Inside the KitchenDepending on the size of the establishment, kitchen premises may spread over several rooms or areas. In

addition to the room in which food is prepared, there may be: a locker room, with a number of lockers, where kitchen staff keep their personal belongings; spaces for storing equipment and supplies; a service area where waiters place and pick up orders; a washroom or a space for washing utensils, dishes, cutlery, etc.

Especially during peak service hours, a restaurant kitchen looks like a place of rush and noise characterized by a frantic activity

performed under heat and pressure. But confusion is only apparent because every one knows his specific duties and operates to fulfil a specific task. The kitchen staff in a large restaurant is organized in brigades, that is groups of people working together. The Chef (Chef de cuisine or Head Cook or Executive Chef) is in charge of all sections of the kitchen. He is responsible for the running of the kitchen, takes charge of menu planning, tastes dishes, and supervises the specialist chefs working under him. He may be assisted by an Assistant Chef or Sous-Chef who is expected to be able to replace the head Chef in case of need. More elaborate restaurants employ specialized chefs in charge of the various kitchen sections (chefs de partie) where they operate as sauce chef (chef saucier), fish chef (chef poissonnier), roast chef (chef rôtisseur), soup chef (chef potager), vegetable chef (chef entremétier), pastry chef (chef pâtissier), wine chef (chef de vin). Each chef de partie will have one or more commis chefs working under him. Depending on the section where they work they may be commis pâtissier, commis potager, etc. Larger restaurants may employ a storekeeper who is in charge of kitchen equipment and food supplies, a baker and a

KITCHEN PREMISES

KITCHEN STAFF

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butcher. Kitchen staff will also include porters, plate washers, and helpers whose duties include such chores as cutting vegetables, stirring, and cleaning.

The equipment a kitchen is provided with depends on the size, the number and the type of meals the restaurant

handles. In addition to tables and counters, kitchen equipment comprises large cooking stoves usually with two or more ovens provided with automatic timers, freezers, refrigerators, machines for slicing and grinding, devices for frying and grilling, heating and baking appliances, dishwashing machines, waste disposal units, plate racks, scales for weighing food items, pots and pans, kitchenware, glasses and crockery. Besides the equipment for food preparation, a kitchen should be provided with safety devices, ventilation systems, cleaning devices and products.

Food supplies represent a very important factor in determining the success or failure of a restaurant. A large establishment

generally appoints a food buyer who has a good knowledge of food, of market conditions (in terms of price, quality and availability), of wholesale and retail suppliers. Regarding foodstuffs there are different categories to consider:1. perishable goods including meat, poultry, fish, fresh vegetables and fresh fruit;2. staple foods including items used on a regular basis such as bakery products

(bread, pies, cakes), milk, butter, cream, cheese, coffee, sugar, flour, rice, spices;3. canned food including soups, sauces, fish, fruit in syrup, fruit juices, peeled

tomatoes, tuna, meat, etc.4. frozen food including vegetables (peas, beans, spinach, etc.), fish, meat, game,

snack foods, etc.

KITCHEN EQUIPMENT

FOOD SUPPLIES

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Language expressions ExamplesIt spreads over...where you place and pick up ordersHe is in charge of... / He takes charge of...He is responsible for...He is expected to be able to...He operates as...It depends on...It is provided with...

The restaurant spreads over a surface of 400 sq. mWhere shall I have to place this order?Can I pick up my order?He is responsible for the smooth running of the establishment.You are expected to perform your task in the best possible wayHe works in this restaurant where he operates as commis chef.He is in charge of supervising the food before it is served.This dish takes a variable time, depending on its ingredients.The success of a restaurant largely depends on the kitchen efficiency.

InformationBAKEWARE refers to items used in the oven such as baking tin, soufflé dish, flan/tart

dish, loaf tin, pie plate, pudding tin, bun tin, oven tray, etc.

CROKERY refers to cups, plates, pots, saucers, bowls, mugs made from baked earth.

CUTLERY refers to knives, forks and spoons that you eat your food with.

KITCHENWARE refers to kitchen implements such as rolling pin, spatula, ladle, fish slice, whisk, sieve, colander, olive stoner, scissors, chopping board. The name also comprises bakeware, crockery and cutlery.

1. Fill in the blanks with the proper terms from the listperishable pick upstaple crockeryspread menuin charge of oven

1. A kitchen may .................. over several rooms and areas.2. Waiters place and ..................... orders at the service area.3. The executive chef takes charge of ................. planning.4. The storekeeper is .................... food supplies.5. Bakeware refers to kitchen implements used in the .................. .6. Vegetables and fresh fruit are ......................... goods.7. Bakery products are considered as ............... foods.8. Kitchenware made from baked earth is called ......................

2. Answer these questions:

1. What is a kitchen brigade?2. What are the duties of the Executive Chef?3. What is the Sous-Chef’s role?4. Who are the Chefs de partie?5. Who are the Commis Chefs?6. What is the Storekeeper’s role?7. What does a Pastry Chef do?

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8. What does a Baker do?9. Are there any other staff members working in the kitchen?10. What does kitchen equipment comprise?

3. Could you describe the picture below?

Chef’s orders regarding kitchenwareHand me the baking tin passami la teglia to hand = passare, porgere

Can you see to the pastry moulds? puoi occuparti delle forme della pasticceria?

to see to = to take care of = occuparsi, aver cura di

Change this spoon; use a wooden one

cambia questo cucchiaio; usane uno di legno

Check the oven temperature controlla la temperatura del forno to check = controllare

Don’t spill oil drops on the floor non versare goccie d’olio sul pavimento

to spill - spilt/spilled = versare

Get a bowl ready to beat the eggs in prepara una scodella per battervi le uova

to get / to make ready = preparare

I need a salad bowl ho bisogno di una insalatiera to need = aver bisogno di

Leave the cooker off lascia spento il fornello to leave off = lasciare spento / Leave it on = lascialo acceso

Lower the flame abbassa la fiamma to lower = abbassare / to raise = alzare / to turn off = spegnere

Pass me the wooden roller, please passami il rullo di legno, per piacere to pass = passare, porgere

Remove these plates and put them on the rack

togli questi piatti e mettili sullo scolapiatti

to remove = togliere, levare

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Set the oven at 300°C, will you? regola il forno a 350°, per piacere to set = mettere, regolare

Set this plate aside metti da parte questo piatto to set aside = mettere da parte

Switch on the heat lamp accendi la lampada to switch on / off = accendere / spegnere

Take the sieve and sift the flour prendi il crivello e passa la farina to sift = passare al crivello

Tell John to fat this pan dici a John di ingrassare questa padella

The flame is low. Will you raise it a bit more?

la fiamma è bassa. Vuoi alzarla un pò di più?

to be low / high = essere bassa / alta

Wipe this pot out pulisci questa pentola to wipe out = to clean the inside of something = pulire internamente

Wipe your hands asciugati le mani to wipe = asciugare, pulire

Would you mind giving me a cup? ti dispiacerebbe darmi una tazza? to mind = dispiacere, aver in contrario.

Verbs used with kitchen utensilsto hand = passare, consegnare / Hand me that bowl, please-to sharpen = affilare / a sharp knife = un coltello tagliente / a blunt knife = un coltello che non tagliato clean = pulire / clean - dirty = pulito - sporcoto scrape = raschiare, grattare / to scrape a fork, a saucepan.to rub = fregare, strofinareto smell = avere odore di / it smells good = ha un buon odore / to have a pleasant smell = avere un

odore piacevoleto polish = lucidareTo mind regge il gerundio oppure una frase introdotta da if. Do you mind if I switch the fan on? = Ti dispiace se accendo il ventilatore?

Kitchen utensils and their useYou need a sieve to sift flourYou use a grater to grate cheeseYou drain vegetables with a colanderYou make ice cream with an ice cream makerYou chop carots on a chopping boardYou need a baking tray to bake foodYou make sauce with a panYou cook spaghetti in a potYou put soup in a soupièreYou use a grill for cooking food over a fireYou can slice meat, bread, ham, etc by using a

slicerYou use moulds to make pastry of different

shapesA nutcracker or a pair of nutcrackers is a tool for

cracking the shell of nuts

You use a zester to remove the skin of an orange or lemonYou need a forcing bag to decorate a cakeYou use a mincer to mince meatA tea strainer is a tool used for separating liquid from solid substancesKitchen scales are a machine used for weighing foodA wooden roller is a tool used for spreading pastry / for rolling dough flatYou use a fish cattle to cook a fish You use a whisk to beat eggsYou need poultry shears to disjoint poultryYou need a stoner to stone olivesA sharpening steel is a tool for sharpening knives

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1. Insert the following items in their appropriate column

ladle, fish fork, pie plate, tea spoon, coffee cup, chopping board, whisk, oven tray, tart dish, olive stoner, mug, sieve, dessertspoon, table knife, bowl, saucer, pudding tin,

BAKEWARE CROCKERY CUTLERY KITCHEWARE

...............................

...............................

...............................

...............................

...............................

...............................

...............................

...............................

...............................

...............................

...............................

...............................

...............................

...............................

...............................

...............................

...............................

...............................

...............................

...............................

2. Give the Italian equivalent of the following cookware items:

can opener .............................. mixer ..............................blender .............................. slicer ..............................potato chipper .............................. microwave oven ..............................toaster .............................. saucepan ..............................wooden spoon .............................. milk pan ..............................sieve .............................. frying pan ..............................whisk .............................. casserole ..............................peeler .............................. scales ..............................colander .............................. pot ..............................cooker .............................. stockpot ..............................

3. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word

Mr Cooper is a good .............

You need a ............... when you want ...............food.

A ................ is a kitchen device run on gas or electricity and used for .................. food.

A ...................... book contains recipes showing how dishes should be prepared.

I prefer buying chocolate ....................... .

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cookto cook

cooker

cookery

cookingcookies

4. Match the picture elements on the left with the appropriate bakeware items on the right

A. cake tinB. loaf tinC. pie plateD. roll tinE. pudding tinF. roasting tinG. flan tinH. cup bun tinI. easy-out sandwich tin

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

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5. Label these kitchen implements with the appropriate nametwo compartment roasting dish, microwave oven, roasting set, roasting rack, six hole bun tray, baking ring

1 ...................................... 2 ...................................... 3 .......................................

4 ...................................... 5 .....................................6 ........................................

6. Write the names corresponding to these kitchen utensils

1 .............................................................

2 .............................................................

3 .............................................................

4 .............................................................

5 .............................................................

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