Page 41 - SITHCCC014_SG_v1.0

P a g e | 41

to maintain a competitive edge.

Preparation
When cleaning and cutting meats and offal ready for cooking it is necessary to adhere strictly to your
establishment's portion requirements. You need to know how much, by size and weight, of each
meat product will be served per cover. Be aware also that an entree portion will be smaller than a
main course portion. So when portioning meats you will need to know what section of the menu the
meat will be used for.
Meats are generally cleaned and prepared-trimmed and portioned as part of kitchen mise en place-
the pre-preparation. Once they have been trimmed they are portioned (sliced, trussed, rolled,
larded, marinated etc.) ready for cooking. When handling meats for preparation it is essential
hygiene procedures be closely followed. Do not handle meats, including offal, any more than is
necessary. Use only clean boards, equipment and utensils.
Portioned meats should be placed on clean trays, covered with non-permeable wrap and left in the
cold room until they are to be used.
Weighing and measuring ingredients

Ingredients to be prepared, as well as the meat will include a wide range of items and will be
dependent on enterprise menus, recipes and customer preferences. Staff will need to consult the
recipes and to have a clear idea of portion yield for each recipe. They will need to know how many
portions to prepare-and this will be dependent on how many customers are expected. Accurate
portioning will be reliant on weighing and measuring ingredients to ensure that recipe requirements
are complied with and portions will be accurate.

Ingredients to measure and weigh as part of the kitchen mise en place will also include
accompaniments, and garnishes.
Portion control
When conducting pre-service mise en place it will be necessary to sort and assemble ingredients
according to food production sequencing, to weigh and measure ingredients and to create portions
according to enterprise recipes. The correct preparation techniques (according to recipe) must be
used for each food and each dish.

Most restaurants and food service outlets, including fast food outlets, delicatessens or cafes, will
have what are called standard portion sizes. This refers to the amount of food that is served per
customer for a specific dish. The amount of food should, in general, be sufficient to make the
customer feel satisfied, but not so much that the customer is overwhelmed by food. Too much food
on a plate or in a serving can actually be very unappetising. It is also ineffective in terms of cost to the
restaurant. Standard portion sizes enable the chef to determine raw material costs and to calculate
the selling price of dishes. They enable staff to identify how much product they will need and what
ingredients they need to weigh and measure.
Customers expect value for money. They also expect consistency. This means that they expect to
receive a portion size commensurate with the amount of money they are paying; plus they expect
the same size portion and the same quality of food and service every time they make a purchase
from an enterprise.
Records of stock on hand, recent stock orders, and communication with customers will enable
identification of particular dishes or styles of food that sell well. Certain dishes will be more popular
than others-sometimes also affected by weather seasons and trends.
Based on a combination of all this information, the head chef and other management staff in the
organisation will be able to forecast approximate customer numbers. It is then up to the kitchen
brigade to determine quantities of food to be prepared according to the most commonly ordered