1 Introduction to the Food Production Department

1.1 Levels of Skills and Experience

1.2 Attitude and Behaviour in the Kitchen

1.3 Kitchen Uniforms

1.4 Personal Hygiene

1.5 Safety Procedures for Handling Equipment

Introduction to cookery

Cookery: cookery is defined as a chemical process involving the

application and withdraws of heat; proper mixing of ingredients
decision-making and technical knowledge and skill but with the
changing definition cooking is defined as both an art as well as
technology. In French the word ‘cuisine’ means the art of cooking
and preparing dishes and the place kitchen where they are
prepared. The art of cooking is ancient and generally originated
when by chance a chunk of meat fell into fire and came out to be
more tasty and tender and it was from this point only that cooking
has evolved to reach the present level of sophistication.

There are 3 classes of professional cookery associated with the

craftsmen and they are graded according to the quality of material
used.

Cuisine simple/plain cookery

Here the basic necessities are used and the craftsmen prepare the
dishes of highest standard with the minimum materials.

Cuisine bourgeoise

This is a type of cookery, which provides better raw materials to

produce the dishes of better quality.

Haute cuisine/high class cookery

In this cookery the best possible raw materials are used and the
best quality dishes are prepared.
 LEVELS OF SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES

Skills may be grouped into 3 general categories.

1) Supervisory level: The head of the food service, whether
called executive chef or kitchen director, must have
management and supervisory skills as well as thorough
knowledge of food production. He should be able to:
 Organize and motivate people under him.
 Planning menus and production procedures.
 Controlling costs and managing budgets.
 Purchasing food supplies & equipments.
 Must be an experienced chef in order to
schedule food production.
 Train and instruct workers.
 Control quality.
2) Technical level : The cooks are the backbone of the
kitchen. These workers carry out the actual food
production. They must have knowledge of and experience
in cooking techniques. They must be able to function well
with their fellow workers and co-ordinate with other
departments. Cooking food in hotels is a team activity.

3) Entry level: this level of workers usually requires no

particular skills & experience. The jobs assigned to them are
stewarding or basic pre- preparation of vegetables. As their
knowledge, skill & experience increases, they may be given
more complexes task which will eventually make them skilled
chefs. Many Ex-chefs begin their career as pot washers.
Beginning in an entry level position and working one’s way up
has been the traditional way of advancing in a food service
career. Today however, who are a graduate from hotel
management start at entry level already possessing knowledge
of food production practices, which would give them a head
start over other beginners who have no knowledge.

B. ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOUR IN THE KITCHEN

A CUISINE means the kitchen. Also ‘Art of cooking’

C care of equipment
U understanding the basic method (to achieve quality)
I integrity in handling & serving food (would i eat the food
prepared by me)
s safety in handling
equipments I
initiatives you will
have to take
N neatness during work &
presentation. E efficiency of
yourself.

“Be positive and think positive’’

The emphasis of a food service education is on learning a set

of skills. But attitudes are more important because a good
attitude will help you not only to learn skills but also to
preserve and overcome many difficulties you will face in
your career. The successful foodservice workers follow an
unwritten code of behaviour and set of attitudes, which may
we call “professionalism”.

Set of qualities are:-

1. positive attitude towards the job: in order to be a good

professional chef you must like cooking and want to do it well.
Satisfaction of doing your job well and making everything run
smoothly will give you enjoyment, which you will always
cherish. A chef with a positive attitude work quickly,
efficiently, neatly and safely. Professional chefs take pride in
their work and wants to make sure that the work is something
be proud of.

2. Staying power: A food service personnel requires good

health, physical and mental stamina and a willingness to
work for longer hours.

3. Ability to work with people: works as a team & it is

essential to be able to work well as a team and to co-operate
with your colleagues.

4. Communication:
 With your supervisors: let them know your difficulties.
 With your colleagues: share knowledge and also
learn from them. Nobody know everything.
 With your subordinates: respect them & be courteous.
 With the food & beverage staff: control your temper.

5. Eagerness to learn: there is more to learn about cooking

than you will learn in a life time. The food service industry is
changing so rapidly that it is vital to be open to new ideas.
No matter how good your techniques are, you might learn an
even better way to do the same thing , which you must have
been doing from long time.

6. Must develop a full range of skills: A chef must not only

be a good cook, but is also important to develop and
 maintain other skills that are necessary for the profession.
Must be able to understand and manage food cost and other
financial matters
 Manage and maintain proper inventories.
 Deal with suppliers.
 Understand personnel management.
7. Experience: there is no substitute for years of experience.
Practice more & more to gain more experience.

8. Aiming for quality: whatever you do must have a

distinctive sign of quality.

9. Creativity: sky is a limit, as in “nouvelle cuisine’’.

10. Return to basic: experiments and innovation

needs good understanding of basics first.
11. Care of equipment: equipments has been put to your
disposal to help you. TAKE CARE OF IT. Treat it as your own, even
if it does not belong to you, for others will also be using it.

12. Safety: kitchens can be dangerous place injuries can occur by

cuts, burns, handling of machines and equipments, falling etc.
Think about yours as well as others safety first.
“NEVER RUN IN KITCHEN ALWAYS WALK”

FOOD HANDLER’ S AND KITCHEN HYGIENE

food handler play an important role in ensuring food safety

throughout the chain of production, processing, storage and
preparation. Mishandling and disregard of hygienic measures on
their part may enable pathogens to come into contact with food and
in some cases, to survive and multiply in sufficient numbers to
cause illness in the customer on consumer.

As a food handler, one must ensure that the food provided to the
consumer is free from all types of contaminations.

The ability of the food handler to ensure the wholesomeness of the food
prepared and served will depend upon following a few basic rules of
personal hygiene and good food handling. These rules can be divided
into 3 groups.
1. General personal hygiene: A hygienic appearance of
professionals is indicated by high standards of personal
cleanliness and is shown by cleanliness of hair, hands, face
,clothing and shoes. Good personal hygiene helps prevent
food borne disease; therefore these points must be put into
practice.
  Shower or bath daily.
 Wear clean clothes and uniform.
 Do not work if suffering from a communicable disease.
 Handle food as little as possible.
 Wash hands before and during work and every time
after using the toilet.
 Keep hair clean and do not handle them in kitchen.
 Do not touch nose & mouth with hands.
 Do not cough or sneeze over food, use a tissue.
 Do not wear rings, earrings, jewellery & watches.
 Do not smoke in food preparation areas.
 Taste food with a clean spoon.
 Do not sit on a work surface.
 Footwear should be clean, safe and topped with steel toe.
 Chef cap should always be worn when handling food.
 Open cuts, burns etc. Must be covered with
waterproof dressing.
 Persons suffering from diarrhea, sore throat, vomiting,
cold etc. Must not handle food.

If a person becomes aware that they are suffering from or are

carrier of typhoid, paratyphoid, salmonella or staphylococcal
infection, the person responsible for the operation must be
informed, who then must inform the medical officer of health.

2. Clean hands: healthy food : The following actions require

immediate hand washing before continuing work.
i. Contact with infected or otherwise unsanitary
areas of the body.
ii. Use of handkerchief or tissue.
iii.Hand contact with unclean equipment
and work, surfaces, soiled clothing or
cleaning towels.
iv. Handling raw food, particularly meat, poultry
and fish items.
v. Cleaning away soiled dishes and utensils.
3. Food handling

HYGIENE IN HANDLING FOOD

1. DRY FOOD STORAGE: Avoid moisture, use air tight

container, and avoid insect & rodent.

2. FREEZER STORAGE: Well packed food with label store

at -18*c, follow FIFO & thaw properly before use.

3. COLD ROOM STORAGE: cooked items away from raw

item. Store everything in container. Chill food before
 refrigeration. Keep temperature under 5*c.

4. HOT FOOD STORAGE: Do not reheat in bain marie.

Cover all the food, keep food above 65*c.

5. FOOD HANDLING:
 Work with fresh & safe food.
 Use clean equipment & work table.
 Wash & wipe tools( knives,chopping board etc.) after every use.
 Wash ingredients.
 Reboil stocks, sauces, soups, milk before reuse.
 Do not mix batches of cooked food.
 Use separate tools for vegetables & meats.
 Use separate tools for raw & cooked food.
 Quickly chill all high risk food for cold storage.
 Keep work area clean.
 FIFO( first in first out)

D. UNIFORMS & PROTECTIVE CLOTHING

CHEF CAP

 Should cover the hair.

 Retain sweat on the face.

SCARF

 Retaining sweat around the neck.

 Decreases risk of catching cold when going inside a walk in.
 Also brings neatness to uniform.

CHEF COAT

 Protect the chest from heat (double breasted cotton made chef coat).
 White colour (shows when dirty, less heat absorber)

APRON

 protect chef coat & trouser

 not to be used to wipe hands.

TROUSER

 Generally black or black & white check.

SHOES

 Ankle high shoes.

  Low heal.
 Leather out skin with rubber, PVC or even wooden sole.
 Always wear black socks and change them very frequently.

 UNIFORM SELECTION

CHEF COAT

Thick coat: Acts as insulation against the heat

White colour: absorbs less heat, white colour will get soiled quickly
and a cook would have to change it, since personal hygiene is very
important in the kitchen.

Double breasted: chef coat is always double breasted as the

thickness in the cloth will prevent the chef from being scalded by
hot liquid or oils.

CHEF TROUSER

Straight and without cuffs, this can trap debris and any hot liquid spills.

CHEF CAP

Use disposable paper cap which can be changed if required. Good

sweat absorber.
SCARF

Good colour contrast with uniform. Cloth should be good.

APRON

 Made of thick cloth fabric.

 White colour.

SHOES

 Non slippery sole.

 Should be closed by laces.

E. SAFETY PROCEDURE IN HANDLING EQUIPMENT

 Do not use equipment unless you understand the operation.

 Use all guards & safety devices on equipment.
 Do not touch or remove food, from any kind of equipment,
while it is running.
 Remove particles of food with cloth, palette knife, needle
or brush from cutting machine.
 Unplug electrical equipment before disassembling or cleaning.
 Make sure the switch is off before plugging in equipment.
 Do not touch or handle electrical equipment including
switches, if your hands are wet or if you are standing in
water.
 Before use , test that the equipment is properly assembled
and then plug in and switch on.
 Wear properly fitting clothing and tuck in apron string to
avoid getting them caught by machinery.
 Use equipment only for the purpose intended to.
 Stack pots, pans and other equipment properly on racks so
that they are stable and not likely to fall.