COOKERY NCII LEARNER’S GUIDE

ANTONIO T. BENDAL JR., MBA

Cookery NCII Qualification is detailed as follows:

SECTION 1 COOKERY NC II QUALIFICATION - Training Duration of 316 Hours

The COOKERY NC II Qualification consists of competencies that a person must achieve to clean kitchen
areas, prepare hot, cold meals and desserts for guests in various food and beverage service facilities

This Qualification is packaged from the competency map of the Tourism Sector (Hotel and Restaurant).

The Units of Competency comprising this Qualification include the following:

BASIC COMPETENCIES – 18 Hours

Participate in workplace communication

 Obtain and convey workplace information
 Speak English at a basic operational level
 Complete relevant work related documents
Work in a team environment
 Describe and identify team role and responsibility in a team
 Describe work as a team member
 Work effectively with colleagues
 Work in socially diverse environment
Practice career professionalism
 Integrate personal objectives with organizational goals
 Set and meet work priorities
 Maintain professional growth and development
Practice occupational health and safety procedures
 Evaluate hazard and risks
 Control hazards and risks
 Maintain occupational health and safety awareness
 Perform basic first-aid procedures

COMMON COMPETENCIES – 18 Hours

Develop and update industry knowledge

 Seek information on the industry
 Update continuously relevant industry knowledge
 Develop and update local knowledge
 Promote products and services to customers
Observe workplace hygiene procedures
 Follow hygiene procedures
 Identify and prevent hygiene risk
Perform computer operations
 Plan and prepare task to be undertaken
 Input data into a computer
 Assess information using computer
 Produce/ output data using computer system
 Maintain computer system
Perform workplace and safety practices
 Practice workplace procedures for health, safety and security practices
 Perform child protection duties relevant to the tourism industry
 Observe and monitor people
 Deal with emergency situations
 Maintain safe personal presentation standards
 Maintain a safe and secure workplace
Provide effective customer service
 Greet customers
 Identify customer
 Deliver service to customer
 Handle queries through use of common business tools and technology
 Handle complaints/ conflict situations, evaluation and recommendations

CORE COMPETENCIES – 280 Hours

Clean and maintain kitchen premises

 Clean, sanitize and store equipment
 Clean and sanitize premises
 Dispose of waste
Prepare stocks, sauces and soups
 Prepare stocks, glazes and essences required for menu items
 Prepare soups required for menu items
 Prepare sauces required for menu items
 Store and reconstitute stocks, sauces and soups
Prepare appetizers
 Perform Mise’ en place
 Prepare a range of appetizers
 Present a range of appetizers
 Store appetizers
Prepare salads and dressing
 Perform Mise en place
 Prepare a variety salads and dressings
 Present a variety of salads and dressings
 Store salads and dressings

Prepare sandwiches
 Perform Mise en place
 Prepare a variety of sandwiches
 Present a variety of sandwiches
 Store sandwiches
Prepare meat dishes
 Perform Mise en place
 Cook meat cuts for service
 Present meat cuts for service
 Store meat
Prepare vegetables dishes
 Perform Mise en place
 Prepare vegetable dishes
 Present vegetable dishes
 Store vegetables dishes
Prepare egg dishes
 Perform Mise en place
 Prepare and cook egg dishes
 Present egg dishes
 Store egg dishes
Prepare starch dishes
 Perform Mise en place
 Prepare starch dishes
 Present Starch dishes
 Store Starch dishes
Prepare poultry and game dishes
 Perform mise en place
 Cook poultry and game dishes
 Plate/present poultry and game dishes
 Store poultry and game
Prepare seafood dishes
 Perform mise en place
 Handle fish and seafood
 Cook fish and shellfish
 Plate/Present fish and seafood
 Store fish and seafood
Prepare desserts
 Perform mise en place
 Prepare desserts and sweet sauces
 Plate/Present desserts
 Store desserts
Package prepared food
 Select packaging materials
 Package food

A person who has achieved this Qualification is competent to be employed in any of the following
positions in the Garde Manger, Pastry or in the Hot Kitchen Section as:

 Cook or Commis
 Assistant Cook
 IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER

As a candidate, you are expected to prepare (maximum of 4 hours) the following dishes:

4 Kinds of Canapes – Side Plate

1 Kind Appetizer – Side Plate
1 Soup – Soup Bowl/Soup Plate with an underliner
1 Salad (Raw) with Dressing – Salad Plate and a Sauce Bowl if you will present the dressing
separately
1 Sandwich – Side Plate
1 Blue Plate (1 Starch, 1 Protein with Sauce thicken with Roux, and Side Cooked Vegetable) –
Dinner Plate with a sauce bow if you will serve the sauce separately
1 Dessert – Dessert Plate or Cocktail Glasses

It is important to note that you should be preparing good for One Serving Only and ensure that
you are able to present the dishes on its appropriate presentation plates/containers. Always
garnish your dishes and make sure they are edible. Add sugar works or decoratives to your
desserts.

WHAT I KNOW!? (CORE COMPETENCIES)

CLEAN AND MAITAIN KITCHEN PREMISES

Cleaning is different from Sanitizing. Cleaning means to removes soil from the area of concern with the
use of detergents of other cleaning materials while Sanitizing involves the use of chemicals like bleach or
chlorine and uses hot water to kill the unseen microorganisms.
MSDS is Material Safety Data Sheet that can be found on labels of the chemicals. This contains info
about the product concerning about safety and other hazard matters including first aid.
It is very important to be able to clean and maintain the kitchen premises to obtain a smooth flow of
operation within the kitchen. Working in a clean environment is also conducive for a healthy and efficient
workplace. Garbage disposal must be segregated accordingly.

PREPARE STOCKS, SAUCES AND SOUPS

Stock is the foundation of cooking. It is made up of bones, water, mirepoix and aromatics (bouquet
garni or Sachet d’ epices). Stocks must not be stirred when cooking because stocks should be clear and with no
impurities. Do not season stock with salt and/or pepper.
Sauce is a flavorful liquid serve to compliment the main dish. It should lubricate the meat dish and add
flavor/interest to it. Sauces are usually thickened with roux (cooked mixture of fat and flour which is equal in
weight). We have 5 Mother Sauces (VBETH) Veloute, Bechamel, Espagnole, Tomato and Hollandaise
respectively.
Soup is a flavorful liquid that can either be served hot or cold at any time of the day. Soups can be
served hot or cold and; can be Thin (Clear or Broth) and Thick (Cream Soup, Chowder, Puree, and other
thickened soup).
PREPARE APPETIZERS
Appetizers are especially made to stimulate the appetite therefore most of them are acidulated or
served with dips and salsas. Hors d’oeuvre, Canapés, Soup, Salad and Sandwiches are examples of appetizers.
Cold canapés are one to two bite size elegant open-faced sandwiches while hot canapés are small
finger food items usually fried and served with a dip or salsa.
The difference between an appetizer from a canapé is the way it is being eaten. Appetizers are eaten
seated with utensils while canapés can be eaten standing or at parties using fingers only.

PREPARE SALADS AND DRESSINGS

Salads are usually greens coming from the botanical world. It is a combination of vegetables alone, or
with fruits, or even with pasta and/or even with meat and paired with a dressing. Salad can be served at any
time of the day. Dressing will lubricate the salad and enhance its flavor. Salad can be warm or cold.

PREPARE SANDWICHES
Sandwiches are bread –base dish. It is made up of a base (bread), a spread (mayonnaise base or
acidulated base), a filling (meat, vegetables or other cold cuts) and a garnish (cheese, herbs or other edible
items). Sandwiches can be served hot or cold. It can be simple (2 Slices of Bread and a Spread), Open-Faced
(Pizza, etc., no bread on top), Club Sandwich (Multi-Decker with at least 3 slices of bread) and Submarine
Sandwich (Submarine shape Bread base).

PREPARE MEAT DISHES

Carcass is the animal after slaughter. Primary cut is the first cut after carcass. Secondary cut is the cut after the
primary cut. Restaurant cut are cuts made specifically for commercial use. Different meat requires different cooking time and
cooking method. Cooking method is either Dry Heat (Using air, fat or direct heat as media for cooking) or Moist Cooking
method (Using water or steam as media to cook). Dry Heat cooking methods are as follows: Frying, Grilling, Sautéing, Stir
Frying, Broiling, Shirred, Baking or Roasting, etc. Moist Cooking methods are as follows: Steaming, Boiling, Poaching,
Simmering, etc. Stewing and Braising are the combination of both cooking methods mentioned.

PREPARE VEGETABLE DISHES

It is very important to pick the freshest ingredients from the supplier of vegetables to produce a very
good vegetable dish. Avoid using dark soy sauce, oyster sauce or dark condiments in seasoning your veggies
because this will discolor your dish. Vegetable dishes needs to be cooked with caution, blanching, stir frying or
sautéing are the methods highly recommended.
Vegetables can be categorized according to their use; Leaf Vegetables (Spinach, Cabbage, Kale,
Horseradish, Lettuce, etc,.), Root Vegetables (Ginger, Potato, Sweet Potato, Onion, Carrot etc,.), Fruit
Vegetables (Bell pepper, Chili, Cucumber, Corn, Tomato, Avocado etc,.), Flower Vegetables (Broccoli,
Cauliflower, Artichoke, etc,.), Stem Vegetable (Asparagus, Bamboo Shoots, Rhubarb, Celery, etc,.).

PREPARE EGG DISHES

It is very important to use two separate bowls when testing/cracking the eggs; this will ensure no
spoiled egg will be enjoined to the same mixture previously cracked. Freshness of the eggs is also very
important to determine.
Eggs have 7 essential parts namely; Airspace, Albumen, Chalazae, Yolk, Germinal Disc, Shell Membrane,
and Shell. The following table shows the culinary use of eggs:
 When heated egg coagulates and holds liquid in a suspension
Thicken
e.g. soups, sauces & custards

When wet the food items stick together. When cooked the egg sets and keeps the food
Bind
together e.g. crumbing items & meatballs

Beaten egg gives a shiny appearance

Glaze
e.g. bread & pastries

When whipped the egg traps millions of tiny air cells within itself. Air bubbles help to raise
Aerate
other ingredients e.g. soufflés & sponges

Yolks can hold together two un-mixable ingredients

Emulsify
e.g. hollandaise & mayonnaise

Whites used to clarify stocks

Clarify
e.g. consommé

Adds flavour and nutrition

Enrich
e.g. pasta, cakes & pudding

PREPARE STARCH DISHES

Starch has a unique characteristic of able to swell when introduced to water and heat. Starch ranges
from the following: Rice, Pasta/Noodles, Root Crops/Tubers, Pulses, and Cereals.

PREPARE POULTRY AND GAME DISHES

It is very important to differentiate and be able to identify poultry from game meat. Poultry is the
collective name for domesticated birds or fowl grown for human consumption. Game meat refers to those wild
animals that are hunted for human consumption.
It I important to remember that the breast part of poultry is often called as “white meat”.

PREPARE SEAFOOD DISHES

It is very important to remember that seafood belongs to PHF (Potentially Hazardous Food) therefore
its freshness and quality should always be highly considered.
Fish and Shellfish do belong to seafood category as follows:
Fish – Sardine, Salmon, Tuna, Cod, etc.,) and Shellfish – Crab, Shrimp, Lobster, Clams, Mussels, etc.,)

PREPARE DESSERTS
Desserts are considered ender so they are always served last and usually sweet. Examples of desserts
are Cake, Flans, Ice Cream, Crepe, Crème Brulee, Pudding, Fruit Coulis, Panna Cotta, etc.,)

PACKAGE PREPARED FOOD

Ensure food will packaged ready for transport. Arrangement and packaging is considered in this
competency.
 COOKERY GUIDE QUESTIONS
Part I.

1) What are the two common kitchen ingredients that can be used to put out a top range grease fire? –
Salt and Flour
2) What is a moist cooking method? – Cooking method that uses water as the base for cooking.
3) What do you call a list of items on a menu which are priced and served separately? – Ala Carte
4) Describe “Mise en Place”. – Put everything in place, prior to cooking – therefore everything must be
ready before cooking.
5) In preparing a roux, what is the fat-flour ratio? – Equal in weight which is 1 is to 1 (1:1)
6) What is the Hollandaise sauce made of? – Reduction of vinegar and spices, Clarified butter and Egg
yolk whisked together in an emulsion.
7) What part of poultry that is described as “white meat”? – Breast part
8) How do you determine the freshness of meat? - Using our senses (e.g., Use our eyes to check the color
of the meat – it should be red and pinkish, Use our sense of smell to determine whether the meat is
still smelling fresh or already has a foul odor, and sense of touch – we will press the meat and if it
bounces back then it is an indication that the meat is still fresh.)
9) What is the standard doneness required for beef? – Medium rare
10) When sanitizing an area, is it still necessary to rinse off the detergent? – Yes because detergent is only
meant for cleaning, on the other hand, sanitizing is killing the harmful microorganisms.

Part II.

1) What is the kind of salad that has apples, walnuts, celery and a mayonnaise based dressing? – Waldorf
Salad
2) What sandwich has at least three slices of bread? – Multi- decker or Club Sandwich
3) What is the cooking method in making shirred eggs? – Dry heat cooking method (Baked in the oven)
4) What type of cheese is used for baking cheesecake? – Cream Cheese
5) What do you call the bite-sized decorative open faced sandwiches? – Canapes
6) What ingredient is used to facilitate coagulation of the egg white in poached eggs? - Vinegar
7) How do you prolong the shelf life of bread? – Store bread in the freezer.
8) What is the right temperature for thawing food? – Outside the Temperature Danger Zone (5C̊ - 60C̊),
hence, it should be below 5C̊ or higher than 60C̊
9) What do you call a basic oil-vinegar combination generally used to dress greens and other cold
vegetable, meat or fish dishes? – Vinaigrette Dressing
10) What are the different types of salad? – Simple and Complex. For Complex, we have Composed
(Ingredients are Arranged) and Mixed/Compound (Tossed together with their dressing).

Part III.

1) What conditions contribute to the multiple increases of bacteria? – Food, Acidity, Time, Temperature,
Oxygen, Moisture (FATTOM)
2) What are the three (3) types of food contamination? – Physical (like hair, broken glasses, chipped
plastics, etc), Biological (bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, etc) and Chemical (Detergents, Cleaning
Agents, etc)
3) What do you call a food that naturally contributes to the formation of bacteria? – Potentially
Hazardous Food
4) Can we substitute the use of plastic gloves for handwashing? When do we change them? – No!
Washing hands should never be replaced with the use of plastic gloves. We need to change plastic
gloves as often as needed.
5) Which of the following is the first step in implementing the FIFO rule? – Determine the “Expiration
Date or Use by Date” of the product. Those items which will expire first must be stored in front or
ahead of those which will expire longer.
6) Why are ingredients weighed instead of measuring them by volume? – Weighing the ingredients will
give us a better and accurate measurement. This will also help us achieve our desired outcome.
7) What material is used to make a cake tight into a roll? – Parchment Paper
8) What icing is made by creaming fat and confectioner’s sugar together? – Buttercream Icing
9) What do you call a light paper thin batter used for savory or dessert dishes? - Crepe
10) What shortens gluten strands? – Shortening (Fat: oil, butter, lard, margarine, etc)