Module 3: Produce and present meals

for specific dietary and cultural needs

3.1 Select appropriate ingredients to ensure

optimum quality of end products

Introduction

There are many elements to producing, presenting and serving food in the
hospitality and tourism industry. Selecting appropriate ingredients for
meals will help to assist in producing optimum quality products that are
also suitable for the specific dietary and cultural needs of your customers.

Seasonal Availability

As previously described, locally available seasonal

products are often the most cost-effective ingredients
to use when meals or menus are being designed.
Some parts of the world experience quite distinct
seasons and others have a similar weather pattern all
year round. Plants and animals require specific
conditions to thrive and so foods are available in
abundance when these conditions are ideal. The
climate is most likely to impact on the types of
foods that are available from your suppliers.

You may choose to feature specific foods as they

come into season. Some of the advantages are:

 Foods are at their best quality when in season

 Foods in season are available in abundance and easy to access
 Foods are usually cheapest when they are in season
 Selecting fresh seasonal foods can assist with meeting the dietary
needs of customers
 Seasonal food can be appealing to discerning customers who dine
out regularly or are well-informed about the foods they choose.

Another advantage of selecting seasonal foods is that you can create

annual variety without always having to make major changes to the

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menu. A seasonal fruit salad could be served with different ingredients as
they come into season. Here are some examples:

 Tropical fruit salad of pineapple, mango and papaya with a vanilla

ice-cream and passionfruit coulis
 Summer stone fruit salad of peaches, nectarines and apricots with a
champagne sorbet
 Autumn poached salad of prunes and dried apricots with a caramel
yoghurt
 Winter citrus fruit salad of oranges, mandarins and tangelos with
cardamom scented custard.

Alternatively, the use of seasonal foods which grow in another climate

may offer your customers more exotic options. Here are some examples of
foods from different climates:

Cold climate Warm climates Tropical Other climates

climate
Root vegetables Vegetables Vegetables Dry climates
 Carrots  Zucchini  Okra  Wheat
 Parsnips  Capsicum  Snake  Salsify
 Turnips  Chilli beans
 Beets  Sweetcorn
 Pumpkin
Brassica’s Leafy greens Herbs and Wet, cold and
 Cabbage  Spinach Spices dark
 Cauliflowe  Lettuce  Panadan  Fungi
r  Rocket  Turmeric  Mushroom
 Broccoli (argula)  Curry leaf s
 Bok Choy  Silverbeet  Thai
 Kohlrabi coriander
Fruits Fruits Tropical Fruits Dried Fruits
 Apples  Oranges  Bananas  Dates
 Pears  Lemons  Papaya  Prunes
 Quinces  Apricots  Mango  Sultanas
 Peaches  Lychee  Raisins
 Guava

When researching seasonal foods make sure that the information you are
accessing is for the area in which you reside. The seasons for the Northern
and Southern hemispheres are in reverse. It is also important to be aware
that many sources list foods that are available. This can mean from
anywhere, rather than what is available in season locally.

Menu Styles

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Meals may be presented in many styles. The style that is most appropriate
will depend on meeting the customer's needs and what is being
presented. Menu styles are varied and include:

 A la carte
 Set (Table d'hôte)
 Cocktail or finger foods
 Buffet
 Function.

The types of ingredients you select can make a big difference to the end
quality of your products. For example, consider the choices you have
when selecting a pasta dish. There are many forms of pasta and some
types will be more appropriate than others. Pasta can be divided into basic
groups:

 Small shapes
o Macaroni
o Penne
 Long threads or ribbons
o Spaghetti
o Fettuccini
 Filled pasta
o Ravioli
o Tortellini.

Matching the type of pasta to the plating up requirements of each menu

style will ensure quality is achieved. For example, small shapes and filled
pasta are much easier to serve when serving large numbers of customers
in a short period like banquets and other functions. Baked filled pastas
that can be cut into portions like lasagna can be a suitable buffet dish.
Long ribbon pasta is best served in small numbers like in „a la carte‟
situations. Pasta is not usually a good choice for cocktail service as it is
not easy or elegant to pick up with fingers. These variations apply to
many foods. Pies and tarts can be made to serve many portions or
individual portions or even mini portions.

The requirements of meeting specific dietary or cultural needs will also

influence the selection of the most appropriate ingredients. For example:
 Some pasta is made with just flour and water while others are made
with eggs

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 o Egg pasta would not be suitable for a Vegan or a customer
with egg allergy
 Pasta is a typical product used in Italian cuisine
o Asian noodles or European dumplings may be a more suitable
choice for some cultural groups.

Quality and Quantity

There is an ever-increasing range of ingredients for you to choose from.

Globalization means that more and more ingredients are being grown and
produced around the world, or shipped long distances. Food
manufacturers are constantly producing new food products. The factors
you will need to consider include the cost of the ingredients and the skills
of the staff who will prepare them. Whatever you choose a major
consideration is that the quality of products used are suitable to meet the
customers‟ expectations.

Raw foods

Raw foods provide the most versatility in the commercial kitchen

especially when you need to prepare meals for a diverse range of
customers' dietary and cultural preferences and requirements.

Advantages of using raw Disadvantages of using raw

products products
Versatility to create dishes which Raw ingredients can be time
meet customers‟ specific needs consuming to prepare from scratch
Allows cooks to display creativity in Requires more skill to prepare
producing dishes
Raw ingredients are usually Perishable products are more
cheaper than preprepared or volatile during transport, receiving
convenience products and storage

Convenience Foods

The definition of a convenience food is one that has had all or part of the
preparation done. This definition could be applied to products that are
used every day such as sugar and flour as preparation has occurred to
allow you to easily use them in food production. Imagine having to grind
your own flour from whole wheat! Honey, chocolate, butter, soy sauce and
vinegar are all pre-prepared and very convenient for cooks. However, in
modern times these are all viewed as base ingredients rather than
convenience products. Convenience foods take many forms. They may, for
example, be:

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  Simple ingredients that have been frozen to extend their shelf life
and you can have on hand as needed
 Foods which have been canned, pickled or salted, again extending
the shelf life
 Canned foods
o The canning process usually partially cooks the
ingredients therefore reducing preparation time
 Prepared ingredients such as stock that form part of
a recipe
 Ready to eat foods that only require plating or
heating.

These products can be very useful in the commercial kitchen as they can
save cook’s time. They may also be valuable in adding dimensions to the
menu items that the cook does not have time, equipment or perhaps the
skills to prepare. Which of these products do you have the skills to prepare
in the kitchen with the equipment you have currently?

Smoked salmon Phillo pastry Sausages Soy sauce

Pickled dill Salami Mustard Nori sheets
cucumbers
Dried raisins Rice paper Spaghetti Jam

All these products can be made by the commercial cook. However, they
may require specialist equipment, skills or be very time consuming for
small batches. Selecting prepared products is a common practice when
providing Kosher meals or allergen free meals due the stringent
production requirements that can apply. You may simply be required to
heat and serve such items. Kosher meals are usually sealed and the
customer is served the heated sealed meal. Of course, products which
have been partially or substantially prepared will be more expensive.

Cultural varieties

A similar dish may have cultural variations and selecting the most suitable
ingredients will require knowledge of these differences. What flavorings
would be best used in the fried or braised rice dish from these cuisines?

Dish Flavoring
Chinese Fried Rice
Indonesian Nasi
Goreng

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Creole Jambalaya
Spanish Paella
French Pilaff
Italian Risotto
Thai Khao Phat

Storage

The selection of ingredients will be determined by the storage facilities

that you have available. The main storage areas are the dry store,
refrigeration and freezer. On receipt, foods need to be checked to ensure
they comply with food safety standards and are the commodities you
ordered. They then need to be stored quickly to maintain the correct
storage conditions including temperatures. This reduces the chances of
spoilage that affects both quality and safety.

Foods placed into storage need to be handled correctly to ensure both

food safety and personal safety. Key considerations are:

 The conditions of the storage area need to be in accordance with

the food safety regulations that apply in your region
o Cleanliness, ventilation, lighting, appropriate shelving
 Storage is in conveniently allocated facilities
 Stored in accordance to safe movement for handlers
o Heavy items on low shelves, cross-stacked to prevent falling
 Using stock rotation processes to limit spoilage and wastage
 Segregation of products which may affect the quality or integrity of
other products
o Products with strong odors can permeate mild
products
o Products for specific dietary or cultural needs
may need to be segregated from mainstream
products
 Secure storage

Food Safety

Handling food in a safe manner is essential at all

times in the commercial kitchen. Revising the

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skills and knowledge covered in the Unit Comply with workplace hygiene
procedures may be of benefit. The essential skills that you will need to
apply when handling and storing ingredients are:

 Correct personal hygiene requirements

 Time constraints relating to the temperature danger zone for
potentially hazardous foods
 Avoid cross-contamination.

3.2 Prepare and present food in an appetizing

and attractive manner to meet basic nutritional
needs

Introduction

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The fundamental reason for eating is to provide sustenance or food for the
body to:

 Provide fuel for energy

 Provide materials for growth, repair and maintenance
 Provide special elements needed for body processes.

However, food is much more than a package of the nutrient’s

carbohydrates, protein and fat etc. What is considered food is determined
by many more influences that just health. When you are preparing and
presenting food it is vital that the resulting dishes will appeal to the
customers they are designed for. Make sure that you are aware of what
are the typical food preferences of your customers. Commercial food
preparation is referred to as culinary arts; customers‟ expectations will
demand dishes which display artistic presentation or eye-catching
appearance.

Food Preparation and Cooking Methods

The method of preparation and or cooking you choose

will be determined by the quality and type of product
you are preparing. In the previous section on ingredients
the diversity of ingredient variety was discussed. A fresh
whole salmon can be used to make:

 A display dish for a buffet

 Steaks which can be poached, grilled or fried
 Mousse by pureeing the off cuts and excess flesh
from the bones after portioning the steaks
 Stock for soup or sauces from the bones.

You will be more limited with what you can make if the salmon you buy
comes in a can. The same applies to many other fresh versus processed
foods. But you could still make salmon patties, pastries or sandwich
fillings from the canned salmon.

Preparing meats, poultry, fish and game will require you to have
underpinning knowledge and skill in the cuts and quality of the products
you are using so that you choose the most suitable method of preparation
and/or cookery. Some general basic rules apply to cooking of the muscles
of these animals. Suitable cooking methods for the types of cuts listed
are:

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 Tender cuts Tough cuts Small cuts Large cuts
 Poaching  Braising Fast cooking Show cooking
 Steaming  Stewing methods methods
 Shallow-  Grilling  Roasting
frying  Frying  Baking
 Deep-frying
 Grilling

Additionally, some types of meat such as Halal and Kosher have been
slaughtered and pre-prepared in a way they remove as much blood as
possible. This impacts on the moistness of the meat. Therefore, cuts you
may traditionally grill will need to be marinated first or the cooking
method modified to a wet method of cookery such as braising or stewing
to add moisture to the end product.

The flavor of meats will also influence the cooking method you use. The
flavor of meat is affected by factors such as the:

 Age of the animal

o Young animals are lean and have less flavor
 Sex of the animal
o Chicken tends to be female and neutered male
birds
o Beef is usually neutered males
o Pork is usually female
 Type of food on which it was raised
o Beef can be raised on grass, grain or a
combination of the two
o Chicken can be fed grain, corn or free range on insects
o Game usually eats a diversity of foods
 Amount of exercise the muscles get
o The muscles in the shoulders and legs of animals are more
developed as they work more
o Game animals tend to do more exercise so their meat is
leaner.

Additional factors relating to cooking animal products:

 Offal-like liver and kidneys are best if cooked to order as they dry
very quickly
 Poultry meats are usually tenderer than the meat of animals like
beef and goat

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  Fatty meats are moister when cooked than lean meats.

Vegetables are usually best prepared as close to service time as possible;

exceptions are root vegetables and tubers which may take longer to cook.

Presentation styles

You need to co-ordinate the presentation style you use with the type of
establishment or food you are serving. Presentation styles need to be
decided in advance of service and can form part of the designing of
dishes. When standard recipes are created a photograph or diagram of the
presentation can be included; this assists with consistency. It can also be a
useful training tool for new kitchen staff so they can easily see how each
dish is to be plated.

Choosing the plate ware will depend on the menu style:

 Buffet dishes are plated in volume on large platters and bowls

o These can be ceramic, glass, marble, wood, stone, mirrors or
crystal
o Creative equipment such as baskets, leaves (non-poisonous),
bamboo steamers and pots may also be used
o Specialist equipment such as chafing dishes for hot foods and
freezing chambers for ice-cream can be purchased
 Plates used for „a la carte‟ dishes can be round, square, oblong, flat,
deep, shallow etc.
o Large plates can create a canvas to display your artistic
presentation
o Dishes for sharing may be on small platters
 It is common to plate cocktail foods in uniform rows on large
platters; the repetition accentuates the beauty of the presentation.

No matter what style you choose, food plating should always be

consistent.

Appearance

Presentation can be classical, artistic or relate to cultural expectations.

The most classical way to serve a main meal of

meat, sauce and vegetables in Western cuisine is
to place the food like a clock face. The starch
should be at 10 o’clock, proteins at six o’clock

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and vegetables at two o’clock. Many cuisines have condiments that are
served separately to the main component such as bread, relishes or
dipping sauces. Some cuisines also feature food which is more commonly
shared and so needs to be plated in a manner which will provide ease of
service.

The key to attractive and appealing food presentation is to remember

there are many elements, including:

 Shape:
o Food can be creatively scattered or in elegant compact
servings
o Repetition is an effective technique either by laying several
(odd numbers are best, 3 or 5 etc.) side by side with different
sauces or garnishes on each one
o Biscuit and pastry cutters and molds are great tools for
creating shapes
 Height:
o Height can be created by stacking the protein over starches or
placing leafy salads on top of proteins
o Plastic and metal molds can be used to shape dishes in towers
 Texture:
o Varied textures will create more interest
 Color:
o You can use vibrant colored ingredients as contrast
o Using tones of the same color can be effective also
 Garnish:
o A garnish should only enhance the look of the dish, not
overshadow it
o Make sure that garnishes complement the ingredients and
flavors of the dish.

Paintbrushes, squeeze bottles and specialist saucing tools can be used to

distribute sauces.

Most dishes look best on neutral China particularly white. Take care when
using plates with designs, motifs or logos. Always make sure the plate is
clean.

3.3 Use appropriate equipment and cooking

techniques for specific diets and cultural needs

Introduction

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Selecting the most appropriate equipment and cooking methods will assist
you to produce meals which meet the standards expected by your
customers. They will be accustomed to the characteristic texture, flavors
and appearance of the foods they eat daily. Being able to provide meals
that are comparable may be valuable to business if the pleasure of the
dining experience is enhanced. Knowing how to make creamy mashed
potato or achieve the smokiness of a baba ghanoush or maintain the
moisture of Halal meat is what you want to achieve. The uniqueness of
dishes is usually achieved by following cuisine specific methods of
preparation and at times using specific equipment. A sushi mat creates
the symmetry of a 'temaki" or Japanese hand roll and a potato ricer is the
piece of equipment that will assist you to produce fluffy mashed potatoes.
Eggplants need to char over an open flame to create the distinctive baba
ghanoush smokiness and it is preferable to use a wet cooking method like
braising for Halal meat.

Equipment

You will have a range of equipment available to carry out your work in the
commercial kitchen. The correct selection of what you use can affect the
outcomes of the food you are producing in terms of timeliness and
resulting quality. For example, a cook's knife kit includes knives that are
specifically designed and most effective in preparing delicate garnishes,
filleting fish, boning meat or slicing baked goods such as bread. Choosing
the correct knife with allow you to do the job best. Selecting a drum sieve
to pass a chicken mousse is more effective than using a conical sieve
because of its large fat surface area whereas the conical sieve is better for
straining stocks and other liquids. A fish kettle is the ideal shape for
poaching a whole large fish for a buffet presentation; the fish is less likely
to be damaged.

Small equipment

Some of the small equipment that you will need to use every day includes:

 Knives
 Spoons, whisks, graters, spatulas etc.
 Chopping boards Pans and Pots.
 Remember chopping boards and knives can
be a major source of cross-contamination
when preparing a variety of foods.

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Large Equipment

Large equipment that you will be using every day in the commercial
kitchen includes:

 Stoves and ovens

o These may be electric, gas or
induction
 Grills
o Salamander
o Flat grill
o Char gill
 Deep-fryers
 Refrigeration
o Cool-rooms
o Freezers.

Specialist Equipment

Cooks are usually able to prepare most dishes with the basic requirements
listed above and many are creative in adapting common equipment to
produce inspired and artistic dishes. However, when you are preparing
food for a specific diet the equipment you require may also need to be
specialized. Some examples of the tools or equipment that you may find
helpful or even necessary for food preparation include:

Food Equipment
Sushi  Rice Cooker
 Sushi mat
Crepes  Crepe pan
Dried fruits and  Dehydrator
vegetables
Waffles  Waffle pan
Chocolate confectionary  Chocolate tempering machine
Mashed root vegetables  Potato ricer
Baked apples  Apple corer
Pastries  Pastry cutters
 Pastry molds
Crème brulee  Blow torch

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There are all sorts of specialized food preparation
equipment such as electrical potato peelers, sausage
machines, sous vide machines, smokers and pasta
extruders. However, these can be expensive. Regular
use would be needed to warrant the expense.
Specialist equipment that is often seen in commercial
kitchens includes:

 Steamers
o There are many varieties from simple bamboo steamers which
are placed on top of a pot of boiling water to pressure and
atmospheric versions
 Wok burners.

All equipment used to process food needs to be clean, it must be clean

before you start and cleaned between tasks to prevent cross-
contamination. Always use safe food handling practices when preparing
and cooking food. Good personal hygiene is a must and remember to:

 Wash hands often and between tasks

o If you are wearing gloves, change the gloves between tasks
 Change or clean knives and chopping
boards regularly
o Always wash equipment with hot
soapy water, hot rinse and dry
thoroughly before using again.

Appropriate Cooking Techniques

The preparation of all foods needs to be done with care and consideration
of both the foods you are cooking and the customer requirements you
wish to meet. As discussed in previous sections customer requirements
and expectations are usually based on their personal dietary practices and
this may be for health, religious or lifestyle factors. This unit focuses on
preparing meals for customers with specific dietary and cultural needs
and therefore involves using cooking techniques that account for the
preferences and restrictions that apply.

Selecting the most appropriate cooking technique will require sound

knowledge of both the ingredients you are using and the end dish you are
producing. Extra care is needed during service periods when preparing
some meals and ensure you are very clear on the requirements of your

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customers. The consequences of presenting unsuitable meals can be
severe. Some key points to look out for associated with some of the
specific diets that have been covered include:

Meals Cooking Techniques: Check:

Salt reduced Methods of cookery which add  Salt and pepper
flavor are routinely
 Poaching - add added to food
vegetables and herbs to during service
the poaching liquid  Soy sauce and
 Braising fish sauce are
Adding vegetables, herbs and high in salt and
spices to add flavour often added

Meals Cooking Techniques: Check:

Gluten free Reduced sauces to create  Wheat flour is
thickness routinely used to
dust fish and
shellfish to be
pan fried during
service
Dairy free Methods of cookery which use  A dob of butter
oil rather than butter for is often tossed
frying through
 Wok tossed vegetables to
 Deep frying add flavor and
sheen
Meat free  Meat based
stocks,
especially
chicken, are
often used to
thin soups and
sauces
 Animal fats like
chicken, duck,
lard and dripping
are all used
during service as
frying agents
Halal/Kosher Wet cooking methods are
often used for meats that
have been slaughtered for
Halal or Kosher

For customers with specific cultural needs make sure you use the most
suitable cooking techniques to ensure the dishes have integrity.

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3.4 Prepare and serve food

Introduction

Preparing and serving food in the commercial food production

environment requires you to be able to multitask. You will need to have
sufficient practical cookery skills to prepare the required meals in the
commercial food preparation situation. Practice is the key to improving
culinary skills whether it be chopping, slicing and whisking faster or
folding more gently and consistently. It is always vital that you
consistently apply safe food handling skills.

As well as the basic requirements you will be expected to manage your

work load in the often-busy environment of the commercial kitchen. This

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means within the time constraints. Many dishes require adjustments to
flavor or texture during service; the quality of your work will be improved
if you are able to appreciate the combination of flavors in food.
Additionally, when preparing and serving food to customers with specific
dietary or cultural needs you will need to be aware of the implications of
serving unsuitable foods.

Food Safety

Handling food in a safe manner is essential at all times in the commercial

kitchen including during service. Always practice the skills of workplace
hygiene procedures:

 Apply correct personal hygiene requirements when

handling food
o Customers will expect you to be clean and
well-presented
 Application of time constraints relating to the
temperature danger zone for potentially hazardous
foods
o During service you need to be aware of how
long foods are in the temperature danger
zone
 Avoiding cross-contamination
o Cleaning as you go will not only assist in reducing the chance
of cross contamination but will limit the opportunity for
ingredients or flavors to be mixed.

Flavor combinations

Combining food can improve the overall nutritional balance. The term is
often spoken about from a health perspective as was discussed in the
section on plant-based proteins being combined to achieve better protein
sources. But combining foods together is also about matching flavors that
marry well together. This can mean combining complementary or
contrasting elements.

Some well-known foods combinations include:

 Salt and pepper

 Cheese and biscuits (crackers)
 Bacon and eggs
 Mashed potatoes and gravy

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  Tomatoes and basil
 Fish and chips
 Chocolate and orange (Jaffa)
 Rum and raisin
 Chocolate and caramel
 Cheese and tomato
 Lamb and rosemary.

Food Production

Producing food in the commercial environment is multidimensional.

Service is about coordinating all these elements:

 Organizing and preparing all food items ready for service (“mise-en-
place”)
 Some of the many required elements
of “mise-en-place‟ include:
o Cleaning and preparing
vegetables
o Preparing and portioning meat,
poultry, seafood, game and
offal
o Preparing stocks, sauces and
dressings
o Preparing and cooking farinaceous products
o Preparing garnishes
o Cooking soups
o Cooking large or slow cooked items such as roasts, braises
and casseroles
o Preparing or cooking pastries, cakes and desserts
 Having the service equipment clean, heated and stacked ready for
service
 Heating or cooking the components of the dishes correctly
 Plating the dishes consistently and attractively.

The aim is always to meet the expectations of customers.

Service Equipment

Plating food in the commercial environment requires organization. Firstly,

it is essential to have adequate amounts of fitting types of portioning
equipment, plates (referred to as flatware), platters and other service
requirements to ensure that service proceeds in a timely manner. Flatware

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and other service equipment need to be prepared prior to food service.
This involves:

 Making sure all the required bowls, plates, cups, platters etc. are
undamaged and clean
o To ensure equipment is clean it must be washed in the manner
prescribed in the Unit Comply with workplace hygiene
procedures
 Cleaning requires firstly removing the visible food
remains
 Next is to wash equipment at an appropriate
temperature with the aid of detergent to remove the
foodstuffs adequately. This is best achieved in a
commercial dishwashing machine
 After cleaning equipment should be sanitized. Sanitizing
means the destruction of invisible microbial
contamination using heat and or chemicals
 Equipment should then be air drying as it reduces
potential contaminated from unclean towels and cloths
 The service equipment should be at appropriate temperatures for
the food that is to be served
o Hot food should be served on hot plates
 This assists in keeping the plated food at its optimum
temperature
 Plate warmers are ideal for this purpose as ovens can
cause the plates to be too hot to safely handle and food
may “cook on‟ after it has been plated
 Condensation often forms on chilled plates so you will
need to take care that they are cleaned before being
presented to the customer
o Where under liners are used, the standard practice is for the
under liners to be at room temperature and either hot or cold
dishes on top as required
 This allows ease of handling of the under liner whilst still
presenting the dish at the desired temperature.

Portion control

Portion control is an essential element throughout

the process of designing meals. Standard recipes
should include both the overall yield and average
portion to be served of the item. The quantities of

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required ingredients can then be purchased accordingly. It is therefore
important during plating and presenting of meals that food items are
portioned correctly to meet the established enterprise guidelines.

Portion control simply means controlling the amount of each item placed
on the plates served to customers. This ensures that the food cost is
within the allocated budget and there is consistency in the end products.
In particular:

 All dishes of the same type must look the same

 The position of each item on the plate should be the same on all
plates.

Portion control is an important consideration in food presentation. When

the cook plating meals is inconsistent with portioning it may result in:

 Running out of serves during service which can impact negatively on

customer satisfaction
 More food being served than budgeted for which will affect kitchen
profits adversely.

Temperatures

In presenting food, the rule is to:

 Serve hot food, hot Serve cold food, cold

 And frozen food, frozen.

Service needs to be efficient to ensure that food is platted up and served

to the customer quickly. Good organization in the coordination of the
various elements that make up a meal is the key to serving food at its
optimum. This can be challenging in the commercial environment as often
more than one cook is responsible for a dish or the dishes which are to be
served together for the same table of customers.

Timing Constraints

The timing factors involved during service are paramount to providing the
quality of both food products and service. You will need to develop skills in
knowing how long each task takes and being able to priorities the tasks
you are responsible for. The amount of time it takes for a meal to be
plated impacts on:

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  The temperature and the overall quality
 The potential for food poisoning bacteria to multiply to dangerous
levels
 “Customers‟ satisfaction.

Dietary Implications

There are potential implications of not preparing and serving meals in a

suitable manner for your customer's specific dietary or cultural
requirements. These implications can be considered from a nutritional or
health perspective or a customer satisfaction perspective.

Health Implications

Serving meals that are true to the assurance you offer customers
regarding the absence of certain foods can be vital for the health of your
customers. This is especially in relation to food allergens which can be
potentially life threatening. It is usually not possible to guarantee that
your food production premises is free of particles of food from nuts, dairy
and eggs: all foods which can cause anaphylaxis.

Key considerations:

 Read labels carefully

 Practice hygiene procedures that minimize cross-contamination.
Customer Satisfaction

Deliver what you promise. The food you prepare and

serve for customers with specific dietary or cultural
needs must be suitable if it is going to meet their
expectations. Ensure that you are able to fulfil any
obligations to provide special ingredients or specifically
prepared meals. Be well informed as to what is involved
in offering a low-salt or Kosher meal before you offer it.
Key factors include:

 Quality suitable ingredients

 Consistency of product
 Efficient service Cleanliness.

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