bisque A thick and creamy soup usually made of shellfish.

Brining Soaking meat in heavily salted water.

Chiffonade Vegetables and herbs are shredded or finely cut.

Minced meat, fish, or vegetable shaped into a small round roll, usually
Croquette
coated with egg and breadcrumbs.

Dredging Coating wet or moist food with a dry ingredient before cooking.

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.1 Culinary Terms
The following are the most common terms and their definitions:

Culinary Term Definition

Dress This is to put oil, vinegar, or other toppings on a salad or other food.
Process of mixing two liquids that would usually not mix, such as oil and
Emulsion
vinegar.
Entrée A smaller course served before the main course as an appetiser.

Fillet/Filet It is a boneless piece of meat.

Flambé It is the process of adding alcohol to a hot pan to set off flames.
Also known as steeping, it extracts chemical compounds or flavours from
Infusion
a vegetable.

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.1 Culinary Terms
The following are the most common terms and their definitions:

Culinary Term Definition

Julienne Cut ingredients into long, thin, uniform planks and matchsticks.

Larding To inject fat into very lean meat.

It is the process of soaking food in seasoned liquid for hours or days,
Marinate
which adds to the flavour of the food.
Mince Cut food into uniform pieces.

Mise en place It means ‘everything in its place’.

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.1 Culinary Terms
The following are the most common terms and their definitions:

Culinary Term Definition

Needling It enhances an ingredient's flavour by injecting fat or other flavours.

Pâté A spreadable paste is made from seasoned ground meat and minced fat.

Render It is the process of cooking the fat out of an ingredient.

Sautéing It is the process of cooking food quickly over relatively high heat.

Scald To heat a liquid to an almost boiling point.

A technique in which the surface of the food gets cooked at a high
Sear
temperature until crust forms.

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.1 Culinary Terms
The following are the most common terms and their definitions:

Culinary Term Definition

Staling A chemical and physical process where foods become hard, musty or dry.

Tempering It raises the temperature of a cold or room-temperature ingredient.

Vandyke This is cutting zigzag patterns around the circumference of a lemon.

Whip It beats food with a mixer to incorporate air and produce volume.

Xanthan gum A food additive that is often used to thicken salad dressings.

Zest It is the outer coloured part of the peel of citrus fruit.

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.2 Characteristics of the Food Categories
Food is classified into different categories.
The following are the different food categories and their characteristics:
Main Food Category Food Item Characteristic
Dairy products
Milk is taken from mammals,
Dairy products are produced Milk
usually from cows and goats.
from the milk of mammals.

Chicken eggs contain egg yolk

Eggs
and a liquid white, surrounded
Eggs are a food product Chicken eggs by a hard shell that can come
produced by poultry or in brown or white.
domesticated fowl.

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.2 Characteristics of the Food Categories
The followings are the different food categories and their characteristics:

Main Food Category Food Item Characteristic

Grains and grain products

Grains and grain products are Wheat is a grain crop grown for
Wheat
food items produced from its seed.
processed grain crops.

Poultry
Poultry is the flesh of Chicken meat is taken from the
Chicken meat
domesticated fowls such as flesh of chickens.
chickens and turkeys.

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.2 Characteristics of the Food Categories
The followings are the different food categories and their characteristics:

Main Food Category Food Item Characteristic

Meat Pork is the term for meat

taken from a pig and is
Meat is the flesh of Pork usually rich in protein.
domesticated and hunted
mammals.

Seafood A crab is an aquatic animal

caught in the ocean. Crabs
These aquatic animals are
Crab have an outer shell that
usually farmed or caught in
covers their bodies.
the ocean, rivers, and other
bodies of water.

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.2 Characteristics of the Food Categories
The followings are the different food categories and their characteristics:

Main Food Category Food Item Characteristic

Fruits
Fruits are the fleshy products Tomato is a fleshy product of
of a tree or plant, usually Tomato a flower containing seeds. It is
from a flower that contains also rich in vitamin C.
seeds.

Vegetables
Broccoli is an edible green
Vegetables are food items Broccoli plant. It is also rich in folate
that are plants or parts of a and vitamins A, C, and K.
plant.

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.2 Characteristics of the Food Categories
The followings are the different food categories and their characteristics:

Main Food Category Food Item Characteristic

Farinaceous
Farinaceous products are Bread is a product made from
produced from the flour of Bread
flour and is rich in fibre.
grains, roots, tubers, and the
like.

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.3 Standard Recipes
You can look at your standard recipe cards to know what ingredients to prepare.
A recipe is a set of written instructions.
A standard recipe card (SRC) contains the ingredients and preparation needed.
It is the basis of all the dishes you will make in the kitchen and will tell you how much of one
dish the recipe makes.
It helps maintain consistency as the recipe has been used many times already.

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.3 Standard Recipes
Standard recipes ensure that the different processes in a recipe are done correctly which
includes the following:

Cost Preparation Purchase Time of cooking

Storage Portion Measurement Serving instructions

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.3 Standard Recipes
The sample SRC includes the following information:

Parts of Standard Recipe Card Definition of Each Part

This is the name of the recipe that must be consistent with the
Menu or dish name
menu name.

Total yield The total yield is the number of servings the recipe produces.
Portion size This is the amount or size for an individual serving.
Ingredient This is the name of the ingredient or food item needed.
Quantity This is the exact amount needed for each ingredient.

Unit The unit is the measurement the ingredient will use.

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.3 Standard Recipes
The sample SRC includes the following information:

Parts of Standard Recipe Card Definition of Each Part

This is how long it will take for you to prepare the ingredients
Preparation time
and prepare the food.
Cooking time This is the time needed to cook the food.

Preparation method or These are specific directions for cooking the food, such as blend,
procedure mix and, sauté.

Garnish and plating This lists the ingredients or items needed to prepare the garnish
information and plate the dishes.

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.4 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities
Standard recipe cards (SRCs) usually have a big yield for one dish.
To follow recipes, you would need to determine and calculate ingredient quantities to ensure
that the taste and flavour remain the same regardless of the yield or portion size.

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.4 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities
Determine Ingredient Quantities
Determining the amount of ingredients you will use is one of the most important steps when
preparing food.
This step is the deciding factor of how much of one ingredient you will be using.
The amount of ingredients you prepare depends on the Periodic Automatic Replacement (PAR)
level needed for a service period.
This inventory control system helps you determine the needed minimum inventory level.

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.4 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities
To ensure that you have the correct total of ingredients, you can follow these steps:

Check the SRC.

Calculate according to the amount needed.

List down the amount on mise en place list.

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.4 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities
Calculate Ingredient Quantities
The following are two types of calculations that you need to do:
• Ingredient measurement – When measuring ingredients, you use different kitchen
equipment where you need to select the equipment you need.
• Yield – Since the total yield is the total portion size given by an SRC, you may need to
compute for smaller servings.

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.4 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities
When calculating ingredient quantities, you also consider ingredients needed for plating and
presenting the dishes to the customer.
Each organisation will have their requirements for the quality and style of its food.
As a cook, you must familiarise yourself with this.

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.4 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities
The following are the standard cooking units of measurements used in the kitchen:

Unit of Measurement Symbol

Millilitre mL
Litre L
Gram g
Milligram mg
Kilogram kg
Tablespoon tbsp or Tbsp
Teaspoon tsp
Celsius °C

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.1.4 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities
The following are the unit conversions:

Unit of Measurement Is Equivalent to

1 Litre (L) 1000 millilitres (mL)

1 Kilogram (kg) 1000 grams (g)

1 Gram (g) 1000 milligrams (mg)

1 tablespoon (tbsp) 4 teaspoons (tsp)

1 tablespoon (tbsp) 20 millilitres (mL)

1 teaspoon (tsp) 5 millilitres (mL)

1.1 Determine and Calculate Ingredient Quantities to Meet Organisational Requirements

 1.2 Complete Mise en Place Lists
The French term mise en place means ‘everything in its place’.
As a cook, you need to know where your ingredients and tools are.
Mise en place will tell you what ingredients, equipment, or tools you need.
A mise en place list has the preparation needed for you to use.
Some restaurants have mise en place lists already prepared for you to follow.

1.2 Complete Mise en Place Lists

 1.2 Complete Mise en Place Lists
Planning in the Kitchen
• It helps you in preparing ingredients.
• It can be used in the layout of a kitchen.
• It helps maximise the space in the kitchen.
• It is used before the start of any service period
Head chefs plan and assign roles to the people to maximise efficiency in the kitchen.
Some planning is done in advance, like when there is a special event coming up.

1.2 Complete Mise en Place Lists

 1.2 Complete Mise en Place Lists
Things to consider when planning in the kitchen:
• Traffic flow – Ensure no one bumps into each other to minimise accidents and incidents.
• Preparation and production stations – Have a station for each food preparation and
production needed.
• Placement of kitchen tools and equipment – Ensure that these things can be easily seen
and accessed.

1.2 Complete Mise en Place Lists

 1.2 Complete Mise en Place Lists
Principles and Practices of Planning Work in the Kitchen
Planning is essential in any kitchen.
Planning your work in the kitchen ensures that you do not forget to do anything needed.
To understand the need for planning, read the following principles:

Planning in the kitchen contribute towards achieving the goals and objectives.

Planning helps know which dish to prepare first.

Planning delivers all the orders in a timely manner.

1.2 Complete Mise en Place Lists

 1.2 Complete Mise en Place Lists
Your workplace may have practices to aid in planning work in the kitchen.
These practices are routinely done as a result of the principles.
These could include methods such as:

Gathering ingredients for menu items

Pre-heating cooking surfaces to needed heat

Delegating task to kitchen team

1.2 Complete Mise en Place Lists

 1.2 Complete Mise en Place Lists
Organisation in the Kitchen
The organisation has many benefits in the kitchen that can help you with the following:

Storage space

• Having an organised kitchen saves space.

Efficiency

• Knowing where your cooking tools, equipment, and ingredients are saves you
time.
• You do not need to worry about where things are.

1.2 Complete Mise en Place Lists

 1.2 Complete Mise en Place Lists
The organisation has many benefits in the kitchen that can help you with the following:

Safety
• Safety is important in the kitchen. Having clean kitchen lessens the chance of
accidents and incidents. It is crucial in emergency situations.

Cleaning
• It is easier to clean tools and equipment and countertops in the kitchen when
everything is organised.

1.2 Complete Mise en Place Lists

 1.2 Complete Mise en Place Lists
Principles and Practices in Organising Work in the Kitchen
Organising ingredients and equipment is essential in any commercial kitchen.
The two most common principles in the kitchen are the following:
• Principle of flexibility – This is to adapt quickly in a fast-paced kitchen.
• Principle of specialisation – The head chef will assign you to areas you can efficiently
contribute in.

1.2 Complete Mise en Place Lists

 1.2 Complete Mise en Place Lists
The practices in organising your kitchen are as follows:
• Organise your ingredients, cooking tools, and equipment.
• Have stackable containers.
• Use the First In, First Out (FIFO) system for ingredients.
• Clear out any items that are not needed.
• Have different stations or zones for operations.

1.2 Complete Mise en Place Lists

 1.2.1 Mise en Place
Mise en place is a kitchen’s practice to boost food preparation efficiency.
The way you organise your ingredients can make food preparation seamless.
It varies per service style, but the idea remains the same.
Mise en place also applies to food service.
The placement of the prepared dishes is crucial for easy access and distribution.

1.2 Complete Mise en Place Lists

 1.2.1 Mise en Place
Mise en Place Lists
A standard mise en place list has the ingredient's name, the amount needed, and how to
prepare the recipe.
The PAR level of each service period differs depending on the projected customer traffic.
Slow par is the par level used when the restaurant expects the average amount of customers.
Busy par is the par level used when the restaurant expects more or double the number of
customers.
Be sure to consult your head chef about the days your organisation uses slow par and busy par.

1.2 Complete Mise en Place Lists

 1.2.1 Mise en Place
Make sure that your mise en place lists are:

Clear Complete Appropriate

1.2 Complete Mise en Place Lists

 1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu
Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
Your kitchen team is made up of skilled professionals who work in the culinary industry that
may have different levels of experience when handling food.
A kitchen team is made up of smaller workgroups.
A workgroup is composed of people doing the same type of work.

1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
 1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu
Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
Everyone works towards the kitchen’s goals and objectives to properly and safely prepare and
cook food.
To do this, you would have to liaise with your kitchen team.
Liaising with your team means cooperating and forming a working relationship with them.
You will need to communicate with each other about what a dish needs.
A clear understanding of what you need to do helps boost kitchen efficiency.
It also reduces discussions and adds more time for food preparation and production.

1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
 1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu
Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
Working as a Professional Cook
Being a professional cook means having the necessary knowledge and skills in the industry.
Working as a professional cook also means working well with other team members.
Communication is essential as you and your team have the same goals and objectives.
When you work in extensive operations, you often hear the phrase 'Yes, Chef!' This is
commonly said in cooking shows featured on TV as well.
The phrase is usually said in response to the head chef or the executive chef.

1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
 1.3.1 Job Roles in the Kitchen
Different job roles have various responsibilities.
Big operations make use of a kitchen brigade system which ensures that each person has a
clear role in how they will contribute to the operation.
Your role will also have a part in assigning you to your workgroup.
For some kitchen operations, you can be assigned to more than one role due to what is needed
in the kitchen.

1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
 1.3.1 Job Roles in the Kitchen
Below are the lists of the different job roles and responsibilities defined by what they do during
food preparation and production:
Job Roles Responsibilities
Executive Chef
They are in charge of the whole kitchen.
(Group Chef)

Executive Sous Chef

They are second in command of the kitchen.
(Second Chef)
Chef de Cuisine They work directly with executive chefs.
Sous Chef They report directly to the chef de cuisine or executive chef.

1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
 1.3.1 Job Roles in the Kitchen
Below are the lists of the different job roles and responsibilities defined by what they do during
food preparation and production:
Job Roles Responsibilities

• Roundsman rotates between stations and goes to the station

which needs help.
Chef de Partie • Sauté chef is responsible for sautéing food and preparing the
(Line Chef, Line Cook) sauces and gravies that go with dishes.
• Vegetable chef specialises in preparing vegetables, soups,
starches, and eggs.
Demi Chef They assist the executive chefs in their tasks in the kitchen.
Commis Chef They work under a chef de partie, learning a specific kitchen
(Junior Cook) section.

1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
 1.3.1 Job Roles in the Kitchen
Below are the lists of the different job roles and responsibilities defined by what they do during
food preparation and production:

Job Roles Responsibilities

Apprentice Chef They are also known as ‘chefs in the making’.
Cook Cooks are professionals who prepare food for other people.

Kitchen Porter
These are people who sometimes lack formal culinary training.
(Kitchen Assistant or They do basic food preparation in the kitchen.
Kitchenhand)

1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
 1.3.1 Job Roles in the Kitchen
Now that you know the different job roles, you will need to understand how to liaise with your
team members.
You will need to define your team's roles and responsibilities by following the steps below:

Identify
Determine Consider the
Prepare. strengths and Get feedback.
the tasks. workload.
weaknesses.

1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
 1.3.1 Job Roles in the Kitchen
Kitchen Roles and Responsibilities
Each workgroup has its own roles and responsibilities.
When preparing food, you will be tasked to organise the needed ingredients for the food
service period and you must remember to do the following:

Keep your workstation clean.

Adjust ingredients as needed.

Follow safety and hygienic procedures.

Report any damaged or faulty equipment to the head chef.

1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
 1.3.1 Job Roles in the Kitchen
Some tasks can be considered team activities, especially those in big groups.
Below are general activities for each workgroup and the kitchen in general:
• Food preparation workgroup

Preparation of ingredients

Placing ingredients in separate containers as needed

Washing used equipment

Returning equipment to the proper place

1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
 1.3.1 Job Roles in the Kitchen
Below are general activities for each workgroup and the kitchen in general:
• Food production workgroup

Combining and cooking needed Ensuring ingredient adjustment as per

ingredients to produce menu items customer request

1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
 1.3.1 Job Roles in the Kitchen
Below are general activities for each workgroup and the kitchen in general:
• Kitchen team

Cleaning the whole kitchen after each service period

Stocking leftovers or extra ingredients

Disposing of trash

1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
 1.3.1 Job Roles in the Kitchen
To work professionally as a part of the team, you must ensure that you accomplish all the
responsibilities given to you.
When coordinating team activities in line with kitchen roles and responsibilities, you must
ensure that those tasks are delegated to people who can efficiently fulfil them.
As part of your organisational requirements, a cook must know the general activities for each
workgroup and the kitchen team.
Remember to clarify with your head chef any activities or tasks assigned to you that you may
be unfamiliar with.

1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
 1.3.2 A Menu and Its Requirements
A menu contains the dishes available in the restaurant given to the customers for them to
choose from.
The menu must have at least two of the following requirements:

Menu items – These are the dishes that your establishment offers.

Item name – This is the dish/recipe name.

Prices – This is how much each menu item costs.

Images – These are pictures of menu items and how they look when served to the customers.

Menu item description – This is a list of the main ingredients present in the dish.

1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
 1.3.2 A Menu and Its Requirements
A menu is crucial for food preparation.
It contains the dishes you and your team will prepare and produce.
As a cook, you must familiarise yourself with your restaurant's dishes.
Customers have a set of expectations when choosing to dine in your restaurant.
The restaurant type is a contributing factor to these.
As a kitchen team, you must know your customers’ expectations towards your restaurant and
food.
Everyone contributes to the success of the team.

1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
 1.3.2 A Menu and Its Requirements
Communication is vital in food production and food preparation.
Communicating with your team lets you know what is needed if any adjustments to the dishes
are needed, if there are lacking ingredients, or if there are any delays in food service.
Liaising with your team is essential, especially when customers make requests about menu
items.

1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
 1.3.2 A Menu and Its Requirements
You and your team may be talking and sharing the following information:

Orders to prepare

• The number of orders for one menu item

• The portions for each order
• Ingredients needed to make the menu items
• The time needed for each order

1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
 1.3.2 A Menu and Its Requirements
You and your team may be talking and sharing the following information:

Customer requests for the dishes

• Removing an ingredient
• Replacing an ingredient in the dish
• Adding more amount of one ingredient

1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
 1.3.2 A Menu and Its Requirements
You and your team may be talking and sharing the following information:

Kitchen needs

• Equipment needed
• A workgroup needing time and help

Movement in kitchen

• Taking a hot pan off the grill

• Going around the kitchen carrying ingredients or ready-to-serve dishes

1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
 1.3.3 Menu Planning
Menu planning is needed to know which ingredients to buy and may differ depending on the
commercial kitchen you work in.
Some plan before the launch of the business and edit as they go.
Menu planning helps the head and executive chefs plan effective ways to prepare and cook
dishes.
It also helps reduce food waste as the restaurant only orders needed ingredients.

1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
 1.3.3 Menu Planning
The following are some of the factors in menu planning:

Location
Theme and competitors
Culinary experience of staff
Nutrition
Government regulations
Ingredients and seasonal items
Price

1.3 Liaise With Other Team Members About Menu Requirements, Workgroup, and Job Roles
 1.4 Follow a Work Flow to Maximise Efficiency
A kitchen is a busy place.
Kitchens have a lot of plans in place to boost efficiency.
As a cook, you will be doing a lot of things simultaneously.
You will be preparing much food throughout the service period you are assigned.
Workflow plans provide time expectations for different parts of food preparation.
It helps cooks understand how tasks relate to each other.

1.4 Follow a Work Flow to Maximise Efficiency

 1.4 Follow a Work Flow to Maximise Efficiency
Having a workflow plan helps you maximise your resources in the kitchen.
Workflow plans also help in the organisation which saves time.
Time is crucial in the kitchen in ensuring food is not undercooked or overcooked.
Workflow plans make work easier.
Proper workflow planning will simplify many tasks.
Also, planning will often cut unnecessary tasks.

1.4 Follow a Work Flow to Maximise Efficiency

 1.4 Follow a Work Flow to Maximise Efficiency
Workflow Plan
A workflow plan is a step-by-step plan for doing tasks in the kitchen.
It contains the allotted time, the equipment needed and to whom it is assigned to.
Sticking to your workflow plan helps you and your kitchen team since you will prepare many
dishes simultaneously.

1.4 Follow a Work Flow to Maximise Efficiency

 1.4 Follow a Work Flow to Maximise Efficiency
Using a Workflow Plan to Maximise Efficiency
A workflow plan is a plan that covers a step-by-step process of what is needed in the kitchen.
This plan can help you manage your time better by outlining the time required for each step.
Efficiency is needed during food preparation and production.

1.4 Follow a Work Flow to Maximise Efficiency

 1.4 Follow a Work Flow to Maximise Efficiency
Here are some general guidelines when using a workflow plan:

Identify all the steps in the workflow plan.

Identify each piece of equipment needed.

Go over the steps one more time.

Double-check the role assigned to you and your co-workers.

Double-check the standard recipe card to ensure everything is complete.

1.4 Follow a Work Flow to Maximise Efficiency

 1.4 Follow a Work Flow to Maximise Efficiency
When going over the workflow plan, ensure that you consider the following:
• Roles and responsibilities of other team members
• Time
• Resources

1.4 Follow a Work Flow to Maximise Efficiency

 1.4 Follow a Work Flow to Maximise Efficiency
Multitasking in the Kitchen
In the kitchen, you will be preparing more than one recipe at a time.
You will need to multitask to keep up with the number of orders you will receive.
When multitasking, you must consider the number of tasks and the time you have to do these.
Below are general ways and can be applied in other tasks outside the kitchen as well:

Switch to single-
Remove Minimise
Make a schedule. tasking when
unnecessary tasks. distractions.
needed.

1.4 Follow a Work Flow to Maximise Efficiency

 1.4 Follow a Work Flow to Maximise Efficiency
To help you perform multi-tasking, you can make use of culinary technical skills.
These skills include reading recipes and performing basic cooking methods and techniques.
It also involves knowing how to use kitchen equipment and liaising with your kitchen team.
Without these culinary technical skills, multitasking in the kitchen would be impossible.
Integrating these skills when multitasking is essential when working in the kitchen.

1.4 Follow a Work Flow to Maximise Efficiency

 1.4 Follow a Work Flow to Maximise Efficiency
To further improve your skills, follow these tips:
Plan and prioritise tasks.

Utilise tools.

Combine related tasks.

Review your progress.

Practise.

1.4 Follow a Work Flow to Maximise Efficiency

 1.5 Complete Food Organisation and Preparation
According to Requirements
Both food organisation and preparation are a part of mise en place.
Knowing how to organise and prepare your assigned workstation will help boost efficiency.
Food organisation is organising your ingredients in their storage areas and how the kitchen
tools and equipment are stored.
Food preparation is when you gather ingredients for food production.

1.5 Complete Food Organisation and Preparation According to Requirements

 1.5 Complete Food Organisation and Preparation
According to Requirements
Food Production and Service Requirements
Food production and service requirements are parts of a food organisation.
Food production requirements ensure that preparing and cooking food go smoothly.
Food service requirements ensure that serving food to the customers is ready to eat.
To aid you in fulfilling these, your organisation has documents and systems.
Food production and service requirements can sometimes overlap.

1.5 Complete Food Organisation and Preparation According to Requirements

 1.5 Complete Food Organisation and Preparation
According to Requirements
The table explains how the different requirements are used in food production and service:
Requirement Food Production Food Service

They are taken from customer

Food service ensures that the
requests to change ingredients
Customer requirements food served to the customers is
or have something cooked a
the one they ordered.
certain way.

Food production is based on how

The food service style affects the
Meal quantity much of the menu item is
amount of items served.
ordered.

1.5 Complete Food Organisation and Preparation According to Requirements

 1.5 Complete Food Organisation and Preparation
According to Requirements
The table explains how the different requirements are used in food production and service:
Requirement Food Production Food Service

The service time of the food

Time is essential in food
from the kitchen to the customer
production as time determines
Time determines the temperature of
ingredients' preparation time
the food when it reaches the
and shelf life.
customer.

The quality of food is affected by Some aspects of food quality,

Food quality how one ingredient is prepared, such as temperature, are
along with other ingredients. affected by time.

1.5 Complete Food Organisation and Preparation According to Requirements

 1.5 Complete Food Organisation and Preparation
According to Requirements
The table explains how the different requirements are used in food production and service:
Requirement Food Production Food Service

How the menu is designed The customer would expect what

Menu determines the quantity of the they ordered from the menu to
food. reach their table.

When serving the food, you must

Plating is the final step of
consider how the plates are
Plating producing food before it Is given
served and what the food looks
to the customer.
like when it is served.

1.5 Complete Food Organisation and Preparation According to Requirements

 1.5.1 Food Preparation
During preparation, you have to handle the ingredients safely and hygienically.
Your workplace may have different rules on how to do both when handling food.
The ones listed below are the most common ones used in a commercial kitchen:

Separate raw foods and ready-to-eat foods to prevent cross-contamination.

Use separate kitchen tools and equipment for raw foods and ready-to-eat foods.

Clean used kitchen tools and equipment thoroughly after each use.

1.5 Complete Food Organisation and Preparation According to Requirements

 1.5.1 Food Preparation
The ones listed below are the most common ones used in a commercial kitchen:

Rinse all fruits and vegetables under clean water.

Make sure food is cooked properly.

Wash your hands before and after preparing food items.

Wear appropriate cooking gear such as gloves, aprons, and hairnets when handling food.

1.5 Complete Food Organisation and Preparation According to Requirements

 1.5.2 Completing Workgroup Requirements
As a cook, you may be assigned to different workgroups as needed in your kitchen.
Being a part of a workgroup requires you to have the ones below:
• Food preparation
o Knowledge and skills in different cutting methods
o Knowledge of food safety and hygiene practices
o Knowledge and skills in mise en place
o Knowledge and skills in computing for ingredient quantities

1.5 Complete Food Organisation and Preparation According to Requirements

 1.5.2 Completing Workgroup Requirements
Being a part of a workgroup requires you to have the ones below:
• Food production or cooking
o Knowledge and skill about the different cooking methods
o Knowledge of food safety and hygiene practices

• Food presentation and service

o Skill and knowledge of plating according to organisational requirements

1.5 Complete Food Organisation and Preparation According to Requirements

 So far, we have covered:
 Organise and prepare for food service or production
 Cook and present menu items for food service or
What have production

we learnt?  Complete end of shift requirements

 Deal effectively with issues, problems and conflict in
the kitchen
End of Chapter 1