Glossary Term Explanation A la carte French: from the card/menu Bain A French term: a holding device used to keep hot foods hot for service and display Barrier to communication Anything that interferes with the communication process Cross contamination The result of transferring bacteria/contamination from one area/item to another Cryovac A commercial, trade-marked process where meat is sealed in plastic bags and the air is removed by a vacuum pump to inhibit bacterial growth and increase shelf life FIFO First In – First Out: standard method of stock rotation for food FSP Food Safety Plan or Program Finger food food items designed to be eaten by guests who are standing up using the fingers as opposed to using cutlery Flambéing Flaming of dishes using alcohol as part of gueridon service Garnish An edible decoration used to enhance the overall presentation of a menu item Gueridon service Tableside service and or cookery – a fine dining option MICE Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions Menu item A dish listed on the menu Mise en place (French) To put in place; to get things ready Plating Placing food onto plates in the kitchen ready for service Potentially hazardous food Food to be commonly associated with food poisoning outbreaks; it is usually high protein, high moisture and low acid food. Also known as ‘High risk food’ or ‘Potentially dangerous food’ Re-thermalisation Re-heating
Ensure staff (human resources) can produce the required menu items – which may relate to their experience, the need to practice dishes, the necessity to provide training and/or the need to employ sufficient numbers of workers Generate standard recipes for all identified dishes – see next section Make sure the food cost for the menu is acceptable – in accordance with venue requirements and where applicable – such as for functions or customer constraints Include local ingredients – to support the local area and promote local products Balance the menu – there is commonly a need to balance a menu in terms of achieving an appropriate blend of: Primary ingredients Cooking styles Textures Tastes Colours Nutrition Salads and vegetables Sauces Choices available between courses. Examples of occasions requiring a menu to be prepared You may be asked to plan menus to address the needs of a variety of different requirements such as: Normal day-to-day operation of food outlets in the venue. operations may cover a range of traditional and/or modern dining/food options such as: Dining rooms – standard, themed, fine dining Bistro Café Take away service Breakfast, lunch, dinner Morning tea, afternoon tea and supper Specific occasions – may include:
Place oyster inside, sprinkle with cheese & gratinate under salamander. Decorate with washed sprig of parsley & serve immediately. Total Cost $10.10 PHOTOGRAPH (of finished Oysters ready for presentation to customer) Calculating quantities required – relevant factors Calculating quantities required for food requires consideration of the factors listed below to determine level of expected demand as appropriate to the specific food production and service session: Review previous trade figures for same/similar events/service sessions – to identify historical data on amounts/volumes Talk to the client – to learn how many people they want you to cater for/the number of people they expect to attend a function (or are willing to pay for) Read any relevant contracted requirements – where you are catering for an event/function there will be a ‘function file’ detailing not only the agreed menu but also the numbers of guests Check the bookings – these are the advanced reservations which have been made and can indicate: How busy you are likely to be/numbers booked Special requests Know specific session information and requirements/preferences – for example: Hours the outlet is open – longer trading hours mean the potential for more food to be produced Maximum seating capacity of the room/outlet – this, when combined with a knowledge of bookings which have been made and/or previous trading data, indicates a context for the volumes required Style of service – à la carte, table d’hôte or buffet: more food is generally required for set menus and smorgasbords Understand operational protocols for the food outlet – these relate to a variety of issues such as:
File all work flow sheets – so they are available for future reference. 2.2 Introduction Effective communication is a vital pre-requisite in any successful kitchen. This section discusses the context of communication in a kitchen, identifies communication options, presents important aspects of communication and describes common topics for kitchen communication. Context of communication The production team The ‘Production team’ is anyone involved in preparing, producing and plating food as well as those who support those activities such as staff engaged in: Purchasing, receiving, storing and issuing food Cleaning food areas and equipment Washing crockery, cutlery, pots and pans. Need for communication In a kitchen there is a need for scheduled communication and on-going communication. Scheduled communication is regular communication such as: Briefings with staff – before work/shifts commence De-briefings with staff – after the service/production session Staff meetings – weekly/monthly ‘all of staff’ sessions. On-going communication occurs during the shift/session and may involve: Up-dates regarding changes to plans/requirements previously notified – due to (for example) unexpected demand, equipment breakdown or changes to arrangements requested by customers
Just because you have spoken to a staff member does not mean they have heard you – or will respond as you want or expect them to Just because you have given staff written information does not mean they have read it or understood it – or will implement what is required There is a need to create a working environment where there is free, open, honest and timely communication – this is the single biggest challenge facing all kitchens Many need to be encouraged to communicate because they are unfamiliar and/or uncomfortable with a work situation where their opinion is valued or actively sought Many kitchens employ workers from different language backgrounds and with varying levels of language skills – not all staff will necessarily speak your language or the same language Written communication may need to be provided in more than one language Verbal communication may need to be in different languages for it to have optimal effectiveness There are often barriers to communication (other than language) in the kitchen and these must be accommodated – examples include noise, distraction of work, need to concentrate on tasks, workers blocking views. Common topics for kitchen communication In a kitchen environment communication will often relate to: Allocated tasks – for individual staff and sections with (for example) emphasis on: Sequencing Priorities Resources available Standards and quality Timing requirements – which can refer to: Service Up-dates regarding delays and/or changes to planned service times/schedules Delays with expected delivery of goods-in
Silver service Silver service involves the use of silver service gear (usually a spoon and fork) to serve food from salvers/platters to guest plates at the table. Silver service is a fine dining option and an integral element of gueridon service. In relation to silver service: Food is loaded onto service platters in the kitchen – attention must be paid to ensuring there is sufficient food to serve the necessary numbers of guests Wait staff take the platters to table – and offer/serve from the platters to guest plates as required/directed by guests Some specialist equipment is required – service platters/salvers Skilled staff are required – silver service is a specialised skill Service are slow – compared to plated service. More information the following sites for more information: http://hotelmule.com/wiki/Service-types