The Basics
Mise en Place
What…mice in where?
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Mise en Place
 Common
term used in professional
kitchens
 French phrase meaning “Put in Place”


Referring to having all foods and equipment
ready for a specific preparation before
beginning it.
Also refers to mental readiness
Mise en Place Cont.
 What

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
is included for mise en place?
Reading and understanding a recipe
Any Chopping/cutting tasks
Assembling all the ingredients necessary for a
recipe
Verifying all necessary pieces of equipment
are available and working
Setting up your station prior to service
Why Mise en Place
 It
ensures that kitchen work is orderly and
carried out efficiently.
 Many basic skills are frequently part of
mise en place
Kitchens
 1.
Go to your kitchen.
 2. Find out where items & equipment are
located.
 3. Look to see what looks or feels dirty,
dusty, etc. (write it down).
 4. REMEMBER…. Everything in the
kitchen is used to create a food product
therefore it MUST be maintained & in good
working order.
Knives
 Knife
is the chef’s most important tool.
 Kitchen knives are made from one of three
types of metals:



Carbon Steel
Stainless Steel
High- Carbon Stainless Steel
Carbon Steel Knives

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
Carbon steel has been used to make knives for
hundreds of years.
A blade made from carbon steel is the easiest to
sharpen to a finely honed edge, but loses its
shine and discolors quickly after its first use.
Will rust if left wet or in a damp place.
Sometimes transfers a metallic flavor to food.
(especially acidic foods)
Causes foods such as lettuce and avocados to
discolor more rapidly
Stainless Steel
 Does
not pit, rust, or discolor.
 Does not affect flavor of foods
 Much harder metal than carbon steel

Making sharpening difficult
• Hard to keep sharp
High- Carbon Stainless Steel
 Combination
of carbon and stainless
steels
 Most knives today are made with highcarbon stainless steel
 Easier to sharpen and maintain
 Do not rust or discolor
Buying Knives

Tang- the portion of the knife blade that extends
into the handle of the knife.

Full Tang- Best! Extends all the way to the end
of the handle

Rattail Tang- a thin piece of metal, like the
handle of a rattail comb, that extends into the
handle of the knife.

Always choose a knife with a tang of at least
3/4th the length of the handle.


Cheaper
Blade and handle often come loose with wear.
Full Tang
Rattail Tang
Knife Care
 Always
wash by hand
 Store in a designated place for safety and
to preserve edge.
 Don’t use a knife with a loose blade
Chef Knife



AKA French Knife
Most used knife in a
kitchen
Uses:

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
Chopping, Slicing, and
most other cutting tasks
Length varies between 814in. (10in. Is most
common)
Blade is wide at base and
tapers to a point at the tip
allowing the knife to be
used for chopping by
rocking it on the curved
part of the blade.
Utility Knife

Smaller version of the
chef knife

Used for lighter
kitchen work

Blade between 5-7 in.

Not wide enough for
chopping tasks
Boning and Filet Knives
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Blade approx. 6in long
Narrower than a chef or
utility knife
Boning knives: used to
separate muscles from
bone on meat or poultry.


Boning Knife
Blade is wider, more rigid
Filet knife: used for
filleting and portioning
fish

blade is thinner and more
flexible
Filet Knife
Slicers

Long, narrow, flexible
blade

Use a light sawing
motion with this knife

Allows you to cut
cooked meat and
poultry into thin, even
slices
 Useful for other jobs
Serrated Slicer

Serrated blade has
teeth like a saw

Useful for cutting
breads and pastries

Which would crumble
and be crushed by a
smooth blade.
Paring Knife

Paring- the act of
cutting away skin or
peel
 Knife is small, short
bladed
 Used for cutting
intricate garnishes
and other detail work.
Cleaver

Large, rectangular
blade
 Used for: Chopping