Korean Menu Days 4+5

Hi, everyone.

 Here's the heads up for typical questions and common problems for the first day of the Korean menu. Read all of the recipes, watch all of the videos, make a bunch of notes, distill them down into a few questions and post them here. PLEASE help each other answer questions and give advice. If it's inaccurate, I'll chime in between 8-9 and let you know.Although Day 4 will be a "none service day", you should prepare to meet our time deadlines and have your mise en place finished and stations ready by 10:30 so we can make last minute adjustments and go to family meal at 10:45. The current tracking schedule is correct for both Days 4 + 5, so please scale your recipes accordingly. 

 Below are some photos that might help you visualize things.

Sous chefs:

Set up on Station 5 for a "Kim Chi and Panchan Sampler Plate" Similar to the dim sum plate today, but all room-temp items, so they can actually be plated ahead and held on sheet trays if you have the time. The set up should look like this:

From Korean Menu Day 4

and the finished plate should look like this if we have all of the components, but sometimes we're not able to make all of them:

From Korean Menu Day 4

Sous chefs will only need to draw a diagram for the salad/kimchi station and the steam table. The steam table set up will be minimal - only the Rice, the Stir Fried Noodles, and the Braised Short Ribs will go there. All other items will be plated from the stations producing them. Steam table looks like this:

From Korean Menu Day 4

Spicy Beef Soup - broth is already made and you can add white beef stock to it if you need to, and beef is already cooked. Make sure we have enough for 2 days - we make the same soup both days this menu, talk to me if you don't have enough broth or meat on Day 4 so we can order more for Day 5.

Rice - Medium Grain rice, Should be treated  the Chinese rice. The result will be a lot more sticky than the Chinese rice - so don't freak out when you see it.Ti doesn't "fluff" but it shold not be left to sit and congeal. Move it from the rice cooker to a hotel pan when it's still fresh.

Salads/Kimchi - This will be a 6" round plate like we used for the Dim Sum, with small portions of each item on the plate - a "sampler".

Sous Chefs should make the daikon salad and delegate the spinach salad and soy bean sprout salad to teams 2+4, 1x the recipe for each salad. Team 5 should make the scallion salad - 3x the recipe for that with the expectation that 1/2 will go on the salad/kimchi plate and the other 1/2 will be served with their grilled beef.

The Kimchi is already made and in the cooler. Last class made it for you and you'll make it for the next class. There should be cucumber, Daikon radish, and cabbage kimchi in the cooler. The teams assigned to "set" the kimchi will take some out, allow me to show them how to cut/prep it for service. All salads and Kimchis should be in individual 1/6th pans, together on one sheet tray, ready to plate by 10:30. They can be plated ahead and held at room temperature without suffering in quality.

Station 2 - Half of the short ribs coming from the meat room are for you and the other half for team 5. Let T5 have the most meaty ones. the recipe on this dish works well, all you need from me is a demo on how to cut them - it varies from week to week, depending on the ribs, so ask first thing in the morning.Please be responsible for helping the sous chefs set up the cabbage kimchi for service each day, this just means that you take the kimchi out of the cooler, get a knife, board, gloves, and 1/6th pan and ask me how to trim and portion it, you will need to give the trim to Team 6, so do this early.
In addition to the tracking schedule, please make Miso pickles - the recipe is in the Japanese section, if you don't have time on Day 4, it can be done on Day 5 - BUT IT MUST BE DONE.

Station 3 - Be prepared to make both the trout and the glass noodles. A solid time line, ingredient list, and equipment list will be an important part of your job., you have two different entrees to set up stations and coordinate service for. You take care of ALL MEP for the trout and Glass noodles. Be ready to plate fish from the fry area, cooking the fish ala minute during service. Make sure to watch the video on fish fabrication and to draw a complete and detailed physical diagram of how your fry station will be set up. Show where everything will be in place and label each item. The trout is served on an oval plate, make sure you have them on the fry station. The noodles served from the steam table in a deep noodle bowl, have a separate diagram for how your noodle mise en place will look when you begin to stir fry. What ingredients will you need? tools? Remember that the noodles are Stir Fired - that means dividing MEP into 4 batches for firing for family meal and through-out service.

Station 4 - I'm in the process of changing the recipe for this dish. Instead of whole Hens - which are difficult to eat and don't sell well, I'm working on making boneless, stuffed chicken legs. Here's how to remove the bone from the leg

And here's how to stuff and roll it to prepare for poaching

 Everthing else will remain th same, but I need to show you how to fabricate the legs to accommodate the rice filling. Make your liquid early, make sure it's very flavorful. choose the right sized pan to cook them in - a rondo just big enough to fit the stuffed legs. Chicken must be poached between 165-180F - no boiling! Get rice to stuff the legs from the sous chefs, they will rinse and soak it, you need to par-cook it. Make the your poaching liquid,par cook the rice, cool and mix with other ingredients, stuff roll the chickens with me and start cooking them by 9:30. While legs are cooking, make poached garlic heads and other garnishes. It works best to poach the chicken on top of the regular range and, when they hit 165F internal temp, hold them in a water bath in a wok of hot water. You can set up your plates, utensils, and garnishes next to that wok and plate from there - draw a complete diagram of how this station will look for service, use the wok closest to the Chinese Oven to hot-hold your pot of chicken and use that as the focal point of your station, use a tray stand and the work table across the isle for the rest of your mise en place.With the new presentation you will need a cutting board and slicing knife to complete the dish.  "Set KimChi" just means that you take the kimchi out of the cooler, get a knife, board, gloves, and 1/6th pan and ask me what to do. Do this early. Pickled ginger recipe is in the Japanese section. Make it on either Day 4 OR Day 5 - but make sure it gets made.

Station 5- You will be sharing the grill with Station 6, space will be tight. You will be grilling thin pieces of marinated beef and plating them ala minute onto 12" round plates with rice, a small ramekin of Korean pepper sauce, scallion salad, and placing 3 pieces of beef onto leaves of cabbage lined with shiso leaves. Make enough Red Pepper Sauce to share with Station 6 - they will need about 8 oz. Since you'll be plating from the grill station, set up a chaffing dish to hold your rice. You can share this chaffing dish with station 6 -1/2 hotel pan for your rice - 1/2 hotel pan for their "mixed grains". Draw a diagram of what your station will look like - where everything will be - and a picture of what you imagine the plate will look like so I can help you adjust in the morning. Be as detailed as possible with your drawing - label everything so I can see how you think. "Set KimChi" just means that you take the kimchi out of the cooler, get a knife, board, gloves, and 1/6th pan and ask me what to do. Do this early.

Station 6 - You will be plating from your station. the recipes are all pretty detailed and the videos are accurate, except, when making the pancakes, you will use a flat griddle set over the left side of the grill instead of the cast iron pan shown in the video. Since you'll be plating from your station, set up a chaffing dish to hold your "mixed grains". You can share this chaffing dish with station 5 -1/2 hotel pan for your grains - 1/2 hotel pan for their rice.
See station 5 instructions above so you know how you are expected to share table and grill space. On Day 5 you are responsible for setting up the tasting of Korean Ingredients, use the tasting sheet form the course guide and ask me if you need further information. Tasting ingredients must be ordered with Supplemental so that we have them before service.Draw a complete and detailed physical diagram of how your station will be set up. Be sure to show Griddle, Steamer, Chafing dish, Plates, and all other utensils and ingredients needed to produce complete plates.

You are assigned to also make a Daikon and Carrot pickle for the Vietnamese menu - the recipe for this is embedded in the Bahn Mi recipe under that section. 

Day 3 China - Add Dim Sum to Regular menu

Day 3:

Heads Up - Important information on setting up individual stations and what I expect for preparation is listed below - be sure to read entire post so that you're informed. 

ALL STATIONS - be prepared to serve 80- portions of each Dim Sum item. See details below and on web site. Each station making Dim Sum should be ready for me to do a demonstration at their station at 9:00 AM. If everyone is set up, we can do the demos at the same time and then each person can try their hand at forming the various pieces - similar to the way the Wontons were done on Day 2

Prepping for Day 3 means being comfortable enough with the regular menu items that you can step up and add an extra item to your routine and still be on time. Everything must be ready by 10:45.

Sous Chefs - You'll need to have a new service diagram for the Dim Sum. We don't have space on the steam table, so we usually set up two chaffing dishes with sterno on table 5. Think about how you would lay it out and draw a detailed diagram with each item in place and labeled as what it is, the diagram should be well thought out for work flow - if everything is in it's place? Can one person efficiently plate fast enough to keep up with service?Two chaffing dishes with three 1/3 pans in each. You'll need a pan for the steamed dumplings, the pan-fried dumplings, the spring rolls, the ribs, and the stuffed peppers and an empty one to fill the space and keep the heat in. Everyone who comes to K1 will get a Dim Sum plate on Day 3. Presentation will be on 6" round plates with a ramekin of ginger-soy dipping sauce in the center. The five dim sum items will be positioned around the dipping sauce and a dab of spicy mustard will go on the plate next to the spring roll. Make sure that you know who will be doing what during service- figure it out ahead of time and tell the people involved what their duties are well before service, everyone will need to multi-task and hustle.

Draw a diagram of what's been described above on a six inch plate and show it to me first thing in the morning along with your station diagram so we can make sure you're on the right track.

Station 2 - Braises PLUS Steamed dumplings (Shao Mai) know which are the proper wrappers. Remember that you are responsible for each dim sum plate getting a 1 oz ramekin of the ginger soy dipping sauce (only fill each ramekin 1/2 way).
The dumplings can be steamed ahead using the wok steamer and then re-heated as needed during service. They are brought to the service line in 1/3 hotel pans.


Station 3 - Moo Shu PLUS Pan Fried Dumplings. The dough should have been made on day 2. The dough must be kept cold. As soon as it's rolled and cut, it should be stacked in single layers- with parchment paper between each layer - in a 1/2 hotel pan, covered and kept in the cooler. After they are shaped and filled, they should be held in similar fashion. When brought to the cooking line, the pan containing the dumplings should be nested on another pan of ice. If these dumplings become warm before cooking they stick like crazy and are very difficult to work with.
You will set up a station for cooking these dumplings on the range top, you'll share that space with another station, so plan to use the two burners on the right - closest to the fryer. Draw a diagram of how that station will be set up - show each piece of equipment and each component/ingredient needed, label each item. Focus on having all mise en place within reach and being able to cook small batches of dumplings throughout service.

Station 4- Spring rolls - filling should be made and cooked on Day 2, rolls filled on Day 3 . There's an extra recipe for a different spring roll available, if you're ahead and want to take on something extra, ask Chef. Once they are rolled, they should be kept cold - layered between parchment paper sheets in a 1/2 hotel pan. Set up a proper fry station and fry them in batches as needed for service. Remember - you're responsible for the spicy mustard that's served with them.Draw a diagram of how the fry station will be set up - show each piece of equipment and each component/ingredient needed, label each item. Focus on having all mise en place within reach and being able to properly fry small batches throughout service.

Station 5- Ribs may be put in Chinese oven with the Roasts early in the day. When they are cooked through you can cut them and hot-hold them, covered, until service. Bring them to the line in a deep 1/3 pan. Remember that we have 2 whole chickens marinating which must be placed in the oven along with the ribs and pork. Because the Dim Sum service will take up space where you typically have your carving station, move to the end of Station #6. Draw a diagram of how that station will be set up - show each piece of equipment and each component/ingredient needed, label each item.

Station 6- In addition to the Grandmother's bean curd, you'll need to fill, cook, and finish the stuffed peppers. They can all be steamed ahead and held at room temp - covered - for service. At service they should be sauteed in small batches as needed, 10-15 at a time, and brought to the service line in a 1/3 pan.Plan to use the two saute burners closest to the grill, you'll be sharing the range with Station 3 so space will be tight. Draw a diagram of how that station will be set up - show each piece of equipment and each component/ingredient needed, label each item. Focus on having all mise en place within reach and being able to cook small batches of dumplings throughout service.

Day 2 March 26

Day 2 requires that you know the Day 1 menu and set up PLUS add new items to the line and prep for Day 3. Please be sure to go over your successes and mistakes from Day 1, learn and move ahead, and to use what you learned today to prep for Days 2 + 3 with better planning and more confidence.

Sous Chefs: Remember that the diagram for Day2 will be different from the one I gave you for Day 1 and that it's up to you to design a layout that makes sense. Give it your best effort and show me the results first thing in the morning so I can help you figure out mistakes before it's too close to service. You MUST have a well thought out diagram to avoid problems and the resulting grade.

Class Tasting - Everyone should bring the Tasting Sheet From the China Section of the Course Guide. Fro the remainder of the block, Team 5+6 Will be responsible for the tastings on the second day of each menu - dont drop the ball. 

Teams 5+ 6- It's critical that you all talk to me before 7:30 to understand the set up for the tasting. Here's a photo of what an abbreviated tasting tray for Day 2 should look like  - but it's been expanded to 37 items in all, whole pieces of things that would be cut up or re-hydrated for tasting (just so you can see both forms). Chef should walk you through each item, giving a short explanation and allowing you time to taste each one. If you clean up fast - before 12:30 - it can be done in one day, if we run out of time, we can make it up on Day 3.
When tasting is done, please cover and wrap remains - as in second photo - and store in AM cooler. We can use this to review for tests later in the cycle.

Everybody else: Make sure you know what you're supposed to be prepping ahead for Day 3 and that IT ALL GETS DONE. The reason it was assigned as prep a day ahead is because you will be in the weeds on Day 3 if you have to start from scratch. Let me know if you need clarification on any points.

From Day 1 K1 China

Day 1 March 25

In coming Group - Hi, This is where you should look each day for information about the course in general and instructions specific to your class and station. It's VERY important that you read and analyze your recipes, watch all videos AND read the ALL of the daily information posted here. A significant part of your grade hinges on being prepared for class and these are the tools to prepare with. Day 1 begins at 7:00 AM , Please be prepared as instructed in advance. Read the entire Blog post Every day, you are expected to be familiar with not only your station, but where you fit into the bigger picture. There will be information under other station's heading which may pertain to you - you will be responsible for knowing that.


Heads up - The most common mistakes made on Day 1, class wide, are:

Not having a complete and detailed time line in the correct format
Not analyzing recipes fully
Not researching terms, ingredients, technique that you are unfamiliar with
Not knowing how to set up a basic work station
Not knowing basic cooking fundamentals covered in Skills such as - how much starch do you need in a slurry to thicken a set amount of liquid "How much corn starch thickens one cup of soup?"
Not knowing basic measurements - how many pints in a gallon?, etc...

The MOST COMMON MISTAKE OF ALL is not not following directions - this especially includes the direction to read all material and be prepared for class. If you read and listen and then ask questions if you need further clarification, you'll almost certainly have a successful and enjoyable class.

The Daily  Schedule will run as follows:

Day 1 AM
7:00AM -  Arrive, meet with Chef, discuss class objectives, introduction to kitchen and ingredients
7:30 - 10:00 - Prep and Demos
10:00-10:45 - Set up for Service/finish ala minute preparations with Chef
10:45-11:15 - Plate Demos/Family meal
11:15-12:15 - Clean kitchen/inventory
12:15- 1:30 - Lecture - Course Protocol + Grading

Day 1 PM
2:00PM -  Arrive, meet with Chef, discuss class objectives, introduction to kitchen and ingredients
2:30 - 5:00 - Prep and Demos
5:00-5:45 - Set up for Service/finish ala minute preparations with Chef
5:45-6:15 - Plate Demos/Family meal
6:15-7:15 - Clean kitchen/inventory
7:15- 8:30 - Lecture - Course Protocol + Grading

ALL OTHER DAYS  2-14

 AM
7:00 - 10:00 - Prep and Demos
10:00-10:45 - Set up for Service/finish ala minute preparations with Chef
10:45-11:15 - Plate Demos/Family meal
11:15-11:30 - Final Prep for Service
11:30- 12:00 - Service
12:00 - 12:45 - Kitchen Cleaning + Inventory
12:45-  1:30    - Lecture - Course Protocol + Grading

 PM

2:00 - 5:00 - Prep and Demos
5:00-5:45 - Set up for Service/finish ala minute preparations with Chef
5:45-6:15 - Family Meal
6:15-6:30 - Final Prep Before Service
6:30-7:00 - Service
7:00- 7:45 - Kitchen Cleaning and Inventory Lecture
7:45-8:30 - Lecture

On a station by station basis, here is more in depth info for you:

Sous Chefs:

All China and dish ware must be stored (hot or cold) as soon as you come in and the carts taken back to the dish room. This is standard every day, you must be aware of what plates, bowls, cups, etc. we need for service each day and alert me before 8:00 AM if anything is missing. A supplemental sheet should be started on a clean sheet of paper. The supplemental will list Item, Quantity, and Station ordering the item. Usually the supplemental is due to me no later than 7:30 AM, but on Day One 8:00 AM is acceptable.

Rice Watch the video demo to understand concepts, but we have a NEW rice cooker which will be used for most rice cookery. I will do a demo with class at around 9:00 AM on Day 1 to introduce you to this machine. There is information in the video that you must klnow for other purposes, so be sure to watch it. Your team is preparing rice for the entire class, the only other station preparing rice today should be Team 4 in preparation for Fried rice on Days 2 + 3.

The soup Mise en place should be assembled on a sheet tray and set near a large wok so that I can help you start it no later than 9:00.

The Bean Starch Sheets for the salad should be rehydrated early, cut, and the salad assembled by 9:30 as well.

Sous Chef's Paper Work, each day you receive a clip board with these papers. It's your responsibility to know how to use them and do so. If not sure - ask in advance. On the Day before you are assigned to be a sous chef, it is important for you to review this.

Early Morning Supplemental. Note "Item-Quantity-Station Requesting"

Sanitation Supply Ordering Sheet, based on par-stock system. Amount we SHOULD have on hand is listed, order what we need to get UP to that amount. If we have enough already, fill in blank with an "X"

Flip Side of the Sanitation Sheet. This is the end-of-the-day cleaning check list to make sure everything is left clean and orderly

Daily inventory sheet. While the rest of the group cleans, the sous chefs inventory what we have for the following day's menu.This allows me to order more if we are short, or back something out of the next morning's order if we are over stocked. Important to do this accurately - it shortens early morning supplementals and keeps our cooler from getting over crowded. Sous Chefs should fill in ONLY the "On Hand" column. Chef will fill in the "Order Column" as he needs to.

Station #2:

You should plan to start the lamb braise no later than 8:30 and the cabbage no later than 9:30, they need to be finished, hot held, and the woks clean before other teams can step in to stir fry at 10:15. Analyze your recipes and let me know if you have questions. Common mistakes are : Not knowing how much cornstarch is used to thicken a set amount of liquid, cutting ALL MEP and garnish for the lamb BEFORE braising begins(you should start the lamb cooking and THEN start working on the vegetables and garnish) and not asking for help with unfamiliar ingredients or appliances.

Station #3:
With a "non-service" day on Day 1, you will make your own Pancake dough for Day 1. Start dough as early as possible so that it can rest., you may make dough for Day 2 at the same time, divide the dou8gh and wrap and refrigerate 1/2 for Day 2 service. You should plan to prep the vegetables and other MEP for the Moo Shu as quickly as possible - watch the Vegetable prep video and work in a clean, organized fashion. As you prep, break the MEP for the stir fry into 4 batches so that we can fire them as needed during service. The sauce should be made and pre-portioned into 15+ 1 oz. white china ramekins, these will be held on the side to accompany each plate. The Pancakes need to be rolled out as soon as the dough has rested -The prep table under the spice rack near the prep sink is a good place to work on that. Ask me to help you get started, but see if you can walk yourself through the procedure and get all of the necessary equipment in place before you ask me for a demo. Remember to pre heat the cast-iron skillets while you prep the pancakes so that the skillets are hot when the pancakes are ready to cook. Common mistakes - not cleaning bean sprouts properly or cutting vegetables properly, pre heating the cast iron skillets too hot and burning the first batch of pancakes, not watching videos closely enough to understand the procedures.

Station 4:Set up the wok steamer and stake out the large wok next to it as "yours" for Bok Choy. The fish is fairly simple, I can demo how to cut it. Make sure to know all of your ingredients and how the steaming process works. All of the Bok Choy we receive is for you to prep - cut as directed, cleaned, blanched in heavily salted water, shocked, gently squeezed dry, divided into 4 batches for service. Garlic should be sliced into thin "chips". Please ask me to help you with the first batch of Bok Choy - the garlic can burn very easily if you don't control the wok heat. The prep for Fried Rice must be done early, Fried rice is best when made with cold rice, so speak with me about steaming off rice early enough for it to be chilled before 10:00AM and be sure to calculate how much yuo will need for Day 2 and cook it ahead so that it's well chilled. On Day 2 you should anticipate cooking more rice ahead for day 3..  Be completely ready to start the fried rice by 10:00 AM in the same large wok you will later use for Bok Choy - you'll need to be finished with the fried rice by 10:30. Common mistakes are - not understanding how the fish is cut or garnished, not cutting garnishes properly, not knowing what type of ham to use, burning the garlic for the bok choy.


Station #5:There are Pork Butts in Brine and Pork Butts in Marinade, you will also be receiving 2 butts to complete the entire process yourself over 3 days. For day 1, put 2 marinated pork butts in the Chinese roasting oven at 325F as early as possible. Make sure you know how to use the oven, if you do not - ASK.The Butts which are in Brine need to be put into  marinade - you'll need to make this - and the fresh ones will need to be fabricated and put into Brine. Once that's started, begin prepping the chicken. Cut and clean the chicken thighs and get them into the marinade, preheat the fryer,make the sauce in a small wok, and cut all of the vegetables, fry the chicken pieces ahead of service - Make sure you understand what type of frying you are doing and how to best accomplish it. All of the MEP for the chicken should be divided into 4 batches for firing as needed during service except the sauce. Sauce can be held in a bain marie with a ladle on your wok station. You are also responsible for setting up a pork carving station for service on the end of Station #5 near the oven. The pork should be held in the conventional oven at 200F on a sheet tray with a rack. When you get an order, the steam table line will pass you a plate with rice and cabbage on it - you will take a pork butt from the oven, slice a portion, plate it, and put the pork butt back in the oven to keep it warm. Common mistakes are - not having a complete recipe and understanding of how to fabricate, brine, marinate and roast pork;  not knowing how to fry battered items properly or how to set up a fry station efficiently, not knowing how to use cornstarch to thicken the sauce, not following directions and getting flustered as service approaches.

Station #6:Follow the recipes, divide the MEP into 4 batches to be fired as needed during service, assist the sous chefs through out the day - Early in the morning you should assist/delegate the putting away of plates, etc and return the carts to the dish room/store room, complete sanitation supplemental supply order, be involved and aware of the Sous Chef duties - you will be sous chefs later in the cycle, so it's good to look ahead. On the Second Day of Each Menu, Team 6 will be responsible for setting up the class tasting for the unit. On Day 2  you will be responsible for setting up the class tasting, so please talk to me about this before the end of class on Day 1 so you understand what you need to do, you'll need a copy of the tasting sheet from the Chinese section of the course guide.

Indian Menu Days 12,13,14

Sous Chefs-

We will make our own yogurt on Day 11 to use on Days 12,13 and 14. Have someone Drain 4 quarts of yogurt for Day 12 as soon as you come in, you'll need it for all days. If you don't understand the process, ask first and I'll help you.

All entrees will be served on a 12" round plate LINED WITH A BANANA LEAF CIRCLE. traditionally, Indian diners will not eat from plates, they use banana leaves to hold the food, these circles which fit into the 12" plates. Ask me early and I'll show you how.

Menu is divided into "North" and "South" - everything will be in 1/2 hotel pans on the steam table except for the accompaniments. Draw a detailed diagram of where everything will go on the steam table. There won't be enough space on the steam table for the rice - put rice in chaffing dish at end of steam table near plates. Show me the diagram right after the supplemental is placed and I can help you adjust it.

Soup for Days 12+ 13 will be Tomato Dal Rassam. Make 1/2 recipe on Day 12 and 1 full recipe on Day 13. We will make a decision on Day 13 about Day 14.

Salad - 1/4x recipe for Day 12 and 1/2 recipe for Days 13+14. This salad is served with the other accompaniments on a small, round "condiment" plate, you only need about 2 TBSP of salad per plate surrounded by the other condiments - chutni, raitha, pachadi. It will be similar in set-up to the street food plates - on service days, these can all be plated ahead.

Rice - Saffron rice Pilaf - make SURE you know everything there is to know about rice Pilaf METHOD -this is where people fall down, I will ask you about it so be prepared. Use 6 cups raw Basmati rice on Day 12 and 10 cups on Days 13+14. Use Basmati. Serve from a chaffing dish in shallow, full hotel pan.

Mango lhassi - the yogurt is being made overnight - should be ready in the morning. You will receive frozen Mango Puree from the store room. Don't plan to make mango lhassi both days - look for some other flavors or talk to me. Serve in 10 oz milk glasses - check that the glasses are in the kitchen early, if not - let me know.


Station 2:
Lamb Khorma - start early, braise in small rondo on top of stove - keep covered, stir often, don't scorch. You will receive 2# lamb cubes for this on Day 12 and 4# for Day 13 + 14. Cashew paste is made by soaking cashews in hot water and then pureeing in food processor. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan. Ask Sous Chefs where to put everything. DON'T forget the garnishes for this dish - have them in place before service starts.

Samoosas- Make 1/2 recipe for Day 12 and 1x Days 13+14. The Dough needs to be made early on Day 12 and extra can be made to be ahead for Day 13 , filling should be prepped, then they need to be assembled and finished. Let me help you toast the spices, they burn easily.Hold formed samoosas on parchment paper - they stick to paper towels! The samoosas should be fried in small batches as needed for service and served from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan. Sous chefs should have a detailed diagram of where everything goes, follow their instructions.

Dal Tadka make 1/2 recipe Day 12 and 1 full recipe each other day. It's easy to make, but consider starting very early. Toasting the spices for this can be tricky - get chef to help you start so you don't burn them.The lentils should be mushy - falling apart -and the "tadka" added at the end. Bring to the steam table in a 1/2 hotel pan and place it according to the sous chef's diagrams.

Chili Chutni - we should have enough for the rest of the block - it should be made already from Day 11, check tracking schedule to see who made it and ask them where it is.

Station #3:

Fish curry - Talk to Chef about how many portions to make for each day - it depends on the type of fish we receive. Read recipe, know all ingredients, watch video and ask chef to help get started, This is an unusual and unique dish and requires the assistance of the chef the first time you make it.. Make sauce ahead, hold hot, poach fish in sauce a few orders at a time, just before serving. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan. You will receive enough fish on Day 12 for the rest of the block, so ask how much to use for day 12 and ice the rest for the next day.

Pooris(puris) bread 1x dough for each day- Make dough early - before anything else. Check with chef for proper consistency, let it rest, ask chef for advice on rolling and cutting. Watch demo on frying and pre-heat cast iron pans about 20 minutes before you plan to fry. These should be fried before service and held warm on paper towels to absorb extra fat. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan lined with paper towels, sous chefs will have a diagram telling you where to put them.

Station #4;

Pork Vindaloo  is already marinating for all days. Use 1/4 of the pork for Day 12 and divide the remainder for Day 13 + 14.You can make it in a large wok, but you have to be very careful about heat control and evaporation - keep the flame low and keep the wok covered. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan - see sous chef's diagram for where to place it.

Dal Sambar - make 1/2 recipe Day 12 and 1 full recipe for Service, also start very early. Toasting the spices for this can be tricky - ask chef to help you start so you don't burn them. Lentils should cook until mushy. Keep heat low, stir often, keep pot covered. If lentils start to stick, change pots and add a bit more water. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan according to sous chef's diagram.

Bondas - 1/2 recipe for Day 12 and 1x recipe for Days 13/14. Filling for this can be made a day ahead - so you may make extra on Day 12 for Day 13. Cook potatoes early, let chef help with spices toasting; combine potatoes and spices and let chef demo how to size and shape. Dip in batter and fry only as needed for service. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan according to sous chef's diagram.

Pachadi - Make 1/4 recipe for Day 12 and 1/2 for Days 13/14. Crack open fresh coconut and remove flesh - chef can help. Toast in oven, stir occasionally to keep coconut from scorching. Toasting chick peas - they must be toasted until they are cooked through and REALLY crunchy - if they're soft in the center, they're not done. Check with chef for help on this technique, it's very different from western cooking.

Station #5:
Make 1 full recipe of dough for naan first thing; make 1 recipe for each day- it needs to rise, be divided, and rise again. Naan should go into the tandoori oven between 10:15-10:45. Watch the video so that you are familiar with the set up and make sure you know which tools to use - have them on your station for a demo by 10:15.

Tandoori chicken - Make 15 pieces on Day 12 and 45 pieces on Day 13/14. The Chicken should already be marinating on Day 12 but needs to be prepared on Day 12 for 13 and Day 13 for 14. Remove from marinade and put on skewers early in the day. The meat will cook more easily if it's not cold right out of the cooler. Skewered meat can be held on plastic lined sheet trays at room temp. Be ready to put skewered chicken in oven by 10:00 AM. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan according to the sous chef's diagram.

Raitha is made with drained yogurt - if the yogurt did not get drained the night before, drain it in a chinoise lined with cheese cloth for a couple of hours before making, put in small container for sous chefs to arrange on the accompaniment table.

Station #6:

Paneer Saag - 1/2 recipe for each day. Make cheese as early as possible, it can be made a day ahead, but if it's not- 7:15 or so on Day 12. Let drain and firm until cool, then cut into small dice. Spinach is braised - meaning a longer, slower, moist heat method. Have all MEP near a wok and be ready to start cooking slowly by 9:45. Let simmer on low heat, covered, until spinach is very soft. Then finish with cheese and yogurt. The paneer saag is a braised veg dish, it needs to be started in a large wok no later than 9:45 in order to cook slowly and gently and should be finished no later than 10:45

Vegetable Curry - Also a braised veg dish. Long, slow, moist heat, covered. All MEP ready by 9:45, cook slowly until cauliflower is very tender.

Both dishes served from steam table in 1/2 hotel pans.

Thailand Days 10 + 11

Thailand

Everyone: I've revised the portions and some other information on the tracking schedule! 
Make sure to review this and be prepared as directed HERE. The tracking schedule may not be accurate. 

SPECIAL NOTE TO K10 PM - please speak to me on Day 10 about increasing quantity on Day 11
 
For Day 10- pay attention to scaling down to feed only family meal quantities described below:

Sous Chefs-

Plating: Street food similar to VN menu, sauce in the center is mentioned below. Curries are served separately, each in 12" rimmed bowl with Jasmine Rice. Pad Thai is stir fried in batches, as needed, and served from the steam table in a deep bowl, garnishes are roasted peanuts and a lime wedge.

Hot and sour soup for Day 10- watch demo on how to cook shrimp in broth, make soup in a wok, hot hold. Scale to 1 gallon on Day 10.  Day 11 is Coconut Chicken soup, make 1 full recipe , just follow the recipe and taste for fish sauce and lime with me when it's done.
Salad - Green papaya, watch demo on papaya fabrication - 1/2 recipe on Day 10 and 1 full recipe on Day 11
Jasmine rice - 8 cups Day 10, 16 cups Day 11 - Talk to me about using the Western Steamer or a Rice cooker, at the moment I'm not sure if we will have a rice cooker.

Set up Street food station - similar to Vietnamese set-up, chaffing dish on Station 5 with 1/3 pans for hot food, cool food, plates, sweet chili sauce, etc. should all be set up near the chaffing dish. Draw a complete diagram of how the station will be set up with all components and items labeled in diagram. Sweet Thai Chili sauce comes from store room - bottles labeled "Mai Ploy". This goes in ramekins in center of plate. Peanut sauce for Satay DOES NOT go in a ramekin - hold it in a small plastic cup on the side and put a dab on top of each satay as it goes out. On Day 10 we only need enough sauce for 15 people. Day 11 - enough to serve about 65.

The Steam table will need to be used to hold the curries, the pad thai, stir fried squid and the jasmine rice. Put each curry in separate, deep 1/3 pans, same with the squid.  Pad Thai should be in a deep 1/2 hotel pan, and the Jasmine rice in a full hotel pan. Draw a diagram of the line set up and make it complete. Plates: Currys in a 12" shallow bowl with Jasmine rice, Pad Thai in a deep noodle bowl with roasted peanuts and a lime wedge on top of each. Stir fried Squid in deep 1/2 pan, the squid itself is served in a round casserole dish sitting on an ovel platter with jasmine rice sitting on the side - similar to presentation of steamed fish from Japanese menu.

Station #2 -

Chicken Rice - Scale recipe to use 2 whole chickens on Day 10 and 4 whole Chickens on Day 11. This dish is served room temp in summer, or prepared and then reheated in a wok steamer in cooler weather, so it's cold- set up the wok steamer and discuss with Chef the best set up for service. Entire plate is picked up from your station. You need to make your own rice, make it pilaf style and use rendered duck fat to parch the rice. Pandan leaf is usually available - order it on supplemental if you don't see it come in with our standard order. For Service you will need:
- Chaffing dish to hold rice
- Shallow "gratin" dishes to hold chicken and sauce, gratin dish sits on large oval plate with rice and cucumber/tomato/cilantro garnish (this is like and undressed salad tossed together).
- Service utensils to plate. Draw a complete diagram of how the station will be set up with all components and items labeled in diagram.

Yellow Shrimp Curry - 1/2 Recipe on Day 10 and 1.5x recipe on Day 11 -  Use the curry paste to make the yellow curry sauce. Make the sauce completely, except for the shrimp, and cool it. Just prior to service, heat the sauce and gently poach the shrimp in 1/3 batches in 1/3 of the sauce as needed to stay just ahead of service without over cooking the shrimp- this keeps them from over-cooking on the steam table.

Station 3-
Make sure you find the satay grills and charcoal before the supplemental goes in. I'll show you how to set it up, but it must be done early, you'll need to fire up charcoal and keep feeding the grill with more charcoal as it burns down.

The Beef Satay - 1/2 recipe for Day 10 and 1.5x recipe for Day 11. Trim off external fat and collagen from Flank steak and let me show you how to cut it for satay. You will trim and cut the meat, then put it on skewers, THEN marinate it. Talk to me or one of the people from Station 5 Day 8+9 about how to set up the Satay grill,the Satay grill needs charcoal and it needs to be lit far enough ahead to be hot when needed but not so far ahead that it's run out of heat by the time you're ready to cook. Speak to chef about how to light coals, Be sure to feed fresh coals to the grill before you leave for family meal so you'll have a hot fire when you return. Also be sure to check that we have some charcoal when you place your supplemental order in the morning When service is over, place hot charcoal in a hotel pan of water before putting in the compost.

Peanut Sauce - Should have been made on Day 9 - but if it was not, it will need to be made on Day 10, and used for both days. When cooled to use the following day, it needs to be reheated gently, and it may break - it's an emulsion. If it DOES break, fix it the same way you would fix a hollandaise or mayonnaise (and if you think I mean "use an egg", you need to do more research)

Station #4 -
Make 1x of the Massaman, Pork, and Jungle curry recipe for Day 10 and 2x for Day 11. It's important to start them early, so hustle. Use a small rondo or large sauce pot with a cover, remember to keep covered until the meat is tender to avoid drying out and burning by evaporation. Also remember that you can braise in the oven if the range gets crowded later in the morning, if you don't have room on top of the stove, you can finish in the oven. The braises should go to the steam table in deep 1/2 hotel pans - -covered.

Start the lamb broth by roasting the bones - that's all for Day 10 - just roast the lamb bones and the lamb shoulder, cool and store. On Day 11 you should start a stock with the roasted bones as soon as you arrive - no later than 7:15! The recipe for this is part of the Lamb Shorba recipe for Day 12

Station #5-

Duck Curry, the duck should have been marinated on Day 9, we'll use 1/4 of the marinated duck on Day 10 and the rest on Day 11 - recipe is pretty self explanatory. Pan Roast Duck, while duck is roasting, prepare sauce. When both duck and sauce are finished, hold both separately. Near service, gently heat sauce, add duck and gently heat duck in sauce. Ask for clarification on the blog if you need it. Served from a deep 1/2 hotel pan on the steam table. It's served in a 12" rimmed bowl with steamed rice. You must know the entire recipe for the seafood salad (yam) so that you can assist Station 6.


Fish cakes - We need to make 1# of fish on Day 10 (1/2 recipe) and double on Day 11. It's important that you have a VERY sharp knife to hand mince the fish. Also very important that the long beans are sliced into PAPER thin rounds, if you slice them thicker, the cakes fall apart. Please ask for a demo on slicing the beans before you start. Cakes should be fired in a 325F fryer in small batches as needed for service and put on the street food station in 1/3 pans. I will show you how to form them. They will be served on the street food plate - talk to the sous chefs ahead of service so they can direct you on where to put them when they are cooked, fry them as close to service as possible. K10 PM - You will make 3# fish on Day 11 - heads up!


Station #6
Pad Thai- 1x recipe on Day 10 and 3x recipe on Day 11. This is a  Stir fried dish and will be cooked "ala minute" in batches for Day 11 service, divide MEP into 4 batches, it's ok to combine ingredients for sauce ahead. Make sure to have lime and peanuts for garnish. Served from 1/2 hotel pan in steam table into deep noodle bowls. Be sure NOT TO OVER SOAK THE NOODLES - about 5 minutes in very hot tap water(NOT BOILING WATER). The idea is for them to be pliable, not ready to eat. In the wok you will add more liquid and heat and they will become done at that point. I believe that the embedded video may not be exactly the same recipe as the one you have, if it looks different, the technique is the same. Remind me if it's different and we can shoot a new video.
Seafood "yam" is the seafood salad. Make 1x recipe for Day 10 and 1.5x for Day 11. It's easy to make, hold at room temp in a 1/3 or 1/6 pan for use on the street food station.
Pork Vindaloo - follow recipe for 1st stage of the paste - this is important to do on Day 10 and follow through on Day 11, DON'T forget to do it.

K10 PM - PLEASE TALK TO ME ON DAY 10 ABOUT QUANTITY ON DAY 11, it will probably increase from above. 

Questions?

Vietnamese Menu Days 8+9

Remember - Sit-down quiz on Japan and Korea with ingredient ID component after clean-up will be scheduled for Day 9 - Friday!

To Both AM and PM Groups - This information has been cut and pasted from a previous version and may not completely reflect your situation this block. The core information is accurate but ammounts to prepare may vary widely between AM + PM. As indicated below, speak directly to chef or post a comment to this Blog Post if you have questions about amounts or portions

As usual, scale down recipes for Day 8 to feed only the group, scale up on Day 9 to be prepared for service with 10-15 portions of each item. SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH CHEF to determine how to scale recipes for each day.

Each Station  is responsible for making and properly holding Table Salads on their station. Table Salads will accompany every entree served. You must watch the video on Handling Fresh Herbs in the Vietnamese section of the Website.

EVERYONE! We will not be using the steam table for any items served on this menu.  Since we're not using the steam table, you are required to design your station layout  in  a diagram. This is mandatory for each person - draw up your plan, bring yours - along with your team mate's - for review and present it to the Chef at the beginning of the day for final adjustment. First draft diagram is due for review at the beginning of class on Day 8.


Sous Chefs:

The good news is you don't have to set up the steam table today, everything comes off of it's own station.

Fisherman's soup - recipe is easy, watch demo of how to cook shrimp in the soup. You can make soup early and hot hold - keep cooked shrimp on the side until service, put them in cups and ladle soup over them. We will make the same soup on both days. Prepare 1 gallon for Day 8 and 2 gallons for Day 9.

Salads - make both each day. 1/2 recipe of each on Day 8 + 1 full recipe on Day 9.
 Green mango salad - mangoes should be green and firm, if not - talk to me. The salads goes on the street food plate, so you don't need a lot per portion - about 1 TBSP.  The Lotus Rootlets come in glass jars, rinsed and cleaned before cutting Check with chef if the instructions aren't clear.

Long Grained Sticky Rice (Sweet Rice) - is soaking over night. You need to drain it, put it into a perforated hotel pan lined with moist cheese cloth and steam it for 15 minutes. Do this early, it's usually served at room temperature, so it doesn't matter if it's not hot at service. Keep it for the street food station in a 1/3 hotel pan, covered with a moist towel.

Your primary responsibility besides soup/salad/sticky rice will be to set up the Street Food Station. This should be done on Station 5 using one chaffing dish with three 1/3 hotel pans in it to hold the hot food - like the dim sum set up. The street food plate will go to every customer with an entree, so we need to be prepared for 50-60 on Day 9. Each small (6") plate will contain a 1oz. ramekin of nuoc cham (made by station 6), a small portion of green mango salad, about a TBSP. of sticky rice, one rib, one Beef in La-Lot portion, one salad Roll, one shrimp on sugar cane. It should look like this

Include a small lump of sticky rice next to the mango salad:

From K1 Menu Photos

Draw a great diagram of how the Street Food Station will look on Station 5. Where will everything be? Plates? Ramekins of sauce? Chaffing dish with each compartment labeled, Where's the rice? The salad rolls, and mango salad? Don't use utensils to plate- use gloved hands - faster that way.

BTW - All of the nouc cham for the class will be made by Station 6 and distributed or portioned as needed. Station 6 should portion 60 small ramekins of the nouc cham for the street food plates on day 9- about 1/2 full each ramekin. The rest will be used by Team 4 to dress their noodles for the fish.

Station 2:
Salad Roll set up is deceptive. It looks and sounds simple, but until you've made a few, it's awkward. For that reason, have all your MEP set up to start rolling by 9:00 AM - we'll get everyone to practice rolling a few, I'll help, and it will be easy. Watch the video - ask me for the towels as soon as I walk in. These go on the street food plate, so don't worry about the nouc cham dip - station 6 will make and portion that for you. Each person should make two rolls apiece on Day 8 and 4 rolls apiece on Day 9 - that should give us enough for service each day.

Pho - You will have 2 types of beef to add to this - boiled beef (already done) and thin slices of raw sirloin. On Day 8 plan to go to the meat room for about 30 minutes and slice the semi frozen meat down there at about 7:30, be sure to talk to me before you go .Plan to set up Station 2 table and a tray stand with sheet tray for Pho pick -up during service - you'll only need to do this on Day 8, once sliced we save the bulk of it for service on Day 9.. The broth has been made for 2 days, so only heat 1/4 on Day 8 and the rest will be saved for Day 9. Heat it in a stainless pot on the range ,use one of the station 2 woks, filled with simmering water, as a hot water bath to hold the stainless pot of broth. The wok next to the broth should have simmering water and a china cap - this is to heat and refresh the noodles in.Draw a diagram of how you are going to set everything up. Noodles should be portioned ahead and held in cups - where will they be on the station? The Herbs? The raw beef?Where are your bowls kept? Under liner plates for Table Salad, Sambal, and Lime? All of this should be mapped out before you get to class. Check with chef before service if you have any doubts about the efficiency of your plan. You will pick up ala minute from Station 2.

Station 3
Shrimp on Sugar cane - the shrimp "mousse" for this got made on Day 7 and should be enough for both Day 8 + 9, Talk to the sous chefs about who will do the finishing grill work on these - probably we only have one person to grill both your shrimp and team 5's Beef in La Lot skewers. Watch the video on how to shape and form and also on how to work with sugar cane. Chef can help.

Fried Fish - catfish fillets should be coming in, cut them into large bite-sized pieces and divide into 5 oz portions. You will set up most of your mise en place on your station, the fish portions and seasoned flour mix on a tray stand next to the wok, and one of the large woks directly across from your station will be filled with 6" deep of fry oil and act as your deep fryer. Let chef turn on and adjust the temp on the oil - if you get it wrong, it's a BIG fire - very scary. Draw a diagram of where everything will be and label everything, you can set up a tray stand with fish and flour mix next to the wok and keep your noodles, nouc cham, herbs and table salad on the table behind you - it will make your life soooo much easier. You will be frying ala minute - order-fire-pickup as the orders are called. Served in the wide, shallow bowls with rice noodles and table salad. See recipe for details.

Station 4- Making the table salad is labor intensive and time consuming, you're setting up a station for each team to construct their own, start early so no one is waiting for you. Watch the video on handling herbs and table salad and then set up a production assembly line so they can be assembled  efficiently. We really only need enough of each ingredient to construct about 15 table salads on Day 8, but on Day 9 we'll need enough to produce 65. Keep completely covered with moist towels at all times so they don't wilt.

The Chicken salad is very straight forward - follow the recipe and serve at room temp. You are responsible for your own Jasmine rice and making enough to share with Station 5. Hold it hot in a chaffing dish on your station. Chicken Salad is served with Jasmin rice and a table salad.

Station 5- Beef in la lot leaves is time consuming. set it up "production style", meaning don't make one at a time, lay out all of the leaves, fill them all , roll, them, then put them on skewers. Remember that the amount of beef prepared is supposed to be enough to last for both days - we will make about 25 skewers on Day 8 and save the remainder of the filling for Day 9, these can be cooked on a standard grill or on an Asian Satay Grill, I'd prefer to use the Satay grill, so plan on that unless you are instructed otherwise. The Satay grill needs charcoal and it needs to be lit far enough ahead to be hot when needed but not so far ahead that it's run out of heat by the time you're ready to cook. Speak to chef about how to light coals, also be sure to check that we have some charcoal when you place your supplemental order in the morning. Have a conversation with Station 3 and the Sous Chefs about who will work the grill for both your product and the shrimp on sugar cane during service. They will both be cooked in batches and brought to the street food station in 1/3 hotel pans. On day 9 make sure to add more charcoal to the grill before going to family meal so it's hot when you need to fire orders for service.

BBQ ribs - should have been marinated on Day 7 and be ready to put in Chinese oven. Get some wood chips from garde Manger Kitchen - ask chef first - and place chips in saute pan, heat on range until they are smoking, place entire pan of smoking chips in oven on steel shelf beneath water tray. cook ribs until tender - talk to chef about how to determine doneness. For Day 8 we can roast 1 rack, on day 9 roast the remainder

Crepes- On Day 8, make 1/2 times the recipe for the batter and then consult with Chef on weather we should increase quantity on Day 9.  Make batter early and consult chef when you are toasting the mung beans and then again when you are straining the batter - these are common places to make mistakes, so get my input before you do. Make and fill crepes ahead, hold at room temp and reheat in a non stick pan ala minute.

Station 6 - Weigh out ingredients for dough and get started on it as soon as you come in. While dough rises, prep and set out all other sandwich ingredients and make chips. The pate and roasted pork was made on Day 7, so slice for sandwiches early, we'll have plenty of both, so let's ask the class how many sandwiches we should makes on Day 8. For day 9. plan to prep for 20 rolls. The rolls should be ready to bake by 10:00, so that they have time to cool before cutting for service. Chips can be made as far ahead as you want - just not a day before. You are also making all of the nouc cham for the rest of the class, we need about 16 oz on Day 8 and 2 quarts on day 9. Most will go into ramekins for street food - you are responsible for that, and on day 9 we need 2 cups to go to station 3 for their noodles.Special note to RYAN in PM K10 Class - I will help you put this together if you set up a board and gather ingredients for me. Write me into you timeline so I can refer to it and be the most useful to you.

Attention AM+PM Students! Looking Ahead to Japanese Menu Days 6+7

ATTENTION PM STUDENTS IN K10:
This information is specific to K1 AM but you should read it to familiarize yourself with my style. Once we are working together I will adjust information to suit your group and the layout of K10. Please read ahead and ask questions in advance - it will assure a smooth transition for your class. 

AM K1:
 
Here's the general information for Days 6+ 7. This info was originally written for full Service on both days, we will be using Day 6 as a "trial day"...so quantities may be adjusted down. Check with me before producing large quantities - generally speaking, we will produce about 5 full portions of each dish for Family Meal on Day 6. Sous Chefs - For Day 6 Make 2 liters Miso Soup for family meal, 1/2 recipe sunomono salad, and steam only 6 cups of steamed white rice to accompany the entrees. For day 7 we should plan on normal production levels as indicated on the tracking Schedule.

Heads up -Japanese do not generally cook in woks and the woks we have are used for many other, stronger flavored dishes. We may use woks to steam or boil water, but not to cook in - the flavors come out "muddy".  Ask me if not certain about when a wok might be appropriate.

Sous Chefs:
The only things coming off of the steam table today will be the steamed white rice and the Braised beef, You only need to use 1 steam table.

Making Sushi Rice is key. Watch the video and be prepared to start the process as soon as you come in at 7:00 am. Remeber that we are using the Rice Cooker instead of the Steamer.
- Rinse and drain rice until water is clear - the more clear the water, the better the rice. Anticipate spending 15 minutes or so washing rice - be sure to handle the rice GENTLY so that it does not crumble as you rinse it.
- When using the Rice Cooker we will skip the Soaking Procedure, Simply rinse the rice and follow the next steps
- Drain and Air Dry rice on lined sheet tray from 30 minutes
- prepare vinegar solution while rice dries
- Steam rice in Rice Cooker - while rice is steaming, fill hangiri with cool water, when rice is finished cooking and while it's resting, dump water from hangiri, towel excess water out and then put rested rice into hangiri and add vinegar solution while "cutting" and fanning. Ask me for additional demo on this - I want to bring everyone in on it to watch.

- When rice is cool to the point that it's no longer steaming, stop "cutting" and divide rice into 3 1/3 hotel pans - one pan for each type of sushi. Cover rice with damp towels to keep from forming a crust and hold at room temp - don't refrigerate it.

Once the sushi stations are set up, I'll demo each type of sushi to get you started - if you're set up for demos by 10:00 am you can make all of the sushi slightly ahead hold it. It works best to set up all 3 sushi stations on the same table so you can share ingredients. I usually use stations 1 and 2 (because they should be finished their other prep by 10). When the sushi is made and the garnishes (from station 6) are all together, you can plate on small plates and hold for service on the shelves under station 5.

Sushi Plate:

From Japanese Plate Presentations

Sushi Station Set ups

Maki Station:

From Japanese Plate Presentations

Nigiri Station:

From Japanese Plate Presentations

Inari Station:

From Japanese Plate Presentations

Make the Dashi for Miso soup in a stainless steel pot,not a wok, the wok makes it dark and muddy tasting. You should anticipate making about 3 gallons dashi all together so that other stations can draw from it, the exception will be for Station 6 - they need a Vegan dashi and will make their own. Save the solids when you strain the dashi, they can be used on Day 7 to make a "second dashi"

The sunomono salad is supposed to be placed on the sushi sampler plate as a garnish - small pile, about 1 TBSP. per plate. The sunomono can be made early and dressed close to service.

The steamed white rice should be made in the Rice Cooker, the same way as the rice for the Chinese menu.

Station 2:
The braise is pretty self explanatory. Choose a small rondo - you don't want too much surface area or your braise will burn. When finished, hold it hot in a deep 1/2 hotel pan in the steam table. See photo in recipe for plate presentation with Toasted sesame seeds, long, thin, bias cut scallions and Miso Pickles (you will share these with Station 4, so read their section as well and communicate with them on preparing these pickles for service). Remeber to soak Long Grained Sticky Rice on day 7 for Day 8.

Station 3:
Pork Cutlet is also self explanatory. You should anticipate plating directly from the fry station, so draw a detailed diagram of how the station will look. You can fry in the fryer, turn around to the table behind you and slice the pork, plate it with the salad and a ramekin of sauce and then pass to the steam table for rice. The sauce should be in 1 oz. ramekins, the cabbage salad should be dressed just before service, and the cutlets fried to order - if they are pounded thin enough they take less than 1 minute to fry. You'll need a cutting board and knife on your station to slice pork before plating - everything in Japanese service is cut to "bite size" before plating because there are typically no knives at the table.Remember to make the Pho Broth for Days 8+9. It's important to start this very early so it develops good body.

Station 4:
Be ready to produce both the steamed Fish AND the Udon Noodles- these are separate entrees, so you'll need two station diagrams. Watch the video for making the cabbage/spinach rolls and check out the plate presentation for the fish. You may be able to get the fish early - try picking it up around 7:30. I can show you how to fabricate it and set up the plates, you will cook them as needed in a wok steamer and serve them in shallow casserole dishes set on oval plates with white rice and miso pickles -usually the miso pickles are VERY salty right out of the container, so taste them with the chef and then, if needed,  soak them in cool water for at least 3 hours before service, then drain. Then concentrate on setting up the Udon noodle station. Set up the station using the 4 burners on the right side of the range. The 2 left burners will be for station 5 to saute their vegetables. Have one large pot of boiling water with a china cap in it to refresh your noodles ala minute and then have 3 small pots with lids that you can use to make small 1-2 portion batches as needed throughout service. There should be a video for making the "spinach/cabbage" rolls, that's what you want to use. I prefer to cook this dish a few at a time during service so that everything is fresh. It's best to make a demo portion starting at 10:30 , just for practice. Just prior to service start 2 portions for the first order. When they are done, hold for the first orders and then start another one. It takes about 7-10 minutes for each batch, so if you fire the portions about 5 minutes apart, no one has to wait more than a few minutes. If you get hit with a lot of orders all at once you can fire 2-3 in the same pot and have the expediter explain that there's a short wait. Remember to prep filling for beef in La Lot leaves and marinate pork ribs for days 8+9.


Station 5:
Beef Teriyaki - Make sure you watch the demo on cleaning skirt steak. Cut and portion into 5 oz. portions. Marinate steaks and prep vegetables. You will cook and plate from your station, so Draw a detailed diagram of how the grill station will be set up - Grill cloth, oil, grill brush, resting pan with rack, cutting board to slice meat, slicing knife, tongs. Also, you will be sauteing the veg (snow peas, bean sprouts, mushrooms) in small batches on the range. Set your station up so that you are "self contained". Grill set up - saute/veg set up- plates on shelf above saute line- cutting board on end of table closest to grill- chaffing dish set up with two 1/2 hotel pans in it , one for rice and one to hold your veg batches as they cook. Again - if you draw a detailed diagram of your entire station and label all of the items you'll need, setting up will be much easier and you'll look like a rock star. Hint - Beef teriyaki is very popular. You're going to get hit hard as soon as the doors open. Have 5 steaks grilled and resting(not cold,just resting) at 11:00 and have 1/3 of your vegetables already sauteed and in the chaffing dish ready to go. As you get an order for one steak, fire another. Skirt steak should be cooked to medium doneness. Medium rare is too chewy. Attention Team 5 - the Pork Butts for the Vietnamese Menu should have been brined on Day 5. You need to marinate them overnight on Day 6 and roast and cool on Day 7. The recipe for this is embedded in the Bahn Mi recipe in the Vietnamese Section.Also, remember to make and bake the Pate for Bahn Mi as well.

Station 6:
Your big job is getting all of the sushi garnishes prepped and collected. Each sushi plate will need, see the photo at the top of this page.
- 1 oz ramekin soy sauce
- 1 shiso leaf
- small amount of drained pickled ginger - house made yesterday.
- wasabi for the plate and wasabi for the sushi production - see below
- sunomono salad - get from sous chefs
- blanched soy beans (make sure you get the ones IN the pods - the store room usually messes up the order and sends the ones out of the pods)

Get all of this stuff together early. The soy sauce in ramekins - about 80 ramekins - and all of the other stuff together on a sheet tray so you can bring it to the sushi production area when they need it (hopefully by 10:00 am). Communication with the other teams and sous is important. You can see a picture of the finished plate with all of the garnishes in the Maki recipe on the Web Page.

When you make the wasabi paste, follow the recipe, but add the water slowly while stirring. When it gets to the consistency of play dough, good for shaping into balls or cubes for garnish, take half out of the bowl and set it aside. Continue adding cool water and stirring until it reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency - like toothpaste. This should go into a brown plastic cup for the sushi production stations. There's a good chance we may get in FRESH wasabi - so double check with me before you open a can of the powdered stuff.

Vegetable harvest is simple. Once all the vegetables are prepped, you can arrange everything EXCEPT the tofu and cucumbers in deep bowls. Talk to me about steaming all of the different vegetables, they all cook differently and it's better for us to do it right early then fix it just before service. Keep a perforated hotel pan in the steamer. When you get an order, ladle dashi over vegetables, place the whole bowl in the steamer to reheat everything for 2 minutes, remove bowl from steamer and finish with Tofu cubes, cucumber slices, miso sauce and scallions. When you make your vegetarian dashi, you can save the kombu seaweed, chiffonade it, and use some of that as garnish as well.
Remeber to prep shrimp "mousse" for shrimp on Sugar cane recipe for days 8+9. 

Korean Menu Days 4+5

Hi, everyone.

 Here's the heads up for typical questions and common problems for the first day of the Korean menu. Read all of the recipes, watch all of the videos, make a bunch of notes, distill them down into a few questions and post them here. PLEASE help each other answer questions and give advice. If it's inaccurate, I'll chime in between 8-9 and let you know.Although Day 4 will be a "none service day", you should prepare to meet our time deadlines and have your mise en place finished and stations ready by 10:30 so we can make last minute adjustments and go to family meal at 10:45. The current tracking schedule is correct for both Days 4 + 5, so please scale your recipes accordingly. 

 Below are some photos that might help you visualize things.

Sous chefs:

Set up on Station 5 for a "Kim Chi and Panchan Sampler Plate" Similar to the dim sum plate today, but all room-temp items, so they can actually be plated ahead and held on sheet trays if you have the time. The set up should look like this:

From Korean Menu Day 4

and the finished plate should look like this:

From Korean Menu Day 4

Sous chefs will only need to draw a diagram for the salad/kimchi station and the steam table. The steam table set up will be minimal - only the Rice, the Stir Fried Noodles, and the Braised Short Ribs will go there. All other items will be plated from the stations producing them. Steam table looks like this:

From Korean Menu Day 4

Spicy Beef Soup - broth is already made and you can add white beef stock to it if you need to, and beef is already cooked. Make sure we have enough for 2 days - we make the same soup both days this menu, talk to me if you don't have enough broth or meat on Day 4 so we can order more for Day 5.

Rice - Medium Grain rice, Should be treated  the Chinese rice. The result will be a lot more sticky than the Chinese rice - so don't freak out when you see it.Ti doesn't "fluff" but it shold not be left to sit and congeal. Move it from the rice cooker to a hotel pan when it's still fresh.

Salads/Kimchi - This will be a 6" round plate like we used for the Dim Sum, with small portions of each item on the plate - a "sampler".

Sous Chefs should make the daikon salad and delegate the spinach salad and soy bean sprout salad to teams 2+4, 1x the recipe for each salad. Team 5 should make the scallion salad - 3x the recipe for that with the expectation that 1/2 will go on the salad/kimchi plate and the other 1/2 will be served with their grilled beef.

The Kimchi is already made and in the cooler. Last class made it for you and you'll make it for the next class. There should be cucumber, Daikon radish, and cabbage kimchi in the cooler. The teams assigned to "set" the kimchi will take some out, allow me to show them how to cut/prep it for service. All salads and Kimchis should be in individual 1/6th pans, together on one sheet tray, ready to plate by 10:30. They can be plated ahead and held at room temperature without suffering in quality.

Station 2 - Half of the short ribs coming from the meat room are for you and the other half for team 5. Let T5 have the most meaty ones. the recipe on this dish works well, all you need from me is a demo on how to cut them - it varies from week to week, depending on the ribs, so ask first thing in the morning.Please be responsible for helping the sous chefs set up the cabbage kimchi for service each day, this just means that you take the kimchi out of the cooler, get a knife, board, gloves, and 1/6th pan and ask me how to trim and portion it, you will need to give the trim to Team 6, so do this early.
In addition to the tracking schedule, please make Miso pickles - the recipe is in the Japanese section, if you don't have time on Day 4, it can be done on Day 5 - BUT IT MUST BE DONE.

Station 3 - Be prepared to make both the trout and the glass noodles. A solid time line, ingredient list, and equipment list will be an important part of your job., you have two different entrees to set up stations and coordinate service for. You take care of ALL MEP for the trout and Glass noodles. Be ready to plate fish from the fry area, cooking the fish ala minute during service. Make sure to watch the video on fish fabrication and to draw a complete and detailed physical diagram of how your fry station will be set up. Show where everything will be in place and label each item. The trout is served on an oval plate, make sure you have them on the fry station. The noodles served from the steam table in a deep noodle bowl, have a separate diagram for how your noodle mise en place will look when you begin to stir fry. What ingredients will you need? tools? Remember that the noodles are Stir Fired - that means dividing MEP into 4 batches for firing for family meal and through-out service.

Station 4 - I'm in the process of changing the recipe for this dish. Instead of whole Hens - which are difficult to eat and don't sell well, I'm working on making boneless, stuffed chicken legs. Everthing else will remain th same, but I need to show you how to fabricate the legs to accommodate the rice filling. Make your liquid early, make sure it's very flavorful. choose the right sized pan to cook them in - a rondo just big enough to fit the stuffed legs. Chicken must be poached between 165-180F - no boiling! Get rice to stuff the legs from the sous chefs, they will rinse and soak it, you need to par-cook it. Make the your poaching liquid,par cook the rice, cool and mix with other ingredients, stuff roll the chickens with me and start cooking them by 9:30. While legs are cooking, make poached garlic heads and other garnishes. It works best to poach the chicken on top of the regular range and, when they hit 165F internal temp, hold them in a water bath in a wok of hot water. You can set up your plates, utensils, and garnishes next to that wok and plate from there - draw a complete diagram of how this station will look for service, use the wok closest to the Chinese Oven to hot-hold your pot of chicken and use that as the focal point of your station, use a tray stand and the work table across the isle for the rest of your mise en place.With the new presentation you will need a cutting board and slicing knife to complete the dish.  "Set KimChi" just means that you take the kimchi out of the cooler, get a knife, board, gloves, and 1/6th pan and ask me what to do. Do this early. Pickled ginger recipe is in the Japanese section. Make it on either Day 4 OR Day 5 - but make sure it gets made.

Station 5- You will be sharing the grill with Station 6, space will be tight. You will be grilling thin pieces of marinated beef and plating them ala minute onto 12" round plates with rice, a small ramekin of Korean pepper sauce, scallion salad, and placing 3 pieces of beef onto leaves of cabbage lined with shiso leaves. Make enough Red Pepper Sauce to share with Station 6 - they will need about 8 oz. Since you'll be plating from the grill station, set up a chaffing dish to hold your rice. You can share this chaffing dish with station 6 -1/2 hotel pan for your rice - 1/2 hotel pan for their "mixed grains". Draw a diagram of what your station will look like - where everything will be - and a picture of what you imagine the plate will look like so I can help you adjust in the morning. Be as detailed as possible with your drawing - label everything so I can see how you think. "Set KimChi" just means that you take the kimchi out of the cooler, get a knife, board, gloves, and 1/6th pan and ask me what to do. Do this early.

Station 6 - You will be plating from your station. the recipes are all pretty detailed and the videos are accurate, except, when making the pancakes, you will use a flat griddle set over the left side of the grill instead of the cast iron pan shown in the video. Since you'll be plating from your station, set up a chaffing dish to hold your "mixed grains". The rice you need for this will come from the sous chefs, they are soaking enough for everyone. . You can share this chaffing dish with station 5 -1/2 hotel pan for your grains - 1/2 hotel pan for their rice.
See station 5 instructions above so you know how you are expected to share table and grill space. On Day 5 you are responsible for setting up the tasting of Korean Ingredients, use the tasting sheet form the course guide and ask me if you need further information. Tasting ingredients must be ordered with Supplemental so that we have them before service.

You are assigned to also make a Daikon and Carrot pickle for the Vietnamese menu - the recipe for this is embedded in the Bahn Mi recipe under that section. 

Day 3, March 7

Day 3:

Heads Up - Important information on setting up individual stations and what I expect for preparation is listed below - be sure to read entire post so that you're informed. 

ALL STATIONS - be prepared to serve 80- portions of each Dim Sum item. See details below and on web site. Each station making Dim Sum should be ready for me to do a demonstration at their station at 9:00 AM. If everyone is set up, we can do the demos at the same time and then each person can try their hand at forming the various pieces - similar to the way the Wontons were done today.

Prepping for Day 3 means being comfortable enough with the regular menu items that you can step up and add an extra item to your routine and still be on time. Everything must be ready by 10:45.

Sous Chefs - You'll need to have a new service diagram for the Dim Sum. We don't have space on the steam table, so we usually set up two chaffing dishes with sterno on table 5. Think about how you would lay it out and draw a detailed diagram with each item in place and labeled as what it is, the diagram should be well thought out for work flow - if everything is in it's place? Can one person efficiently plate fast enough to keep up with service?Two chaffing dishes with three 1/3 pans in each. You'll need a pan for the steamed dumplings, the pan-fried dumplings, the spring rolls, the ribs, and the stuffed peppers and an empty one to fill the space and keep the heat in. Everyone who comes to K1 will get a Dim Sum plate on Day 3. Presentation will be on 6" round plates with a ramekin of ginger-soy dipping sauce in the center. The five dim sum items will be positioned around the dipping sauce and a dab of spicy mustard will go on the plate next to the spring roll. Make sure that you know who will be doing what during service- figure it out ahead of time and tell the people involved what their duties are well before service, everyone will need to multi-task and hustle.

Draw a diagram of what's been described above on a six inch plate and show it to me first thing in the morning along with your station diagram so we can make sure you're on the right track.

Station 2 - Braises PLUS Steamed dumplings (Shao Mai) know which are the proper wrappers. Remember that you are responsible for each dim sum plate getting a 1 oz ramekin of the ginger soy dipping sauce (only fill each ramekin 1/2 way).
The dumplings can be steamed ahead using the wok steamer and then re-heated as needed during service. They are brought to the service line in 1/3 hotel pans.


Station 3 - Moo Shu PLUS Pan Fried Dumplings. The dough should have been made on day 2. The dough must be kept cold. As soon as it's rolled and cut, it should be stacked in single layers- with parchment paper between each layer - in a 1/2 hotel pan, covered and kept in the cooler. After they are shaped and filled, they should be held in similar fashion. When brought to the cooking line, the pan containing the dumplings should be nested on another pan of ice. If these dumplings become warm before cooking they stick like crazy and are very difficult to work with.
You will set up a station for cooking these dumplings on the range top, you'll share that space with another station, so plan to use the two burners on the right - closest to the fryer. Draw a diagram of how that station will be set up - show each piece of equipment and each component/ingredient needed, label each item. Focus on having all mise en place within reach and being able to cook small batches of dumplings throughout service.

Station 4- Spring rolls - filling should be made and cooked on Day 2, rolls filled on Day 3 . There's an extra recipe for a different spring roll available, if you're ahead and want to take on something extra, ask Chef. Once they are rolled, they should be kept cold - layered between parchment paper sheets in a 1/2 hotel pan. Set up a proper fry station and fry them in batches as needed for service. Remember - you're responsible for the spicy mustard that's served with them.Draw a diagram of how the fry station will be set up - show each piece of equipment and each component/ingredient needed, label each item. Focus on having all mise en place within reach and being able to properly fry small batches throughout service.

Station 5- Ribs may be put in Chinese oven with the Roasts early in the day. When they are cooked through you can cut them and hot-hold them, covered, until service. Bring them to the line in a deep 1/3 pan. . Because the Dim Sum service will take up space where you typically have your carving station, move to the end of Station #6. Draw a diagram of how that station will be set up - show each piece of equipment and each component/ingredient needed, label each item.

Station 6- In addition to the Grandmother's bean curd, you'll need to fill, cook, and finish the stuffed peppers. They can all be steamed ahead and held at room temp - covered - for service. At service they should be sauteed in small batches as needed, 10-15 at a time, and brought to the service line in a 1/3 pan.Plan to use the two saute burners closest to the grill, you'll be sharing the range with Station 3 so space will be tight. Draw a diagram of how that station will be set up - show each piece of equipment and each component/ingredient needed, label each item. Focus on having all mise en place within reach and being able to cook small batches of dumplings throughout service.