Introduction to
Culinary Arts
“Kitchen
Essentials”
- The art of preparing food and cooking
food
The word “culinary” is defined as
something related to, or connected
with cooking.
PROFESSIONALISM
It embraces the totality of a person such
as conduct, dress code, attitude, aims
and knowledge
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Chef’s Uniform
toque
White jacket
neckerchief
apron
Side towel
Closed toes Checkered
shoes trousers
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The Chef’s Uniform
⬥ Jacket – for primary safety against being
spilled with hot liquids
⬥ Apron – additional layer for safety against
hot liquids and spills
⬥ Checkered Trousers – covers the legs for hot
liquids
⬥ Neckerchief – tied handkerchief for the neck
that absorbs perspiration of the face
⬥ Closed shoes – non slippery and closed to
avoid slipping
⬥ Toque/chef hat – hierarchy in kitchen; the
taller the hat, the higher the position; act as
hair restraint
The Evolution of Food
⬥ The first restaurant opened in 1765 owned
by Monsieur Boulanger
⬥ In 1800s, Marie Antoine Careme
introduced meals consisting of elaborate
courses; used roux as thickener; known as
“chef of kings and king of chefs”
⬥ In 1893, Charles Ranhofer published the
“Epicurean” which contained more than
3500 recipes; chef of the first American
restaurant “Delmonico”.
⬥ Georges Auguste Escoffier introduced the
“five mother sauces”; “Father of Classical
Cuisine”; “Le Guide Culinaire” collection
of more than 5000 recipes; introduced
“The Kitchen Brigade”
⬥ By mid 1900s, Fernand Pont mastered
lighter and simpler foods; believed that
each dish should be built around one
dominant flavor
Haute Cuisine
⬥ French word which means
“high cooking” or “grand
cuisine”
⬥ Prepared by the chefs at
grand restaurants
⬥ Extravagant preparations
and presentations served in
small and numerous
courses
⬥ Marie Antoine Careme was
the most prominent chef
Nouvelle Cuisine
⬥ In 1971, Alice Water
modified the nouvelle
cuisine
⬥ Focus on seasonal and
locally grown products
prepared in simple way
⬥ The movement want the
farmers and chefs work
together
Fusion Cuisine
⬥ Combination of
ingredients and
preparation methods of
different regions of the
world
⬥ There is freedom to create
food and no specific
principles to follow
Culinary
Profiles
Catherine de Medici (1519-1589)
⬥ In 1533, she brought her
entourage of chefs to Paris.
⬥ Introduced the use of fork in
French cuisine
⬥ Art of making breads and
pastries were appreciated but
ice and ice cream became
the most popular food
Antoine
Beauvilliers
(1754-1817)
⬥ In 1782, opened the “La Grande Taverne de
Londres”, the first restaurant to combine the
four essentials of dining (elegant room, smart
waiters, a cellar, and superior cooking)
⬥ Wrote “L’art de Cuisinier” which deal with
cooking, food service and management in 1814
which became the standard French cookery
book of that time
Marie Antoine
Careme
(1784-1833)
⬥ Became the chef de cuisine of George IV
of England, Emperor Alexander I of
Russia and Baron James de Rothschild
⬥ Became the founder of French haute
cuisine
Georges Auguste Escoffier
(1846-1935)
⬥ Modernized and simplified
Careme’s elaborate haute
cuisine
⬥ Established the “bridage de
cuisine” or the system of
kitchen organization with each
section run by a “chef de partie”
⬥ Served as chef at the Carlton
Hotel in London, Grande
National Hotel in Switzerland,
Grand Hotel in Monte Carlo
and The Savory in London
Louis Pasteur (1822-1895)
⬥ Developed
‘pasteurizatio
n’ as a
process of
killing
organisms by
heat.
Ray Kroc (1902-1984)
⬥ Joined McDonald’s as a franchise agent in
1955.
⬥ He eventually purchased the chain from the
McDonald brothers
⬥ First filed for trademark in the US under
the name “McDonald’s”
James Beard ⬥ The Father of
American Cooking
(1904-1985) who provided a strong
philosophical
foundation for America
by becoming aware of
its culinary heritage
⬥ Left a legacy of
excellence and
integrity to generations
of home cooks and
professional chefs
Brigade de Cuisine
(The Kitchen
Brigade)
Chef de cuisine – overall
kitchen management,
supervises and trains staff,
creates menu and new recipes
⬥ Sous chef – receives
orders from the chef
de cuisine and
represents him in his
absence
⬥ Saucier – prepares
sauces, stocks and
sautéed foods
⬥ Chef de partie – specializes in preparing
particular dishes and is responsible for
managing a given station in the kitchen
⬥ Cuisinier – prepares specific dishes in a
station
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Poissonnier – prepares
fish and seafood dishes
⬥ Legumier – vegetable
cook
Potager – soups
⬥ Patissier – pastry
cook
– Confiseurin – candies
and petit fours
– Glacier – frozen and
cold desserts
– Decorateur – show
pieces and specialty
cakes
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– Boulanger - breads
⬥ Rotisseur (roast cook)
– grillardin – grilled foods
– Friturier – fried foods
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⬥ Commis – junior cook, takes care of tools of a
specific section
⬥ Entremetier – prepares soups and other dishes not
involving meat or fish
⬥ Apprentice – performs preparatory work and
cleaning work
⬥ Garde manger – organizes large buffet displays,
cold appetizers and salads
⬥ Tournant – assists other positions and
moves throughout the kitchen
⬥ Boucher – butcher
⬥ Aboyeur – takes order from the dining
room and distributes to the stations
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⬥ Communard – prepares the meal served to
the restaurant staff
⬥ Garcon de cuisine – kitchen boy
⬥ Plongeur – dishwasher
⬥ Marmiton – pot and pan washer
Front and Back of the House
⬥ Front of the house – any area in a
restaurant where customers sit (dining
room, bar, restrooms)
⬥ Back of the house – staff only area where
cooks and other support staff work
Personality traits of a Culinary
Professional
⬥ Creativity
⬥ Stamina
⬥ Organized
⬥ Positive attitude
⬥ Customer focus
⬥ Flexibility
⬥ Teamwork
⬥ Desire to learn
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