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clean, hygienic and maintained so that they are in peak operating condition at all times.

Add sauces and garnishes according to standard recipes, and visually evaluate dishes and
adjust presentation as required

A sauce is a seasoned, flavoured, usually thickened liquid, served as part of a meal, or dish, as an
accompaniment.

Foods like stews and casseroles and curries are made by cooking meat and vegetables in the sauce,
while other sauces will be used to coat cooked meats.

Sauces act as a flavour contrast and digestive aid. They add moisture, flavour, increase palatability
and digestibility of food, while adding to eye appeal. The flavour of a sauce should complement, not
overpower the flavour of the meat. They make dark-coloured food more appealing and dry food
moist. They enhance both appearance and taste.
Sauces that are used in the design of a dish must be in keeping with the cooking process for the dish.
Many sauces will call for the use of bones, trimmings or offcuts to make a stock base for the sauce
(derivative sauces or gravies). These can be thickened with a suitable roux or starch. Some will be
flavoured with vegetables, fruits or herbs.

Sauces might be based on béchamel, velouté, demi glaze, tomato, jus lie, fruit or berry confitures.
Stocks, thickening agents and flavourings are the three main constituents used in sauce making.

Stocks and fruit jellies can be added to reduced stocks or sauces to produce glazes. Glazes add
flavour to food, protect its quality, preserve texture and enhance appearance. They can be sweet or
savoury. A correctly made glaze will be reasonably dark, but clear, and should have no impurities.

Sauces are generally reduced until they reach a light coating consistency.
Alternately, warm emulsion sauces might be used. These are oil or butter-based sauces, emulsified
with egg yolks. They include Hollandaise, Béarnaise and variations like lime and coriander etc.
The consistency (thickness) of a sauce will depend on:

• how it is to be used
• the temperature of the sauce

• the establishment's standard
• the ingredients and cookery methods used

Sauces should not be gluggy, lumpy or taste starchy. A sauce is intended to enhance the dish on
which it is being used. It should not overpower it, nor should it detract from the meal.

Some sauces are intended to be used as pouring sauces-thinner, shiny, flavoursome. Others are
intended as napping or masking sauces. The sauces you prepare must meet the organisation's and
the customer's expectations with regard to quality, flavour, consistency and portion control.

Hot sauces
Made from milk or stock, thickened with roux and/ or reduced.
Basic hot sauces are:

1. Demi-glace (brown stock and brown roux).
2. Velouté (white stock and golden roux).

3. Béchamel (white roux and milk).
From these a huge range of derivative sauces can be made.