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 🍳