Knowledge in food production
All about Beer
Everything you need to know about beer, From the grains to the process From manufacturing to different brands and types of beer and Ale
Vineet Kaushal
Beneficial and harmful bacteria for your food
All about the bacteria The ones which are beneficial for us in the kitchen and the one which may make us sick if consumed without knowledge
Coffee
The world's most beloved beverage after tea and beer. Let's learn everything about coffee and demyth ourselves about the quality of coffee we actually drink.
Fermentation process
What exactly is fermentation What happens in fermentation The enzymes which play an important role in the process of fermentation
Food additives/preservatives
Chemical additives and preservatives which are vital for the increment of packaged food's shelf-life
Various factors affecting food contamination
Factors affecting food contamination. A brief information regarding the external and various other internal factors leading to the contamination of food.
Methods of food preservation
Methods and ways in ideally preserving food through chemical or physiological means
Molds on foods
Different kinds of molds and fungi affecting our food in the kitchen and ways to avoid it.
Wine producrion
Everything you need to learn about wine making and its gradation
What are Bacterias, Years, Molds
Everything about bacteria, yeasts and molds.
Food Production Operations Tutorial
Food Production Operations Tutorial Food Production Operations is an activity of preparing food products on mass scale and all the operations pertaining to it. This tutorial introduces you to various cereals and pulses as well as culinary seeds, spices, nuts, and herbs. It also introduces you to various equipment, cooking methods, menus, and Indian cookery. This tutorial teaches basic terms used in food production. After going through this tutorial, you will find yourself at a moderate level of expertise of retail management basics from where you can take yourself to next levels. Audience This tutorial has been prepared for beginners to help them understand the basics of Food Production Operations. It is going to be quite useful for the ones who are keen on making a career in Hospitality and Tourism. For all other enthusiastic readers, this tutorial is a good learning material. Prerequisites We assume the readers of this tutorial have a passion for food, cooking, and creativity. The reader must also possess a strong desire to pursue culinary arts as a career. Creativity, punctuality, and excellent interpersonal skills are a plus. Introduction to Cookery Cooking is like painting or writing a song. Just as there are so many notes or colors, there are only so many flavors – it’s how you combine them that sets you apart. …Wolfgang Puck, American Chef, Restaurateur, and Occasional Actor. Food Production and its related operations are integral elements of hospitality management, hotel management, and restaurant businesses. It requires a skilled staff who can produce a wide variety of quality foods. In addition, the culinary staff of a hotel or a restaurant is also required to produce food in a large quantity. Let us start with understanding the basic term ‘Cookery’ in detail. What is Cookery? Cookery is an art and science of preparing food for consumption by using heat. Cookery is an age-old practice. A primitive human must have found a piece of meat or vegetable cooked in the bushfire by chance. He must have found it edible, chewable and easy to consume. Probably, he even must not have cooked deliberately until he knew how to create fire. The simplest method of cooking was holding a piece of meat or vegetable in the fire directly, which is still in practice, with a little sophistication. From the age-old cooking practices to cooking for fine dining, cookery has come a long way with the evolution of humans, their skills, diverse cultures, and the equipment. Today, cookery is an inseparable part of our lives that rules our tongues and hearts. Why Cook Food? We can have some foods in the raw form too, such as salads and fruits but we need to cook certain foods such as beans and meat to make them edible. In addition, if we eat some vegetables without cooking, they can transfer harmful bacteria or substances into our bodies. For example, uncooked beans contain anti-digestive enzymes. Uncooked capsicum (Bell Pepper) contains Capsaicin that can create burning of stomach lining. Cooking helps to destroy unwanted substances present in the food and unwelcomed effects of consuming it. There are many reasons behind cooking food. Some of them are − To make the food digestible. To kill any harmful bacteria present in it. To make appearance of the food pleasant. To change its physical and chemical form. Let us now see the organization of the Kitchen Department. Kitchen Staff (Brigade de Cuisine) The kitchen staff (brigade de cuisine) needs to work harmoniously to avoid possibility of any error. The kitchen staff is organized in the following way − The responsibilities of kitchen staff are as follows − S.No.Role & Responsibilities 1 Chef de Cuisine Main cook. Overall management of kitchen and staff, supervising, creating new recipes, and training apprentice. 2 Sous Chef Deputy cook. Takes charge in the absence of Executive cook. 3 Chef Tournant Has skills and knowledge of every section. Takes charge as and when required. 4 Chef Grade Manager Prepares all cold savory food. 5 Chef Saucier Prepares sautéed items. 6 Chef Poissonier Fish and Seafood cook. Prepares sea food dishes. 7 Chef Patissier Pastry cook. Prepares cakes, breads, and pastries. 8 Chef Entremetier Hot appetizers cook. Prepares soups and stocks. 9 Commis Junior cook. Design Considerations of a Commercial Kitchen Since a large quantity and variety of food is produced in the professional kitchens, various designs are considered before setting up a kitchen. The food production managers must consider the following factors with respect to the kitchen. Restaurant menu and service types Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning Employee workflow Storage, food production, cleaning, and service space Equipment Drainage and plumbing Communication among employees Safety of employees and property Typical Layouts of a Commercial Kitchen Some typical layouts of a commercial kitchen are given below. Island Layout In this type of layout, the cooking ranges, ovens and other cooking equipment are placed together at the center of the kitchen. The other sections are placed along the wall in order to follow a concentric design. Any section can be an island depending on the requirements. It is an open layout that favors staff communication. It also leaves an adequate open floor space for cleaning. This layout is followed in large kitchens. Zonal Layout The total kitchen space is divided into different zones for various activities. The principle equipment are located along the walls. This layout follows an appropriate order. In this layout, staff communication and supervision are easy as the central space is completely open. Assembly Line Layout In this layout, kitchen equipment is organized in a row. The food preparation space is kept at one end and the service space at the other. The areas for cleaning/washing and storage/receiving are behind the assembly line to keep them separate from the main busy space. This allows the cooks to send the food quickly down the line. This layout provides very high efficiency, and excellent communication and workflow. This layout is very effective in case of the establishments with a limited menu with large momentum.
Terms Used in Food Production Operations
Here are some common terms used in the domain of Food Production and Operations − S.No.Terms & Meaning 1 Bacteria Unicellular organisms that can be harmful or useful to our body. They multiply very fast. 2 Blanching Putting food substance into hot water for some time and transferring into cold/running water to halt the cooking process. 3 Calorific Value of Fuel The amount of heat generated in Kilocalorie or Kilojoules by the complete combustion of 1 Kg of fuel. 4 Chhonk A cooking and seasoning technique used in the cuisines of India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. In this process, oil or ghee is heated in a pan and whole spices, curry leaves, and sometimes minced ginger or garlic are fried briefly in it to liberate their essential flavors. The chhonk is then poured on stews, cooked beans, or lentils. 5 Chopping Cutting quickly with heavy blows of knife into fine pieces without paying attention to the shape of the resulting food. 6 Commodity Valuable material used or traded. 7 Consumer A person who buys goods for family or personal use. 8 Curing A food (meat, fish and vegetables) preservation and flavoring process by the adding salt, nitrates, or sugar. It also involves smoking, drying, or cooking. 9 Dicing Cutting into square pieces. 10 Grating Making small particles or stripes by rubbing against a rough surface or a surface with many sharp-edged openings. 11 Kneading Making flour dough into a uniform compound by pressing, folding, and stretching. 12 Maillard Reaction A chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives the browned food its desirable flavor when cooked around 140oC to 165oC 13 Marination The process of soaking foods in a seasoned liquid of acidic properties before cooking. It helps to add flavor. 14 Mashing Reducing to soft pulpy mass by applying pressure. 15 Mincing Cutting into very small pieces such as mutton mince (Keema). 16 Organic Food Food made without using preservatives, chemicals or artificial colors. 17 Peeling Removing the skin of moist food item, say potatoes, and carrots. 18 Poaching Cooking egg without shell in boiling water. Cooking in small amount of liquid. 19 Popsicle Color and flavorful ice candy with a stick to hold. 20 Praline A confectionary containing cream, sugar, and nuts. 21 Rotisserie Mechanically rotated stainless steel rods that are positioned near heat source. They hold meat to cook in the ovens evenly. 22 Roux Flour and fat cooked together and used to thicken soups. 23 Shelling Removing shells of peas, beans, oysters, and mollusks 24 Shredding Cutting into small stripes. 25 Sifting/Sieving Putting flour through sieve in order to separate fine particles from coarse ones. 26 Simmering Cooking liquid food just below boiling point. 27 Spikelet A unit of grass flower. 28 Stirring Moving solid/liquid food in the circular motion. 29 Tandoor A cylindrical clay oven used in Indian cookery. 30 Tempering Unwanted filling of griddle plate with grease. 31 Thawing Bringing a frozen food item to room temperature.