MEAL

PREPARATION

INVOLVES:

3.

Mise-en-Place
Food Preparation
/Cooking
Portioning and Plate

4.

Presentation
Serving/Packaging

1.
2.

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.

2.

3.

Hot Meals
1.1 Soups
1.2 Main Course
1.3 Vegetable Side Dish
1.4 Starch Dish
Cold Meals
2.1 Appetizers
2.2 Canapes
2.3 Salads and Dressings
2.4 Sandwich
Desserts
3.1 Hot desserts
3.2 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 -> plunge
in 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 poultry
Bake -> 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
saut pan or skillet instead of on a griddle surface

 Saut

- 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 saut 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 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 injury
Types:
1. Biological
2. Chemical
3. Physical

BACTERIAL GROWTH
Conditions for Growth
o Food

o
o

Proteins best for bacterial growth

Moisture
Temperature

Bacteria grow best at warm temperatures

between 41F and 135F (5C and 57C) This
temperature range is called the Food
Danger Zone.

PROTECTION AGAINST BACTERIA

Three basic principles
1. Keep bacteria from spreading.
2. Stop bacteria from growing.

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

(57C).

3.

Kill bacteria.
.

Most disease-causing bacteria are killed to a

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

PERSONAL HYGIENE
Contamination

- harmful substances not

present originally in the food
Cross-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 RULE

Do 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 salad
Non-leafy

80-100 g
120-150 g

Contemporary Sandwich
Opened faced

150-200 g
120-150 g

CLASSICAL PLATING

PORTIONING

PLATING & PRESENTING FOOD

What to look for?
Shape
Color
Height
Items
Flavor
Texture

TIPS TO PLATE YOUR FOOD

PROPERLY
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Use white plates; The simple and larger one

Plan your presentation ahead
Rule of odds
Wipe out spills and drips
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 ofstarch,vegetablesandmainin
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 oclock
Starch:Between 9 to 11 oclock
Vegetables:Between 11 to 3 oclock

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 asNasi Lemakare 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 thebasics 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 youre 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

Vegetables: Lettuce, blanched

broccoli, few rings or sliced green

Fresh Fruits: lemon wedges, pineapple

Sauces

PACKAGING

SERVING

Chinaware or
Dinnerware

Show plate/Display

Soup Plate
Bowl

Main Course

Salad Plate

Fish

Bread &Butter

Appetizer

Soup

Chinaware or
Dinnerware

Dessert plate
Demitasse Cup

Sauce Plate
rice

Platter

Cup & Saucer

& saucer

Sauce Boat

Gravy boat

Steam

Chinaware or
Dinnerware

Consomme cup Sugar & Creamer

Ashtray
container

Teapot
Chafing

Water Pitcher Coffee Pot

Teacup

Salt & Pepper

Shaker

Food Cover Soup Tureen

Dish

Clean and
Maintain Kitchen
Premises

FOOD COSTING