Locates, reads and interprets recipes, food preparation lists, menus and task sheets to check food production requirements.

Q: What information is included in a standard recipe?

Q: How do you find out what portion sizes to produce?

Efficiently sequences food preparation and production tasks.

Q: How do standard recipes and food preparation lists help you sequence your preparation tasks?

Q: Describe how you sequence food preparation tasks when making your favourite pasta or egg dish.

Calculates ingredient amounts according to requirements.

Q: How does a standard recipe help you calculate quantities of ingredients?

Q: Where could you find out how many portions, and therefore quantities of ingredients, are required for hot vegetable side dishes for a buffet function?

Identifies and selects ingredients from stores according to requirements.

Q: What are three indicators of freshness and quality you should look for when selecting vegetables and fruit?

Q: The quality and freshness of dry goods, such as polenta, couscous and rice, is as important as fresh ingredients. What are two quality indicators you should look for?

Q: What are the nutritional benefits of berry fruits?

Checks perishable supplies for spoilage or contamination.

Q: What are two indicators of spoilage in fresh noodles?

Q: What are two indicators of spoilage in frozen vegetables?

Q: Why should you check dry farinaceous and other goods for signs of contamination before using them to prepare salads for appetisers?

Locates and reads date codes and rotation labels on food products.

Q: What information is contained in a date code or rotation label?

Q: How do stock rotation procedures and product expiry dates help you when selecting ingredients?

Selects appropriate type and size of equipment.

Q: What items of equipment would you use to prepare a fruit coulis?

Q: What equipment would you use to whip egg whites to aerate a cake?

Q: Why is selecting the correct size of saucepan or boiler important when preparing pasta, rice or other farinaceous products?

Follows food and workplace safety procedures when assemblingequipment and checks cleanliness prior to use.

Q: From a food safety perspective, what should you check before assembling any food production equipment?

Q: What features or functions of a slicer can cause injury when assembling it?

Uses equipment safely and hygienically when preparing and cooking food.

Q: Mechanical mixers, slicers and peelers are often used when preparing vegetables, fruit and eggs. What are two safety procedures you should follow when using this type of equipment?

Q: Many fruits and vegetables are served raw. How can you reduce the risk of cross-contamination between different ingredients when using food preparation equipment?

Sorts and assembles ingredients according to production requirements.

Q: You are preparing three potato side dishes to accompany main courses; chunky fries, scalloped and roti. How do you sort and assemble your ingredients to maximise efficiency?

Q: How does sorting and assembling ingredients prior to preparation help your workflow and productivity?

Weighs and measures ingredients correctly and creates portions.

Q: Weighing and measuring ingredients is part of your miseen place requirements. Why is accuracy an important component of your miseen place process?

Q: Why is portioning important during the preparation stage when preparing ingredients for vegetable, fruit, egg or farinaceous dishes?

Cleans and cuts ingredients using basic culinary cuts.

Q: Why should fruits and vegetables be thoroughly washed prior to preparation?

Q: What are two basic culinary cuts used to prepare vegetables?

Minimises waste.

Q: What by-products from the preparation of vegetables, fruit, eggs or farinaceous ingredients could be used in other production processes?

Q: If you are storing by-products for later use, how should you store them? What information must be recorded?

Prepares eggs for different culinary uses

Q: Explain why or when the following methods of preparing eggs are used.

·       Aerate

·       Bind

·       Thicken

Q: What is the role of eggs in the preparation of sauces such as hollandaise and mayonnaise?

Q: What are the health risks associated with dishes containing raw and partially cooked eggs?

Q: What are two other forms eggs can be purchased in?

Q: What does the term ‘easy over’ mean when cooking eggs?

Prepares fresh farinaceous ingredients.

Q: Why is kneading pasta dough an important stage in the preparation process?

Q: Explain how to make ravioli from fresh pasta dough.

Q: Explain how to make fettuccini from fresh pasta dough.

Selects and usesmiseen place and cookery methods (as listed in the skills log) for dishes.

Q: What is one method of cookery used when preparing dishes for the following food types?

·       Vegetables

·       Fruit

·       Eggs

·       Farinaceous

Give one example of a recipe each method and food type is used in.

Q: How does poaching, frying and scrambling change the nature and texture of eggs?

Uses numeracy skills to calculate number of portions and determine cooking times and temperatures.

Q: At what temperature do you deep-fry foods?

Q: How long does it take to cook a hard-boiled egg?

Q: You are preparing fresh fruit platters for a function. One platter holds five portions and you need to prepare 25 portions. How many platters do you prepare?

Follows standard recipes for dishes using food types listed in the skills log.

Q: What is the historical relationship between Italian pasta and Chinese noodles?

Q: Can you substitute dried fruit or vegetables for fresh in a recipe? What factors influences your decision?

Q: What happens if you overcook scrambled eggs?

Q: What does the term 'al dente' mean when cooking pasta?

Selects and adds accompaniments to the dish.

Q: What is a common accompaniment served with pasta dishes?

Q: What are suitable accompaniments for scrambled eggs?

Prepares dishes for a number of customers:

·    within commercial time constraints and deadlines

·    reflecting required quantities to be produced

·    following procedures for portion control and food safety practices

·    responding to special customer requests and dietary requirements

·    managing own speed, timing and productivity.

Q: How do you manage your own speed and timing to ensure that you complete food preparation tasks within commercial time constraints without cutting corners and risking your safety?

Q: What is one example of a special request or dietary need a customer might have when ordering a salad?

Q: Why is portion control important when preparing and serving vegetables, fruit, egg or farinaceous dishes?

Follows standard recipes and makesfood quality adjustments within scope of responsibility.

Q: Your boiled vegetables have lost colour. How could you prevent this happening in the future?

Q: Your cooked rice is starchy and sticks together. How fix this problem? How can you prevent this happening in the future?

Q: Choose one fruit recipe from your menu. How would you adjust the flavour of this dish if you feel it doesn’t meet recipe and organisational standards?

Presents dishes on appropriate serviceware.

Q: Choose a vegetable dish from your menu and describe how you would present it.

Q: What serviceware is used to present prepared pasta dishes in your workplace or training environment?

Q: Why is the choice of serviceware important to a dish’s overall presentation?

Adds appropriate dips, sauces and garnishes to dishes.

Q: What dips or sauces is commonly served with tempura vegetables?

Q: What is one sauce that could be served with apple cinnamon pancakes?

Visually evaluates the dish and adjusts presentation, if necessary.

Q: Describe a time you had to adjust the presentation of a dish before sending it out to the customer. What was wrong with the dish and what changes did you make?

Q: Why is the visual appeal of side dishes, such as vegetable or farinaceous dishes, as important as the main item?

Stores dishes in appropriate environmental conditions.

Q: What are the appropriate storage conditions for prepared vegetable, fruit, egg or farinaceous dishes?

Q: I have some leftover fruit purée. How do I store it?

Cleans work area and disposes of or stores surplus and re-usable by-products.

Q: Where can you find information about the types of cleaning tasks you have to complete?

Q: How does cleaning as you go speed up end-of-shift cleaning tasks?