KEBF WEEK 1

INTRODUCTION TO CULINARY ARTS

FIRST RESTAURANT

Monsieur Boulanger
• Opened the first known restaurant in 1765.
• There was no soup maker’s guild so he decided to offer flavored soups (from sheep’s feet) called
restaurants, derived from the French word “restaurer” (to restore or fortify).
• There is no data on his works other known him as M. Boulanger and others says that his name is
not his it could be referring to his job for boulanger mean Baker in French

Marie Antoine Careme (1783- 1833)

• A chef to royalty throughout Europe, known as Chef to Kings

• He work in the kitchen of King Napoleon, King Alexander I of Russia, Prince of Wurttenberg to
name of few.
• Became Maitre chef at Carlton House in London where he set standards for chefs throughout
Great Britain and began a system of organization and Founder of Haute Cuisine or Grande
Cuisine
• Haute cuisine is characterized by dozen of courses which is elaborately prepared, well sauce,
and garnished.
• He introduces the basic, or mother, sauces (also known as leading sauces); compound sauces;
classical garnishes; and standard terminology for recipes.
• Design the chef’s uniform, most kitchen tools and utensils, and formulation of roux and many
major sauces.
• His books contain the first real systematic account of cooking principles, recipes, and menu
making.
• He was one of the primary reasons cooking of the middle Ages was brought into the modern
era.
Georges August Escoffier (1846-1935)
• The Father of the 20th century cooking.
• Georges Auguste Escoffier is a chef at some of Europe’s finest hotels, which includes the Ritz in
Paris and the Savoy in London, he refined Grande cuisine by modifying many of Carême’s
recipes and classifications.
• In particular, Escoffier simplified Carême’s complex system of sauces to the five basic sauces
(espagnole, béchamel, velouté, hollandaise, and tomato) and their compounds
• He developed Classical Cuisine which is sometimes called cuisine classique, or Classic Cuisine it is
a refinement and simplified version of Haute Cuisine.
• His achievement was the reorganization of the kitchen. The organization divided the kitchen
into departments or stations based on the kinds of food produced. A station chef was placed in
charge of each department.
KITCHEN BRIGADE - a system of staffing inside the kitchen so that each worker is assigned a set of
specific tasks.

THE CHEF
• This is the person in charge of the kitchen. In large establishments, this person has the title
“EXECUTIVE CHEF”.
• He is responsible for all aspects of food production, including menu planning, purchasing,
coasting, work schedules, hiring and training.
CHEF DE CUISINE
• For large establishment with many departments such as formal dining, casual dining, catering
department or if it has several units in different location, each kitchen may have a chef de
cuisine who reports to the Executive Chef.
GRILLARDIN
• is the grill cook. He's responsible for all grilled foods, as well as preparing and searing meats that
are going to be roasted .
GARDE MANGER
• handles cold food , salads, and dressing.
PATISSIER
• handles pastries and desserts.
TOURNANT
• replaces the station head.
ABOYEUR
• accepts orders from waiter and passed to cooks on lines. In other restaurants, this position is
taken by the Sous chef.
SOUS CHEF
• This person is directly in charge of production and works as the assistant to the executive chef
or chef de cuisine. The sous chef takes command of the production since the executive chef may
require more time planning things in the office.
SAUCIER
• -Prepares sauces and stews and sautés food to order.
POISSONIER
• -Prepares fish dishes.
ENTREMETIER
• -Prepares vegetables, soups, starches and eggs.
ROTISSEUR
• -roast and braise meat.

TERMINOLOGIES
• Culinary art is the art of cooking. Art in the word culinary arts, means the science of food.
• Culinary Artists are skilled person in preparing meals that are pleasing to the palate and to the
eye of customer. Increasingly they are required to have knowledge of the science of food and an
understanding of diet and nutrition. They work primarily in restaurants, fast food chain store
franchises, delicatessens, hospitals, and other institutions. Kitchen conditions vary depending on
the type of business, restaurant, nursing home etc.
• Culinary - The word "culinary" is defined as something related to or connected with the
preparation of food or cooking.
• Cuisine – means “kitchen.”
• Cook – domestic term is Chef (French)
• Cooking – the transfer of heat energy to food.
• Cookery – the art, practice or work of cooking.
• Classic Cuisine – is the refinement of the French grand cuisine (Haute cuisine means high-end)
exploration of culinary principles and techniques, emphasizes the refine preparation and
presentation of superb ingredients.
• Nouvelle Cuisine – means modern cuisine/new cooking, movement away from classical cuisine
towards a lighter cuisine based on natural flavors and simple preparation.
• National Cuisine – the characteristic cuisine of a nation.

• Regional Cuisine – set of recipes based upon local ingredients, traditions and practices within a
geographical area of a certain country.

• Ethnic Cuisine – cuisine of a group of people having a common cultural heritage as opposed to
the cuisine of a group of people bound together by geography or political factors.

• Palatability - is the hedonic reward provided by foods or fluids that are agreeable to the
"palate” (taste buds).

• Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of
plant or animal origin and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins,
vitamins, or minerals.

• A chef is a person who cooks professionally. In a professional kitchen setting, the term is used
only for the one person in charge of everyone else in the kitchen, the executive chef. "Chef"
(from Latin caput) is the abbreviated form of the French phrase chef de cuisine, the "chief" or
"head" of a kitchen.
LABORATORY WEEK 1&2

THE KITCHEN STRUCTURE

Three (3) Main Activity Center in the Kitchen

• The storage and preparation center. (Refrigerator and Preparation Table)

• The cooking center. (Gas Range and Other Equipment)
• The clean-up or washing center ( The sink)
FOUR BASIC KITCHEN ARRANGEMENTS

1. The U- Shaped Kitchen- generally considered the considered the most efficient arrangement.

3 MAJOR ADVANTAGES:

 Traffic crossing the basic triangle is prevented.

 A continuo's counter area exists.

 Distances between appliances are short.

2. The L- Shaped Kitchen- the work centers are placed along two adjacent walls.
3. The Island Kitchen- is usually a modified U-shaped or L-shaped arrangement of activity
centers.
4. The Corridor Kitchen- is the simplest and most economical arrangement. The
corridor must be at least 4 feet wide and should have a dead end to prevent traffic through the
work triangle.

COOKING EQUIPMENT & UTENSILS

ELECTRONIC COOKING EQUIPTMENT

 Microwave  Blender
 Turbo Broiling  Food Processor
 Oven Toaster  Oven with Electric Current

BASIC KITCHEN UTENSILS

 Measuring cups for dry ingredients  Saucepan- boiling, making soups,

 Measuring cups for liquid ingredients cooking pasta and rice
 Measuring spoon  Slotted Spoon
 Mixing Bowls  Slotted Spatula
 Sifter  Soup Ladle
 Colander  Rubber Spatula
 Strainer  Pasta Server or Pasta Spoon
 Sauteing Pan- sauteing, making sauces,  Wooden Spoon
stir-frying, deep frying.  Chopping Board
 Skillet- Stir-frying, cooking eggs,  Rolling Pin
sauteing.  Peeler
 Wok- stir-frying, deep frying, roasting,  Wire Whisk
steaming.
TYPES OF KNIVES

 CHEFS KNIFE or FRENCH KNIFE – this

all-purpose is used for a variety of
chopping, slicing, and mincing
chores. The blade is normally 8 to 12
inches long.
 UTILITY KNIFE – This smaller, lighter
chefs knife is used for light cutting
chore.The blade is generally 5 to 8
inches long.
 PARING KNIFE – This short knife used
for paring and trimming vegetables
and fruits, has 2 to 4 inches blade.
 BONING KNIFE – A boning knife is
used to separate raw meat from the
bone. The blade, which is thinner and
shorter than the blade of a chefs
knife, about 6 inches long and is
usually rigid.
 FILLETING KNIFE – Used for filleting
fish, this knife is similar in shape and
size to a boning knife but is thinner and with more flexible blade.
 SLICER – This knife is generally used for slicing cooked meat and is also suitable for food
such as smoked salmon. It has a long blade with a round or pointed tip. The blade may be
taper-ground or have a fluted edge.
 CLEAVER – Used for chopping, the cleaver is often heavy enough to cut through bones. It
has a rectangular blade and varies in size according to its intended use.
 TOURNE KNIFE – This small knife, similar to a paring knife, has a curved blade to make
cutting the curved of tourneed vegetable easier.
 STEEL – Used to sharpen knives.

Handling the Knife

The GRIP
A Proper grip gives you maintain control over the knife, increases your cutting accuracy and speed,
prevents slipping, and lessens the chance of an accident.
THE GUIDING HAND
While one hand controls the knife; the other hand controls the product being cut. Proper
positioning of the hand achieves three goals:
• HOLD ITEM BEING CUT. The item is held firmly so it will not slip.
• GUIDE THE KNIFE. The knife blade slides against the fingers. The position of the controls the cut.
• PROTECT THE HAND FROM CUTS. Finger trips are curled under, out of the way of the blade.
HOW TO CLEAN & MAINTAIN KITCHEN EQUIPMENT

THE RANGE

The range provides the necessary heat for cooking food. The fuel used for a range may be electricity,
gas, kerosene, gasoline, coal, o wood. Range differs in size, shape, and special features, but all of them
are equipped with surface units for top-of-the-range cooking, an oven for baking, roasting, and a
broiler. On a gas range the source of heat is the burner; on an electric range, it is the unit or a coil.

USE AND CARE OF THE RANGE

When using the range, remember to:

 Use utensils that are large enough to prevent the boiling food from spilling over the range
top or oven.
 Keep a dish on the range top for the spoon that you use in stirring food.
 Avoid putting anything hot on porcelain enamelled surfaces or putting cooking utensils
across them because the heat may cause the surface to chirp or crack.
 Arrange pans in the oven so that the air can circulate around them.
 Wipe the chromium trimming with a damp cloth and polish it with dry cloth.

CLEANING THE TOP OF A GAS RANGE

 Remove the burners and the rack, and scrub them with warm, soapy water and a scouring
pad.
 Clean the holes with a hairpin or wire. Do not use a toothpick.
 Rinse with clear, hot water, and dry the rack; turn the burners of the oven upside down.
 Return the burners and the rack to the range as soon as they are dry.

CLEANING THE UNITS OF AN ELECTRIC RANGE

 Turn on the high heat so that any food on the units will burn off.
 Cool, and then brush each unit with a soft non-metallic brush.
 Never clean the unit with a metal brush, a fork, a knife, or a sharp metal tool.
 Use steel wool or a cloth for units which are enclosed.

CLEANING THE OVEN

 Use a pancake turner to remove food immediately after it has spilled in the oven.
 Clean the oven thoroughly with a special cleaner when it is cool.
 Wipe the oven with soapy water. Rinse it with clean water and dry.
 Turn on the oven for a few minutes to dry all parts so that they will not rust.

THE REFRIGERATOR

Every food preparation area should be equipped with a refrigerator so that perishable foods
may be quickly cooled, and spoilage prevented.
Two types of individual freezer cabinets:
 Up-right type
  Chest type

CARE OF THE REFRIGERATOR

 Refrigerator with automatic defrost should be thoroughly cleaned every week by wiping off food
containers and removing all unneeded foods. Whereas, refrigerators without automatic defrost
should be defrosted whenever the frost is over ¼ inch thick.
DEFROSTING THE REGFRIGERATOR
 Turn off the electric current
 Remove all ice trays and frozen foods from the freezing units
 Wrap frozen food in newspaper to keep the from thawing.
 Put the dip tray in the proper place to catch the melted ice.
 Place a pans hot water in the lower part of the freezing unit. Allow the ice to melt.
Never use a sharp or pointed object to remove the ice.
 Remove the food in the lower part of the refrigerator.
 Wipe the inside portion of the freezing unit as well as the refrigerator with water 1
teaspoon baking soda has been added for each quart.
 Turn on the current and return the food to the refrigerator.

PROPER USE OF THE REFRIGERATOR

 Study the booklet supplied by the manufacturer.

 Keep the temperature between 35 degrees F and 45 degrees F.
 Allow hot food to cool before putting it in the refrigerator.
 Open the door only when necessary and keep it open as short as time possible.
 Put leftovers in small dishes and use them as soon as possible to avoid overcrowding the
refrigerator.
 Remove food from paper bags before storing it in the refrigerator.
 Do not store unopened cans of food in the refrigerator unless they are to be chilled for the
next meal.
 Store foods covered dishes or glass jars to prevent odors from spreading.
 Avoid getting grease on the gasket around the door.
 Decide on a definite place in which to keep each time so that you will not waste time in
looking for them.

THE SINK

A great deal of food preparation is spent at the sink: cleaning, pealing, cutting food, removing
waste and dishwashing. It is the central to a food operation that require water, and therefore, it should
be placed where it will be easily accessible.

CARE FOR THE SINK

 Fill the sink or the dishpan half- full of water when washing the dishes. Put only few dishes
into the sink at one time.
 Pour the dishwashing through a sink, strainer to avoid clogging the sink.
 Use soapy water to clean the sink, rubbing it hard. If the sink is very dirty, use a fine
scouring power and a bleach to remove stains.
FOOD SAFETY & SANITATION INSIDE THE KITCHEN

 Food Safety refers to scientific discipline describing handling, preparing and storing food in a way to
best reduce or prevent the risk of individuals becoming sick from foodborne illnesses.
 Food safety is a global concern that covers a variety of different areas of everyday life. Food Safety
has become an issue of in the hospitality industry especially those establishment that provide foods
and services to the customer.

The principles of food safety aim to prevent food from becoming contaminated and causing
food poisoning. This is achieved through a variety of different avenues, some of which are:

 Properly cleaning and sanitizing all surfaces, equipment, and utensils

 Maintaining a high level of personal hygiene, especially hand-washing
 Storing, chilling and heating food correctly with regards to temperature, environment and
equipment.
 Implementing effective pest control
 Comprehending food allergies, food poisoning and food intolerance.

FOODBORNE ILLNESS

Is the sickness that some people experience when they eat contaminated food. It impairs
performance and discomfort that may cause to hospitalization or death.

THREE CLASSIFICATION OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS

1. INFECTION
Caused by eating food that contains living disease causing microorganism
Ex. Bacteria, Virus, parasite that grows inside the body and stomach (e.g Salmonella)
2. INTOXICATION

Caused by eating foods that contain harmful chemical or toxin produced chemical waste
or toxin.
poisoning cause by bacteria Clostridium Botulinum and Staphylococcus Aureus.
Ex. Man Intoxication may also occur when a person consumes food that contain man
made chemical.
Ex. Food –made Chemicals.
3. Toxin-mediated Infection

caused by eating food that contain harmful microorganism that will produce a toxin
once inside the human body.

Toxin-mediated Infection is different from intoxication because the toxin produce inside
the body.

Ex. Bacteria that usually cause Toxin mediated Infection is Clostridium Perfringes.
CONTAMINATION AND CROSS CONTAMINATION

CONTAMINATION

 Is the presence of substances or condition in the food that can be harmful to humans
 Contamination can also occur as foods are handle during processing and distribution
 Food can also contaminated at several points between the farm and the table
 Some types of food contamination can cause illness without changing the appearance, odor,
and taste of the food

CROSS CONTAMINATION

 This happens when microbes from a raw food are transferred to a cooked or ready to eat
food by contaminated hands, equipment or utensils.

FOODBORNE HAZARDS OF CONTAMINATION

Biological
 Includes bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. These are very small and can only be seen
with the air of microscope
 They are single-called microorganism that require food moisture and warmth to multiply.
Chemical Hazards
 Toxic substances that may occur naturally or may be accidentally added during the
processing of food
 Ex. Chemicals like pesticides, fertilizers and cleaning compound.
Physical Hazards
 Foreign objects in the food that cause illness or injury. It includes items such as fragments of
glass, unfrilled toothpicks, jewellery, adhesive bandages and human hair.

CONTROLLING MICROBIAL GROWTH

Control of microbial growth means to inhibit or prevent growth of microorganisms. This control is
affected in two basic ways: (1) by killing microorganisms or (2) by inhibiting the growth of
microorganisms.

Control of growth usually involves the use of physical or chemical agents which either kill or prevent the
growth of microorganisms.

Agents which kill cells are called cidal agents; agents which inhibit the growth of cells (without killing
them) are referred to as static agents. Thus, the term bactericidal refers to killing bacteria, and
bacteriostatic refers to inhibiting the growth of bacterial cells.

Six Condition of Microbial Growth of Bacteria

1) FOOD- foods that high in protein and carbohydrates like meats, poultry, sea foods, dairy
products, cooked rice, beans etc.
2) ACID- Foods that produce acids or the Alkalinity of the food
 3) TEMPERATURE – Between 41F(5C) to 145F(63)
4) TIME – under ideal conditions, bacteria cells can be double in every 15 to 30 minutes
5) OXYGEN – Bacteria also needs oxygen in environment in order to grow or multiply. But
some are not.
6) MOISTURE – Bacteria needs moist and water in order to grow and multiply. Some
people use drying method to preserve the food.

SAFETY, HYGIENE, AND SANITATION

SAFETY

 Is the state of being "safe" (from French sauf), the condition of being protected from harm
or other non-desirable outcomes.
 Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable
level of risk.

PERSONAL HYGIENE

 Means good health habit.

o Trim Fingernails; do not wear nail polish or fake nails
o Wear disposable gloves( especially when handling RTEs or with cuts and burns
o Wear clean proper attire during food preparation and service
o Taking a bath every day and wash your hands properly before and after preparing of
foods
o No jewelry allowed

SANITATION

 Sanitation systems aim to protect human health by providing a clean environment that will
stop the transmission of disease and bacteria
WEEK 3

BASIC AND PRECISION CUTTING TECHNIQUES

Cutting food products into uniform shapes and sizes is important for two reasons:

i. It ensures even cooking

ii. It enhances the appearance of the product.
 CHOP – to cut it into irregularly shaped pieces.
 CONCASSER(con-cass-say) – to chop coarsely.
 EMICER(em-man-say) – to cut into very thin slices(does not mean “to mince”)
 MINCE- to chop into very fine pieces.
 SHRED – to cut into this strips either the coarse blade of a greater( manual or power) or with
chef knife.

CUTTING TECHNIQUES

 RONDELLE – to cut something into a circular shape. It is basically cutting a round.

 BATONNET – the batonnet will be the basis for your dice, brunoises, and julienne. A
batonnet is nothing more than a fancy French word for baton or stick. The technical
measurement is ¼’’x ¼’’x2.5-3’’ long.
 BRUNOISE – is a culinary knife cut in which the food item is first julienned and then
turned a quarter turn and diced again, producing cubes of about 3mm or less on each side
or 1/8 inch dice. Typical vegetables for brunoise are carrots, celery, and onion.
 ALLUMETE, AND JULIENNE – the process of cutting into match stick shapes, such as
batonnet. The julienne measures approximately1/8’’x 1/8’’ x 1-2’’(3mm x 3mm x 3-5cm). It
also the starting point for the brunoise cut.

o Regular Julienne = 1/8’’ x 1/8’’x 2 ½ long

o Fine Julienne = 1/16” x 1/16” x 2” long
 CUTTING PAYSANNE – are thin square or roughly square cuts. The procedure begins the
same as for cutting medium size.
 CUTTING LOZENGES – is a diamond shape cut in a form or rhombus. This is why lozenges are
often used as garnished.
 FERMIÉR – is an irregular slice. Shapes may vary, depending on the item but the piece
should be of uniform size.
 OBLIQUE CUTS – also called the roll cut, this is for long, cylindrical vegetables such as
Carrots.
 DICING AN ONION – cut the peeled onion in half lengthwise, through the root end, which is
holding the onion together.
 CHOPPING MIREPOIX – is a mixture of coarsely chopped vegetable, primarily onions,
bellpepper instead of carrots, and celery, used to flavor stocks, graives, sauces, and
other items.
 CHOPPING HERBS- Chopping with a french knife. Holding the tip of the knife against the
cutting board, rock the knife rapidly up and down. At the same time, gradually move the
 knife sideways across the product on the board so the cuts redistributed the pile and begin
again. Continue until the product its chopped as fine as you want.
 CUTTING PARISIENNE (pah-ree-zee-enn)
o Place the ball cutter against the potato.
o With the thumb, press the cutter firmly into the potato as far as it will go.
o Lift the handle of the cutter outward, twist the cutter around , and remove the ball.
 CUTTING TOURNÉED(toor-nay)- Tournée (pronounced tour-nay) is French for the word
"turned." The term refers to a method of cutting and peeling root vegetables into oblong,
seven-sided football-like shapes.
 CHIFFONADE – cutting leaves into fine shreds. Its applied more often to
lettuce and sorrel.
WEEK 4

Choosing Quality Ingredients

Things to look out when buying fresh meat:

 The color of the meat

 Red meat should be dark in color, and can vary between purple, red, and brown. If it’s
brown, it simply means it has been exposed to oxygen. It will still be safe to eat. Pork
meat should be a light blushing pink color, while game meat should be dark brown.
 Color of poultry varies somewhat and this is because their diet affects their meat color.
So, the color of fresh poultry can range anywhere from blue-white to yellow. Poultry fat
skin also depends on the type of food feed to chickens.

 The smell
 Not everyone (even meat-eaters) like the smell of fresh meat, so many home cooks find
it difficult to establish whether the aroma they’re smelling is a normal raw meat funk, or
whether it’s spoiled. Don’t buy a rotting smell meat.

 Look for clean cuts

 Look for smooth cuts that are uniformly sized, and stay away from jagged edged meat.
This is especially the case when buying poultry. Lower grade poultry are not always
butchered well, which means care is not taken when removing joints and bones. If you
don’t like small bones in your chicken, then opt for higher grade cuts.

 The meat surface

 If you look closely at red meat, you will notice meat fibers. The grain of the fibers will tell
you whether the meat is tough or tender. Coarse meat grains, with many visible muscle
fibers, means a tough meat with lots of flavor. Choose these cuts for low and slow
cooking. When buying beef tenderloin, you will notice the lack of these grains, meaning
the meat will be tender when cooked.

 Meat fat

 Meat with white flecks and streaks of fat distributed throughout the muscle, will be
juicier and tender. This fat is called marbling, and the finer the marbling, the tastier.
Wagyu beef is prized for its marbling and is well-known for its flavor and tenderness.
These types of meat are also more expensive.

 Meat texture
 Beef meat should be firm, dense and dry. The muscle fibers should be tightly packed and
be uniform. If meat looks like it’s going to fall apart, it could be due to poor handling or
poor quality. Poultry meat should also be firm and dry. If the meat is slimy or sticky,
then rather stay away. This stands for all types of meat, whether you’re buying beef,
lamb, chicken, or pork.

 Packaging
  Don’t buy meat with poor, damage, and dirty packaging.

 Storage
 Something not many people look at when shopping for fresh meat, are the fridge and
freezer storage. Why does this matter? Well, temperature control within a facility is
extremely important to ensure your meat stays fresh. If you notice that the fridges are
slightly warmer than usual, or you see water dripping from the freezers, there could be
a technical issue, which means your meat might not be so fresh.

 Ask your butcher

 If you’re uncertain about all the aspects of meat, ask your butcher for advice. They will
be able to advise you on what to look for, what the right cuts are for your dish, what the
freshest meat in store is and how to cook it.

FRUITS & VEGETABLES:

Apples - Firm, unbruised, of good color.

Asparagus - Firm, compact, closed tips. Angular or flat stocks denote woodiness. Avoid asparagus
stored at room temperature or with the ends soaking in water.
Bananas - Yellow or green, plump, not bruised or split. Skin of ripened (when yellow) bananas will
turn brown in the refrigerator but flesh keeps for two days or more.
Beans (green) - Clear green, free of scars and discoloration, with small seeds. Snapping does not
indicate freshness; should feel velvety.
Broccoli - Compact, closed bud clusters. No yellow flowers or yellowed or wilted leaves.
Carrots - Firm, smooth, well shaped, good orange color. Avoid wilted, flabby, soft or shriveled, rough
or cracked carrots.
Cauliflower - White to creamy white, clean, firm, compact. Leaves should be fresh and green. Avoid
open flower clusters, spotted curds, which indicate bruising, heads with tops of curds sliced off,
those with hollow core.
Celery - Green outer stalks, crisp, clean, thick stalks. Soft stalks are a sign of age; excessively hard
stalks may be stringy or woody.
Chayotes - Dark green to ivory white, not deeply wrinkled. Cherries - Firm, highly colored from bright
red to black, not sticky.
Corn - White or yellow with fresh green husks. Corn should be cooked the day it is picked if possible.
Iceberg should have fairly firm but not heavy head. Butterhead, romaine, Bibb and loose leaf should
be tender.
Leeks - Green tops with medium-sized necks; white for at least two or three inches from the roots,
which are young, crisp and tender. Yellowed, wilted tops indicate old age. Lemons - Rich yellow
color, thin-skinned; heavy for their size and moderately firm. Tip should be full.
Onions (dry) - Bright, hard, without sprouts. Thick, tough, woody or open neck indicates overage.
Moisture at neck is sign of decay. Keep dry and cool.
Onions (green) - Fresh tops with two or three inches of white from crisp, tender root. Reject those
with wilted or discolored tops.
Oranges - Firm, heavy, thin skinned for juice; slightly thicker skin for eating.
Parsnips - Flavor does not develop until stored at 40 degrees. Avoid soft, flabby, shriveled roots.
Large parsnips are tough.
 Peas (green) - Uniformly green, long pod, not too full. Peas must be young and very fresh to be
good.
Peppers - Firm, bright, thick-fleshed and green, green and red or completely red. Red peppers are
ripe and sweet
Radishes - Smooth, well formed, firm, crisp, without black spots or pits. Avoid those that are pithy,
spongy, wilted. If tops are on they should be green. Remove tops after purchasing.
Spinach - Good green color, though small yellowish-green leaves are acceptable.
Squash (soft skin) - Young, tender, crisp and fairly heavy in relation to size. Hard-rind squashes
should have no soft spots.
Strawberries - Clean, bright, solid red color, caps in place, free of moisture and mold.
Tomatoes –Bright solid red color or green. Ripe tomatoes are deep red. Don’t buy with bruises and
spongy one.

Food Presentation and Garnishing

The visual appeal and presentation of a dish is as important as its flavour. The initial attraction of food
comes from the visual appeal. A combination of colours, textures, decoration and garnishes increase the
aesthetic appeal and can also enhance the flavour of some dishes.

What makes great presentation?

1. What the food will be served on (also known as the support)

2. The focal point
3. Colours
4. Textures
5. Decoration and garnish

What will the food be served on?

The function of the ‘support’ is to hold, present and accentuate the food.

1. Plain dark or white plates are often used to enable creativity.

2. If there is a design on the plate, this would normally be on the border.
3. Consider using alternative ways to present your food such as paper cones for chips,
preserving jars for pâté, individual lidded dishes for casseroles, mini saucepans for soups
and natural stone or wooden plates.

The focal point

This is what will mainly attract the eye. For a main dish, this will usually be the meat, fish or protein
alternative.
It is important that the main element of the dish is easily accessible without detracting from the overall
presentation and look of the dish.

Colours
Colour is very important as it can create excitement. Colour could be provided by the plate the food is
served on, vegetables or sauces, decoration and garnishes or the food itself.
Colours to be aware of:
 • Green brings coolness and calms down.
• Red stands for passion and excitement.
• Black is a sign of elegance.
• Blue is a natural appetite suppressant and can make food look unappetising.

Textures

Texture is a very important element of good food presentation. By contrasting textures, the whole dish
takes on a different dimension and adds visual appeal.

Decoration and garnish

Garnishes or decorative techniques should be edible and serve a purpose, with exceptions such as
skewers and speciality utensils. They should add contrasting colour, texture and overall interest.

Decoration and garnish

Edible decoration could include:

• Crispy croutons; • Swirled, brushed, painted or piped

cream, half fat crème fraiche, jus or
• Toasted nuts, sesame or pumpkin
compotes;
seeds;
• Julienne strips or ribbons of vegetables;
• Fresh herbs or dried spices;
• Twits of citrus fruit, shaped or carved
• Coarsely crushed peppercorns;
vegetables;
• Edible flowers such as nasturtium,
• Edible herb flowers such as chive, garlic
elderflower and cornflower or pea
and fennel.
shoots;

Tips for dressing a plate

 Portion control – consider portion sizes and current healthy eating advice.
 Use of vibrant colours – vegetables or sauces in bright sharp colours liven up a plate
 Food positioning – the classic way to plate is to ‘clock’ food. Place the potatoes, pasta or rice
at ten o’clock, meat or fish at six o’clock and the vegetables at two o’clock.
 Follow the rule of odds – having an odd number of elements on a dish creates the
impression that a piece of food is being framed by the others
 Elevation – stack foods in a tight pyramid or cylinder
 Repetition – this is an easy way of creating a picture.
! Most importantly – make sure the plate is clean.
! Don’t serve your dish on a dirty plate and make sure that any drips have been wiped away.

Tools for presentation and styling

 Plain/fluted biscuit cutter – these are great tools for creating shapes to layer meat, fish and
vegetables.
  Piping bags and nozzles – create attractive decoration and garnishes using different
sized/shaped nozzles.
 Tweezers/small spoon – useful for positioning small, delicate pieces of garnishes.
 Palette knife – to smooth the sides or tops of dishes and ease removal from moulds or rings.
 Melon baller, julienne peeler and apple corer – use these to create attractive garnishes with
fruit and vegetables
 Paintbrush or squeeze bottle – use these to creatively add sauces in a creative and
controlled way.

Props

Consider using props as part of your overall food presentation, such as flowers, napkins, glassware,
cutlery, tablecloths and a menu.

If you are producing a dish or menu based on a culture or theme, perhaps use appropriate decoration
and cutlery.