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Menu styles
When presenting food we can present the food in a number of different
ways depending on the style of menu and the nature of the business.
The personal style and skill of the chef will also influence the
presentation of the food; some chefs like elaborate garnished items
while others prefer simple understated presentations that let the food
speak for itself.
Some chefs have excellent skills to make vegetable carvings and
chocolate decorations which can enhance the presentation of food.
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Menu and service styles
A La Carte
A la carte is a French expression meaning „from the menu‟ and is used in
restaurant terminology in one of two ways
It may refer to a menu of dishes which are priced and ordered separately rather
than selected from a list of pre- set multi course meals at fixed prices
(Table d‟hote)
It may also designate the option to order a main course item alone that is
otherwise served with a side or entree dish, such as a soup or salad
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Table d hote
Table d‟hote is a French term which
literally means „hosts table‟. It is used in
restaurant terminology to indicate a
menu where multi course meals, with
limited choices, are charged at a fixed
price.
Because the menu is set, the cutlery on
the table may also be set for all of the
courses with the first course cutlery on
the outside working in towards the plate
as the courses progress
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Cocktail party
A cocktail party is a gathering of patrons ranging from maybe only a dozen
guests to hundreds or even more.
Cocktail parties usually consist of serving a variety of drinks together with
small portions of foods called canapés or hors d‟oeuvres which are bite
sized and eaten with the fingers.
Guest usually stand and are encouraged to mingle with other people while
having a few drinks and sampling a variety of hot and cold canapés served
by waiting staff on trays or platters or arranged around the room buffet style
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A canapé is a small pre prepared hors
d‟oeuvres eaten with the fingers in one
bite. Because they are usually served at
cocktail parties they are usually salty or
spiced to complement the drinks being
served.
Canapés are also known as „finger food‟
and usually consist of a Base, a spread,
the main tem and a garnish.
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Buffet
A buffet is a meal serving system where patrons serve themselves from a
wide selection of hot and cold dishes. In some cases service staff may be
employed to serve the food to the customers.
It is a popular way of feeding large numbers of people with minimal staff with
customers generally paying a fixed price for the buffet and can eat as much
food as they wish
This type of service is popular in hotels particularly for breakfast where a
large number of people have to be fed quickly as they may be in a hurry to go
to work, check out etc.
Buffets are effective for serving large numbers of people in a short space of
time. For this reason they are popular in institutional settings, such as
convention centres, large hotels or large catered parties as found in
reception centres.
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Another advantage of buffets compared to table service is that diners have a great
deal of choice and the ability to closely inspect the food before selecting it
The advantage of a buffet is a wide variety of different styles of food can be
offered, both hot and cold, sweet and savoury, with the customer having an
unlimited choice of what they want to eat and how much
As a compromise between self service and full table service, a staffed buffet may
be offered with diners bringing their plate along the buffet line and are given a
portion from a server at each station
A buffet is also commonly known as a Smorgasbord which is the traditional form
of buffet in Sweden
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Banquet Menu
A banquet menu consists of a number of
courses with a limited choice which is
designed to serve large numbers of people
with full table service and may be served
for breakfast, lunch or dinner
The menu can be from only two courses to
many more but does not normally exceed
six courses. There is a fixed price per
customer for all of the food.
Usually most banquets have a 50/50 split
with half the guests getting beef and the
other half with chicken for instance.
Banquet food is used to serve large
numbers of guests therefore the food must
be quick and easy to plate.
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Degustation
Degustation is a French term meaning „a careful,
appreciative tasting of various foods‟ and is
commonly used in a restaurant context.
A Degustation menu usually involves serving
small portions of a variety of the Chef‟s dishes in
one sitting.
A Degustation menu usually consists of eight or
more dishes and may be accompanied by a
matching wine
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Different menu choices
Modern day menus usually consist of a variety of different types of food choices.
All these varieties of foods must be plated, presented and served in an attractive and
appealing manner so the customer can appreciate the food to its best advantage
Food service items to be served may include:
entrees
main courses
desserts
soups
sauces
sandwiches
cheese
fruit
canapés and hors d oeuvres
buffet and smorgasbord platters
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Definitions
Let‟s first define what the various courses of food are:
Canapés, hors d oeuvres
Canapés are bite sized portions of
food often served before guests are
seated at a function. Guests are
usually served drinks with canapés
while they meet and greet each other
before sitting at tables for the meal.
Canapés are usually cold while hors d
oeuvres are often hot.
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Soups
Soups are served at the start of a meal and
by their very nature of being liquid must be
served in bowls.
Entrees
An entrée may also be called a starter or
appetiser, it is a small portion or food
designed to give a guest a taste of the
menu to come. This is usually followed by a
main course so it cannot be too large
otherwise the guest will not be able to eat
the remaining courses.
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Main course
This is the main food item of the meal. The portion
is larger than an entrée and the main food item is
usually accompanied by a starch item such as
potato or rice as well as at vegetables or salad
items. These may be served on the plate with the
main items or served separately in their own plate
or dish for the guest to help themselves
Desserts
Desserts are served at the end of the meal and are
sweet in nature. Dessert Making is a specialist field
and desserts chefs often have elaborate
presentations with complex garnishes. This is a
chance for the chef to show off his or her skill.
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Platters
A platter of food is a larger presentation of food
intended for more than one person. It is often
placed on a buffet or smorgasbord for guests to
help themselves. Presentation can be simple or
elaborate depending upon the circumstances.
Degustation
A degustation menu is made up of many
courses, possibly 7 or 8. Because so many
courses are served portions are small and the
menu is designed to give guests a taste of a
wide variety of food. They are often elaborate
and chefs use this menu to show off their skill so
presentation is of prime importance.
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Food presentation
It is often said the guest takes their first bite with the eyes.
If food looks appetising the guest is already in a better state of mind to enjoy
the meal. Also many people dinning out are looking for something special
that they cannot make themselves.
If the meal looks the same as they would eat at home the guest is already
disappointed, they may as well have saved the money and stayed in. When a
customer goes out to a restaurant, hotel etc they have expectations that the
food they will order will look and taste better than they can prepare
themselves
When a customer goes to e restaurant they don‟t go out to eat, you can do
that at MacDonald‟s, they go out to dine! It is important that all aspiring new
chefs understand this subtle difference
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Planning food presentation
Whilst presentation is an active consideration when the food is at the “plating up”
stage, it should actually begin at the menu conception stage, flowing all the way
through to serving.
Preparing and presenting food is an art. We appreciate food mainly through our
senses - that is sight, smell, taste, feel (texture) and sound. The degree to which
the customer enjoys the dining experience is largely due to the skill and care of
the cook in preparing, cooking and presenting the food
Using fresh, good quality ingredients ensures the greatest possibility of a high
quality finished product, whether you are preparing a raw or a cooked dish. The
freshness of raw food, the purity of oils and additives, and the care taken in
preparing the ingredients, all increase the level enjoyment.
Taste and flavour are made up of a number of inter-related factors
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Visual presentation
The visual presentation of food often provides the first invitation to the
enjoyment of a dish
Presentation, which tempts, with a balanced and appealing use of colour and
shape, as well as care taken in choosing serving dishes, stimulates high
expectations - the first step in the enjoyment of food.
Fat
Some Asian dishes and in particular some Indian curries use a lot of fat in
the cooking process. This fat often floats on top of the dish after cooking
and is quite acceptable to serve with a layer of fat in those countries.
However Australian customers do not like to see their food coated in fat
so skim off the layer of fat before serving the food in Australia.
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Colour
One of the first impressions formed in the eyes of
the diner is the appearance of the dish. In this
context, correct colour becomes an important
factor, and should be as natural as possible, and
not spoiled by overcooking or the addition of
artificial colouring.
Imaginative use of colour will produce effective
results. This must, however, never be at the
expense of flavour, texture or balance. For
example, a piece of baked pumpkin may look
more effective when plated next to steamed
broccoli than a similarly baked piece of carrot,
because the colour and texture of the latter would
be too similar.
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Aroma
Aroma is a potent tool when used properly in menu planning. Whilst the visual
aspects of a dish will entice the eye of the beholder, an appealing aroma will then
almost certainly entice the diner to actually eat his/her chosen dish.
A pleasant aroma will whet the appetite but should not be repetitive over different
courses.
Flavour
Flavour is perceived largely through the tongue and can be described in a variety
of ways - bitter, sweet, sour, salty, bland, lingering, fruity, floral, and nutty.
Other factors affect the way we perceive flavour, such as the smell, the way it
feels in our mouths, our state of health or degree of relaxation, and our familiarity
with what we are eating.
Flavour in an individual dish should be clean, identifiable and balanced. After the
visual and aromatic areas have been dealt with by the diner, flavour itself will
determine the success of the dish and the entire menu. The menu planning
process should take the balance of flavours between each course into
consideration.
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Texture
The feel of food in the mouth is determined largely by its texture. The
taste of some foods can be described largely in terms of how they
feel in the mouth , while the texture of other foods simply add to (or
detract from) a range of flavour characteristics. Biscuits are crisp,
while cake is soft and possibly smooth or crumbly. Nuts are hard;
cream is soft and smooth.
We can use texture as an indicator of how fresh a product is, for
example, bread and fruit
Correct texture adds to the overall enjoyment of a dish, and like the
other areas also needs to be balanced. Different textures include soft,
firm, crisp and crunchy. Varied texture helps create greater interest in
a dish. For example, an ice cream dessert (soft) is enhanced with the
addition of strawberries (firm) and almond wafers (crisp).
This balance of textures should continue throughout the entire menu.
Too much of one texture will result in an unbalanced menu.
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Sound
The sounds made by food as we eat or prepare them are related to either
their texture, as in a crunchy apple or celery stick, or how they react to being
cooked, for example frying chips in hot oil. Although the sounds made do not
directly affect taste, they do have a part to play in the total experience of food
appreciation.
Temperature
The taste of most food is altered significantly by the temperature at which it
is served. Compare the taste of cooked potato chips served hot and cold,
or the flavour of hot and cold milk, tea or coffee.
Do we need hot or cold plates?
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Patterns
Be very careful about creating patterns on a plate, they rarely work.
The problem with pattern is that they have to be perfect to work
otherwise they look really bad.
It‟s best to try a more natural look by a more unplanned natural look.
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Garnishes
Food garnishes are decorations (raw and
cooked) added for colour contrast and to
provide visual appeal and flavour. Not only
should garnishes be edible, but appropriate to a
particular dish.
Adding the same garnish such as parsley
sprigs, or inappropriate combinations i.e. twist of
lemon or orange with glacé cherries and parsley
to a dish is not only inappropriate, but
insensitive on the part of the preparing chef or
establishment.
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Crockery
The choice of plates and crockery is of vital importance in the presentation
of food. Most food looks good on classical white plates but a wide variety of
shapes, styles and colours are available.
In general food does not look good on black plates and traditional plates
are round but square or rectangle plates can give a more modern feel and
style to the food.
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Portion control
Portion control means ensuring that the right quantity of food is prepared and
served every time a customer orders a menu item. In other words, customers
will consistently get the same size meal every time they visit.
This, however, is not the only reason portion control is monitored. Another
factor that needs to be taken into consideration is cost control. For example,
overly large portions will result in the need to charge higher prices or
alternatively make less profit on each dish.
This is addressed by:
Staff training
Standardised recipe cards
Portion control utensils
Sufficient and through supervision
Establishment could consider purchasing portion-packaged items
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As a rule of thumb, an approximate portion allowance could be in the
following ranges:
Degustation 60- 120 gm
Entree 100 gm
Soup 200 - 250 ml
Main course 200 - 250 gm
Vegetables 50 gm
Dessert 100 gm
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Plate selection
Plates come in many shapes,
sizes, patterns and colours.
Their primary role is to serve as
a receptacle for food which
needs to be transported from
the place of preparation
(kitchen) to the customer
(dining area). In this context, it
could be argued that any
container could be used when
serving food, but this is not so
for the following reason
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Presentation
The most appropriately sized and designed plates are used to enhance
food presentation and provide a balance of plated ingredients. The amount
of food placed on a plate will also affect the overall look.
If the plate is too small, the amount of food placed on it will look messy. On
the other hand, an oversized plate will make even substantial portions
appear small.
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Plate sizes
These are the approximate sizes of plate commonly used in the hospitality industry
However plate sizes and shapes can vary a lot from restaurant to restaurant
Bread and butter plate
(15 cm)
Entree plate (18 cm)
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Positioning food on the plate
First of all NEVER place food on the rim of the plate.
It looks like the plate is too small and untidy.
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For a main course position the main item at
the six o clock position which is placed
closest to the guest. Put separate vegetable
colours. Example. Don‟t put green peas next
to beans or pumpkin next to vegetable.
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Activity 1:
For the follow presented foods describe the good points and / or bad points of the
food presentation.
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Standard recipes and photos
Consistency is very important in the kitchen. A restaurant may be known for
a particular dish or style of food.
If different cooks prepare or serve the food in a different way regular
customers don‟t know what to expect when they order the food. They may
have been telling a friend that the tandoori chicken at a particular restaurant
is very good but when he brings his friend to that restaurant the meal and
presentation has changed. In these circumstances the customer would be
very disappointed.
Because of this many kitchens use standard recipes to standardise the way
the food is prepared and cooked while they use photos of the food
presentation to show all cooks how the meal is presented.
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Precision vegetable cuts
Quite often we use specific precision vegetable cuts to give a good shape and
uniformity to our food, this looks quite appealing to the eye and shows the chefs
effort and skill. These include:
Julienne
Long, thin match like strips
3 mm x 3 mm x 40 mm
Food items that can be cut in this way are
meats vegetables, savoury crepes and
orange zest used as a garnish. A julienne
is a common precision cut and other sizes
are sometimes used.
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Brunoise
This is a very fine dice used as a
garnish. To cut, proceed as for julienne,
then cut the strips into 3 mm dice.
Jardinière
Vegetable batons 4mm x 20mm,
Used for garnish.
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Macedonie
8 mm dice of vegetable or fruit. The fruit
for a fruit salad are often cut into a
Macedoine.
Paysanne
These are thin slices (approximately 5
mm thick) of vegetable, cut into 15 mm
squares, triangles, or rounds. Paysanne
is used as garnish for soups like
minestrone.
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Turned vegetables
Turning is the process where root vegetables
of different sizes are shaped into a barrel
shape approximately the same size for even
cooking and presentation.
The best knife to use for tuning is a Turning
Knife; however, a standard Paring knife may
also be used.
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Garnishes
Julienne of vegetables
A coloured mixture of julienne of vegetable can often add colour and
shape to a meal, use vegetables such a carrot, leek, red cabbage, red
capsicum, yellow capsicum, green capsicum, purple capsicum.
Chopped herbs
Chopped herbs are a common garnish for all
sorts of dishes and sauces. Be sure to wash
your herbs very well at least twice, as they
often contain a lot of grit.
Ensure to wash the herbs.
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Citrus segments
Citrus fruit such as oranges,
lemons, grapefruit and limes may
be segmented by removing the skin
and with a paring knife follow the
contours of the dividing skin to
remove the segments without any
trace of pith and seeds. Mainly
used for desserts.
This is a technique that needs
practice to be able to produce
whole segments with minimal
waste.
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Lemon wedges
Wedges of lemon or lime are often served with
fish or seafood dishes. This is an attractive
garnish and also allows the customer to
squeeze fresh juice over their food for extra
flavour.
Herb Garnishes
A simple sprig of herb is one of the most common garnishes for savoury
dishes; try to match the herb with the main ingredient of the meal.
Many chefs try to avoid the old fashioned spring of curly parsley with every
dish. While the colour does enhance the dish is it often seen as old
fashioned and lacking imagination
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Common herb garnishes are:
Fish – Dill, parsley, tarragon chives
Seafood – Dill, parsley, tarragon, chives
Lamb – Rosemary, mint
Veal – Sage
Beef - Thyme, rosemary
Desserts – mint, edible flowers
Chicken – Tarragon, parsley, oregano
Game – Tarragon, thyme, rosemary, sage
Tomato – Basil, chives
Pasta – Basil, parsley, chives, oregano
Potatoes – Chives
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Sliced spring onion
The bright green stalks of spring onion make a great garnish and can be
used a number of ways
Sliced thinly on an angle about 3 cm long
Sliced thinly about 3 cm long and soaked in iced water to make them curl
Deep fried herbs
Parsley and basil can be deep fried and drained on absorbent paper
make an interesting garnish for some food items.
Deep fried vegetables
Root vegetables and tubers such as potato, sweet potato, parsnip and
beetroot can be very thinly sliced using a peeler or mandolin and then
deep fried to for crispy chips.
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Sauces
Sauces are first of all a part of the dish but do also act as a garnish to bring
colour and eye appeal to a dish.
Lettuce
We have moved away from the simple
iceberg lettuce to lettuce of all sorts of
shapes, colours and sizes.
Lettuce is often added to a dish or plate
as a garnish to give extra appeal to a
dish.
Lettuce is also used to cover a plate
forming a bed for other foods to be
placed on.
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Chilli
Red and green chilli sliced is often used as a garnish
in Thai dishes or other cuisines where chilli is already
part of the dish.
Care must be taken to ensure chilli is an appropriate
garnish and that the dish already contains chilli. The
last thing you want is for an unsuspecting customer to
eat a chilli not expecting it to be HOT.
Vegetable carvings
Some Asian cultures, particularly the
Thai and Chinese are very skilled carvers and
can carve flowers, leaves and other items from
vegetable such as melon, carrots, pumpkin and
white radish to act as a garnish or they form part
of the dish.
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Flowers
Flowers can be used as a garnish for food items but the flower
MUST BE EDIBLE.
Examples of edible flowers include nasturtiums and chive flowers
Croutons
Croutons can also be known as
snippets and are a popular garnish for
soups and salads they add crunch
and eye appeal to the dish.
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Nuts
Crushed nuts such as cashew nuts and peanuts are often used to garnish
Thai and Chinese food while toasted almonds or pistachio nuts make a
good dessert garnish.
Many Indian dishes also contain cashew nut so in these dishes cashew
nuts are also a good garnish.
Spices
A small sprinkle or colourful spices such as paprika, nutmeg or mace may
add a note of interest to some dishes. A grind of fresh black pepper is also
good for many Italian or European style dishes.
Remember to be careful not to go overboard and use too much spice as a
garnish as it will also affect the flavour and can look messy if placed all over
the plate.
Once again avoid the rim of the plate.
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Chocolate Filigrees
Filigrees are small chocolate shapes made by
piping chocolate into these wonderful and often
complex shapes. They require much practice to
get the skill of piping chocolate but are well
worth the effort.
Wafer biscuits or Tuile
Wafer biscuits such as almond tuile are often
baked into various shapes to bring a crunchy
texture to a dish as well as act as a garnish
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Piping
Desserts particularly cakes are often garnished with cream, pastry cream
or chocolate piping. Examples are below
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Activity 2:
For the follow garnishes recommend a dish that they would be
suitable for:
Almond Tuile – Suitable dish
Chive sprigs – Suitable dish
Deep fried sweet potato chips – Suitable dish
Lime wedges- Suitable dish
Sliced Spring onion – Suitable dish
Sliced red chilli – Suitable dish
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Displaying a buffet
Buffet tables can be of any shape or size provided that they are
accessible to both staff and guests and are placed reasonably close to
the kitchen to allow for replenishment without disrupting the flow of
service.
Power points should be accessible if they are required. The buffet table
should be to impress when guests arrive.
The buffet centrepiece is the main focal point and must be an
outstanding and attractive display. Centrepieces may be made of edible
material such as fruit and vegetables, flowers or ice, margarine,
vegetable or salt carving.
The centrepiece may be flanked by smaller display pieces to support the
main theme.
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Buffet centrepieces
Buffets are often enhanced by having a central centrepiece to add height
to the table and focus attention. These require a great deal of skill and
experience to make but are worth the effort.
Ice Carving
Margarine Model
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Symmetrical design
The prepared dishes and platters should be arranged as a replication of the
same platters on both sides of the centrepiece in a symmetrical way. In this
manner two stations have been created so that two queues of customers can
start from the centrepiece and file left or right to obtain their food.
Easy to lift and eat
The arrangement of the food on buffet platters should be well displayed and
easy to lift from the dish. This means that the food has been sliced or
portioned, peeled, de-veined, cracked open or whatever is required for the
guests to help themselves with ease. Further, that the platter has been
garnished appropriately with suitable edible garnishes complementary to
the dish.
Garnishes on the platters should all be different yet compatible and provide
an interesting display of colour, flavours and shapes.
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Temperature control
Remember that cold buffet platters need to be kept at the lowest possible
temperature and may require changing to ensure that the food is kept at
an acceptable temperature or ice may need to be added from time to time.
Aim to keep cold food below 5°C
Aim to keep hot food above 60°C
This is often very hard to do on a buffet so you must keep in mind the two
hour four hour rule.
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Remember the 2 / 4 hour rule to keep food safe to eat
Any ready-to-eat potentially hazardous food, if it has been at
temperatures between 5 C and 60 C:
For a total of less than 2 hours, must be
refrigerated or used immediately
For a total of longer than 2 hours but
less than 4 hours, must be used
immediately; or
For a total of 4 hours or longer, must be
thrown out
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Buffet portion control
Portion control is important on the
buffet. A number of items should be
offered and the guests should be
able to sample all food displayed if
they wish.
Small portion sizes, about half a la
carte portion per item per guests
should be planned.
The food may be served by staff not
only to keep portion control in check
but also to speed up the service.
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Buffet food placement
The placement of food on the buffet is
critical if enough of the expensive items
(e.g. lobster, prawns, pate de foie gras,
and caviar) are to be available for all the
guests.
Present the cheaper items first in the
section and then the more expensive food
at the end
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Teamwork
Workflow planning
A kitchen that is well planned and works to a routine will usually operate
smoothly.
Good communication and teamwork are two indicators of efficient planning.
This, in turn, ensures that the customers will receive the best food and
service possible.
Organisation is all about knowing what is wanted, where and when, and by
whom.
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Some positive attributes of teamwork include:
Good communication
respect for yourself and others
honesty
high ethical and moral standards
adaptability;
being a team player
having a positive outlook
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The design of a personal workflow plan should be realistic, practical and
achievable and include the following:
plan your day in order from start to
finish
develop a time schedule to follow
prioritise activities, e.g. most important
to least important
highlight the absolutely necessary
activities
establish the details of each job you
have to do
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Teamwork
A team is a collection of people who depend on each efforts to achieve a
common goal.
To achieve a personal goal, you need the cooperation of others so that you
can achieve results on the way.
Each of the people involved in the team may have different personal goals.
Team spirit is essential for an efficient business.
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Elements of good teamwork
The highest level of achievement is attained when a team is committed to
a task and full use is made of each team member‟s talents. Individual
participation in a team depends on the following elements:
Tolerance- Acceptance of others, sharing a common goal and respecting
the views of others. Understanding that we are all different and may
contribute in different ways.
Honesty- Establishing trust in a team requires open and honest
communication.
Commitment & dedication- Team members who do a good job are well
respected and known to be reliable and dedicated to completing the work
and supporting others in the group.
Flexibility- To be willing to accept duties not normally in your job
description to assist team members without creating a fuss.
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Co-operation in a team
Cooperation has many benefits:
It builds an awareness of
interdependence
When people cooperate to achieve
common goals they stimulate each
other to higher levels of
accomplishment
It builds and reinforces recognition
and mutual support within a team
it leads to commitment to the
establishment‟s goals
To encourage teamwork, we should treat others as we would
like them to treat us
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Some things we could do to encourage trust are:
Smile at the person you are working with
Look them in the eye
Listen to them
Shake their hand
Include them in your activities
Find interests that you have in common
Cooperate with them
Criticise their ideas, not the person
Be constructive in criticism
Accept them for who they are
Offer them help
Look for common experiences
Encourage them
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Special diets
Australia is a multicultural country made of a diverse range of people
from a diverse range of backgrounds. We have many different people
and many different religions in Australia.
Many religions have special rules or needs or people who practice a
particular religion. For example Muslim and Jewish people usually do
not eat pork because it is forbidden by their religion.
Many people also have particular health concerns, allergies or
intolerances which affect the food which they can eat for medical
reasons.
Other people such as some vegetarians may not eat meat or animal
products on moral grounds because they believe it is wrong to kill
animals for food.
In a country like Australia, it is important to run a restaurant where we
want to appeal to many people so its necessary to make these special
diets work.
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Religious diets
Jewish diet
Medical diets
Muslim diet
Hindu diet
Low fat diet
Diabetic diet
Lactose free diet
Gluten free diet
Vegetarian diets Diabetic diet
Vegan vegetarian diet Low calorie diet
Lacto vegetarian diet Low cholesterol diet
Ovo vegetarian diet Food allergies
Vegetarian diet
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It makes good business sense to have restaurant staff well
educated about these special diets so they can act for the
special needs of your customers.
Customers with special dietary needs often find it difficult to
find restaurants that cater for their special needs . But
when they do find a good restaurant that caters for their
needs the often become a very loyal and regular customer.
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Kosher food
People of the Jewish faith to be Kosher. Kosher food is based on the
observance of dietary laws in the bible.
Kosher food needs to be specific food prepared in very specific ways. If a
customer at a function requests a special kosher meal it is usually
purchased from a business specialising in Kosher food and delivered in
sealed packaging to the restaurant or hotel. It‟s important not to open the
container or break the seal. Simply heat and serve and the customer will
open the sealed package.
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Main rules of Kosher food
Pigs, rabbits, and their products are forbidden.
Animals such as cows and poultry must be slaughtered in a special way
according to Jewish tradition.
Seafood must have fins and scales. Smooth skinned fish and shellfish
are forbidden
Insects and reptile are forbidden
Food should be prepared under the supervision of a Rabbi.
Milk and milk products may not be used in the preparation of meat
meals or served with or immediately after the meat meals.
Birds of prey and scavengers are forbidden.
Some large catering venues cater to the Jewish population by having
special kitchen which are ONLY used for Kosher food preparation.
Most Jewish people avoid restaurants which serve lots of pork.
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Hindu food
India is the home of the Hindu religion and the
cow is a very important part of that society, culture
and religion.
Hindu people may be non vegetarian or strict
vegetarian.
Hindu people do not eat beef, veal and pork.
Hindu people who are not vegetarians may eat
sheep, goat, chicken, fish and dairy products.
Strict Hindu Vegetarians follow Asian /Indian diets
with the following rules
Only eat plant food
Do not eat root vegetables
No onion, garlic or ginger
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Non strict Hindu vegetarians may also eat dairy foods and eggs products
Many Hindu people are not strict vegetarians so they do eat things like root
vegetables, onion and garlic, but they are still vegetarians and take the
vegetarian way of life very seriously as it is important to them not just on a
social level but also a spiritual level.
It‟s best not to assume any needs and follow the person specific requests
and ask the customer if you are not sure
While beef is forbidden, dairy products including milk, butter and yoghurt
are considered to enhance spiritual purity.
Most people of the Hindu faith are usually quite happy to eat at a restaurant
that also serves meat or beef as long as they do not partake of it
themselves.
For Hindus Sravan is the month of fasting (July/ August) and some
individuals may choose to fast at different times during this month.
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Muslim food
People of the Muslim faith abide by a number of strict rules for their
diet.
Muslims commonly use two terms to describe food, Halal and Haram
Halal is the Arabic word for permitted or lawful
Haram is the word for forbidden or unlawful
Haram food cannot be eaten by Muslims except in extreme
emergencies; most foods are Halal (permitted) unless specifically
mentioned in the Holy Koran as Haram (forbidden)
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Haram foods (forbidden)
Pork
Any pork products
Alcohol
Fermented vinegars
Dogs
Donkeys
Birds with Talons such as Eagles
Pigs
Wild animals with canine teeth such as monkeys and cats
Amphibious creatures such as crocodiles, frogs and turtles
Meats such as beef, lamb, goat and chicken must be slaughtered according
to specific Muslim rites.
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Low Cholesterol Diet
Cholesterol is a risk factor related to heart disease. Saturated fats
(cholesterol) are fats which come from an animal source and is often
checked by a doctor in a medical check up, therefore is quite common
for people to be very careful about eating foods with too much
cholesterol practically people over 40 years old.
A high cholesterol diet may lead to diseases such as heart disease and
stroke, Foods high in cholesterol
Cheese
Chicken and duck skin
Egg yolks
Pastry with animal fats
Cakes
Biscuits
Fatty meats
Prawns, crab and lobster
Butter
cream
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The liver is the main processing centre for cholesterol. When we eat
animal fats, the liver returns the cholesterol it can‟t use to our
bloodstream. When there is too much cholesterol circulating in our
bloodstream, it can build up into fatty deposits.
These deposits cause the arteries to narrow and can eventually block
the arteries completely, leading to heart disease and stroke.
You don‟t need to eat foods that contain cholesterol; your body can
produce all the cholesterol it needs. High cholesterol foods are usually
foods high in saturated fats. These foods should be limited in a healthy
diet.
Take away foods are often high in cholesterol and very unhealthy
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Low calorie diet
Low calorie meals are usually used by people wanting to lose weight.
Calories are a measurement of energy and if a person uses more energy
than they consume they will lose weight so people who want to lose weight
often go on a low calorie diet.
Sugars and fats are high in calories so foods which are high in calories are
often high in fat or sugar.
Foods to avoid
Fried foods Pastery items
Oil Fatty meat
Sugar rich foods Cream products
Biscuits Ice cream
Chocolate Cheese butter
Coconut milk Alcohol
Most deserts
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Allowed foods
Fish
Bread
Skinless chicken
Lean meat
Fruit
Vegetables
Low fat products
Unsweetened products
Methods of cooking to avoid – Deep frying, roasting
Best methods of cooking – Steaming, boiling poaching, grilling,
baking
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Diabetic diet
Diabetes is one of Australia‟s biggest health problems particularly among
older and overweight people. So there is a strong chance that some of your
customers are diabetics without you even knowing it.
A diabetic can usually know what they can or can not eat.
Diabetes is present when their is too much glucose in the blood. Insulin is a
hormone that lowers glucose levels in the blood. Glucose (a form of sugar)
is the main source of fuel for our bodies.
It comes from foods containing carbohydrates. Diabetes develops when the
pancreas (the organ responsible for producing insulin) is either unable to
make insulin, or the insulin is unable to work efficiently.
Without insulin doing its job, glucose builds up in the blood leading to high
blood glucose levels causing health problems.
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Diabetics generally avoid foods containing high amounts of sugar and
carbohydrates such as:
Foods to avoid
Honey
Jam
Desserts
Soft drinks
Alcohol
Processed food such as white bread
Pasta
Oil
Lollies
Biscuits
Chocolate
Sweetened condensed milk
All foods high in sugar
Artificial sweeteners are used as a
substitute for sugar when making a desert.
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Lactose intolerant diet
A person who is lactose intolerant does not produce enough of the enzyme
Lactase to digest the lactose (milk sugar) in dairy products.
Lactose intolerance in common among people of Asian, Aboriginal and
African background, however many people of European decent are also
Lactose intolerant
People sometimes confuse lactose intolerance with cow‟s milk intolerance
because the symptoms are often the same. However, lactose intolerance
and cow‟s milk intolerance are not related.
Common symptoms, which range from mild to severe, include nausea,
cramps, bloating, gas, and diarrhoea. Symptoms begin about 30 minutes to
2 hours after eating or drinking foods containing lactose.
The severity of symptoms depends on many factors.
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Foods to avoid
Lactose is most commonly found in dairy products such as:
Milk
Cream
Yoghurt
Soft cheeses
Lactose is also hidden in many foods such as:
Bread
Cakes
Chocolate
Yoghurt
Margarine
Salad dressings
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Gluten free diet
A person who is allergic to gluten is known as a Coeliac and is a sufferer of
Coeliac disease. Coeliac disease is a condition where the lining of the
intestine is damaged by gluten that comes from dietary wheat, rye, oats and
barley.
Foods to avoid
Pasta Biscuits
Chocolate Bread
Muffins Some cheeses
Cakes Some sausages
Semolina Some processed meats
Pastry Cornflour made from wheat
Soy sauce
Thickened sauces
Battered items
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Foods which are allowed
Rice Soy flour
Fruit Seafood
Vegetables Milk
Meat Some cheese
Lentils Corn flakes
Yoghurt Corn flour made from maize
Potato flour chicken
Fish
Split peas
Oil
Butter
Cream
The method of cooking does not affect a gluten free diet, however many
processed foods contain wheat thickening and are not suitable for a gluten
free diet
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Texture modified meals
When people are very sick or elderly they sometime have trouble chewing or
digesting food. In these situations food is sometimes cut into very small pieces
or vitamised (pureed) in a food processor.
If you work as a cook in a hospital or nursing home you will know this is a
common occurrence.
Food safety note:
Because these people are sick or elderly
they are at very high risk of food poisoning
and because food being vitamised or cut
into very small pieces increase the danger
of food poisoning great care must be taken
when preparing and serving texture
modified foods.
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Food allergies
A food allergy is an immune system response to a food that the body
mistakenly believes is harmful.
Although an individual could be allergic to any food, such as fruits,
vegetables, and meats, there are eight foods that account for 90% of all
food-allergic reactions.
These are: milk, egg, peanut, tree nut (walnut, cashew, etc.), fish,
shellfish, soy, and wheat
Food allergies should be taken very seriously by a chef and restaurant
staff.
When a customer makes a special request or asks for more information
about the food on the menu if the waiter is not 100% sure of the correct
answer it‟s best to get the Restaurant Manager or Chef to answer the
question and discuss the customers special needs.
Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and may
cause death.
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Peanut allergy
A peanut allergy is particularly dangerous and the slightest contact or trace
of peanuts or peanut product may cause death the affected person in a
very short time. If a client says they have a peanut allergy take it VERY
seriously
Some food allergies are very serious and can cause permanent health
damage to the person involved.
And from a cooks point of view
‘ If in doubt - Leave it out’
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Dietary guidelines for adult Australians (2003)
Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods:
Eat plenty of vegetables, legumes and fruits
Eat plenty of cereals (including breads, rice, pasta and noodles),
preferably wholegrain
Include lean meat, fish, poultry and/or alternatives
Include milks, yoghurts, cheeses and/or alternatives. Reduced-fat varieties
should be chosen, where possible
Drink plenty of water.
and take care to:
Limit saturated fat and moderate total fat intake
Choose foods low in salt Limit your alcohol intake if you choose to drink
Consume only moderate amounts of sugars and foods containing added
sugars.
Prevent weight gain:
be physically active and eat according to your energy needs
Care for your food: prepare and store it safely
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These guidelines are not in order of importance.
Each one deals with an issue which is key to optimal health.
Two relate to the quantity and quality of the food we eat-getting the
right types of foods in the right amounts to meet the body's nutrient
needs and to reduce the risk of chronic disease.
Given the epidemic of obesity we are currently experiencing in
Australia, one of these guidelines specifically relates to the need to be
active and to avoid overeating.
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Cooking food and its effect on Nutrition
From paddock to plate our food goes through many different processes such
as washing, cold storage, frozen storage, cooking, transport, packaging etc.
these process can have an effect on the nutrition value of the food.
Reduction in nutrient content occurs in two main ways:
1.being dissolved in water
2.being destroyed by other factors such as heat, light, air, acids, and alkalis
Here is a summary of some nutrition looses:
Canning Loss of vitamins B and C
Freezing Loss of vitamins B and C
Dehydration Loss of carotene and Vitamin C
Refining (white flour and white rice) Loss of fibre
Cooking Loss of vitamin C
Light Loss of riboflavin in milk
Washing rice Loss of thiamine
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Vitamin C is water soluble and is lost when cooking foods in water such as boiling,
poaching, and stewing. Because of this it is recommended to steam or microwave
vegetable to retain maximum vitamin content rather the boiling them.
Raw vegetable such as used in salads contain more nutrition than cooked
vegetables.
Starch foods such as flour, potatoes and rice need to be cooked for the nutrition to
become usable for people. That‟s why we don‟t eat raw flour and rice.
Many vitamins are also located in or near the skin of vegetables so washing them
instead of peeling them is better from a nutrition point of view.
Main points to remember
Use as little water as possible
Steaming is better than boiling
Starch needs to be cooked
Light destroys vitamins in milk
Eating vegetables with skin on is better than peeling them
