Advance Information for Japanese Menu Days 6 + 7

Before Proceeding to the Japanese Menu, Please Be Sure to Scroll Back and Review the Korean Menu Information for Day 5

Heads up -Japanese do not generally cook in woks, and the woks we have are used for many other, stronger, flavored dishes. On Days 6+7 we may use woks to steam or boil water, but not to cook in - the flavors come out "muddy".  You may use them to blanch vegetables, bones or noodles, or use the wok steamers; ask me if not certain about when a wok might be appropriate.

In advance of the Vietnamese Menu for Days 8+9 you should watch the videos in the side bar in the Vietnamese section of the website, they are also listed here for your convenience. If you do not, you'll be unprepared for several techniques you'll need to know while prepping ahead.

These are : "Handling Fresh Herbs and Table Salad"

                    " Working with Lemon grass"

                     "Working with Tamarind Paste"

Sous Chefs for Japanese Menu:
The only things coming off of the steam table today will be the steamed long grained 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. Unless told otherwise by the Chef, plan to steam sushi rice in the steam cabinet, in a 2" deep full hotel pan. Follow these instructions exactly:
- Before you begin, make sure you have 3 times the amount of filtered water set aside. The water should be filtered through the rice water filter, and you should have enough filtered water to soak the rice, drain the soaking water away, and cover the soaked rice with freshly filtered water (equal in volume to the amount of rice) for cooking.
- Measure rice by volume. Place in deep stainless steel bowl. Separately measure an equal amount of filtered water (use water specially filtered for RICE). Hold measured rice water separate from rice until after rice has been rinsed.
- Rinse and drain rice with cool tap water 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.
- Soak rice for 1 hour in fresh, cool filtered water
- Drain and Air Dry rice on lined sheet tray from 30 minutes
- prepare vinegar solution while rice dries.
- Place air-dried rice in 2" hotel pan and add the measured, filtered water to the rice in the pan.
- Steam rice in Steamer cabinet, and cook for 20 minutes exactly. - CHECK WITH CHEF FOR DONENESS OF RICE BEFORE REMOVING FROM STEAMER.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 Chef 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. Use station 2 for assembling sushi (all 3 sushi stations set up on station 2), and station 3 will be used for plating sushi - all garnishes, soy sauce ramekins, plates, and salad will be arranged there. . When the sushi is made and the garnishes are all together, you can plate on small plates and hold for service on the shelves under station 5.

Sushi Plate:

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 1 1/2  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", please be very aware of the time and temperature instructions for Dashi - these are important. Also be VERY aware not to rinse or wipe away the white powder which may be on the kombu - this is very flavorful sea minerals. 

Any station making Dashi - reguklar or vegan - should use the filtered water from the small spigot on the prep sink. These filters were developed in Japan specifcally to make dashi - the clarity and flavor of our finished product will be much higher using the filtered water. 

"Sunomono" means "vinegared things" in Japanese. 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 closer to service, around 10:00-10:15

The steamed long grained 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. For Day 6 make only 1/2 recipe - for Day 7 make 1 full recipe.  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, 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, this may have been done ahead, but talk to me anyway to be sure before we serve them.. On Day 6 Remember to soak Long Grained Sticky Rice on day 7 for Day 8.

Station 3:
Pork Cutlet is also self explanatory, you will clean a pork loin, trim off all silver-skin and external fat, cut into 1/2" thick slices and then pound into very thin, wide cutlets. The recipe on the website has a photo of how to use a sheet of plastic cut from a heavy plastic trash bag when pounding cutlets with a mallet, talk to the chef about how to set this up if it isn't clear to you.You should anticipate frying each cutlet ala minute and plating directly from the fry station, so draw a detailed diagram of how the station will look, make sure to consider work-flow in your diagram . 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, (remember, this sauce is very intense in flavor, do not apply salt or pepper to the cutlets when you bread them), the cabbage salad should be dressed ahead of 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, so blanch the bones and meat on Day 6 and have them ready to start for broth as soon as you arrive on Day 7.

Be sure to read the instructions for cooking shrimp for Sushi Nigiri. The shrimp must be put onto bamboo skewers before poaching in order to keep them curving when cooking.

Station 4:  The Pork Belly for The Ramen Noodle Recipe should have been left to dry in the cooler on Day 5 for Day 6 by station 3. You should do it on Day 6 for Day 7 It only has to be removed from the package, placed on a rack, and air dried in the cooler over night, but you can't forget!  The rest of the procedure is self explanatory from the recipe (make sure to review embedded PowerPoint on preparing the pork), feel free to ask me any questions on Day 5. For setting up the 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 noodle baskets or a china cap in it to cook your noodles ala minuten and another to hold your simmering broth. Hold sliced pork belly , warm, above the line in a 1/2 hotel pan, have warm bowls there as well. You're other garnishes should be directly to the right of your station in the SMALLEST containers possible. You must share that space with the Fry Station.
Prep for days 8+9 includes cutting and marinating the pork ribs for the Vietnamese Menu, and making spicy beef filling for Beef in La Lot leaf, this MUST be done- let me know if you need help. It's a good idea to review the pork rib fabrication video at the beginning of the course (Pre-Day 1 Must See Videos). The recipe for the marinade is in the  Vietnamese Recipe section.


Station 5:
Beef Teriyaki - Make sure you watch the demo on cleaning skirt steak., ALL external fat and silver skin must be removed from the main muscle before you portion it. Do Not Portion into individual steaks without having Chef inspect it. 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. Prep for Days 8+9 includes roasting pork butt and baking pate for Bahn Mi in the Vietnamese menu - this must be done!

Station 6:
Your main dish is a bowl designed so the vegetables can change with the seasons, and served hot in winter and chilled in the summer.

Here's a photo of a summer version. The broth and tofu will remain the same, we will use either sweet potato starch noodles, rice noodles, or mung bean starch noodles, and we'll see what the store has for fresh winter vegetables. It will be served hot this week -  you can use the left corner of the grill to keep the broth in a hot water bath. Think about how the station would look for service and I'll discuss your plan with you to make sure it's the easiest and most ergonomic. Be sure to ask me about the vegetables as soon as you arrive on the morning of Day 6 so you can get started early.



Have all of the mise en place in small, neat, containers and deep noodle bowls on your station next to the steamer. Because the vegetables may change from week to week, I'll be working closely with you to make sure the first one comes out right.

Besides your menu item,  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 leafs in a small container, covered with a moist towel.
- 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 mise en place together early. The soy sauce in ramekins -enough for the class on Day 6 and  about 60 ramekins on Day 7 for service - 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). The wasabi paste must be made in two different consistencies. Start by mixing the dry powder with small amounts of water and mix to combine until it has a "clay-like" texture - easy to shape and mold. Remove 1/2 of the wasabi from the bowl for use on the plate. With the remaining wasabi in the bowl, continue to add water and stir until it's thin enough to spread - a "toothpaste" consistency. This will be used on the sushi as it's formed. 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 photo at the top of this post. Prep for days 8 + 9 include making the shrimp force meat for Shrimp on Sugarcane in the Vietnamese Menu, this MUST be done- ask for help peeling shrimp early on Day 7.
\
Finally, Station 6 -  remember that you're responsible for organizing/setting up the class tasting on Day 7. Ask me for a copy of the Japanese tasting Sheet on Day 6, and I'll go over it with you in advance.

Information for Korean Menu, Day 4 + 5. Written assignment due Day 4 - read entire post to be prepared!

Pay attention and read the entire post!


Each person must draw a detailed diagram of your  individual service stations for Day 4

Use the tracking schedule to determine which station you are assigned to on days 4 + 5 and draw a complete and detailed diagram of what your station will look like at service. Include equipment, ingredients, and utensils. Each component should be properly identified/labeled. This is an individual assignment - NOT a group project. Please submit your own work at the beginning of class on Day 4, on a separate sheet of paper from your time line - be sure to put your name and station number on it.

 Please submit your station diagram on a separate piece of paper from your time line, include your name and Station Number at the top.

You don't have to be an artist to submit a well thought out and detailed diagram: 

Here's an example of an excellent diagram which would be considered "A" work: 

Here's an example of a poor diagram which would be considered "Failing" work:

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
You are responsible for diagramming the panchan service station, soup station, and the steam table - be sure to read this whole post so you know which items will be served from the steam table and which one's will not - you are not responsible for diagramming the entire kitchen.

Spicy Beef Soup, Medium Grain Rice, 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 3+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, they will then give their kimchi to the sous chefs 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 11:00. For the Spicy Beef Soup, be sure to get cabbage kimchi scraps and liquid from Station #2

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. Your service diagram will show where the short ribs will be served from, the garnishes and any accompaniments, plates, and plating utensils.


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

Station 3 - Be prepared to make the Glass noodles, the Korean Fried Trout (this means that you should draw diagrams for each set up). You are also responsible for the spinach salad (which will go to the sous chefs for setting up the "Panchan" station). A solid time line, ingredient list, and equipment list will be an important part of your pre-preparation to keep the two stations separate but organized.  The Fried Trout is served directly from the Fry Station, use your equipment list to figure out where everything should go, how it will be best set up for "Firing" and "Plating" ala minute. The noodles are served from the steam table in a deep noodle bowl, have a 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 (on Day 5) for firing for family meal and through-out service. For garnish for both dishes you will need eggs cooked and cut into thin "julienne", please get instructions from Chef on how to do this - do not use a non-stick pan.

 Pickled ginger recipe is in the Japanese section. Make it on either Day 4 OR Day 5 - but make sure it gets made.

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.

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 Kim Chi" just means that you take the kim chi out of the cooler, get a knife, board, gloves, and 1/6th pan and ask me what to do. On Day 5 you will make 3# of cucumber kim chi, follow the recipe for vegetable kim chi from the web site and scale ingredients accordingly, start this early, there is 2 hours of salting required. 

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.On Day 5 you will make 3# of daikon radish kim chi, follow the recipe for vegetable kim chi from the web site and scale ingredients accordingly, start this early, there is 2 hours of salting required. 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 of 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". You should plan to steam a small amount of rice for yourself early in the day to use for filling the cabbage, Rice for service (Mixed grains and Rice recipe) can be gotten from the sous chefs, have all of your other grains pre-cooked and ready to mix into the rice when it's done. 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 3 Information - Menu + Dim Sum

 Day 3 

ALL STATIONS - be prepared to serve 40+ 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.

Please go to the Chinese menu and view the video demos for each dim sum item embedded in each dim sum recipe.

Sous Chefs -  Refer to the diagram for Dim Sum station posted on the Day 2 Blog - you will set up on station 5. Make it a priority to have two chaffing dishes with Sterno, under liner pans for water, and 1/3 pans for holding the individual items. Secure these early so you know where they are and are not scrambling at the last minute. Make sure we have Sterno on hand before you place the supplemental order!  Dim Sum 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 - the mustard does not go in a ramekin. 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.

Note - You should choose which soup to make and discuss with me as soon as you arrive at 7:00 AM.
Also- despite what the menu says, you will not make a salad for Day 3 - we do not have room on the trays for an extra plate!


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.  

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.

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.

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.

Everyone please look ahead to the Korean Menu and have questions to ask on Day 3. It'll make transitioning to a new menu much easier.

Information for Day 2

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.

Please read this entire post AND the entire tracking schedule so you know what's going on throughout the kitchen and can be informed enough to help each other.


Everyone:: Remember that the diagram for Day 3 will be much different from the one I gave you for Day 1. Here is how the Dim Sum Station will be set up on Station #5 for service. Look it over and ask questions on Day 2 so you are prepared to put the plan into action on Day 3


                      This is a diagram of the layout for Stations 5 + 6 for Day 3 Dim Sum Service
                                                                      

Soup Cups		Salad Service Area						Pork Carving Station
Serving Trays		Plate Wipes	Empty 1/3 Pan	Pork Ribs	Spring Rolls	Steamed Dumplings	Pan fried Dumplings	1 oz ramekins Of dipping sauce
Serving Trays		Small Cup Prepared Mustard						8” round plates
Dim Sum Plating

                                                                                                                                            

                                                                       

Each Dim Sum Plate on Day 3 will contain:
1 fried spring roll
1 pan fried dumpling
1 steamed dumpling 
1 stuffed pepper
1 BBQ pork rib
1 one ounce ramekin , 1/2 full of ginger-soy dipping sauce (produced by Station #2 on Day 3) 
1 "dab" of spicy mustard sauce, on the plate ( produced by Station #4 on Day 3) 

                                                                     

On Day 2:
Sous Chefs -  Wonton Soup,  Celery + Smoked Tofu Salad, Steamed White Rice - according to tracking schedule. 

We will be making wonton soup on Day 2,  watch the video in advance so, if you have questions, I can answer them in class before we get started. On Day 2, 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 video and ask for verification before we stop the class for demo at 9:00.


EVERYONE SHOULD WATCH THIS VIDEO PRIOR TO CLASS ON DAY 2:




Station #2 - Regular Menu PLUS - prepare filling for Steamed Dumplings according to tracking schedule. We will form and cook finished dumplings on Day 3

Station #3 - Regular Menu PLUS - prepare filling + dough for Pan fried Dumplings according to tracking schedule. We will form and cook finished dumplings on Day 3

Station #4 - Regular Menu PLUS - prepare filling for Steamed Dumplings according to tracking schedule. We will form and cook dumplings on Day 3

Station #5 - Regular Menu PLUS -  Clean, and trim pork ribs as demonstrated in Video for "Pre-Day-One Must See Videos" on website. BEFORE MARINATING- ASK CHEF TO SPLIT RACKS IN HALF FOR YOU.  Apply marinade and leave in cooler over night. We will roast ribs in Chinese oven on  on Day 3.

Station #6 -  Regular Menu PLUS - prepare filling for Stuffed peppers according to tracking schedule. We will form and peppers on Day 3

Class Tasting - 

Team 6- Below is a photo of an abbreviated tasting tray for Day 2 should look like, but it's been expanded to include 19 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.

Also Team 6 - On the tracking schedule for Day 3, you are assigned to make Broth for Day 4 soup. Look ahead tonight for the recipe in the Korean Menu for "Spicy Beef Soup". Although you will make the broth on Day 3, you will save time and have a better result if you blanch the beef bones and beef shoulder EARLY on Day 2, discard the blanching water, and save the bones and shoulder in the cooler for Day 3. On Day 3, you can start simmering the bones and beef right away and have a longer cooking time and more full bodied broth by having blanched them on Day 2.


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

Day 1 Information for March 26, 2019

Please read this entire post and feel free to visit me in K1 AM on the final day of your Mediterranean Course - talking face to face is the best way to understand something if you're confused.


 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.

This Blog is your text book for the course, as part of your daily required assignments you must 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 headings which may pertain to you - you will be responsible for knowing that. Be aware that your on-line participation is tracked and that failure to participate may significantly impact your ability to function well in class and, as such, your grade.

Please refer to the Moodle Page for other required readings and videos. Moodle participation is also tracked and will be counted as part of the"class participation and preparedness" component of your daily grade. Each "Required" item on Moodle will be worth 5 points for your daily grade. Be sure to open each item from a computer using your Student ID number in order to receive credit for fulfilling the assignment.

To help you stay on track, there will be Study Checker quizzes on Moodle after the first day of each unit. Scroll through the Moodle Page to check the times and dates that these are Open for you to take. Study Checker quizzes will be part of your Class Participation and Preparedness grade - participation in these on-line exercises is worth 10% of your daily performance grade.

Before Day 1, the videos-   Knife Cuts and Vegetables for Asian Kitchen,  and-  The Wok Line are  loaded on the Moodle Site, these are required viewing. There is a short quiz related to the Wok Line video - this is also considered a part of your Daily Performance grade.

As you scroll through the course Moodle Page, you will also see four online Unit Quizzes. Please not the dates and times that each one is open and available. If there is a conflict with you personal schedule, please see me at least 2 class days in advance so I can make time accommodations for you. Failure to take a unit quiz during the allotted "window" will mean failure for the quiz and reflect negatively on your grade.

 Several of you have asked about the proper format for a "Time Line" in my class. BE SURE to check the bottom of this post to see the required format. Each student must have their own, individual timeline, in this format, at the beginning of each day. Failure to have a properly formatted, complete time line will require you to leave class and return only when you are properly prepared .

PLEASE NOTE THAT FAILURE TO READ ENTIRE BLOG, ANALYZE ALL RECIPES FOR YOUR STATION, AND OTHERWISE PREPARE YOURSELF USING THE MATERIALS POSTED OR GIVEN TO YOU WILL RESULT IN A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN YOUR DAILY GRADE. PLEASE REFER TO GRADING RUBRIC IN COURSE GUIDE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

I really can't stress this enough. In order for the class to run smoothly and for you to succeed as a group and as individuals, you all have to be well prepared and well informed each day. If you're not, you will be asked to leave class and receive a "Zero". 

If you have questions, please use the "Comments" section at the bottom of this post. I generally do not check CIA e-mail from home, but I do check the comments posted from you to the Blog. 


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, or other appropriate information (version of test, etc. )  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
7:00 AM -  Arrive, meet with Chef, discuss class objectives, introduction to kitchen and ingredients
7:30 - 10:30 - Prep and Demos
10:30-11:00- Set up for Service/finish ala minute preparations with Chef
11:00- 11:30  Plate Demos on First day of Menu. Service on 2nd/3rd day of menu
11:30-12:00 - Family Meal
12:00-12:45  -  Clean kitchen/inventory
12:45- 1:30 -   Lectures + Tastings


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 for return to Central Issuing.

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

Sous Chefs - STATION 1:

Sous chefs Important - please read: Making stock, preparing rice, soup, and salad are cooking tasks performed by sous chefs, but sous chefs are considered "Kitchen Management" and, as such, should focus on organization and set up of the kitchen for service, overseeing and delegating cleaning and sanitation duties, and making sure that the food storage areas are clean, organized, and that a proper inventory is taken at the end of each day. Unless directed by the chef, sous chefs should not be washing pots or cleaning floors if there are "managerial tasks" to be done. Sous chefs are expected to plan and work as a team (although each individual should submit a their own time line each day). Sous Chef Timelines must include management tasks - opening duties, setting up service line and expediting, delegating cleaning duties, taking inventory,and using closing check list.

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 - Sous Chefs are responsible for making stock/remouillage each day. 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, but realize that the Rice Cooker takes longer to heat up and cook than the convection steamer - factor that into your timing. 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. 

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.It's steamed in a savory rice wine broth and the broth should be saved to serve with the fish.  Make sure to know all of your ingredients and how the steaming process works. All of the Bok Choy we receive each day 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 has been made and chilled in advance for Day 1, get it out of the cooler, separate the grains onto lined sheet pan, and have it ready to begin frying by 10:00, fired rice may be made in advance and hot held until service.  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 ( the chicken for the Tangerine Chicken dish is battered and fried ahead of service), 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: Since your dish is essentially a braise, you may start it ahead and hot-hold it. Follow the recipe for Grand Mother's Bean Curd and taste with Chef.  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 for the Chinese 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.

MANDATORY 
Use This Time Line Grid to help organize yourself + team to work in sequential order and not forget anything. It may seem like a lot of work at first, but if you train yourself, it becomes easier to do and frees you of most anxiety in the kitchen, making cooking more fun and success more likely. 

 You are required to use THIS format to organize your time-line ; make two copies - one for you to work from and the other to hand in to the Chef  - all timelines are due upon arrival to class at 7:00 AM - typed and neatly organized as shown below. Failure to submit a complete timeline in this format will result in a 50% reduction in grade for not following instructions and being unprepared for class and you will be asked to leave the kitchen and return only when you are properly prepared. 

 The example below shows only two items, but you should create a similar one out-lining all of the items your station is responsible for. This is not a group or team project - EACH PERSON must create a time line of their own. List each menu item for the entire station, putting them in the order to do them , and include detailed lists of equipment and ingredients. The final column "Method" will put each step of the plan in sequence. Use bullet points and short words, do not clutter it up with a "narrative". Do not "Cut + Paste" directly from the recipe. Think about it and put things into your own words. Copying directly from the recipe or course blog,  submitting a time line significantly similar to the chef's recipe OR a team mate's timeline will be considered plagiarism and result in a failing daily grade. DO NOT GIVE YOUR TIME LINE TO A TEAM MATE TO COPY!!! You might think you're "helping out" but if they submit the same, or closely similar, work as you,  both fail. 

In writing a sequential time line, think about how you day will flow: what will you do, and what order will you do it in? Use this sample of a generic time line for a station producing Stir Fried Chicken and BBQ Pork. Notice how the flow of tasks toggles back and forth between the two items. 

Sequence	Task	Equipment	ingredients	Method
#1	Pre-heat oven + Water	-Torch (?) -Wok + water pot
#2	Start Pork	-Hooks -Hotel pan to hold pork -Cup for marinade -Paintbrush		-          Pork on hooks -          -hang in oven -          Baste every 30 minutes until 150F+ and tender
#3	Prep Chicken	-Knife -Board -Lg. Bowl for marinade - Measuring spoons - Measuring cups -Scale - Fryer on - Fry baskets - Drain pan	-8# Chicken - Thin soy sauce 3/4c -Eggs, 6 - Water, 3 qt. - salt, 2 tsp - garlic, 12 ea - Cornstarch- 12 oz. - Water chestnut powder , 12 oz.	-combine all marinade ingredients except starch - cut chicken, lg. bite sized pieces, place in marinade - marinate 20 minutes -add starches to marinade to make batter
#4	Baste Pork	-brush	-marinade
#5	Prep sauce MEP	-board -knife -measuring tools - Bowl -cup for slurry - wok tools -bain of oil  w/ 2 oz. ladle	-Ginger, sp. -Garlic, 1/2 cup - Scallion, ½ cup -Tangerine skin, 2 T        -Hot bean paste, 2 Tbsp -Lite soy sauce, 1.5c - Shao Xing, 3/4c -Rice vin, ¾ c -Sugar, 4 c - Stock, 1 qt. - Sesame Oil, 1T - Slurry  8oz starch/ 8 oz water
#6	Prep Veg – Blanch broccoli in wok water	-board -knife -measuring tools -scale - Ice bath to shock broc - 9 containers for aromatics and veg	-Ginger, ½# -Garlic, 2T -Scallion, 4 T -Tang. Skin, 8 T -Dry red chilies, 16 -Mushrooms, 2# -Red bells, 4ea -Broc. floret, 1# -Stems from broc -Garlic Sauce
#7	Pre-fry chicken	-Fryer on -baskets -sheet tray/paper towels to drain	-Marinated chicken in batter	-Swimming method, quickly. -Finished when floating -Remove from oil -Drain
#7	Baste Pork	-brush	-marinade	Baste, remove when 150F+ and tender
#8	Finish Sauce	-Bain to hold finished sauce -bain with oil + ladle - Wok spatula	-Refer to ingredients above for sauce	- Sweat aromatics in oil - Add all liquid except slurry -Boil -Add sugar to dissolve -Add slurry to thicken
#9	Remove Pork  from Chinese ove/Hot hold Western oven 200F	-Tongs - ½ sheet pan - rack for sheet   pan -Oven preheated to 200 F -Slicing knife -gloves -plate wipe		-Hot hold in 200F oven, slice ala minute as needed, place back in oven
#10	All Chicken MEP on tray for stir fry		-Divide all MEP 4 batches - Chicken -Sauce -Ginger, ½# -Garlic, 2T -Scallion, 4 T -Tang. Skin, 8 T -Dry red chilies, 16 -Mushrooms, 2# -Red bells, 4ea -Broc. floret, 1# -Stems from broc -Garlic Sauce
#11	Fabricate Pork ribs for next-day-prep	-Board -Knife - Measuring cups - Paint brush - Full, deep hotel pan -Plastic wrap - Paper towel	-Dark soy sauce, 1.5c - Shao Xing, 3/4c -Rice vin, ¾ c -Sugar, 4 c -ginger, ½ c -garlic, ½ c Scallions, ½ c - Sesame Oil, 1T	-cut ribs as instructed -split racks lengthwise -paint with dark soy sauce + sesame oil - combine all other ingredients, apply to painted ribs, place in hotel pan, cover, marinate overnight
#11	Stir fry Chicken	-Wok -Bain + ladle for sauce -½ pan over line - wok tools -Bain with oil + ladle -Cleaning cloth		-oil in wok -Add aromatics while cool -gradually heat When aromatic, add, in order: -          Mushrooms -          peppers -          Broc stems -          Broc blorets -          Chicken -          sauce
#12	Serve