Table of Contents
Q.1. Classify quantity kitchen equipment and explain the advantage of using multipurpose equipment in quantity cooking. (10)
Heat Generating Equipment
- Range Tops. The range is still the most important piece of cooking equipment in the kitchen, even though many of its functions have been taken by other tools, such as steamers, steam kettles, tilting skillets, and ovens.
- Ovens. The oven and the range top are the two workhorses of the traditional kitchen, which is why the two are so often found in the same units. Ovens are enclosed spaces in which food is heated usually by hot air
- Broilers and Salamanders. Broilers are sometimes called overhead broilers to avoid confusing them with grills. Overhead broilers generate heat from above; food items are placed on a grate beneath the heat source.
Cold Generating Equipment
- Walk-in / Cold Storage- Walk-ins are refrigerated compact areas where one could walk inside, and hence the name ‘walk-in’. they can be custom-made to any size suited for an operation.
- Freezer / Deep Freezer- Freezers are available in various sizes and are very important for any bulk-cooking operation. As quantity cooking involves planning and advance mise en place, one needs sample refrigerated space to store the same until it is ready for cooking.
Processing Equipment
- Mixers. Vertical mixers are important and versatile tools for many kinds of food mixing and processing jobs, both in the bakeshop and in the kitchen.
- Food Cutter. The food cutter or food chopper, familiarly known as the “buffalo chopper,” is a common piece of equipment used for general chopping of foods. A variety of attachments make it a versatile tool.
- Slicer. A slicer is a valuable machine because it slices foods more evenly and uniformly than can be done by hand. Thus it is valuable for portion control and for reducing cutting loss.
Holding & Storage Equipment
- Stockpot. A large, deep, straight-sided pot for preparing stocks and simmering large quantities of liquids. Stockpots with spigots allow the liquid to be drained off without disturbing the solid contents or lifting the pot.
- Saucepot: Round pot of medium depth, similar to stockpots, but shallower, making stirring or mixing easier used for soups, sauces, and other liquids.
- Saucepan. Similar to a small shallow, light saucepot, but with one long handle instead of two loop handles, May have straight or slant sides Used or general range-top cooking.
The advantage of using multipurpose equipment in the quantity kitchen is that such equipment saves space which is integral in a quantity kitchen. If equipment serves more than one purpose then it saves the money that we would have spent on separate equipment. Also washing and maintaining such heavy equipment is labor-intensive and time-consuming that is the reason multi-purpose equipment and given a priority while setting up a quantity food kitchen.
Q.2. What is an Indent? How does standard recipe help in indenting? (10)
Order for goods (placed often through a local or foreign agent of a foreign supplier) under specified conditions of sale, the acceptance of which by the supplier (or the agent) constitutes a contract of sale. The basic fundamental of a food operation is to turn a raw food item into an edible product by applying or extracting heat from it. The success of any food service operation is dependent on how the raw ingredients are procured, processed, cooked, and then served to the customer to generate profit. If there is a flaw in any one of the steps, it will affect the profit margin of any organization. Also, for volume catering establishments the principles of indenting would be based on the number of people an establishment is catering to. In volume cooking, one has to look at the menu in totality, and only then can he/she write a detailed product list that needs to be prepared. Indent is a document stating the requirements of goods with the quantity required along with its specification. It is sent to the store department, which in turn procures the items, and dispatches the same to the department on the day specified.
The standard recipe lays down all the ingredients, methods of production, and quantities used. It indicates the number of portions to be served. This will determine the size of the portion of production control. A section giving variation can be added to reduce the total number of recipes required.
Objectives of Standard Recipe:
- To determine the quantity and quality of ingredients be used.
- To obtain the yield obtainable from a recipe.
- To determine the cost per portion.
- To determine the nutritional value.
- To facilitate portion control.
- It helps in costing of dishes, pricing menus for the banquet.
- It helps in uniform quality and taste.
- Require less supervision.
- Less training is required for a newly appointed employee.
- Establishes food cost control.
Q.3. Define off-premises catering. Explain the factors one needs to consider to make it successful. (10)
Off-premise catering is serving food at a location away from the caterer’s food production facility. One example of a food production facility is a freestanding commissary, which is a kitchen facility used exclusively for the preparation of foods to be served at other locations. Other examples of production facilities include, but are not limited to, hotels, restaurants, and club kitchens. In most cases, there is no existing kitchen facility at the location where the food is served.
Off-premise caterers meet the needs of all market segments, from the low-budget customer who looks for the greatest quantity and quality for the least amount of money, to the upscale client with an unlimited budget who wants the highest level of service, the ultimate in food quality, and the finest in appointments Off-premise catering is an art and a science. The art is creating foods and moods, as the caterer and client together turn a vision into reality. Science is the business of measuring money, manpower, and material. Successful off-premise caterers recognize the importance of both aspects—art and science—and can work at both the creative and the financial levels.
The factors one needs to consider to make it successful are as follows:-
- Work Experience. Prior experience in the catering profession or the foodservice industry is important. Experience in food preparation and foodservice (both back-of-the-house and front-of-the-house) helps caterers understand the procedures and problems in both areas and how the two areas interface.
- Passion. Successful professionals are passionate about their work, and caterers are no exception. They love what they do! Clients and staff members will quickly detect a lack of passion, and it will cost you business and good workers.
- An Entrepreneurial Nature. The desire to be an entrepreneur is a trait that is highly desirable for off-premise caterers. An entrepreneur must be willing to spend extraordinary amounts of time and energy to make the off-premise catering business successful
- Basic Business Knowledge
- Accounting and bookkeeping skills are necessary to understand the financial aspects of operating a catering business. The ability to prepare and interpret financial statements is essential.
- Learn as much about computers as you can. You’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish by using e-mail, having a website, and using specialized programs for everything from budgeting to menu planning.
- It’s also important to understand the legal aspects of catering. Laws that affect caterers include regulation of licensing, contracts, liability, labor, and alcoholic beverage service.
- A caterer, like any other businessperson, must have some human resource skills. Knowing how to recruit, train, motivate, and manage personnel is critical
- Ability to Plan, Organize, Execute, and Control. These are the four basic functions of management. To plan, a caterer must visualize in advance all of the aspects of a catered event and document the plans so they are readily understood by the client and easily executed by the staff.
OR Write an essay on the growth and development of “off-premises catering”. (10)
A strategic plan for growth and development of an off-premise catering starts with a statement of core values, which may include things like client satisfaction; ethical business practices; staff satisfaction, training, and motivation; community service; and operating an environmentally conscious business. From these core values, a caterer can develop a Mission Statement—a succinct sentence that sums up the company’s mission. Here’s an example: “To meet the catering needs of the corporate community, providing high levels of service and food quality that result in repeat business and vital growth.” After the Mission Statement comes to the Vision Statement—a concise summary of where you want to be in the future. Again, an example: “Within five years, our company will be the top-ranked catering firm in our area, with continuing sales and profit growth, while giving back to our community.” It’s not enough to brainstorm about these statements. Writing them down is the first step to making a commitment—to make them a reality. Only after they are put in writing can you develop more specific objectives to increase sales and profits, measure customer satisfaction, size up your competitors, and plan the ways in which you will give back to the community. Your Mission and Vision Statements lead naturally to the next step—to establish goals for the operation.
You may have heard time management experts use the term “SMART” when describing goals. The acronym stands for Specific: The goals to be accomplished must be easily understood, concise, and unambiguous. Measurable: There should be no question about whether one attains, or falls short of, a goal. It may be measured in terms of quality, cost, quantity, or time. Attainable: The goals maybe just out of reach, but they’re not out of sight! The best goal challenges and motivates you and your team. If it’s practically impossible, it may be too frustrating. Relevant: The goals must fit well with your long-term mission and vision, your objectives, and the results you expect. Time-bound: There must be a specific deadline for completion of each goal. An example of a SMART goal might be to increase sales and profits by 20 percent each year for the next five years. Once a caterer has set goals, there must be certain trade-offs. To increase sales, for instance, may require raising prices, hiring more staff to be able to cater more events, or spending money on advertising. The major goals can be broken into smaller, intermediate steps, with a timeline to keep the company on track.
Q.4. (a) Menu planning plays a major role in the food production industry. Elucidate. (5+5=10)
A MENU or “bill of fare” is a means of communication, informing what the caterer has to offer. The compiling of a menu is one of the caterer’s most important jobs – whether for establishments such as restaurants aiming to make a profit or for those working to a budget, such as hospitals and schools.
The function of the MENU:
- It is like a price list or a list of wares to the customers in order that he purchases or orders the dishes of his choice.
- It helps us as a tool for the kitchen in order to prepare the mise-en-place and equipment, staff required for its production.
- It gives a variety to choose from and alternatives in each type of dish.
- It sometimes gives the description of each dish in brief, so that the customer knows the contents of the dish and what to expect while ordering a dish.
- It is a record of cost and control purposes to regulate portion size and food cost of each item.
(b) How is the cyclic menu important in the planning menu for an institution?
These are menus that are compiled to cover a given period of time: one month, three months, etc. They consist of a number of set menus for a particular establishment, such as an industrial catering restaurant, cafeteria restaurant, canteen, hospital, or college refractory. These menus must be monitored carefully to take account of changes in customer requirements and any variations in weather conditions which are likely to affect demand for certain dishes.
Advantages include reducing the total time required for menu planning, improving student acceptability, controlling cost, and improving foodservice operations. Examples include:
- One set of menus allows the operator to feature items rated as highly acceptable by the students within daily choices consistent with the standards.
- Repeated exposures to foods, including fruits and vegetables, to improve children’s preferences for those foods. Cycle menus offering less-well accepted foods, in addition to preferred foods, provide students with the opportunity to learn to like new or less-well accepted items.
- A 2/3-week cycle menu aids optimizing food procurement, inventory turnover, and daily production quantities, thereby improving foodservice operations and helping control costs. Having a consistent inventory uses less storage space.
- Accurate usage projections can be established, enabling vendors and manufacturers to project their production schedules and needs and often resulting in better pricing.
- Delivery schedules can be easily set up and managed.
Q.5. (a) What is welfare catering? Briefly explain its branches. (5+5=10)
The provision of food and beverages to people to fulfill a social obligation, determined by a recognized authority, is known as welfare catering. This grew out of the welfare state concept, prevalent in western countries. It includes catering in hospitals, schools, colleges, the armed forces, and prisons. Welfare Catering is mainly about providing food at minimal costs. It does not serve the purpose of generating revenue. This kind of establishment does not promote a lucrative food menu. They mostly follow a Cyclic Menu that is good enough to fulfill the nutritional requirements of the customer.
Different branches of welfare catering are as follows:-
Industrial Catering
The provision of food and beverages to ‘people at work,’ in industries and factories at highly subsidized rates is called industrial catering. It is based on the assumption that better-fed employees at concessional rates are happy and more productive.
Institutional Catering
The provision of food and beverages to ‘students in schools or colleges’ at highly subsidized rates is called institutional catering. It is the responsibility of the institutes to provide the students with a complete balanced diet.
Travel Catering
The provision of food and beverages to passengers, before, during, and after a journey on trains, aircraft, and ships and in buses or private vehicles is termed as transport catering. These services may also be utilized by the general public, who are in the vicinity of a transport catering unit.
Hospital Catering
The object of catering in hospitals is to assist the nursing staff to get the patient better as soon as possible. To do this, it is necessary to provide good quality food, cook it with the minimum loss of nutrients, and to provide it to the patients in an appetizing manner. If the food supplied to the patient is good plentiful, appetizing, and nutritionally correct, then it plays a very great part in the speedy recovery of the patient.
(b) Discuss the factors involved in preparing menus for patients, hospital staff, and visitors.
factors involved in preparing menus for patients, hospital staff, and visitors are:-
- hygienic and aseptic conditions
- food preparation and menu for the patient is strictly supervised by a dietician
- Doctor’s advice strictly followed
- portion control judiciously is done depending upon the condition of the patient
- diet is therapeutic and balanced according to the requirement of the patient
- timings are maintained for foodservice
OR (a) What are the characteristics of Railway catering? (5+5=10)
As the rail is the main transport to travel from one place to another and very convenient transport. The catering facility is provided by the rail staff and the food is prepared at the railway station kitchen. There is a coach in the rail, in which the food and beverage are stored and served from time to time. The catering facilities are provided in the limited rails which run on long routes such as Rajdhani, The Palace, and Duranto express, Shatabadi, etc. there are some points to be kept in mind: –
- Cost of food sometimes included in the rail ticket or it is payable separate both ways the food cost should be kept in mind within limits.
- Normally a simple menu is planned which includes dal, vegetables, rice & curd, chapatti’s & salad.
- Mostly table d’ hotel menu is adopted.
- Food is cooked and packed at the kitchen at the station and stored in the pantry in the train, soft drinks are also kept.
- Light equipment is used and usually, the disposable item is used and placed in the pantry.
(b) Why Marine catering is a complex operation?
Marine catering is a luxury service that facilitates the person & provides comfort to that extent level. People who are traveling for business purposes or/& vacations from one country to another, they choose this kind of transport facility.
Difficulties faced in marine catering are as follows:-
- No. of staff is usually limited.
- The cost of food should be within a budget figure.
- Healthy and wholesome meals need to be prepared for a large number of people, inclusive of the tourist and staff.
- The working space is limited because there are multiple kitchens such as pastry shops, dining halls, bar, etc. and each are is allotted a limited space to perform their functions
- There are different safety hazards on-board that need to be taken care of by the staff throughout the trip.
Q.6. State how effective purchasing systems help in controlling the food cost in large scale food production? (10)
Effective purchasing system help in controlling the food cost in large scale food production in the following ways:-
- It helps us in picking up the best and cheapest vendor possible who is well equipped to fulfill all the requirements of the operation.
- It lays down the product specification which brings uniformity in the kind of produce we get and later helps in standardizing the quantities.
- The purchasing team can help in negotiating with the vendors and also find the optimum product substitutes if required to maximize the profit.
- It helps us to decide about how much and how often to buy a particular supply.
- Determines the amount of product needed until the next delivery, then check inventory to fin the amount of product in hand and the use these to calculate the amount of purchase.
- The purchasing team gets competitive quotes from the vendors to get the best prices before finalizing the vendors.
- Maintains a positive vendor relationship so that it’s easy for the manager to deal with changing prices, quality, quantity late deliveries, or drivers not showing up at the peak hours.
- Prepares and order guide that consists of the item description, pack, and size, the purchase unit, price, vendor, vendor item code, par level, order history, and usage rate which saves the time while handovers or in case someone new and inexperienced is called in to do the job.
- This department does the purchase order properly which prevents things like over-ordering, or wastage of the supplies that are already purchased.
- An effective purchase system also includes record-keeping which consists of all the purchase requisitions, purchase orders, invoices, receiving reports, etc. which plays a major role in taking future decision making.
Q.7. Discuss factors that affect eating habits in different parts of India. (10)
- Religious reasons will affect a follower’s food choices and behaviors.for example, in some religions specific foods are prohibited, such as pork in the Jewish and Muslim religions.
- Food Availability The growth of different crops and vegetables vary in different regions throughout India hence affecting the food habits of people in India
- Health is also an important factor in affecting the eating habits of people throughout India. Various diseases come with different dietary restrictions.
- Education also plays an essential role in food habits as with education comes exposure to the different cuisines and that promotes and affects the food culture in different places around India.
- Ethnicity India is a country with an extensive ethnic diversity and different regions in India have their own version of Indian cuisine which makes India a place with a diverse place for food habits.
- The economic status of a person, place, and city plays a major role in the kind of food or dining experiences one gets to see in that place which directly affects the food habits of people in that region.
- The social status of a person also affects the choice of food items and habits because different societies adopt different eating habits.
- The family background of a person plays a major role in food habits because that decides what are a persons food preferences making the person like or dislike something.
- Introduction to western cuisine is nowadays common in various cities of India providing people with more options to chose from and expanding the palette of a person for food bringing significant changes in food habits.
- Changing food preferences like being vegan, allergic to gluten, or lactose intolerance are also getting significant in Indian society leading to the changes in the ways people serve and consume food.
Q.8. List and explain salient features of North Eastern cuisine. (10)
North-East Indian Cuisine represents an exotic blend of mouth-watering dishes with regional differences and foreign influence. The cuisine of all states of North-East India is almost similar, more inclined towards nonvegetarian. The people are so fond of nonvegetarian that even if the preparation is vegetarian they add nonvegetarian to it. Some dishes are bland while some are spicy. Different states of North-East India have their own food culture.
Assam Cuisine
Fish and rice are the major food items of Assam. They generally round up the hearty meals with ‘Pithas'(cakes) which are made in different styles using rice powder. Rice is the main ingredient of the meals. It is cooked in various forms such as chira(chura), muri, komal chaul. Chira with yogurt and jaggery is the traditional breakfast of the Assamese. The snacks consists of xandoh, kumal saul, and bora saul with milk. The most popular dish of Assam is ‘tenga’ which is prepared from tomatoes, kaji lime, thekera and other vegetables.
Arunachal Pradesh Cuisine
Mostly non-vegetarian cuisine is preferred in Arunachal Pradesh. ‘Apong’ is a refreshing drink served in Arunachal Pradesh. It is made from rice and millet and is very healthy. Apart from their own traditional food, Arunachalis are very fond of Chinese food.
Meghalaya Cuisine
Rice and meat are the most important ingredients in Meghalaya Cuisine. People of Meghalaya love to gorge on Pork. ‘Jadoh’, a pork dish is their favorite. Chinese cuisine occupies a prized place in the meals of the Meghalaya people. Alcoholic drinks are also prepared from rice on festive occasions. ‘Kyat’ is the locally prepared brew loved by the people here.
Mizoram Cuisine
The kitchens of the Mizos are also dedicated to rice and meat dishes. Almost all the dishes eaten here are high on nutritive value. In fact, a lot of care is taken while preparing the dishes so that the nutrients are not lost during cooking. ‘Zu’ (tea)is the popular drink here.
Sikkim Cuisine
Like other people of North East India, Sikkimese is also fond of rice. Momos and Thupkas are the most famous dishes in Sikkim. ‘Tchang’ is the locally made beer in Sikkim. The traditional cuisine of Sikkim consists of Momos, Gya Thukpa, Ningro with Churpi, Gundruk, Phagshapa, and Sael Roti. The Bhutia tribes are beef eaters.
Tripura Cuisine
People of Tripura are essentially non-vegetarians. Dishes prepared with fishes top the menu of Sikkimese. Another important ingredient of the cuisine is rice.
Nagaland Cuisine
Fish, meat, and rice are an integral part of the Naga Cuisine. The delicacies are usually made by smoking, drying or fermenting the fish or meat.
OR List and explain the salient features of Rajasthani cuisine. (10)
Some salient features can be discussed as follows:
- The cooking of Rajasthan was immensely influenced by the war-like and belligerent way of life of its people and the accessibility of the ingredients that were grown in this region. Rajasthani food is well known for its spicy curries and delicious sweets.
- Major crops of Rajasthan are Jowar, Bajri, Maize, Ragi, Rice, Wheat, Barely, Gram, Tur, pulses, Ground nut, Sesame etc. Millets, lentils and beans are the most basic ingredients in food.
- Rajasthani food is characterized by the use of Jowar, Bajra, legumes and lentils, its distinct aroma and flavour achieved by the blending of spices including curry leaves, tamarind, coriander, ginger, garlic, chili, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin and rosewater.
- The Rajasthani cuisine uses a lot of dry coconut.
- Clarified butter or ghee forms the main medium of cooking.
- A distinct feature of the Maheshwari cooking is the use of mango powder, a suitable substitute for tomatoes, scarce in the desert, and asafoetida, to enhance the taste in the absence of garlic and onions.
- The meat prepared was mainly of hare or rabbit, wild boar or deer or game birds.
- oat and camel milk form the basis of the various diary products used in Rajasthani cuisine. Camel’s milk is thicker and richer and produces excellent yoghurt (dahi), butter, ghee, malai, khoa and soft cheeses such as paneer.
- In the desert belts of Rajasthan, it is preferred to use milk, butter milk and butter in larger quantities to minimize the amount of water while cooking food.
- Rice finds limited use in the pulaos and such preparations in the Rajput households but it does not form the staple main course of most households in the state.
Q.9. Discuss the important features of Chettinad cuisine. List and describe four signature dishes of it. (5+5=10)
Chettinad cuisine is the cuisine of a community called the Nattukotai Chettiars, or Nagarathars as they call themselves, from the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu state in South India. Chettinad cuisine is perhaps the most renowned fare in the Tamil Nadu repertoire. It uses a variety of spices and the dishes are made with fresh ground masalas. Chettiars also use a variety of sun-dried meats and salted vegetables, reflecting the dry environment of the region. Most of the dishes are eaten with rice and rice-based accompaniments such as dosais, appams, idiyappams, adais and idlis. The Chettiars, through their mercantile contacts with Burma, learned to prepare a type of rice pudding made with sticky red rice. Chettinad cuisine offers a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Some of the popular vegetarian dishes include idiyappam, paniyaram, vellai paniyaram, karuppatti paniyaram, and athirasam. In Chettinad food, major spices used include anasipoo (star aniseed), kalpasi (a lichen), puli (tamarind), milagai (chillies), sombu (fennel seed), pattai (cinnamon), lavangam (cloves), bay leaf, karu milagu (peppercorn), jeeragam (cumin seeds), and venthayam (fenugreek).
Four signature dishes of the Chettinad cuisine are as follows:-
- Idiyappam Soft, moist and fluffy, Idiyappams are steamed string hoppers made from roasted rice flour. Served it with sweet coconut milk, jaggery syrup or spicy stew, Idiyappams make for a fantastic meal any time of the day.
- Kozhukattai Much loved Chettinad delicacy, Kozhukattai are steamed rice flour dumplings that can be sweet or savory. Generally preferred sweet, this lip-smacking dish is made in the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu on all auspicious occasions.
- Chettinad Chicken The most popular of Chettinad dishes, Chettinad Chicken or Chettinad Kozhi is a regional culinary gem. Made from soft and succulent chicken simmered in a medley of roasted spices and coconut.
- Milagu Kozhi Varuval or pepper chicken fry is a classic side dish that can jazz up any meal. One of the most aromatic dishes in the Chettinad cuisine, this dish uses liberal amounts of freshly ground warm spices like pepper, chili, garlic, and ginger.
Q.10. A. Write a short note on any one of the following:(4)
(i) Dry storage
The dry storage area of your business is where stocks of cereals, flour, rice, dried pasta, fruit and vegetables, tinned products, and packaged foods are kept that do not require temperature control. Make sure you check the condition of the dry storage as well as the dry foods daily. If there are any damaged, contaminated, spoiled, or out-of-date products it is important that they are thrown away.
(ii) Tilting Bratt Pan
Bratt pans are large cooking receptacles designed for producing large-scale meals. They are typically used for braising, searing, shallow frying, and general cooking. The units feature either manual or electrical tilting. The supply of heat is done using the combustion of fuel like butane from the gas cylinder which is attached to the pans built-in gas range.
B. Explain briefly (any three):(3×2=6)
(i) Zarda
Zarda is a traditional boiled sweet rice dish, native to the Indian subcontinent, with (orange) food coloring, milk and sugar, and flavored with cardamoms, raisins, saffron, pistachios or almonds.
(ii) Dhungar
Dhungar is an ancient technique of smoking and infusing the flavor of burnt charcoal smoke into a dish. This technique was marked during ancient times when Mughals came to India (Bharat; Ancient name for India) they brought this technique with them.
(iii) Koshambir
Koshambir is a traditional salad recipe with grated cucumber, carrots, tomatoes, onion, and cabbage as ingredients. A dash of lime juice, salt and pepper add to the zing of this healthy crunchy koshambir recipe.
(iv) Gonghura
Gongura is a plant, either Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) or Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa), grown for its edible leaves in India. These leaves are used in south-central Indian cuisine to impart a tart flavor. Gongura comes in two varieties, green stemmed leaf and red-stemmed.
(v) Lal Maas
Laal maas is a meat curry from Rajasthan, India. It is a mutton curry prepared in a sauce of yogurt and hot spices such as red Mathania chilies. This dish typically is very hot and rich in garlic, the gravy may be thick or liquid and is eaten with chapatis made out of wheat or bajra.
(vi) Bhojwan masala
Bhojwar masala is a ground spice mixture from Hyderabad which is commonly used in dishes from this region. Ingredients used to prepare this masala are Coriander, Bay leaves, Red chili powder, Cloves, Black caraway, Stone flower, Poppy seeds, Groundnut, Coconut, Cumin, Sesame, Fenugreek seeds, Mustard.