Chapter 2:Introduction to the World of Cooking

Chapter 2: INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD OF COOKING

SKILL LEVELS

One title that is often misunderstood and much abused is that of a “CHEF”. The name chef should be reserved for those who are in charge of a kitchen or a part of a kitchen. The word “CHEF” is French for chief or head. This is a title that must be earned by experience not only in preparing food but also in managing staff and in planning production. Use the word chef with respect because when you become a chef you want the same respect. Skills required of food production personnel vary not only with the job level but also with the establishment and the kind of food prepared. Nevertheless, we can group skill levels into three general categories.

1.     SUPERVISORY: the head of a food service kitchen, whether called Executive Chef, Head Chef, Working Chef or Kitchen Director must have management and supervisory skills as well as a thorough knowledge of food production .A leadership position requires an individual who understands organizing and motivating people ,planning menus and production procedures, controlling cost and managing budgets, and purchasing food supplies and equipment .Even if there is no cooking at all, people in this position should be experienced cooks, so that they can schedule production, instruct workers and control  quality. Above all they must be able to work well with all people even under extreme pressure.

2.    SKILLED AND TECHNICAL: While the chef is the head of the establishment, the cooks are the backbone. These workers carry out actual food production. Thus they must have knowledge of and experience in cooking techniques at least dishes made in their own department. In addition they must be able to work well with their fellow workers and to coordinate with the other departments. Food production is a team activity.

3.    ENTRY LEVEL: Entry level jobs in the food service usually require no particular skill or experience. Workers in these jobs are assigned such work as washing vegetables and preparing salad greens. As their knowledge and experience increase, they may be given more complex tasks and eventually become skilled cooks. Many executive chefs began their careers as pot washers who got a chance to peel potatoes when the pot sink was empty.

STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONALISM

    A successful food service worker follows an unwritten code of behavior and set of attitudes we call Professionalism.

·         POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE JOB

-You should like cooking and want to do it well.

-A cook with a positive attitude works quickly, efficiently, neatly and safely.

-Professionals take pride in their job and want to make sure that the work is something to be proud of.

-Humility is also important (especially when you begin your career).

·         STAYING POWER

-Food service requires physical and mental stamina, Good health and a willingness to work hard. It is hard work.

-The pressure can be intense and the hours long and grueling. You may be working evenings and weekends when everyone is playing

-Work can be monotonous.

-Overcoming these difficulties needs sense of responsibility and dedication to your profession, to your co workers and to your customers and clients.

·         ABILITY TO WORK WITH PEOPLE

-food service work is teamwork and it is essential to work well and cooperate with your co workers

- You can’t let ego problems, petty jealously; departmental rivalries or feelings about the other people get in the way of doing the job well.

·         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 and techniques.

-continue to study and read.

·         EXPERIENCE

-“You don’t really know how to cook a dish until you have done it a thousand times”.

-There is no substitute for years of  experience, a cooking school or studying principles of cooking can only give you a running start ,but if you want to become an accomplished cook you need to practice ,practice and  more practice. A Diploma will not make you a chef.

·         DEDICATION TO QUALITY

      -Whether you work in a top restaurant, a fast food restaurant, a college cafeteria, a catering house, you can do your job well or not. The choice is yours.

-High quality doesn’t necessarily mean high price. It consist no more to cook green beans properly than to overcook them.

-but in order to produce high quality food you must want to …it not enough to simply know how.

·         GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE BASICS

-Experimentation and innovation in cooking are the order of the day.Brilliant chefs are breaking old boundaries and inventing dishes.

-However the very chefs who seem to seem to be the most revolutionary are the first   /to insist on the importance of solid grounding in basic techniques and in the classic method practiced since Escoffier’s days.

-In order to innovate you must know where to begin.

UNIFORM AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING

   The chefs uniform have been developed and modernized as per the requirement and availability of the new fabric over a period of time .In earlier time the prime job of the uniform was to make the cook look like a cook, but today uniforms are designed keeping in mind that these keep the workers safe, as they all operate in dangerous environment with lots of sophisticated machinery and tool’s around.

·         Chef’s Jacket

-The typical chef‘s Jacket or chef’s coat is also called veste blanc in French.  It is made of heavy cotton.

-It acts as insulation against the intense heat from the stoves and ovens and is also fire resistant. The white colour of the jacket repels heat.

-A white uniform will get soiled quickly and a cook would have to change it since personal hygiene is very important in the kitchen.

- The jacket is always double breasted as the thickness of the cloth will prevent the chef from being scalded by hot liquids or splattering hot and thermal shocks.

-Since there are two rows of buttons, the chef can re-button the double breasted jacket to change sides whenever a side gets soiled during the course of work during a shift.

·         Chef’s trousers

-they are either black pants or black and white chequered pants.

-the traditional chequered pant were designed to camouflage spills and colour of the ants in some organizations also denote the seniority of the chef.

Eg: Black pant would be worn by senior chefs and chequered pant by cooks and apprentices.

-the kitchen pants should be straight and without cuffs, which trap debris and any hot liquid spills.

-it should have a snapped fly and elastic waist band and the kitchen trousers should be worn without a belt, so that it can be removed easily in the case of hot liquid spills or even fire.

·         Chef ‘s hat

-The tall white hat is the most interesting part of the uniform called the toque Blanc.

-the main purpose of the hat is to prevent hair from falling into the food and also absorbing sweat.

-Now a day’s disposable paper hats are also used so that they can be thrown away when they are soiled.

·         Scarf/neckerchief

-chefs wear white neckerchiefs, which are knotted in the front.

-Originally designed to absorb perspiration-

-it can also represent various levels in the kitchen hierarchical grid.

·         Apron

-usually made out of thick cotton fabric and is worn around the waist with the help of a long string.

-the apron should reach below the knees to protect the chef from spilling hot liquids.

-the string of the apron helps to hold the chef’s kitchen towel in place. The loose ends should be tucked under or else they can be trapped in machinery and cause accidents.

·         Kitchen towel /duster

-they are used to pick up hot pots and pans and also to wipe hands in order to keep them dry.

- Usually two dusters should be kept with the chef one to wipe the wet hands and the other (dry one )to  pick up hot pans, as a wet duster can scorch the hands.-

Considering modern hygiene trends, it is advisable to use disposable paper towels for wiping and cleaning, the kitchen dusters should be used only for handling hot equipments.

·         Shoes

Shoes should be black and well polished.

-it should have a rubber sole to prevent slipping.

-preferably the sweat absorbing cotton should be worn.

-Shoes should be closed, to prevent the feet from scorching in case of spills-

-they have to be comfortable, as we know long hours are involved.

PERSONAL HYGIENE (GROOMING STANDARD)

              Most food borne diseases are caused by bacteria spread by food workers. The first step in preventing food borne disease is good personal hygiene. Even when we are healthy we have bacteria all over our skin and in our nose and in our mouth. Some of these bacteria, if given a chance to grow in food can make people ill.

·         Do not work with the food if you have any communicable disease or infection.

·         Bath or shower daily.

·         Wear clean uniforms and aprons.

·         Keep hair neat and clean. Always wear a hat or hairnet.

·         Keep moustaches and beards trimmed and clean. Better yet to be clean shaved.

·         Wash hands and exposed parts of arms before work and as often as necessary during work, including after eating, drinking or smoking after using the toilet, after touching or handling  anything that may be contaminated with bacteria.

·         Cover coughs and sneezes and then wash your hands.

·         Keep your hands away from your face, eyes, hair and arms.

·         Keep fingernails clean and short. Do not wear nail polish.

·         Do not smoke or chew gum paan etc while on duty.

·         Cover cuts or sored with clean bandages.

·         Do not sit on work tables.

SAFETY (A Safe Workplace)

       Kitchen work is usually considered a relatively safe occupation; at least in comparison with many industrial jobs .nevertheless the kitchen has many hazards. Minor injuries from cuts and burns are very common and more serious injuries are all too possible.

·         Structure, equipment and electric wiring in good repair.

·         Adequate lighting on work surfaces and in corridors

·         Non slip floors

·         Clearly marked exits

·         Equipment supplied with necessary safety devices.

·         Heat activated fire extinguishers over cooking equipment, especially deep fryers.

·         Conveniently located emergency equipment, such as fire extinguishers, fire blankets and first aid kits.

·         Clearly posted emergency telephone numbers .Smooth traffic patterns to avoid collisions between workers.

PREVENTING FIRES

·                  Know where the fire extinguishers are located and how to use them.

·                  Use the right kind of fire extinguisher according to the kind of fire for which they can be used

Class A: wood, paper, cloth, ordinary combustibles

Class B: burning liquids such as grease, oil, gasoline, solvents

Class C: Switches, Motors, electrical equipment and both.

·         Don’t leave hot fat unattended on the range.

·          Smoke only in designated areas. Do not leave burning cigarettes unattended .keep the fire doors closed.

·         Keep exists free from obstacles.

PLEASE REFER THE SUB TOPICS OF “PREVENTING CUTS, PREVENTING BURNS, PREVENTING INJURIES FROM MACHINES AND EQUIPMENT, PREVENTING FALLS AND PREVENTING STRAINS AND INJURIES FROM LIFTING” FROM THE BOOK “PROFESSIONAL COOKING” PAGE 35,36,37 AND 38.

EQUIPMENTS

POTS, PANS AND CONTAINERS

Metals and conductivity: A good cooking utensil should distribute heat evenly and uniformly .If it does not it will develop hot spots that are likely to burn or scorch the food being cooked.

Two factors affect a pan’s ability to cook evenly.

1) Thickness of the metal: A heavy –gauge pot cooks more evenly than one made of thin metal. Thickness is the most important on the bottom.

2) Kind of metals: different metals have different conductivity, which means the speeds at which they transfer heat .the following materials are used for cooking equipment.

a) Aluminum:

-it is a very good conductor and its light weight makes pots and pans easy to handle.

-because it is a soft metal it should not be banged around or abused.

-Do not aluminum for storage or for too long cooking of strong acids, because it reacts to many foods.

b) Copper

-it is the best heat conductor of all cooking utensils

-It is extremely expensive and requires great deal of care.

-it is heavy

-copper reacts chemically with many other foods to create poisonous compounds so copper must be lined with another metal like tin or stainless steel.

c) Stainless steel

-it is a poor conductor of heat .cooking pots and pan made of it tend to scorch foods easily.

-stainless steel is ideal for storage unlike aluminum it does not react with foods.

-stainless steel pots are also available with a heavy layer of copper or aluminum bonded to the bottom.

d) Cast iron:

- It is the favorite material with many chefs, because of its ability to distribute heat evenly and to maintain high temperatures for long periods. It is used in griddles and heavy skillets

-cast iron cracks if dropped.

-it rusts very quickly if not properly maintained.

e) Porcelain enamel-lined pans

-They scratch and chip easily providing good hiding place for bacteria and hence should be avoided .they are forbidden by some health departments.

f) Non-Stick Pans

-Known by various brand names such as Teflon, provide very slippery finish, but one that requires a lot of care since it can be easily scratched.

-Do not use metal spoons or spatulas with this equipment.

-More customers are requesting low fat foods, non stick pans are increasing in popularity. They enable cooks to sauté food with little or no fat.

g) Glass and earthenware

-they have limited use in commercial kitchens because they are very breakable

-they are very poor conductors of heat but are resistant to corrosion and food acids.

Other Different equipments used in food production:

·         Open elements (burners):

-These are either Electric Coils or Gas Flames.

-These tops are the fastest to heat and can be turned off after short use.However cooking space is limited to one pot per burner.

·         Flattop or Hot Top (lightweight)

-Burners covered with steel plate.

-More cook space is available.

-Top supports moderately heavy weights.

·         Heavy duty flat top:

-Burners are covered with heavy caste steel.

The top supports many heavy pots. A thick top requires longer pre heating .Set burners for different levels and adjust cooking heat by moving pots to different spots on the top.

·         Induction Cook top:

-Top of an induction unit does not become hot.

-Works by magnetically agitating the molecules in steel or iron cookware.

-Aluminum pots and pans sandwiched between layers of stainless steel will also work.

-Much less energy is used.

-No open flame; kitchen stays cooler.

-Only pots, pans and their contents become hot

·         Ovens:

Enclosed spaces in which food is heated, usually by hot air, microwaves, or infrared radiation.

Used for roasting and baking.

Foods can also be simmered, stewed, braised, or poached in the oven.

This helps to free up the range top and the chef’s attention for other tasks.

-Stack Ovens

-Convection Ovens

-Slow-Cook-and-Hold Ovens

-Combination Steamer Ovens

-Barbecue or Smoke Ovens

-Wood burning Ovens

-Microwave Ovens

·         BROILERS AND SALAMANDERS

Sometimes called overhead broilers.

 Generate heat from above.

 Food items are placed on a grate beneath the heat source

·         GRILLS

It has the same cooking operations as broilers.

Heat source (gas, electricity, or charcoal) is below the grid that holds the food.

Charcoal taste is created by smoke from meat fats that drip into the heat source.

·         GRIDDLE

Flat, smooth, heated surfaces on which food is cooked directly.

Available as separate units or as part of a range top.

·         ROTISSERIES

Cooks meats and other foods by turning them slowly in front of electric or gas-powered heating elements.

Especially suitable for chicken and other poultry.

Can be used to cook any meat or other food.

Drip pans catch juices, which can be used for basting or making gravy.

·         DEEP FAT FRYERS

Cooks meats and other foods by turning them slowly in front of electric or gas-powered heating elements.

Especially suitable for chicken and other poultry.

Can be used to cook any meat or other food.

Drip pans catch juices, which can be used for basting or making gravy.

-STANDARD DEEP FAT FRYERS

-AUTOMATIC DEEP FAT FRYERS

-PRESSURE FRYERS

·         TILTING SKILLET

Also known as tilting brazier and tilting fry pan.

A tilting mechanism enables liquids to be poured out of it.

Can be used as:

–     a griddle

–     fry pan

–     brazier

–     stewpot

–     stockpot

–     steamer

·         STEAM COOKERS:

Ideal for cooking foods rapidly and with minimum loss of nutrients and flavor.

Pressure Steamers

Pressure less Steamers or Convection Steamers

·         MIXERS

Bench type mixers

Floor Mixers

Agitator Attachments

The paddle is a flat blade used for general mixing.

The wire whip is used for such tasks as beating.

The dough arm is used for mixing and kneading yeast dough.

·         Food Cutter

Food cutter, or rotation chopper, is also known as a buffalo chopper.

Used for general food chopping.

Variety of attachments makes it a versatile tool

Food cutter, or rotation chopper, is also known as a buffalo chopper.

Used for general food chopping.

Attachments for Mixers and Food Choppers

Food Grinder

Slicer/Shredder

PROCESSING EQUIPMENT

Slicer

•         Slices foods more evenly and uniformly than can be done by hand.

•         Blades set at an angle.

•         Slices fall away from these blades.

Food Processer

•         Used to chop or purée foods.

•         To mix or emulsify.

•         They can also slice, shred, and julienne foods.

Blender

•         Used to mix, purée, and emulsify liquids.

•         Also used to prepare certain drinks.

Holding and Storage Equipment

Hot Food Holding Equipment

•      Steam tables are designed to hold foods above 135°F (57°C) in order to prevent the growth of bacteria that can cause disease.

•      Bain-maries and overhead infrared lamps are also used to keep food hot

Cold Food Storage Equipment

•      The refrigerator (known in the trade as the cooler or the box) guards against spoilage and bacterial growth by keeping foods cold, usually, below 41°F (5°C).

      -The walk-in is a room-size refrigerator with built-in shelves on the walls.

-The reach-in is a standard upright refrigerator that does not have freezer unit.

•      The freezer stores foods purchased in frozen form; used to hold foods for longer times.

-The walk-in is a room-size freezer with built-in shelves on the walls.

-The reach-in is a standard upright freezer.

POTS AND PANS

Stockpot                                           Wok   

Stockpots with Spigot                       Hotel Pan

Saucepot                                           Bain Marie

Saucepan

Cast-iron Skillet

Straight-sided Sauté

Slope-sided Sauté

Sheet or Bun Pan

Bake Pan

Roasting Pan

Measuring Devices and Liquid Volume Measure

Scales                                           Scoops

Portioning Scale                             Ladles

Digital Scale                                  Measuring Jar

Temperature Measures

Meat Thermometer

Instant-Read Thermometers

                      

KNIVES, HAND TOOLS, AND SMALL EQUIPMENT

Knives                                                Small Equipment

French Knife or Chef’s Knife                           Chinois/China cap

Utility Knife                                                    Wire mesh strainer

Boning Knife                                                   Tamis/Drum Sieve

Slicer                                                              Colander

Serrated Knife                                                Food Mill/Moulin

Butcher Knife                                                  Grater

Oyster Knife                                                   Zester

Clam Knife                                                       Channel knife

Paring Knife                                                    Mandoline

                                                                       Pastry Brush

                                                                       Pastry Bag

                                                                       Can Opener

Hand Tools

Vegetable Peeler

Sharpening Steel/Sharpening Stone

Parisienne Scoop/Melon Baller

Palette Knife

Offset Spatula

Rubber Spatula

Pie Server

Bench Knife/Dough Cutter /Dough Scrapper

Pastry Wheel

Spoons: Slotted, Perforated and Solid

Skimmer

Tongs

Reference Book: Professional Cooking -Wayne Gisslen