Activity #7 

- Day 7 (March 10, 2021 - Wednesday)

MENUS, RECIPES AND COST MANAGEMENT

1. What role is played by the chef's favorite dishes when a menu is written?
Answer: Menus must be planned for the people eating the food. This sounds like a simple rule, but it is
frequently forgotten. You must never forget the customer is the main reason for being in business. This
rule means that, in most operations, the taste and preferences of the cooks or chefs are of less importance
when planning the menu. True, some of the most famous restaurants exist primarily as showcases for the
chef's own artistry, but these are a small percentage of all food-service establishments. Instead, the taste
and preferences of the clientele must be given top priority if the business is to succeed. The kind of
clientele the business serves influences the form the menu takes.

2. What are the main differences among breakfast, lunch and dinner menus?
 Breakfast - Breakfast menus are fairly standard within any one country. In North America, for
example, a restaurant has to offer the usual selection of fruits, juices, eggs, cereals, breads, pancakes,
waffles, breakfast meats, and regional specialties because this is what customers want and expect. In
addition, featuring one or two unusual items on the menu—such as an English muffin topped with
creamed crabmeat and a poached egg, a special kind of country ham, or an assortment of freshly made
fruit sauces or syrups for the pancakes and waffles—often attracts additional customers. Breakfast
menus must feature foods that can be prepared quickly and eaten in a hurry.
 Lunch
The following factors are important to consider when planning lunch menus:
1. Speed - Like breakfast customers, luncheon diners are usually in a hurry. They are generally working
people who have limited time to eat. Foods must be prepared quickly and be easy to serve and eat.
Sandwiches, soups, and salads are important items on many lunch menus.
2. Simplicity - Menu selections are fewer, and fewer courses are served. In many cases, customers select
only one course. Luncheon specials—combinations of two or three items, such as soup and a sandwich
or omelet and salad, offered at a single price—satisfy the need for simplicity and speed.
3. Variety - In spite of the shortness of the menu and the simplicity of the selections, luncheon menus
must have variety. This is because many customers eat at the same restaurant several times a week or
even every day. In order to keep the menu short, many operations offer several luncheon specials every
day, so there is always something new on the menu.
 Dinner - Dinner is usually the main meal and is eaten in a more leisurely fashion than either breakfast or
lunch. Of course, some people are in a hurry in the evening, too, but, in general, people come to a
restaurant to relax over a substantial meal. Dinner menus offer more selections and more courses. Not
surprisingly, prices and check averages are also higher than at lunch.
3. What is the best solution to the problem of using up leftovers? What is the next
best solution?
Make less. If you're regularly throwing out leftovers, you're likely making too much food to begin with.
One of the easiest ways to conquer leftover loss is to produce fewer leftovers. Look into cutting your
favourite recipes in half or quarters so you don't have leftovers to waste next time.
For many ingredients and types of leftovers, we’ve already covered a variety of ways to put them to use
in your kitchen, like:

 Making edible and natural bowls

 Freezing leftovers and making homemade breadcrumbs
 Preserving fresh herbs
 Using leftover wine to make homemade vinegar
 Adding scraps to a homemade vegetable stock

4. What are some reasons written recipes can't be 100 percent exact and must
depend on the cook's judgment? Select two or three recipes (from this book or any
other) and try to determine where they depend on the cook's judgment.
          When you make a recipe for the first time, you should apply your knowledge and think about the
recipe in relation to the skills you have. The first step in preparing a recipe is to read it carefully. Then
read it again. Make sure you understand every ingredient and every instruction in the procedure. A
common fault is to prepare a recipe according to what you think it says rather than what it actually says.
You are especially likely to make this error if the procedure in the recipe is different from the way you
usually prepare a similar dish.

STANDARDIZED RECIPES - A standardized recipe is a set of instructions describing the way a

particular establishment prepares a particular dish. In other words, it is a customized recipe developed
by an operation for the use of its own cooks, using its own equipment, to be served to its own patrons.
INSTRUCTIONAL RECIPES - Recipes published in cookbooks and textbooks are different from
standardized recipes, because they are not designed for use in a single specific kitchen. The recipes in
this book are used in a great variety of situations and in different ways. The purpose of a standardized
recipe is to direct and control the production of a particular food item. Directions must be as complete
and exact as possible. The purpose of the instructional recipes in this book is to teach basic cooking
techniques. They provide an opportunity for you to practice, with specific ingredients, the general
procedures you have learned. If you glance

5. What is the purpose of a standardized recipe?

Answers: A standardized recipe is a set of instructions describing the way a particular establishment
prepares a particular dish. In other words, it is a customized recipe developed by an operation for the use
of its own cooks, using its own equipment, to be served to its own patrons.
6. What are the three basic ways of measuring ingredients? Which method is used
for most solid ingredients, and why?
By now you've figured out there are three primary kitchen tools for measuring: measuring spoons,
liquid measuring cups, and dry measuring cups. A kitchen scale is also helpful for measuring
ingredients, as it can be used to measure pasta that doesn't fit into measuring cups or for more precise
amounts.

Dry measuring cups are used for measuring solid (dry) ingredients like flour, sugar, oats, or baking powder.
They're made from plastic, metal or porcelain and are sold in se

7. What is the first step in portion control? List four other techniques of portion
control.
PORTION CONTROL -Portion control is the measurement of portions to ensure the correct amount of
an item is served. In order for portion control to be carried out, cooks and service personnel must be
aware of proper portion sizes. These are usually indicated on the house recipes and on the working menu
used in the kitchen and service areas.
Portion Control in Preparation
Portion control actually begins with the measuring of ingredients. If this is not done correctly, then the
yield of the recipe will be thrown off. When portions are determined by count—1 hamburger patty, 2
tomato slices, 1 wedge of pie—then the units must be measured or cut according to instructions: 4
ounces meat per patty; 1⁄4-inch slices of “5 × 6” tomatoes; 8 equal wedges per pie.
Portion Control in Plating Service
Portioning for service may be done by the cook, as in a short-order restaurant, or by the service
personnel, as in a cafeteria. The following tools and techniques are used.
1. Count
Example: 1 slice of ham per order; 5 shrimp per order. This is accurate if cutting and other prep work
have been done correctly.”
2. Weight
Example: 4 ounces of sliced ham per order. A portion scale must be at the serving station for this
method of portion control.
3. Volume
Ladles, scoops, and kitchen spoons come in standard volume sizes and are used for portioning. The
exact size of the ladle or scoop needed for a portion must be determined in advance and indicated on
service instructions. Kitchen spoons, either solid or perforated, are not as accurate for portioning but are
often used for convenience and speed. You must be able to judge by eye how full to fill the spoon
(rounded, heaped, etc.). Check a spoonful on a portion scale from time to time to make sure you are
being consistent.
4. Even division
Examples: Cut a pie into 8 equal wedges; cut a pan of lasagne 4 × 6 to make 24 equal portions.
5. Standard fill. Standard-size dishes, cups, or glasses are filled to a given level, as judged by eye. 
Example: a glass of orange juice. This is actually a form of volume measure.

8. Make the following conversions in the U.S. system of measurement:

 31⁄2 pounds = 56 ounces
 6 cups = 3 pints
 81⁄2 quarts = 272 fluid ounces
 3⁄4 cup = 52 tablespoons
 46 ounces = 2.875 pounds
 21⁄2 gallons = 320 fluid ounces
 5 pounds 5 ounces × 2 = 10.62500 pounds
 10 teaspoons = 1.666  fluid ounces
9. Make the following conversions in the metric system:
 1.4 kilograms = 1400 grams
 53 deciliters = 5.3  liters
 15 centimeters = 150 millimeters
 2,590 grams = 2.59 kilograms
 4.6 liters = 46 deciliters
 220 centiliters = 22 deciliters

10. Discuss the main types of problems you may face when converting recipe yields.
           Before we start converting recipe yields, we must deal with one more problem with our
measuring system. As explained earlier, the U.S. system of measurement has many units that simply
must be memorized: 16 ounces in a pound, 2 cups in a pint, 4 quarts in a gallon, and so on. When you
are converting recipes, you often have to change back and forth between large and small units to get
measurements you can work with. In most cases, the easiest way to make the calculations is to change
larger units to smaller units.

11. What is the difference between AP weight and EP weight? Explain how these
terms are related to calculating costs per portion of menu items.
AP weight is the weight of the item as purchased, before any trimming is done. Also known as APQ (as
purchased quantity).
EP weight is the weight after all inedible or nonservable parts are trimmed off. Also known as EPQ
(edible portion quantity).
Recipes sometimes specify which weight they are referring to. When they don't, you must judge from
the instructions.
1. If a recipe calls for “2 lb potatoes” and the first instruction is “scrub, peel, and eye the potatoes,” then
you know AP weight is called for.
2. If the recipe calls for “2 lb peeled, diced potatoes,” then you know EP weight is called for. You will
need more than 2 lb AP.

NUTRITION
Describe the difference between foods with empty calories and foods with high nutrient
density. Give examples of foods in each category.
 Empty Calories - Provide few nutrients per calorie (refined sugars and starches)
 High Nutrient Density - Provide relatively many nutrients per calorie (fruits, vegetables
and whole grains)
 It's often suggested that “a calorie is a calorie,” but that couldn’t be further from the
truth. While it’s true that you may be able to lose weight if you restrict your calories
enough, the quality of your food and the calories it comes with are critical for good
health. Yet, according to research, most American diets are energy-rich and nutrient-
poor. In other words, people are eating a lot of calories, but not getting enough
important nutrients, like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. That’s because the
standard American diet includes lots of empty calorie foods and not enough nutrient-
dense food.
 The term “energy density” refers to the amount of energy, or calories, per weight of a
food or drink. Nutrient-dense foods are those that contain a low amount of energy, or
calories, for their weight, but a high number of healthy nutrients. In other words,
they’re foods that give you more nutrition bang for your buck. You can eat more of
them without adding a lot of calories to your diet. Nutrient-dense foods are rich in
vitamins, minerals, fiber, lean protein and healthy fats, so your body can use these
nutrients to keep everything running smoothly.
 Empty calories are those that carry little or no nutritional value. Empty-calorie foods
usually have a high number of calories per weight, but don’t offer much else in terms of
vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein or healthy fats. Empty-calorie foods are also typically
high in other undesirable ingredients, such as sugar, high-fructose corn syrup and trans
fats.

2. Why are unrefined carbohydrates more healthful than refined starches and sugars?
 Foods of high nutrient density are those that pro- vide relatively many nutrients per
calorie. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are examples of foods with high nutrient
density.
 Refined sugars and starches are primary sources of empty calories.
 Whole grains and unrefined foods are sources of fiber.
3. Why is it necessary to have some fat in the diet?
  Some fatty acids are essential nutrients, and fats also carry fat-soluble vitamins.
Consuming less fat than 20 percent of daily calories could be unhealthy.
 Fats supply energy to the body in a highly concentrated form.
 Some fatty acids are necessary for regulating certain body functions.
 Fats act as a carrier for fat-soluble vitamins (Vitamins A,D,E, and K)

4. Which vitamins are water-soluble? Which are fat-soluble? Which of the two groups is
more important to include in the diet every day? Why?
Water-Soluble vitamins:
Vitamins B (1, 2, 3, 9, and 12) and Vitamin C
- Fat-Soluble vitamins:
Vitamins A, D, E and K
- Water-Soluble vitamins aren't stored in the body and therefore must be eaten everyday.
5. According to the recommendations of government health agencies, which food groups
should we consume more of than we now do, on average? Which foods should we consume
less of?
 Protein should be eat more in a diet and carbohydrates we should eat less
 We should consume more fruits, vegetables and grains in our diet.
 We should consume less high fat, high calorie protein items.
6. Discuss and compare the healthful or unhealthful qualities of saturated fats,
polyunsaturated fats, and monounsaturated fats. Give examples of each type.
These terms reflect chemical differences in the composition of fats. Cooks do not need to know
the chemical structure of fats, but they should understand their nutritional characteristics and the
foods in which they are found. Many foods contain a combination of these three types, with one
type predominating.
1. Saturated Fats:
(Animal Products, Solid Shortenings, and Tropical Oils)
-Normally solid at room temperature.
-These fats contribute significantly to heart disease and other health problems
2. Polyunsaturated Fats:
(Vegetable Oils, Whole Grains, Nuts, and Some Fruits & Vegetables)
-Liquid at room temperature.
-Considered to be more healthful than Saturated Fats.
Monounsaturated Fats:
(Olive & Canola Oil, Whole Grains, Nuts, and Some Fruits & Vegetables)
-Liquid at room temperature.
-Considered to be more healthful than Saturated Fats.
7. What are some ways you, as a cook, can reduce the fat and sodium content of your menu
offerings?
Reduce Fat content by:
1. Make choices that are lean, low-free, or fat-free when selecting and preparing meat, poultry,
dry beans and milk or milk products.
2. Use less fat in cooking by using cooking methods that require no added fat (simmering,
poaching, baking, steaming and grilling).
3. Use the freshest, highest quality ingredients available in order to prepare delicious foods with
less reliance on high fat sauces.
4. Low fat sauces (such as salsas and vegetable purées) instead of high fat sauces.
5. Nonstick pans are great for sautéing, because little or no fat is needed

Reduce Sodium content by:

1. Decrease the use of salt in the kitchen and at the table.
2. Limit intake of prepared foods that are high in salt (such as potato chips, salted nuts, pretzels,
pickled food, cured meats and salty condiments like soy sauce).
3. Use the freshest, highest quality ingredients available in order to prepare delicious foods with
little or no added salt and less reliance on high sodium sauces.
4. Use more fresh herbs, hot seasonings (chiles, ginger, and pepper), and flavorful ingredients
like garlic, browned onions and flavored vinegars.
8. How can you ensure a nutritionally balanced menu without actually calculating the
nutrient content of every item?
Nutrition Exchange System- Foods are divided into seven groups:
1. Starches
2. Fruits
3. Vegetables
4. Proteins
5. Dairy
6. Fats
7. Sweets
-Serving sizes for individual foods within each group are strictly defined, and various health
agencies publish lists of these serving sizes.
-To set up a diet based on exchange groups, one must first calculate how many calories you need
and consume in a day (depending on age, sex, activity level and weight loss needs). Then consult
various published tables to plan a daily diet consisting of a fixed number of servings from each
group.

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF COOKING AND

FOOD SCIENCE
1. Your broiler cook has just broiled a codfish fillet that turned out dry, rubbery, and
shrunken. Explain what happened to it.

The codfish was overcooked:

-When proteins are heated, the coils of amino acids begin to unwind (denature),then
become attracted to one another and form bonds (coagulation).

-As the temperature increases, the proteins shrink, become firmer and lose more
moisture. Exposure of proteins to excessive heat toughens them and makes them dry.

-Most proteins complete coagulation (or are cooked) at 160° to 185°F.

2. Why might adding some tomato product to a beef stew help make the meat more tender?
- When cooked slowly with moisture, the acidic lemon juice will help to dissolve some of the
connective tissue that can make meat tough.
3. You are roasting a large quantity of ducklings and must use both your conventional
ovens and your convection oven. You set all the ovens at the same temperature, but find the
ducklings in the convection oven are done first. Why did this happen?
A fan speeds the circulation of heat in convection ovens. Thus, heat is transferred more quickly
to food, and the food cooks faster.
So even though the two ovens were at the same temperature, the forced air of a convection oven
makes it cook faster.
4. You are roasting two beef tenderloins of the same size, one in an oven set at 450°F
(230°C), and the other in an oven at 250°F (120°C). You remove both of them from the
oven when the temperature at the center is 135°F (57°C). Describe the doneness of each
tenderloin from outside to inside.
Tenderloin cooked at 450°F:
You will see a gradation of doneness from very well done on the outside to rare in the middle.

Tenderloin cooked at 250°F:

You will see a more uniform doneness of meat from the outside to the inside.
5. Arrange the following cooking methods in three groups, depending on whether they
are moist-heat methods, dry-heat methods without fat, or dry-heat methods with fat:
braising, roasting, deep-frying, sautéing, poaching, steaming, broiling, pressure frying,
grilling, simmering.

Moist-Heat:
1. Braising
2. Simmering
3. Steaming
4. Poaching

Dry-Heat:
1. Roasting
2. Broiling
3. Grilling

Dry-Heat with Fat:

1. Sautéing
2. Deep-Frying
3. Pressure-Frying
6. A cook in your restaurant is roasting several pans of chickens. He thinks they are
browning too fast, and he covers the pans with foil to keep the chickens from browning
much more. What is wrong with this?
-Cooking uncovered is essential in roasting.

-Covering the chicken holds in steam, changing the process from a dry-heat method to a moist-
heat method, such as braising or steaming.