hpc 101

• Kitchen


  The most prominent and enclosed section or area in which edible food ingredients are brought together, gathered, combined through proper processing and cooked by various means of cooking methods for consumption. It is the hub and center of activities to produce food in any establishment or residential apartments. Chiefly concerned with food production activities, it is associated with cleaning, storing, mise en place, cooking, holding food materials and dishes, plating, washing up, waste cleaning, etc.
• Kitchen


  Derives from the Latin term Cucina (cook food), where cook derives from the Latin word coquus or coquo (to cook, become ripe) and a French word "Cousin", which means art of cooking or food preparation in the kitchen.
• The kitchen is the central point of activities in all restaurants and hotels where food is prepared. It is the heart of hotel.
• Kitchen organization


  • Executive Chef
  • Executive Sous Chef
  • Pastry Chef
  • Butcher
  • Chief Steward
  • Sous Chef
  • Banquet Chef
  • Baker
  • Garde Manger/ Pantry Chef
  • Chef de Partie
  • Night Cook
  • Breakfast Cook
  • Pantry
  • Commis
  • Steward
• Executive Chef


  Head of the brigade and is responsible for overseeing kitchen staff and ensuring the quality of food items.
• Sous Chef


  Supervises menu preparation at the different stations under the chef de partie.
• Chef de Partie


  Chef in-charge of a particular area of production
• Pastry Chef


  In-charge of baked goods and under him is the baker.
• Butcher


  Takes care of the butchering requirements
• Banquet Chef


  Heads banqueting and functions
• Garde Manger


  In-charge of cold food
• Commis


  Prepares the menus at the different stations.
• Pantry In-charge


  Handles the dry goods and stored items
• Common kitchen equipment


  • Chillers
  • Freezers
  • Warmer
  • Mixers
  • Slicers
  • Choppers
  • Steam Cooking
  • Dry Heat (Ovens and stove)
  • Grills
  • Fryers
• Chillers


  Where food items that do not require freezing are stored. Items that should be kept cold but not frozen.
• Freezers


  Storage of food items that are kept frozen.
• Warmer


  Temporary storage equipment where items are kept warm until served.
• Mixers


  For combining ingredients in large batches. There two types of mixers: table top mixers and floor mixers
• Slicers


  For slicing meats and baked products
• Choppers


  Used for chopping various ingredients into smaller pieces.
• Steam Cooking


  These are steam kettles, steamers, combination cookers.
• Dry Heat (Ovens and stove)


  Make use of cooking methods without liquid or oil.
• Grills


  Use dry heat, but exposing food to open flame
• Fryers


  Make use of oil for cooking.
• Kitchen layouts


  • Quick Service Restaurant
  • Hotel Food Service
  • Hospital Kitchen
  • Mid-scale Restaurant
  • In-flight food service kitchen
  • Cruise Ship Kitchen
• Quick Service Restaurant


  Characterized by speed and high –volume activity.
• Hotel Food Service


  A huge kitchen that prepares high –volume banquet service, with satellite kitchens.
• Hospital Kitchen


  Requires the highest standard of sanitation
• Mid-scale Restaurant


  Medium-sized, the size of a hotel kitchen station.
• In-flight food service kitchen

  Commissary type; operates round the clock and located near airport.
• Cruise Ship Kitchen


  Has large storage units to keep enough food for the duration of the cruise.
• Kitchen layout flow


  1. Receiving and storage area should be close together

  2. Next to storage should be the mise en place and production area

  3. Once ready, food should move quickly to the plating and pick-up station near the dining room.
• Criteria for a well designed kitchen

  • Division of areas for proper distribution of labor
  • Smooth traffic flow
  • Sanitary and hygiene standards
  • Equipment selection
  • Determining capacity
  • Purchasing system
• Formats that dictate kitchen operations

  • Quick Service Restaurant (QSR)
  • Buffet/Cafeteria
  • Casual Dining
  • Fine Dining
• Quick Service Restaurant (QSR)


  Food is generally ordered from a counter. Food styles and quality may vary, but the overall customer expectations center on speed.
• Buffet/Cafeteria


  Food is generally prepared in larger batches and organized into stations. It may be selected directly by the customer onto their plate or their selection is finished quickly in front of them.
• Casual Dining


  Diners experience table-service and food is ordered off mid-priced menu. Generally these restaurants have a fairly wide selection of items and moderately skilled chefs able to execute the food on the menu.
• Fine Dining


  Diners experience table-service and the expectations is substantially higher than the casual dining restaurant. Many items are made from scratch and significant chef skill may be required to execute the items on the menu.
• Cooking equipment


  • Range Tops
  • Ovens
  • Conventional ovens
  • Convection ovens
  • Revolving ovens
  • Slow-Cook-and Hold ovens
  • Combination Steamer Ovens
  • Barbeque Ovens Or Smoke Ovens
  • Infrared or Reconstituting Ovens
  • Microwave Ovens
  • Broilers and Salamanders
  • Grills
  • Griddles
  • Rotisseries
  • Deep Fryers
  • Tilting Skillet
  • Steam-Jacketed Kettles
  • Steam Cookers
• Range Tops


  Can either be powered by electric or gas. Range tops have knobs and controls on the front, which come in handy when trying to manage your cooking with multiple items on the burners.