VCE VET Cookery key terms

The organised preparation done before cooking begins, such as gathering tools, measuring ingredients and setting up your station, so service runs smoothly and safely.

A written, tested formula listing exact ingredient quantities, method, portion size and yield, used so every batch tastes the same and costs can be calculated.

The total number or weight of portions a recipe produces. Knowing yield lets you scale recipes up or down and order the right amount of stock.

Serving a consistent, measured amount of food to each customer. It keeps costs predictable, meets menu promises and reduces waste.

The ingredient cost of a dish divided by its selling price, expressed as a percentage. It shows whether a menu item is priced to make a profit.

A written order of tasks and timings for a service period, showing who does what and when, so dishes are ready together without bottlenecks.

Printed or electronic order slips listing the dishes a table has ordered. They tell the kitchen what to cook and the order in which to send it.

The block of time when customers are being served, such as lunch or dinner service. Preparation and staffing must be planned around it.

A documented food safety system that identifies hazards at each step of production and sets critical limits and checks to control them.

A business's written set of procedures and records, based on HACCP principles, that shows how food is kept safe from delivery to service.

The temperature range, roughly 5 to 60 degrees Celsius, in which bacteria multiply fastest. High-risk food should spend minimal time in it.

A food safety guideline for ready-to-eat high-risk food: under two hours it may be reused, two to four hours it must be used immediately, over four hours it is discarded.

A step in food production where a specific check or action, such as cooking temperature or refrigeration, prevents or removes a food safety hazard.

Food that supports bacterial growth, such as meat, poultry, dairy, eggs, seafood and cooked rice. It needs strict temperature and time control.

The transfer of harmful bacteria or allergens from one food, surface or tool to another, often through shared chopping boards or unwashed hands.

Boards in set colours assigned to particular food types, such as raw meat or vegetables, to reduce cross-contamination between foods during preparation.

A hand-held thermometer with a metal probe used to check the internal temperature of cooked or stored food, confirming it is safe.

Lifting, carrying and moving loads using safe body technique, such as bending the knees and keeping loads close, to avoid back and muscle injury.

Items worn to protect the worker, such as aprons, gloves, safety shoes and eye protection. It is the last line of defence after other controls.

The action taken to eliminate or reduce a workplace hazard, ideally by removing it, then by engineering, administrative or protective measures.

Handling and storing knives so they cannot cause injury, for example carrying a knife with the point down and blade turned away from the body.

A substance in food that can trigger an immune reaction in sensitive people. Common ones include peanuts, egg, milk, fish, sesame and wheat.

Cooking food without added moisture or liquid, such as grilling, roasting, shallow-frying or baking, which browns the surface and develops flavour.

Cooking food in or over liquid or steam, such as boiling, poaching, steaming or stewing, which tenderises food and keeps it moist.

A method that uses both dry and moist heat, such as braising or stewing, where food is browned first then cooked slowly in liquid.

The browning that occurs when proteins and sugars react at high heat, producing colour and savoury flavour on grilled meat, toast and roasted vegetables.

The browning of sugar when heated, giving colour and sweetness to foods such as onions, syrups and baked goods. It differs from protein browning.

Briefly cooking food in boiling water then cooling it quickly in iced water. It sets colour, loosens skins and prepares vegetables for later service.

Plunging blanched or par-cooked food into iced water to stop the cooking process immediately and preserve colour, texture and nutrients.

Simmering a liquid such as stock or sauce so water evaporates and the flavour concentrates and thickens. It requires close attention to avoid burning.

A thickener made by cooking equal weights of flour and fat together, then adding liquid. The cooking time determines its colour and flavour strength.

A paste of raw starch, such as cornflour, mixed with cold water and stirred into hot liquid to thicken it without forming lumps.

Adding salt and pepper to adjust and balance the natural flavour of food. It is done in stages and checked by tasting throughout cooking.

Adjusting a dish so sweet, sour, salty, bitter and savoury tastes are in harmony, for example adding acid to cut through richness.

Judging food using the senses of taste, smell, sight, touch and hearing to assess seasoning, texture, appearance and overall quality before service.

Planning preparation and storage so surplus food, trimmings and packaging are reduced, saving money and limiting environmental impact.

Storing and using food so the oldest stock is used first, usually by dating labels and placing older items at the front of shelves.

Marking stored food with the date it was prepared or opened and its use-by date, so staff know when it must be used or discarded.

Working in ways that reduce harm to the environment, such as saving water and energy, recycling, composting and choosing local or seasonal produce.