Hi, this is where you should look each day for information and instructions specific to your class and station. It's very important to read and analyze these recipes, watch all videos AND read the daily information posted here because your critical analysis supportive of applied skills are a very significant part of your grade. Please be prepared as instructed in advance. This is the final cooking course before restaurant courses and your smooth operation is reliant upon your preparation.
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. Rarely can your station complete your presentation of dish without food from other stations. There will be information under other station's heading which may pertain to you - you will be responsible for knowing it and the information will be used for quizzes.
Several of you have asked about the proper format for a "time-line" in my class. BE SURE to check the Moodle system to see the required format for the whole game plan. Each student must have their own, individual timeline, map of station, equipment list, quality criteria and converted recipes, on index cards on a ring, at the beginning of each day. Failure to have a properly formatted, complete game plan will require you to leave class (and lose up to 50 daily points from the daily grade), returning only when you are properly prepared and costing valuable MEP time.
If you have questions, email me. Emails will be answered during business hours. a_eisenh@culinary.edu
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, and make sure you will reach your daily "par"
- 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. Plastic is for storage overnight
- Papers, quizzes, tests submitted without full name on page will receive no credit. Bring a #2 pencil
- 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 game plan in the correct format
Not analyzing recipes fully, applying them to the environment and time frame
Not researching terms, ingredients, techniques that you are unfamiliar with
Not knowing how to set up a basic work station, instructed from fundamentals
Not knowing basic cooking fundamentals 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 and before class. If you read and listen and then ask questions for 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, SOP's, game plans
7:30 - Introduction to kitchen, storage of food, ingredients and ordering. (Day 2 will be the ingredient tasting from 7-7:30, prepped by end of day 1 of menus)
8:00 - 10:00 - Prep and Demos
10:00-10:30 - Set up for Service/finish ala minute preparations, prepare Demo Plates
10:30-11:15 - Family meal
11:15- 11:30 - Final prep before service
11:30-12:00 - Service on alternate days
12:00-12:45 - Clean kitchen/inventory
12:45- 1:30 - Final storage of stocks, follow-ups on service and learning materials
On a station by station basis, here is more in depth info for you:
Sous Chefs - STATION 1:
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 remouillage 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. Each student is required to have a printed copy of this recipe to follow each day.
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 remouillage 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. Each student is required to have a printed copy of this recipe to follow each day.
Rice - Rice should be rinsed according to video demo and ready to cook by 10:00 AM. Do not cook rice earlier than 10:00 AM to ensure freshness at service. 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.
Menu: You will receive a laminated menu for each service day, be sure that it's posted on the wall nearest the kitchen door. If unsure of where to post it, ask chef early in the day to avoid confusion at service time.
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.
Menu: You will receive a laminated menu for each service day, be sure that it's posted on the wall nearest the kitchen door. If unsure of where to post it, ask chef early in the day to avoid confusion at service time.
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.
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.
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