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 on Monday November 15, Please be prepared as instructed in advance.
Heads up - The most common mistakes made on Day 1, class wide, are:
Not having a complete and detailed time line in the correct format
Not analyzing recipes fulling
Not researching terms, ingredients, technique that you are unfamiliar with
Not knowing how to set up a basic work station
Not knowing basic cooking fundamentals covered in Skills such as - how much starch do you need in a slurry to thicken a set amount of liquid "How much corn starch thickens one cup of soup?"
Not knowing basic measurements - how many pints in a gallon?, etc...
Heads up - The most common mistakes made on Day 1, class wide, are:
Not having a complete and detailed time line in the correct format
Not analyzing recipes fulling
Not researching terms, ingredients, technique that you are unfamiliar with
Not knowing how to set up a basic work station
Not knowing basic cooking fundamentals covered in Skills such as - how much starch do you need in a slurry to thicken a set amount of liquid "How much corn starch thickens one cup of soup?"
Not knowing basic measurements - how many pints in a gallon?, etc...
Sous Chefs:
All China and dish ware must be stored (hot or cold) as soon as you come in and the carts taken back to the dish room. This is standard every day. A supplemental sheet should be started on a clean sheet of paper. The supplemental will list Item, Quantity, and Station ordering the item. Usually the supplemental is due to me no later than 7:30 AM, but on day one 8:00 AM is acceptable.
Rice should be prepared according to the video demo and ready to put into the steamer by 9:30.
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.
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.
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.
Station #2:
You should plan to start the lamb braise no later than 8:30 and the cabbage no later than 9:30, they need to be finished, hot held, and the woks clean before other teams can step in to stir fry at 10:45. 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:
You should plan to prep the vegetables and other MEP for the Moo Shu as quickly as possible - watch the Vegetable prep video and work in a clean, organized fashion. As you prep, break the MEP for the stir fry into 4 batches so that we can fire them as needed during service. The sauce should be made and pre-portioned into 15+ 1 oz. white china ramekins, these will be held on the side to accompany each plate. The Pancakes need to be rolled out as early as possible - the prep table under the spice rack near the prep sink is a good place to work on that. Ask me to help you get started, but see if you can walk yourself through the procedure and get all of the necessary equipment in place before you ask me for a demo. Remember to pre heat the cast-iron skillets while you prep the pancakes so that the skillets are hot when the pancakes are ready to cook. The dough for Day 2 needs to be made as well, but leave that until last - it's no use being prepared for Day 2 if you can't be ready for 11:00 on day 1. 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 tomorrow is for you to prep - cut as directed, cleaned, blanched in heavily salted water, shocked, gently squeezed dry, divided into 4 batches for service. Garlic should be sliced into thin "chips". Please ask me to help you with the first batch of Bok Choy - the garlic can burn very easily if you don't control the wok heat. The prep for Fried Rice must be done, but don't get bogged down on prep for Day 2 until Day 1 is well in hand. You should cook the rice, cool it and store it and you may cut the vegetables, etc and store them for use on Day 2. On Day 2 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 knowing what type of ham to use, burning the garlic for the bok choy.
Station #5:
Put 2 pork butts in the Chinese roasting oven at 325F as early as possible. Make sure you know how to use the oven, if you do not - ASK. 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 on 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 knowing how to fry battered items properly or how to set up a fry station efficiently, not knowing how to use cornstarch to thicken the sauce, not following directions and getting flustered as service approaches.
Station #6:
Follow the recipes, divide the MEP into 4 batches to be fired as needed during service, assist the sous chefs through out the day - Early in the morning you should assist/delegate the putting away of plates, etc and return the carts to the dish room/store room, complete sanitation supplemental supply order, be involved and aware of the Sous Chef duties - you will be sous chefs in the next menu. On Day 2 you will be responsible for setting up the class tasting, please talk to me about this before the end of class on Day 1 so you understand what you need to do.
OK, I expect lots of posts from you between now and Sunday 8 PM. Prep well.
Station #3:
You should plan to prep the vegetables and other MEP for the Moo Shu as quickly as possible - watch the Vegetable prep video and work in a clean, organized fashion. As you prep, break the MEP for the stir fry into 4 batches so that we can fire them as needed during service. The sauce should be made and pre-portioned into 15+ 1 oz. white china ramekins, these will be held on the side to accompany each plate. The Pancakes need to be rolled out as early as possible - the prep table under the spice rack near the prep sink is a good place to work on that. Ask me to help you get started, but see if you can walk yourself through the procedure and get all of the necessary equipment in place before you ask me for a demo. Remember to pre heat the cast-iron skillets while you prep the pancakes so that the skillets are hot when the pancakes are ready to cook. The dough for Day 2 needs to be made as well, but leave that until last - it's no use being prepared for Day 2 if you can't be ready for 11:00 on day 1. 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 tomorrow is for you to prep - cut as directed, cleaned, blanched in heavily salted water, shocked, gently squeezed dry, divided into 4 batches for service. Garlic should be sliced into thin "chips". Please ask me to help you with the first batch of Bok Choy - the garlic can burn very easily if you don't control the wok heat. The prep for Fried Rice must be done, but don't get bogged down on prep for Day 2 until Day 1 is well in hand. You should cook the rice, cool it and store it and you may cut the vegetables, etc and store them for use on Day 2. On Day 2 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 knowing what type of ham to use, burning the garlic for the bok choy.
Station #5:
Put 2 pork butts in the Chinese roasting oven at 325F as early as possible. Make sure you know how to use the oven, if you do not - ASK. 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 on 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 knowing how to fry battered items properly or how to set up a fry station efficiently, not knowing how to use cornstarch to thicken the sauce, not following directions and getting flustered as service approaches.
Station #6:
Follow the recipes, divide the MEP into 4 batches to be fired as needed during service, assist the sous chefs through out the day - Early in the morning you should assist/delegate the putting away of plates, etc and return the carts to the dish room/store room, complete sanitation supplemental supply order, be involved and aware of the Sous Chef duties - you will be sous chefs in the next menu. On Day 2 you will be responsible for setting up the class tasting, please talk to me about this before the end of class on Day 1 so you understand what you need to do.
OK, I expect lots of posts from you between now and Sunday 8 PM. Prep well.
Good afternoon Chef,
ReplyDeleteAfter reading through the menu for grandmothers bean curd, I was curious to know if we are making the bean curd tomorrow from scratch, or if it is coming in pre made? And I was also wondering what mushroom water we are using to soak the tofu in. I saw that we were using fresh shitake mushrooms in preparation but I wasnt sure how we getting mushroom water.
Thank you.
-Team Grandmothers bean curd.
Station 3
ReplyDeleteChef,
Can we prep the black fungus, noodles(cellophane), cabbage, Lilly bubs, shiitake mushrooms, and the bean sprouts for for both day 2 on day 1? Also can we prep the hoisin sauce for all three days on day 1?
David and Trevor
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteChef,
ReplyDeleteJust wondering where we get find the answers to the key terms and study questions, since there is no assigned readings??
David
Station 4
ReplyDeleteChef,
We were wondering if we are responsible for cooking the rice for our fried rice for days 2 and 3.
-James and Michael
Chef, Station 1
ReplyDeleteI was wondering about how to cut the cabbage for the salad, as well as the blanching. The video looked as though it was more of a chiffonade of cabbage, but the recipe says 1"strips. I was also wondering what your definition of blanching was, if it is supposed to be until cooked, or just a quick blanch for 15 seconds?
Chef,
ReplyDeleteFor station number 6 it says in the job desciption that we are responsible for the classroom tasting, but then says on the website that we are responsible for it day 2 and not to check with you after class tomorrow.
I was just unsure if we are still responsible for it tomorrow, or it is going to start on day two.
Thank you
Chef,
ReplyDeleteStation 6: I was also wondering how we are supposed to fire the batches. I know it states that we are supposed to seperate the MEP in 4 batches, but I'm not sure how much to scale per batch, or how many we are supposed to save for family since we only have 10 servings for grandmothers bean curd.
Thank you again Chef.
Station 1
ReplyDeleteAfter looking through the recipes, I also cannot find the Chinese Mustard Recipe. I may be just missing it.
Hi Chef,
ReplyDeleteWe the sous chefs were wondering if like other chefs on day one if you expected us to be in the kitchen earlier than the posted time of 7? For the portioning on the salads you said Thursday that however the recipe says that will be sufficient for service however the recipe yields "25 Portions" just wanted to clarify if we should scale that up. Also the set up for service should one of us be available to portion rice for the plates or delegate that to other station making one of us available to bounce during service assisting other stations? Thank you Chef.
Andew B. Zerrip
Hi Everyone, thanks for you questions. Could I ask, please, that you try to assemble all of your questions in one post? It's much easier for me to sort through and answer them that way. Thanks. Now, your answers:
ReplyDeleteSarah - The Bean Curd will come pre-made, packed in brine. The mushroom water comes from re hydrating dried shiitake mushrooms. We usually have some in water in the cooler. Check early tomorrow, if we have some - you're all set. If not, you will have to soak some in hot water. Once you use the water from the first soaking, you can cover the mushrooms again and get more
David - no on all counts, for several reasons. Primary is that I would like you to work with these products more than once, you won't have a lot of practice with Asian ingredients outside of this class. Second - I'm not a big proponent of making a lot of things in advance "just to get it done". Do you think things change in character and quality over a day- or two or three? Is it a good change? Or would fresher be better? As far as Key Terms, etc- were you at the meting on Thursday? Have you looked at the Course guide? Have you looked at the list of resources in it? Also try the "Key Terms and Study Questions" link on the web site.
Goodyear - The cabbage is cut into approximately 1" pieces - don't get too hung up on the size, as long as they are uniform, large enough to pick up with chop sticks and small enough to fit in someone's mouth.
Sarah - Tastings are on the second day of a menu. You'll be busy tomorrow leading up to service, and so will I. Best is to remind me to talk to you about it after service tomorrow. I
ts not difficult.If you divide the MEP for all of the Bean curd evenly into 4 batches, you'll have enough.
Goodyear - Look again at the salad recipe, the mustard recipe should be at the bottom.
Andrew - I call the roll and start class at 7:00. The food and all students should be there to begin at that time.If you arrive before I do, one person may go through K2, we share a common inside door with them. Ask Chef Moraldo for permission to enter - he's used to it, should be no problem if one person goes through that way and opens the doors for others. As far as potions of salad - make the amount requested on the tracking schedule and we'll be fine. We serve small portions on chilled 6" plates.
Thank you very much Chef
ReplyDelete