Day 3 Post and IMPORTANT advance info for Day 4

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. 

 Look ahead to Day 4 - I'm posting information below the Day 3 Post so you can read ahead and plan any questions to ask face to face in class tomorrow. THERE IS A WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT due on Day 3 which is related to Day 4. You must draw a detailed diagram of your  individual service stations for Day 4 and present them to me on Day 3. Details below...

ALL STATIONS - be prepared to serve 60+ 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

OK, Day 3 info:

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, make sure we have sterno on hand before you place the supplemental order! 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 8" 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 8" 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.

Salads will be served on smaller - 6"- plates.

Be sure to know the difference between the salad plates and dim sum plates.

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 .
For Spring Roll Wrappers, The Brand may differ, but the basic package looks the same.

 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.

DAY 4 ADVANCE INFORMATION

Everyone must view this video before coming to class on Day 4. Please note that the cabbage in this video is cut differently than the way we'll do it in class. If you're assigned to making Cabbage Kimchi, please talk to me before cutting.

Heads Up! A detailed map of each station for DAY 4 must be presented to me on Day 3. Read below:

Only the Rice, Braised Short Ribs, and Glass Noodles (Jap Chae) will be served from the steam table:

Everything else will come from the individual station serving it, so look ahead, draw a detailed station map and discuss with Chef on Day 3 to be sure it will work!

Sous Chefs
Spicy Beef Soup, Medium Grain Rice cooked in the RICE COOKER, and setting up the Kim Chi/Panchan Plating station are your main duties. 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 - 1x the recipe for that, it 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 on Day 5.  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, sous chef team should plan ahead and delegate the plating of kimchi/salad plates in order to have 25 plated and ready when we open for service at 11:30.

Panchan Plate with assorted salads and kimchi on a 6" round plate:

Set up the Panchan Plating Station on Table 5 like this:

Station 2 - Half of the short ribs coming from the meat room are for you and the other half for team 5. Take your half and cut in between the bones to form single bones pieces - two pieces will form one portion after they are braised. PLEASE DO NOT cut the short ribs for Station 5, they have a different method to follow.  The braised short ribs must be started very early in a wok - it's a tough cut of beef and takes a long time to cook. 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.

Braised Short Ribs - Kalbi Jim - Will look like this - note the egg garnish:

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.

Remember - You're responsible for curing the pork belly for Day 6 - the procedure can be found in the PowerPoint presentation embedded at the bottom of the Raman Noodle dish in the Japanese Menu.

Trout Presentation: 

Jap Chae Presentation:

Station 4 - . Watch this video to get an idea of how to remove the bones from the chicken leg/thigh

And watch this one to stuff and roll the stuffed leg in plastic wrap for poaching 

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.

Beef Bulgogi Presentation:

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.There's a photo pf the new set up here : 

And the finished late will look like this: 

 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.

Day 2 Info update

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 Day 3 will be much different from the one I gave you for Day 1 and that it's up to you to design a layout that makes sense. So give it your best effort and show me the results early in the day so I can help you figure out mistakes ahead of time.

Making wonton soup - Watch the video demo and set your station up so that I can do a "live demo" for the class no later than 9:00 AM. We can then engage the rest of the class in helping shape the wontons. Set up the station exactly as it is in the vido and ask for verification before we stop the class for demo at 9:00.

Class Tasting - Everyone should bring the Tasting Sheet From the China Section of the Course Guide.

Team 6- Here's a photo of an abbreviated tasting tray for Day 2 should look like, but it's been expanded to include 30+ items. You should include whole pieces of things that would be cut up or re-hydrated for tasting (just so you can see both forms). Make sure you have all of the ingredients for the tasting before we place a supplemental order - talk to Chef about the set up early. The tasting itself will occur after service. Make 1 tray for each 3-4 students. If you have 16 students, make 4 identical trays for them to share.
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.

From Day 1 K1 China

Information for Day 1, Sept 29, 2014

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 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 -
Some basic rules in my kitchen:
- If you don't know, look it up
- If you still don't know - ask
- Know your product before coming to class - use Google and Google Images to see unfamiliar products
- Look before you order...10 point deduction applies to ordering items already in stock
- All produce is washed/cleaned before final preparation for use
- Don't prep more than you need
- Don't save cut or cooked foods for service the following day without permission from Chef
- Don't serve "left-overs" to customers
- Keep a clean, moist towel on you station at all times
- Step back from your station every 10 minutes, inspect, straighten, wipe down
- "Yes Chef" means that you understand, agree and will comply
- "Yes Chef" does not mean "Go away, you make me nervous"
- The Chef's desk is not your work station - NO FOOD or SUPPLIES may be placed there without Chef's prior approval
- Metal containers are used for holding hot food, don't store food overnight in them unless instructed by Chef
- Papers, quizzes, tests submitted without full name on page will receive no credit
- EQUIPMENT SAFETY - Never use a piece of equipment you have not been trained to use properly and NEVER put your hand or any utensil in a machine while it is running!


The most common mistakes made on Day 1, class wide, are:
Not observing the Basic Rules
Not having a complete and detailed time line in the correct format
Not analyzing recipes fully
Not researching terms, ingredients, techniques 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 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


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

Cleaning towels - each student will be issued two clean cloth towels at the beginning of each day, these are to be used for general cleaning and station maintenance instead of paper towels. Please keep your station and work areas clean by "wiping down"  between each task, or as needed.

At the end of each day, Sous Chefs will collect the towels, count them, and place them in a plastic garbage bag. This bag will be stored in the bottom of the reach in cooler until the next morning.

On the next morning, fresh towels will be issued to each student and the soiled towels from the previous day will be washed and dried using the machines in the utility room across the hall from K1. The Sous Chefs are responsible for this task. Sous Chefs do not have to do this themselves - they may delegate the task to someone else in the class.

This procedure will be followed each day and will help minimize waste and expense. The cost of  76 cloth towels, washed and re-used on a daily rotation is $11.23/block. The cost of 3 rolls of paper towels per day x 14 days is $158.42/block. A savings of  $2355 per year. 

Please help keep our kitchen clean and your tuition expenses down.

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. Hot plates are kept in the warming box near the refrigerator, make sure it's turned on as soon as you arrive. This is standard every day, a "China Checklist" will be supplied to you and 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 Ordered, 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.

Stock - Each day we make either a stock - based on chicken feet and pork hocks - or a remouillage from the previous day's bones. We will make a stock using water on Day 1, a remoillage from the bones on Day 2 and, from that point on, will use the liquid from each remouillage to make a stock with the next batch of fresh bones. Please see recipe loaded in the Chinese Section of Moodle. 

Rice watch BOTH video demos on rice cooking but be ready to use the electric Rice Cooker, talk to me before you start anything to make sure you understand the procedure. 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. Rice cooked in the Rice Cooker - Do not cook more than 12 US cups of rice in the rice cooker at one time. Rice Cooked in Convection Steamer - Use only 2" deep hotel pans - not deeper; Do not cook more than 10 cups of rice in a single pan.

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 far right column. Be sure to count and record specific QUANTITIES of each items or a "zero"- blank spaces and or check marks are not "counting". 

Station #2:

You should plan to start the lamb braise no later than 8:30 and the cabbage no later than 9:00, 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:
Dough is prepped ahead for you for Day 1, be prepared to complete the dough and roll it out,  make 1x  for Day 2 and allow to rest in the cooler over night.You will need to roll and cook the pancakes for Day 1, so write that into your time line. 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. On day 1 you only need one batch to cook for family meal. On service days  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 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 The Place 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, so use it all- 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 rice for Fried Rice must be very 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.  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 Marinade for Days 1 +2. You will also be receiving 2 butts to complete the entire process yourself over 3 days. For day 1, put 1 marinated pork butt 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. Before the end of the day you will need to put the fresh Butts in 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, on service days divide the MEP into 3 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

REMEMBER, there will be a quiz on Vietnam and Thailand after clean-up on Day 12 then a tasting of Indian Ingredients after that. Final is on Day 13 at 2:15 PM

For production, Here's what you need to know for India:

Sous Chefs-

We make our own yogurt on Day 11 to use on Days 12 + 13 + 14.  On Day 12,  Recipes calling for "drained yogurt" should start to drain 3 containers in a china cap lined with cheesecloth, start this right away so that it has plenty of time to drain - don't squeeze it, let gravity do all of the work.

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, we'll use a 10" plate as a template to cut circles to fit inside of the 12" plates for service.

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+ 13/14- will be Tomato Dal Rassam. Make 1/2 recipe on Day 12 and 1 full recipe on Day 13/14 - PLEASE CHILL- BAG- LABEL AND SAVE any soup from both days.

Salad - 1/2x recipe for Day 12 and a full recipe for Days 13/14. This salad is served with the other accompaniments on a small, round "condiment" plate, you only need about 1/4 cup 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 rice and speak with Chef about the amount of saffron to use.  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. There are both "Sweet" and "Salted" lhassis, do a bit of research and find alternatives for days 13 + 14


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 the dough recipe and 1/2 the filling for Day 12 and 1x dough/ 1x filling for Days 13+14. The Dough needs to be made early on Day 12 and extra can be made to be ahead for Day 13 - remember, this is a PASTRY dough, be careful not to over work the Gluten. 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.

Pooris(puris) bread 2x dough for each day and talk to chef about how much to roll out and what size to cut them. Make dough early - before anything else. Check with chef for proper consistency, let it rest. 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 use 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.This must be started early and you should ask for Chef's help at the beginning so that it does not scorch.

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. TIP: Indian cooks soak their lentils in water over night with a small amount of baking soda (about 1 tsp. per kilogram of lentils). This helps soften them and shortens the cooking time

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 is a long process, so start early- they should have been soaked over night in water with a small amount of baking soda - on the day you use them, drain off the soaking water and place in a pot with enough fresh water to cover. Simmer until tender but not falling apart, drain and cool. Then they may be toasted on a sheet tray in a low oven toasted until they are cooked through and 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:
On each day - including Day 12 - Make 1 full recipe of dough for naan first thing; it needs to rise, be divided, and rise again. Naan should go into the tandoori oven between 5:15-5:30. 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 5:15.

Tandoori chicken - Make 20 pieces on Day 12 and 40 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 4:45 PM. 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 - 2x recipe for each day and talk to chef about how to cut and store any excess you have. Make cheese as early as possible- 2:15 or so. 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 4:45. 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 4:45 in order to cook slowly and gently and should be finished no later than 5:45

Vegetable Curry - Also a braised veg dish. Long, slow, moist heat, covered. All MEP ready by 4:45, cook slowly until cauliflower is very tender.

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