emerit Line Cook (TCP) cheat sheet

Fire classes: A = ordinary combustibles (wood, paper, cloth); B = flammable liquids and gases; C = energized electrical equipment; K = cooking oils and fats in commercial fryers and ranges.

PASS for extinguisher use: Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, Sweep side to side; never aim at flames above a grease fire.

A Class K extinguisher uses wet chemical (alkaline) agent that saponifies hot fat; water on a fat fire causes steam explosion and spattering.

Burn treatment rule: cool running water for at least 20 minutes; no ice, butter, or ointment; do not rupture blisters; seek care for burns larger than the palm.

Wet floors require a wet-floor sign immediately at the spill; a spill left unmarked is the most common slip-and-fall cause in kitchens.

Knife carry rule: blade down and pointed at the floor, edge turned away from the body; never carry a knife hidden in a towel or sink.

Safe lifting: load close to body, feet shoulder-width, lift with legs, no twisting while loaded; team-lift anything above roughly 50 lb (23 kg).

Chemical rule: never store sanitizer or cleaner in an unlabeled container or a food container; keep SDS sheets accessible for every chemical on site.

Temperature Danger Zone is 41°F to 135°F (5°C to 57°C); limit time in the zone to a cumulative 4 hours for foods held or cooled.

Two-stage cooling: 135°F to 70°F (57°C to 21°C) within 2 hours, then 70°F to 41°F (21°C to 5°C) within 4 more hours; total 6 hours.

Reheating for hot holding: reach 165°F (74°C) within 2 hours, once only; hot hold at 135°F or above, cold hold at 41°F or below.

Poultry, stuffed items, and reheated leftovers: 165°F (74°C) internal; ground meat 155°F (68°C); whole-muscle pork, beef, and fish 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest.

FIFO rotation: new stock goes behind or below older stock; date labels go on every container at the moment of prep, not at the end of shift.

Handwash sequence: wet hands, apply soap, scrub 10-15 seconds including under nails, rinse, dry with a single-use towel, then use a paper towel to shut off the faucet.

Sanitizer concentration: chlorine 50-100 ppm, quaternary ammonium 200-400 ppm, iodine 12.5-25 ppm; test strips verify strength, and soiled solution must be changed.

Cross-contamination rule: separate color-coded cutting boards and knives for raw animal foods versus ready-to-eat foods; raw proteins stored below ready-to-eat items in the cooler.

Knife anatomy: heel (rear of blade, for heavy work), tip (fine work), spine (back edge), bolster, tang, and handle scales; the full tang runs the length of the handle.

French (chef's) knife 8-10 in for general work; paring knife 3-4 in for in-hand work; serrated bread knife for crusty loaves and tomatoes; boning knife for following bones.

Honing straightens the edge on a steel and is done often; sharpening removes metal on a whetstone or grinder and is done rarely.

Grip rules: pinch grip on the blade for control; the guiding hand curls fingertips into a claw so knuckles face the blade.

Basic cuts by size: chiffonade (thin ribbons), julienne (about 1/8 x 1/8 x 2 in), batonnet (1/4 x 1/4 x 2 in), brunoise (1/8 in dice), dice (1/4 to 3/4 in), paysanne (thin slices).

Dice is made by cutting planks, then sticks, then cross-cuts; uniform size matters because it equalizes cooking time and yield.

Thermometer types: instant-read (thin probe, checks in seconds), probe with cable (oven monitoring), infrared (surface only, not internal temp).

Scale rule: weight is more accurate than volume for dry ingredients; a baker's percentage expresses each ingredient as a percentage of total flour weight.

Mise en place means everything in place: ingredients measured and cut, tools ready, station set, before service begins.

Recipe yield and portioning: total batch weight divided by portion weight gives portions per batch; a 12 lb batch at 6 oz portions yields 32 portions.

Volume-to-weight anchors: 1 cup all-purpose flour about 4.25 oz (120 g); 1 cup water 8 oz (236 g); 1 cup granulated sugar about 7 oz (200 g).

Measurement equivalents: 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon; 16 tablespoons = 1 cup; 2 cups = 1 pint; 4 cups = 1 quart; 1 gallon = 4 quarts.

Baker's percentage: flour = 100%; hydration = water weight divided by flour weight; a 65% hydration dough uses 650 g water per 1000 g flour.

Ingredient functions: salt seasons and tightens gluten; fat tenderizes and carries flavor; acid (lemon, vinegar) brightens and can set proteins; sugar browns via caramelization and Maillard reaction.

Substitution check: buttermilk can be replaced by milk plus acid (about 1 tablespoon lemon juice per cup) when acidity is needed for leavening.

Standardized recipe fields: yield, portion size, ingredient list in order of use, method, critical control points, and plating instructions.

Dry-heat methods: roasting, baking, grilling, broiling, sautéing, pan-frying, deep-frying, searing; moist-heat: poaching, simmering, boiling, steaming, braising, stewing.

Combination methods (braise, stew) start with dry-heat searing and finish with moist heat and long, low cooking.

Maillard browning begins around 300°F (150°C) and needs a dry surface; pat proteins dry and avoid crowding the pan to keep the pan temperature up.

Caramelization is sugar browning, distinct from Maillard; it proceeds faster with more heat and lower moisture.

Smoke points: butter about 300°F (150°C), extra-virgin olive oil about 375°F (190°C), canola about 400°F (204°C), refined peanut about 450°F (232°C).

Deep-fry rule: oil at 350-375°F (175-190°C); a 25°F drop per batch of cold product is normal, so allow recovery between batches.

Blanching and shocking: boil briefly, then plunge into ice water to stop carryover cooking and set color; par-cooking shortens pickup time.

Carryover cooking: large roasts rise 5-10°F after removal; pull below target and rest to finish.

Reduction and deglazing: simmer to concentrate flavor; add liquid to a hot pan and scrape fond to dissolve browned proteins into the sauce.

Protein doneness by internal temp: chicken breast 165°F (74°C), pork loin 145°F (63°C) with rest, beef medium-rare 130-135°F (54-57°C) with rest, fish flake point 145°F (63°C).

Resting meat 5-20 minutes lets juices redistribute; slicing immediately loses juice to the board.

Grain cooking ratios: long-grain rice 1:1.5 to 1:2 by volume; polenta about 1:4; dried beans require soaking or long simmer and are fully cooked when tender at the center.

Pasta rule: salt water heavily (about 1 tablespoon per gallon), cook to al dente, reserve starchy cooking water to loosen sauce.

Potato starch types matter: waxy potatoes hold shape for salads and roasting; starchy (russet) potatoes mash light and fry crisp.

Vegetable color: green vegetables stay bright with brief, high-heat cooking and no acid; acid turns chlorophyll olive-gray.

Blanching vegetables for service: cook until just tender, shock in ice water, drain and dry, then reheat to order.

Egg cookery: coagulates at about 145°F (63°C) for whites and 140°F (60°C) for yolks; overcooking causes sulfurous green rings in hard-cooked eggs.

Produce yield: trim loss, peel loss, and shrinkage reduce usable weight; a case of onions yields less than its purchase weight after peel and trim.

Stock fundamentals: cold water start, bones rinsed, gentle simmer (never boil), skim impurities, and simmer 3-4 hours for chicken, 6-8 hours for beef; fish stock 30-45 minutes.

Mirepoix ratio: 2 parts onion, 1 part carrot, 1 part celery by weight; sachet d'épices adds bay, thyme, peppercorn, parsley stem, and clove.

Mother sauces: béchamel (milk + white roux), velouté (white stock + blond roux), espagnole (brown stock + brown roux + tomato), tomato, and hollandaise (emulsified butter and yolk).

Roux stages: white (cook 3-5 min), blond (8-10 min), brown (20-30 min); equal weights of flour and fat by weight, and hot liquid is added to a cool roux to avoid lumps.

Slurry and beurre manié are alternative thickeners; cornstarch thickens at lower temperature than flour and gives a glossy, clear sauce.

Soup families: clear (consommé, broth), thick (cream, purée, chowder), and specialty (bisque, gumbo); cream soups are finished off the heat to avoid breaking.

Seasoning sequence: season in layers during cooking, taste at each stage, and correct salt and acid last; salt tastes stronger in hot food than in cold.

Emulsion rule for hollandaise: warm clarified butter, whisked slowly into yolks over gentle heat; if it breaks, whisk a fresh yolk with a splash of water and re-emulsify.

Plating anchors: starch, protein, and vegetable arranged for balance; the plate rim stays clean, and the focal point sits slightly below center.

Portion control by weight or scoop, not by eye; a consistent portion is the main defense against food cost drift.

Temperature at service: hot food above 135°F (57°C), cold food below 41°F (5°C); plate hot food on hot plates and cold food on chilled plates.

Quality control checks: taste, temperature, appearance, and portion size (TTAP) before the plate leaves the pass.

Color and texture contrast guide garnishes; use edible garnish only, and keep garnish small enough to eat in one bite.

Sauce placement: under the protein, alongside, or as a pool; avoid flooding the plate and avoid a sauce that runs to the rim.

Hold times: fried items lose crispness within minutes, so fry to order; sliced fruit and cut greens oxidize and should be used the same day.

Allergen control at plating: dedicated utensils and a separate prep area for allergen-free plates, and confirm the ticket before the plate leaves the pass.

Brigade roles: executive chef (menu, cost, staff), sous chef (operations, expediting), chef de partie (station chef: sauté, grill, garde manger, pastry), commis (assistants).

The pass is the expediter's post: calls tickets, checks plates, and controls the order in which dishes leave the kitchen.

Call-and-response rule: the caller names the item and station; the station repeats it back so the ticket is confirmed.

Ticket sequencing: fire long-cook items first, then mid-cook, then quick items (sauté, fry) so all components of a table finish together.

Station setup: on the line before service, tools sharpened, mise en place stocked to par, sanitizer bucket ready, and low items flagged to the prep cook.

Communication terms: 'behind' when passing behind someone, 'sharp' or 'hot' when carrying a knife or hot pan, 'corner' when turning a blind corner, 'heard' to confirm an order.

Service flow: prep (mise en place) → line (cook to ticket) → pass (check and garnish) → expo (deliver); a bottleneck at any stage delays the whole ticket.

Close-down: break down station, label and date leftovers, clean and sanitize surfaces, store food properly, and report equipment issues in writing.

Food cost percentage = (cost of goods sold ÷ food sales) × 100; a 30% food cost means 30 cents of food per dollar of sales.

Cost per portion = total ingredient cost ÷ number of portions; recalculate whenever a supplier price changes.

Inventory turnover = cost of goods sold ÷ average inventory value; a higher turnover means fresher stock and less capital tied up.

Theft and waste control: par levels, requisition slips, locked storage for high-value items, and a waste log with a reason code for every discard.

FIFO plus date labeling is the primary waste-control system; unlabeled product is discarded or treated as expired.

Trim and yield: usable yield percentage = usable weight ÷ as-purchased weight; use it to convert a recipe's usable amount into a purchase order amount.

Waste hierarchy: prevent (better ordering, correct storage), then repurpose (trim into stock, vegetable scraps into stock), then compost, then landfill.

Portion creep is the most common cost leak; weigh a sample of plates each shift and compare against the standard portion.