MEAL PREPARATION

INVOLVES:

1. Mise-en-Place2. Food Preparation

/Cooking3. Portioning and Plate

Presentation

4. Serving/Packaging

Mise en Place

Mise en place means to put everything in its place and involves all the preparation before the actual cooking takes place. To organize and prepare your food is the most essential part of any job in the kitchen:

1. Yourself by using PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)2. Facilities (light, water and gas)3. Equipment (stove, gas range and oven)4. Tools (measuring , cutting, cooking, baking

and special tools)5. Ingredients (cutting, measuring, pre-

cooking)

INGREDIENTS

MENU BUILDING

1. Hot Meals1.1 Soups1.2 Main Course1.3 Vegetable Side Dish1.4 Starch Dish

2. Cold Meals2.1 Appetizers2.2 Canapes2.3 Salads and Dressings2.4 Sandwich

3. Desserts3.1 Hot desserts3.2 Cold Desserts

COOKING METHODS

Classification:I. Dry Heat

- heat is conducted without moisture by hot air, hot metal, radiation, or hot fat

II. Moist Heat-heat is conducted to the food product

by water or water-based liquids

MOIST HEAT METHODS

Boil - cook in a liquid that is bubbling rapidly and is greatly agitated.

Poach - cook in a liquid, usually a small amount, that is hot but not actually bubbling

Simmer - cook in a liquid that is bubbling gently Blanch - to cook an item partially and briefly, in water

I.Item in cold water -> boil -> simmer -> plungein cold water = dissolve blood, salt or impurities from meat and bones

II. Item in boiling water -> cold water = set color and destroy harmful enzymes in vegetables or to loosen skin for peeling

Steam - to cook foods by exposing them directly to steam

Braise - to cook covered in a small amount of liquid

DRY HEAT METHOD

Roast and Bake - to cook foods by surrounding them with hot, dry air, usually in an oven Roast -> meat and poultryBake -> breads, pastries, vegetables and fish

Barbeque - cook with dry heat created by the burning of hardwood or by the hot coals of this wood

Smoke-roasting - done on top of the stove in a closed container, using wood chips to make smoke.

Broil - to cook with radiant heat from above.Grill - done on an open grid over a heat

source, which may be charcoal, an electric element, or a gas-heated element

Griddle - done on a solid cooking surface called a griddle, with or without small amounts of fat to prevent sticking

Pan-broil - like griddling except that it is done in a sauté pan or skillet instead of on a griddle surface

Sauté - cook quickly in a small amount of fat. Pan-fry - to cook in a moderate amount of fat

in a pan over moderate heat Deep fry - to cook a food submerged in hot fat Pressure frying - deep-frying in a special

covered fryer that traps steam given off by the foods being cooked and increases the pressure inside the kettle.

COOKING TERMS

Baste - To brush or spoon pan drippings or other fat or liquid over food as it cooks.

Beat - To stir or mix rapidly with a spoon, whisk, or an electric mixer

Blend - To combine two or more ingredients Bread - To coat food with bread or cracker

crumbs before cooking Caramelize - To melt sugar without burning, until

it develops into a syrup-like state. Chill - To place food in the refrigerator until it

becomes cold all the way through.

Deglaze - To swirl a liquid in a sauté pan, roast pan, or other pan to dissolve cooked particles of food remaining on the bottom

Devein - To remove the vein from the back of shrimp or the interior ribs from peppers.

Dice - To cut food into squares smaller than ½ inch. Dissolve- To stir dry ingredient/s into liquid ingredient until

the dry ingredient disappears. Dredge - To coat food lightly but completely with flour,

sugar or other substances and then shaking off excess. Drain - To pour off excess liquid by placing food in a

strainer of colander. Drizzle - To pour liquid in a fine stream over a food surface.

Dust - To sprinkle lightly with flour or sugar and then shaking off excess.

Fillet - To remove bones from fish, meat or poultry. Flake - To break food into small pieces. Flour - To lightly sprinkle or coat with flour. Fold in - To gently combine a light, delicate, and aerated

substance into a heavier mixture. Fry - To cook in hot fat. Garnish - to decorate food Glaze - To give shine to the surface of a food by applying

a sauce, aspic, sugar, or icing, and/or by browning or melting under a broiler or salamander or in an oven

Grate - To turn food into tiny particles. Grease - To rub fat or oil on the surface of a bowl, pan or

other utensil. Grill - To cook on a rack over direct heat. Grind - To run food through a processor until it is very fine

texture. Julienne - To cut food into thin, matchstick strips. Knead - To work dough with hands in a fold-and-press

motion. Marinate - To let food soak in a seasoned liquid in order to

flavor and tenderize. Mash - To crush to a soft mass. Melt - To turn solid into liquid by heating.

Mince - To cut or chop into very fine pieces. Mold - To shape food by hand, or by placing or pouring

into a decorative container. Parboil - To cook partially in a boiling or simmering

liquid Parcook - To cook partially by any method Peel - To strip, cut off, or pull away a skin or rind. Pipe - To squeeze icing through a pastry bag to make a

design Puree - To put food through a strainer, blender or food

processor to a smooth texture. Prick - To make small holes in the surface of a food

Sear - to brown the surface of a food quickly at a high temperature

Stew - to simmer or braise a food or foods in a small amount of liquid

Stir-fry - to cook quickly in a small amount of fat by tossing cut-up foods in a wok or pan with spatulas or similar implements

Sweat - To cook slowly in fat without browning, sometimes under a cover.

Shred - To cut, tear, of grate into thin strips.

Sift - To lighten or remove lumps from dry ingredients.

Skim - To remove fat or scum from the surface of a liquid.

Stir - To mix ingredients together to prevent from sticking.

Thicken - To make liquid more thick by reducing or adding a roux, starch, or eggs.

Thin - To dilute a mixture by adding more liquid. Toss - To mix lightly but rapidly by lifting and

turning ingredients. Whip - To beat rapidly and increase its volume

Sift - To lighten or remove lumps from dry ingredients.

Skim - To remove fat or scum from the surface of a liquid.

Stir - To mix ingredients together to prevent from sticking.

Thicken - To make liquid more thick by reducing or adding a roux, starch, or eggs.

Thin - To dilute a mixture by adding more liquid. Toss - To mix lightly but rapidly by lifting and

turning ingredients. Whip - To beat rapidly and increase its volume

FOOD SAFETY & SANITATIO

N

FOOD HAZARDS A food is contaminated means it contains

harmful substances that were not present originally in the food

Hazard - Any substance in food that can cause illness or injuryTypes:

1. Biological2. Chemical3. Physical

BACTERIAL GROWTHConditions for Growtho Food

Proteins – best for bacterial growtho Moistureo Temperature

Bacteria grow best at warm temperatures between 41°F and 135°F (5°C and 57°C) This temperature range is called the Food Danger Zone.

PROTECTION AGAINST BACTERIAThree basic principles1. Keep bacteria from spreading.2. Stop bacteria from growing.

Keep foods below 41°F (5°C) or above 135°F (57°C).

3. Kill bacteria. Most disease-causing bacteria are killed to a

temperature of 170°F (77°C) for 30 seconds or higher temperatures for shorter times

PERSONAL HYGIENEContamination - harmful substances not

present originally in the foodCross-contamination - transferring of

hazardous substances, mainly microorganisms, to a food from another food or another surface

Physical contamination - contamination of food with objects that may not be toxic but may cause injury or discomfort

THE FOUR- HOUR RULEDo not let food remain in the Food Danger

Zone for a cumulative total of more than 4 hours between receiving and serving.

Portioning, Plating and Presentation of Food

PORTIONING FOOD

A portion is the amount of food commodity allowed per diner. Portion control is important for presentation, consistency and costing. Too much food may make the plate look overcrowded and messy. Too little may leave the customer unsatisfied.

Courses of Menu Portion Size

Protein Dish(poultry, beef, pork, seafoods)

180-200 grams

Vegetable Buttered 60-80 grams

Potatoes 100 grams

Starch/Pasta 80-100 g

Sauce 45ml

appetizers 3 -5 pcs.

canapes 4 pcs.

Leafy saladNon-leafy

80-100 g120-150 g

Contemporary SandwichOpened faced

150-200 g120-150 g

CLASSICAL PLATING

PORTIONING

PLATING & PRESENTING FOOD

What to look for?• Shape• Color• Height• Items• Flavor• Texture

TIPS TO PLATE YOUR FOOD PROPERLY

1. Use white plates; The simple and larger one2. Plan your presentation ahead3. Rule of odds4. Wipe out spills and drips 5. Use the power of garnish

THE 5 BASIC ELEMENTS OF PLATING

1. Create a Framework Start with drawings and sketches to

visualise the plate. Find inspiration from a picture or object.

  Assemble a ‘practice’ plate to work on

executing your vision. 

The classical plating technique uses the three basic food items of starch, vegetables and main in a specific arrangement. A simple guide to a classical plating is to think of the plate as the face of a clock.

Main: Between 3 to 9 o’clock Starch: Between 9 to 11 o’clock Vegetables: Between 11 to 3 o’clock

PLATING FOR ASIAN DISHES

Communal Sharing is common in Asian dining. Though

challenging to plate, you can still use aesthetically pleasing garnishes and interesting bowls or containers, such as steamboats, dim sum baskets and even banana leaves, to heighten presentation.

Individual As more Asian restaurants adopt a more

modern style, smaller individual-sized servings are becoming increasingly common. When plating such dishes, adopt Western presentation techniques.

One-Dish Meals Local favourites such as Nasi Lemak are complete

meals. The starch is usually plated in the centre, topped with protein and vegetables placed around the sides. For such one-dish meals, balance the colour and texture of these dishes.

PLATING TRENDS In our previous article, we discussed the 

basics of plating. Effective plating involves mastering the techniques

combined with an understanding of trends and what diners enjoy. Here is a primer on the current plating

techniques that you can interpret when creating your own plating style.

Landscape Plating Taking inspiration from landscape gardens, this

arrangement of food components is laid out flat and “landscaped”. Whether you choose a Zen garden or a tropical bloom, there are many different variations for this style of plating.

Free Form Plating Just like modern paintings, free form plating

involves placing the dish in an abstract yet intriguing set-piece on a plate. It may seem a careless at first glance, but much careful thought has gone into creating a provocative appearance

Plating with Organic Materials Organic materials such as wood, slate or

stone can be used in plating to lend a natural element to your dish. When plating with organic materials, ensure the items are cleaned and sanitised thoroughly before use

Plating with Alternative Receptacles The use of unconventional receptacles can surprise your

diners. A coffee siphon can hold the broth for a dish or a test tube can hold shots of soup. Use an airtight jar to make your dish interesting by layering sauces or suspending the main ingredient. It also helps seal in the aroma of the dish, ready to be unlocked when the diner opens the lid.

Garnishing and Plating

A GARNISH can be anything that adds visual appeal and complementary colors, flavors, or textures to the food you’re serving.To embellish a dish as a way of finishing it and making it looks appealing and pretty.

Garnishing and Plating

• "Plating food" refers to placing food on a plate in as appealing manner as possible.

Many cooks give short shrift to this concept, but let me assure you, presentation is a very important part of the dining experience because we eat with our eyes first.

Types of Food Garnishes

Herbs: spring onions, lavender springs, rosemary, fresh cilantro or flat leaf parsley

Fresh Fruits: lemon wedges, pineapple

Vegetables: Lettuce, blanched broccoli, few rings or sliced green onion

Sauces

PACKAGING

SERVING

Chinaware or Dinnerware

Show plate/Display Main Course Fish Appetizer

Soup Plate Salad Plate Bread &Butter Soup Bowl

Chinaware or Dinnerware

Sauce Plate Sauce Boat Gravy boat Steam rice bowl

Dessert plate Platter Cup & Saucer Demitasse Cup & saucer

Chinaware or Dinnerware

Consomme cup Sugar & Creamer Teacup Salt & Pepper Ashtray container Shaker

Teapot Water Pitcher Coffee Pot Food Cover Soup Tureen Chafing Dish

Clean and Maintain Kitchen

Premises

FOOD COSTING