Kitchen operations – the basic Principles of Food Preparation The basic principles and standards of food preparation isn’t just knowing how to cook a meal – it’s also about having a fundamental understanding of kitchen operations. Common kitchen equipment Apart from knowing the roles of different persons Kitchen organization This is a typical kitchen organizational chart seen in hotel and restaurant operations. Some of the positions seen here may not apply in smaller scale operations, but understanding the organizational chart will allow you to create a system that best suits your type of establishment. The Garde Manager is in charge of cold food. The assistant chef or assistant cook prepares the menus at the different stations. This is also known as the commis. The person in charge of the pantry handles the dry goods and stored items, and the commis is an assistant chef working under the chef de partie. in the kitchen, one should also be familiar with the different pieces of equipment used. In general, there are 3 broad types of equipment: storage, production, and cooking equipment. 1. Storage Equipment Chillers – Where food items that do not require freezing are stored. Items that should be kept cold but not frozen include vegetables, because their quality will deteriorate. Freezers Warmer The kitchen is usually divided according to the following responsibilities: The kitchen or Brigade de Cuisine headed by the Chef de Cuisine or Executive Chef (in Asian kitchens, the head chef is called the chef or the chief cook). The Sous chef who supervises menu preparation at the different stations under the chefs de partie. The Pastry chef is in charge of baked goods such as bread and desserts. Under him is the baker. The pastry area or cold kitchen area is separate from the hot kitchen area. The Butcher takes care of butchering requirements. The Chief Steward is in charge of the kitchen’s cleanliness. Below him is the steward. The Banquet chef heads banqueting and functions. – An example of food items that are stored in freezers are frozen meats. This is important to prolonging the shelf life of the meat. – These are temporary storage equipment where finished products or dishes are stored until served. 2. Production Equipment Mixers Slicers – For slicing meats and baked products. Choppers – One example is a food processor. – For combining ingredients in large batches. Mixed ingredients are usually of the solid form. This can be for cake and pastry ingredients or ground meat mixes. Mixers come with different attachments depending on the use, such as the paddle attachment to mix ingredients, or whisk attachment to whip ingredients through incorporating air and making food fluffy. 2 types of mixers are the Table Top (smaller ones such as the Kitchen Aid) and Floor (large industrial ones). This is used for chopping various ingredients into smaller pieces, such as vegetables. Commissary-type; operates round the clock and usually located very near the airport 3. Cooking Equipment Steam Cooking – These are steam kettles, steamers, combination cookers and microwave ovens. This type of equipment makes use of steam for cooking. Cruise ship kitchen Has large storage units to keep enough food for the duration of the cruise. Dry heat – Dry heat cooking equipment makes use of cooking methods without liquid or oil. Examples include ovens and stoves. Kitchen layout flow Grills – Also use dry heat, but by exposing food to The layout should flow as such: open flame. Fryers – Make use of oil for cooking. An example is a deep-fryer. Aspects of kitchen layouts Criteria for a well-designed kitchen There are 2 aspects of kitchen layouts. Before deciding on a suitable kitchen layout, you should also know what type of kitchen is needed. These kitchen types are classified in terms of special equipment, stations or logistics/transportation needs as follows: The kitchen layout should be designed according to your menu to ensure the right equipment, workspaces and capacity are available. Consider these criteria and how they fit your restaurant concept and menu: Quick Service Restaurant Characterized by speed and high-volume activity Hotel Food Service Receiving and storage area should be close together Next to storage should be the mise en place and production area Once ready, food should move quickly to the plating and pick-up area near the dining room Division of areas for proper distribution of labour Smooth traffic flow Sanitary and hygiene standards Equipment selection Determining capacity Purchasing system A huge kitchen that prepares high-volume banquet service, with satellite kitchens. Hospital Kitchen Requires the highest standard of sanitation Mid-Scale Restaurant Medium-sized, the size of a hotel kitchen station In-Flight Food Service Kitchen 3 M’s of an Outstanding Kitchen & Menu Principles of Food Preparation 1.Menu A menu helps you plan, organize, operate and control the kitchen. It serves as a mirror of your establishment. Here are some of the types of menus: A la carte There are 2 basic cooking methods: Moist heat and dry heat. – This is when there are separatelypriced items on the menu. 1. Moist Heat Table d’Hote – This is a single-priced complete meal or a group of items. This method uses liquids to cook food and includes the following methods: Du Jour – Means “of the day”. Examples are fish specials or soup of the day. This is normally given with the a la carte menu. Limited – Usually for quick service restaurants and cafés where the selections are few. Cyclical – Institutional foodservice menu that’s offered and repeated for a certain period ranging from 7 to 14 days. 2. Dry heat This method uses direct or indirect heat to cook food and includes the following methods: California – Offers a wide range of choices. Items are printed on a menu folder and are available the whole day. Developing the Menu Here are some tips on how to ensure your menu stays appealing. Redesign your menu regularly to keep up with the times. Include comfort food and traditional or ethnic food. Make your menu more appealing and impactful by getting creative. Keep it delicious and play with flavours. Make it healthy and nutritious. Go for variety. Provide value for money, as good food need not be expensive. Baking Broiling Grilling Griddling Pan-broiling Dry heat cooking also uses fats such as oil to prepare food in the following ways: Pan-frying Sautéing Deep-frying 3. Minutes Prepare and serve food by observing the time to achieve quality and work efficiency. Set time standards for the following stages: 2.Methods Food preparation methods should be standardized to ensure safety, consistency and quality. Observe appropriate cooking principles and methods in composing the dish. Blanching Poaching Boiling Simmering Steaming Braising Stewing Receiving – Weigh, inspect and store food immediately. Storing Issuing – Set a schedule for issuance of goods. Basic Cooking Methods – Observe shelf life, stock rotation or First In, First Out system when storing raw or cooked food. Cooking/Reheating – Heat food at the right internal temperature. Food Preparation/Serving – Handle food at the shortest possible time to maintain quality and temperature. d) Ensure Work Safety 4 M’s to Running a Successful Restaurant 1. Market Who are your guests/customers? What do they expect in terms of food and service? What type of operation do you have? Are the ingredients you need readily available? Can you price your menu based on your market? Is your pricing affordable yet profitable? With proper staff rotation and scheduling, your staff will work better in teams. 2. Manpower Materials refer to the ingredients, kitchen equipment and physical inventory such as cutlery and plates. When selecting materials, ensuring their quantity, quality and safety are paramount. Forecasting and inventory should precede any planning for large production of food. Forecast raw materials or ingredients by planning the menu and quantity of dishes in advance. a) Hire the Right People Clean appearance and presentable Properly groomed Project an image and attitude that’s right for your restaurant a) Ingredients b) Adopt the Economies of Scale Enjoy cost advantages with bulk buying and leverage on your staff to produce at maximum capacity c) Assign responsibilities Prepare weekly or monthly work schedules Use your task analysis as a basis Rotate managers Give equal workloads to all shifts Include cleaning schedules Be open but firm about complaints 3. Materials Organize your manpower with the following in mind: Calculate time and activity for flexibility and maximum performance Seek feedback to improve efficiency f) Staff Rotation It’s important to know your market and how to satisfy them. Consider the following questions: Staff must follow basic safety procedures in handling and operating equipment e) Assess efficiency Principles of Food Preparation Make each kitchen staff accountable for smooth and efficient workflow It’s important to think of the following when selecting and purchasing ingredients: When compared to raw ingredients, the convenience of ready-to-use products cuts down on preparation time for certain recipes such as soups, stocks bases and sauces The ability and resources to prepare from scratch or whether you should consider modern convenience alternatives Consistency of working with ready-to-use products or raw ingredients b) Equipment & utensils Machinery, utensils and other equipment play a very large part in what your restaurant can offer. Ask yourself the following questions: What are the types needed? What is the capacity for each machine? How much space will it occupy? Can your kitchen accommodate it? What layout is appropriate? Are they detachable? Are they easy to clean and sanitize? Are chopping boards and knives color-coded to prevent cross-contamination? c) Physical inventory Inventory determines what and how much of each type of plate or utensil you require for your restaurant. A perpetual inventory helps keep track of all goods entering and leaving the storeroom The ending inventory of the previous day is the daily beginning inventory of the day Physically verify actual stored goods once every month, and have at least one neutral person witness the counting 4.Money Ensure the efficient use of money and resources through: Proper forecasting and inventory to prevent overstocking Buying of high quality ingredients for longer shelf life Well-trained and productive manpower Proper preparation, holding and serving methods Maximizing the use of goods to prevent wastage of stocks