ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE OF MODERN KITCHENS AND AIMS & OBJECTS OF COOKING FOOD

Hotel Management · Food Production · Unit 2

🍳 Kitchen Organisation, Aims of Cooking & Role of Ingredients

Brigade, ethics, cooking methods, safety, waste segregation, fats, flours, sugar and water - explained simply.

🗺️ Unit at a Glance

👨‍🍳1. Kitchen OrganisationBrigade and duties

🤝2. EthicsWorkplace etiquette

🎯3. Aims of CookingSenses, outcomes, techniques

♻️4. Safety and WastePrecautions, segregation

🧈5. Fats and Raising AgentsShortenings, leavening

🌾6. Flour, Sugar, WaterTypes and uses

👨‍🍳 1. Organisation of Modern Kitchens

A brigade is a team where every cook has a clear role. Escoffier created the classical brigade so work flows without confusion, delay or duplication.

Duties and Responsibilities

Chef	Role
👑 Executive Chef / Chef de Cuisine	Head of kitchen: menu planning, costing, purchasing, hiring and training, quality control
🥈 Sous Chef	Second in command: runs the kitchen day to day, supervises staff, stands in for the head
🥣 Saucier	Sauces, sautes, gravies and stews
🐟 Poissonier	Fish and seafood dishes
🍗 Rotisseur / Grillardin	Roasts, grills and fried items
🥗 Garde Manger	Cold kitchen: salads, cold cuts, pates, buffet display
🍰 Patissier	Bakery, pastries, desserts
🔄 Tournant / Roundsman	Relief chef who fills in at any section
🧑‍🍳 Commis	Trainee who assists a Chef de Partie and learns the section

💡 Modern staffing: smaller teams. One cook often covers several stations, supported by a purchasing and stores team, stewarding, a dedicated pastry section and often a nutritionist or food-safety officer. Hotel size, cuisine and menu decide the structure.

🤝 2. Professional Ethics and Etiquette

⏰PunctualityReport on time, in full uniform.

🧼GroomingClean uniform, short nails, covered hair.

🙏RespectAddress seniors properly; no shouting or abuse.

👥TeamworkCommunicate clearly, say "Yes Chef", help colleagues.

📋HonestyFollow SOPs and recipes; no wastage or pilferage.

🔒ConfidentialityNever share recipes or guest details outside.

🎯 3. Aims of Cooking

Make food safe (kills germs)Easier to digestImprove flavourImprove textureImprove appearanceAdd variety

👀 Cooking and the Five Senses

👁️SightColour, shine and plating.

👃SmellAroma of tempering and baking.

👅TasteSweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami.

✋TouchTexture: crisp, soft, creamy, chewy.

👂SoundThe crunch of a papad, the sizzle of a tadka.

Outcomes of the Cooking Process

Change	What happens	Example
Gelatinisation	Starch swells in hot water and thickens	Roux, custard, rice
Coagulation	Proteins set when heated	Boiled egg, paneer
Caramelisation	Sugar browns with heat	Caramel, fried onions
Maillard reaction	Sugar and protein brown together	Roast meat, bread crust
Softening	Cellulose breaks down	Boiled vegetables
Nutrient change	Some vitamins are lost; some nutrients become easier to absorb	Boiling spinach

Techniques Used in Cooking

Method	Techniques
🔥 Dry heat	Roasting, grilling, baking, toasting, tandoor
💧 Moist heat	Boiling, simmering, poaching, steaming, blanching
🛢️ Fat based	Shallow frying, deep frying, sauteing, stir frying
🔀 Combination	Braising, stewing, pot roasting

🦺 4. Safety Precautions and Waste Segregation

• Wear correct uniform and non-slip shoes; keep floors dry and clean.
• Use dry cloths for hot pans; turn pan handles inward.
• Keep knives sharp and store them safely; use machines with guards.
• Know where the fire extinguisher, first-aid box and exits are.
• Use colour-coded boards and store raw and cooked food apart.

♻️ Waste Segregation

🟢Green binWet waste: peels, leftovers, tea leaves

🔵Blue binDry waste: paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, metal

🔴Red / Black binHazardous and sanitary waste (colour rules vary by local authority)

💡 Used cooking oil should never go down the drain. Collect it in sealed containers for authorised disposal.

🧈 5. Role of Ingredients

Fats and Oils (Shortenings)

A shortening is a fat that makes baked goods tender by coating flour proteins so long, tough gluten strands cannot form (it "shortens" them).

🍞TenderisingSoft crumb, crumbly pastry

🫧AerationCreaming traps air in cakes

😋FlavourRichness and mouthfeel

🥐FlakinessFat layers in puff pastry

🍳Heat mediumFrying, sauteing

📦Shelf lifeKeeps baked goods moist

Fat	Source	Approx. smoke point
Butter	Milk cream	150 deg C
Ghee	Clarified butter	about 250 deg C
Refined sunflower / groundnut oil	Seeds / nuts	about 230 deg C
Olive oil (extra virgin)	Olives	about 190 deg C
Margarine / vegetable shortening	Hydrogenated vegetable oils	varies
Lard	Pig fat	about 190 deg C

💡 Smoke point is the temperature at which fat starts to smoke and break down. Deep frying needs a high smoke point.

🎈 Raising Agents

Type	Examples	How it works
🦠 Biological	Yeast, sourdough	Fermentation makes CO2 gas
🧪 Chemical	Baking powder, baking soda, ammonium bicarbonate	Acid plus base releases CO2
💨 Physical	Steam, whisked air, creaming, folding, lamination	Trapped air or steam expands in heat

💡 Baking soda needs an acid (curd, lemon, buttermilk). Baking powder already contains the acid, so it only needs liquid and heat.

🌾 Flour

Flour	Features	Uses
All-purpose (maida)	Refined, white, medium protein (10 to 11%)	Cakes, biscuits, naan, sauces
Whole wheat (atta)	Has bran and germ; fibre-rich, nutty	Roti, paratha, brown bread
Multigrain	Wheat blended with oats, ragi, soy, etc.	Health breads, rotis
Millets (ragi, jowar, bajra)	Gluten free, high fibre and minerals	Roti, porridge, dosa, cookies
Gluten free (rice, besan, corn, almond, buckwheat)	For coeliac and gluten-sensitive guests	Batters, pancakes, pakoda, baking

💡 Gluten is the stretchy protein network formed when wheat flour meets water and is kneaded. It gives bread its chew.

🍬 Sugar

Importance: sweetness, browning, tenderness, moisture, preservation (jams), food for yeast, stabilising whipped egg whites.

Types: granulated, caster, icing, brown, jaggery, honey, liquid glucose, invert sugar.

Cooking stage	Temperature	Used for
Thread	105 to 110 deg C	Syrups, gulab jamun syrup
Soft ball	112 to 116 deg C	Fudge, fondant
Firm ball	118 to 120 deg C	Caramels
Hard ball	121 to 130 deg C	Nougat, marshmallow
Soft crack	132 to 143 deg C	Toffee
Hard crack	149 to 154 deg C	Brittle, lollipops
Caramel	160 to 177 deg C	Caramel sauce, flan

💧 Water

• pH measures acidity (below 7) or alkalinity (above 7). Pure water is about 7.
• Hard water (rich in calcium and magnesium) slows cooking of dal and beans; soft water suits tea and baking.
• Uses:

 

INTRODUCTION TO COOKERY

Hotel Management · Food Production · Unit 1

👨‍🍳 Introduction to Cookery

Hygiene, safety, ethics, culinary history and Ayurveda – explained simply with infographics.

🗺️ Unit at a Glance

🧼1. HygienePersonal, food, environment

🥼2. UniformProtective clothing

🔪3. SafetyHandling equipment

🤝4. EthicsAttitude & personnel

🏭5. ProductionIndustry & cookery origins

🕉️6. Indian CuisineHistory, Ayurveda, vegetarianism

🧼 1. Hygiene

Hygiene = practices that keep people, food and surroundings clean to prevent illness. In a kitchen, poor hygiene means food-borne disease, lost guests and legal trouble.

🧍 Personal Hygiene

• Bath daily; keep hair covered and nails short, clean, unpolished.
• Wash hands with soap for 20 seconds – before work, after toilet, after touching raw food, waste, face, phone.
• No jewellery, no smoking/spitting/chewing in the kitchen; cover cuts with a blue waterproof plaster (blue is easy to spot if it falls in food).
• Report illness (diarrhoea, fever, infections) – never work while sick.

💡 Remember: Hands are the #1 carrier of germs in a kitchen.

🍲 Food Hygiene

• Buy from reliable suppliers; check freshness on receiving.
• Follow FIFO (First In, First Out) in storage.
• Separate raw and cooked foods; use colour-coded chopping boards.
• Cook, hold and chill at correct temperatures.

🏠 Environmental Hygiene

• Clean-as-you-go; sanitise surfaces, floors and equipment.
• Proper waste disposal – covered bins, emptied often.
• Pest control (rats, cockroaches, flies), good ventilation, lighting and drainage.

Cleaning steps:1 Scrape→2 Wash→3 Rinse→4 Sanitise→5 Air-dry

🥼 2. Uniform & Protective Clothing

Item	Purpose
👨‍🍳 Chef's cap / toque	Keeps hair out of food; absorbs sweat
🧣 Neckerchief	Absorbs sweat from the neck
🥼 Double-breasted white jacket	White shows dirt; thick cotton insulates; can be reversed to hide a spill
🧻 Apron	Protects uniform from spills and heat
🩳 Checked trousers	Checks hide stains; loose-fitting for comfort
🧤 Oven cloth / side towel	Handling hot pans – always dry, never wet
👞 Safety shoes	Closed, non-slip, protect from hot spills and dropped knives

💡 Wet cloth conducts heat and causes steam burns – always use a dry cloth.

🔪 3. Safety in Handling Kitchen Equipment

🔪KnivesKeep sharp; cut away from body; never catch a falling knife; carry pointing down; wash separately.

🔥Gas & HeatCheck for leaks, light match first, turn handles inward, never leave unattended.

⚡ElectricalDry hands, switch off before cleaning, check wiring, earth all machines.

🛢️Hot OilNever overfill; never add water; use a lid (not water) on an oil fire.

⚙️MachinesUse guards, get trained, unplug before cleaning blades.

🧯FireKnow exit routes and extinguishers; keep a first-aid box stocked.

Fire Extinguisher Guide

Type	Use on
💧 Water	Paper, wood, cloth (NOT oil/electrical)
🫧 Foam	Oil, fat, flammable liquids
☁️ CO₂ / Dry powder	Electrical and oil fires
🧺 Fire blanket	Small pan fires, burning clothes

💡 Remember PASS: Pull pin → Aim at base → Squeeze handle → Sweep side to side.

🤝 4. Attitude & Personnel Ethics

⏰PunctualityReport early and ready.

🙋DisciplineRespect seniors, follow SOPs and recipes.

👥TeamworkKitchens run on a brigade – help colleagues.

🎯HonestyNo wastage, theft or shortcuts on quality.

🧠Willingness to learnAccept feedback, stay curious.

😊Guest focusConsistent quality, positive attitude under pressure.

🏭 5. Food Production

Food Production Industry

The food production department prepares food for hotels, restaurants, catering, airlines, railways, cruise ships, hospitals and institutions. It works with Food & Beverage Service, Stores, Purchase and Housekeeping.

Traditional Cookery & Origin of Modern Cookery

Traditional cookery = regional, hand-made, slow methods passed down through families. Modern cookery = scientific, systematic, using technology and standard recipes.

Pre-historic era – Fire discovered; roasting meat over open flame.

Ancient civilisations – Egyptians (bread, fermentation), Greeks and Romans (banquets, spices, first cookbooks).

Middle Ages – Feasts in royal courts; spice trade shapes flavour.

16th–17th century (France) – Catherine de' Medici's chefs bring Italian refinement; La Varenne writes Le Cuisinier François.

19th century – Marie-Antoine Carême ("king of chefs") codifies sauces and grande cuisine.

Late 19th–20th century – Auguste Escoffier creates the kitchen brigade, simplifies menus, writes Le Guide Culinaire.

Today – Nouvelle cuisine, molecular gastronomy, sustainability and fusion.

🇮🇳 6. Indian Culinary History

Indus Valley (c. 3000 BCE) – Wheat, barley, lentils, spices, clay ovens (tandoor-like).

Vedic period – Milk, ghee, grains, honey; food linked to rituals and Ayurveda.

Maurya and Gupta periods – Rice, pulses and vegetarianism spread (Buddhist and Jain influence).

Medieval / Mughal era – Biryani, kebabs, kormas, dry fruits, rich gravies, dum cooking.

Portuguese, Dutch, British – Chilli, potato, tomato, cashew, tea; vindaloo, cutlets and club cuisine.

Modern India – Regional revival, fine dining, fusion and global popularity.

Region	Signature Features
North	Wheat, dairy, tandoor, rich gravies (Punjab, Mughlai)
South	Rice, coconut, tamarind, curry leaf, fermented batters
East	Fish, mustard oil, sweets (Bengal, Odisha)
West	Seafood, jaggery, diverse veg (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa)

🌿 Ayurveda & Food

Ayurveda ("science of life") sees food as medicine and balances three doshas.

Six Tastes (Shadrasa)

Sweet (Madhura)Sour (Amla)Salty (Lavana)Pungent (Katu)Bitter (Tikta)Astringent (Kashaya)

Foods are also classed as Sattvic (pure, calming – fruits, grains, milk), Rajasic (stimulating – spicy, fried) and Tamasic (heavy, stale). A balanced meal includes all six tastes, eaten fresh and in season.

🥗 Vegetarianism

Rooted in India's religious and ethical traditions (ahimsa – non-violence): Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikh traditions.

Type	Eats	Avoids
Lacto-vegetarian	Plants + dairy	Meat, fish, eggs
Ovo-lacto vegetarian	Plants + dairy + eggs	Meat, fish
Vegan	Plants only	All animal products
Jain	Plants (no root vegetables)	Meat, onion, garlic, potato

Why it matters for chefs: a good menu offers veg options, uses separate utensils and cooking surfaces, and labels allergens and ingredients clearly.

📝 Quick Revision

• Danger zone: 5–63°C. Wash hands 20 sec. Use FIFO.
• Escoffier = brigade system; Carême = grande cuisine.
• Three doshas, six tastes, three gunas (Sattvic, Rajasic, Tamasic).
• Safety first: dry cloths, no water on oil fire, knives pointing down.

Likely exam questions: Explain personal hygiene. List protective clothing and uses. Role of Escoffier. Explain Ayurveda's influence on Indian food.

Notes for Hotel Management students · Share with your classmates 🍳