Western Cuisine Craftsman cheat sheet

Temperature danger zone is 5–63°C (41–145°F); bacterial growth is fastest between 20°C and 50°C, so cumulative time in the zone is kept under 2 hours.

Cooking endpoints: poultry 74°C; minced meat 71°C; whole pork, beef and lamb 63°C with a 3-minute rest; fish 63°C; egg dishes 71°C.

Cooling standard: 63°C to 21°C within 2 hours, then 21°C to 5°C within 4 hours, total 6 hours; shallow pans no deeper than 5 cm and blast chillers are used.

Reheating: 74°C for at least 15 seconds within 2 hours, once only; hot holding at 63°C or above.

Cold holding at 5°C or below; freezer at −18°C or below; refrigerator 1–4°C; temperatures are verified with a probe, not the dial.

HACCP seven principles: hazard analysis, determine CCPs, set critical limits, monitor, take corrective action, verify, keep records.

High-risk foods are moist, protein-rich, pH above 4.6 and water activity above 0.85: meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, cooked rice and cooked legumes.

Key hazards: Bacillus cereus in cooked rice, Clostridium perfringens in stews, Staphylococcus aureus from hand contact, Clostridium botulinum in anaerobic low-acid packs.

Four-hour rule for high-risk food: 0–2 hours return to refrigeration; 2–4 hours use immediately; over 4 hours discard.

Handwashing uses soap and warm running water for at least 20 seconds, covering backs of hands, between fingers, thumbs and under nails, then drying with a disposable towel.

Two-stage cleaning: detergent removes soil, then rinse, then sanitise; sanitiser is effective only on a clean surface.

Chemical sanitiser strengths: chlorine 100–200 ppm for food-contact surfaces with at least 30 seconds contact; quaternary ammonium about 200 ppm; test strips confirm strength.

Hot-water sanitising requires 77°C or above for at least 30 seconds; it is not a substitute for cleaning.

Colour-coded boards and utensils separate raw meat, raw fish, cooked foods and produce; the exact colour scheme follows the establishment's written plan.

Personal hygiene: clean uniform, hair restraint, no jewellery or watches, short unpolished nails; staff with vomiting or diarrhoea are excluded until 48 hours after symptoms stop.

Cross-contamination controls: raw food stored below ready-to-eat food, dedicated utensils, single-use towels, separate cloths for different tasks.

Cleaning schedule: boards and surfaces after each task, deep clean daily, extractor canopies and drains weekly; cleaning records are signed and kept.

Pest control: gaps sealed, stock stored 15 cm off the floor, FIFO rotation, droppings reported immediately, no bait stations inside food areas.

Knife anatomy: tip, edge, spine, heel, bolster, tang, scales and rivets; a full tang gives strength and balance.

Pinch grip holds the blade between thumb and forefinger just ahead of the bolster; the guiding hand uses a claw with fingertips tucked back.

Honing realigns the existing edge and is done frequently with a steel; sharpening removes metal on a stone or grinder and restores a new edge.

Typical edge angle is 15–20° per side; a 20–25 cm French knife, 8–10 cm paring knife, 15 cm boning knife and 18 cm filleting knife cover most tasks.

Blade materials: high-carbon steel takes a keen edge but corrodes; stainless steel resists corrosion; high-carbon stainless steel balances both.

Knives are never left in a sink or at the board edge; they are carried blade down and away from the body and passed handle first.

Cutting surfaces are polyethylene or wood; glass and granite dull edges and are avoided; a damp cloth stabilises the board.

Knives are cleaned immediately, dried and stored on a magnetic strip or in a roll; wooden handles are not soaked.

Standard dice sizes: fine brunoise 1.5 mm; brunoise 3 mm; small dice 6 mm; medium dice 9 mm; large dice 12 mm; macédoine about 5 mm.

Julienne is 3 × 3 × 40–50 mm; batonnet 6 × 6 × 40–50 mm; frite 9 × 9 × 60 mm; pont-neuf 12 × 12 × 60–75 mm.

Chiffonade: leaves are stacked, rolled tightly and sliced into 1–2 mm ribbons, used for basil, sorrel and lettuce.

Tourné is a seven-sided barrel 5–6 cm long and about 2 cm wide; paysanne is a 1 mm slice cut into decorative shapes.

Mise en place means all ingredients are measured, cut, blanched, labelled and staged, and equipment and plates are ready before service.

Labels carry product name, date, time and initials; FIFO rotation applies; items are used within their shelf life.

Raw and ready-to-eat items are kept in separate containers during prep; colour-coded containers and utensils reinforce separation.

Uniform cuts give even cooking and consistent yield; a 1-litre container of dice is weighed as a calibration check.

The correct knife and board are selected for each task, and boards are cleaned and sanitised between proteins and produce.

Stock ratio by weight: 50% bones, 10% mirepoix and 100% water; simmer white stock 4–6 hours and brown stock 6–8 hours, never boil.

Brown stock: bones roasted at about 200°C until deep brown, tomato paste added, pan deglazed; white stock: bones blanched and not browned.

Fumet uses fish bones and simmers only 20–30 minutes; remouillage is a second extraction from already-used bones.

Roux: equal weights of butter and flour; white cooked 2–3 minutes, blond about 5 minutes, brown 10–15 minutes; about 1 kg roux thickens 10 L liquid to nappe consistency.

Mother sauces: béchamel (milk and white roux), velouté (white stock and blond roux), espagnole (brown stock, brown roux and tomato), sauce tomate, hollandaise.

Hollandaise is an emulsion of egg yolk, reduction and clarified butter held at 60–65°C; a split sauce is recovered by whisking in warm water.

Slurry: cornstarch mixed 1:2 with cold water; about 10 g starch thickens 100 mL liquid; it is added to boiling liquid and simmered 2 minutes.

Soup classes: clear (broth, consommé) and thick (cream, purée, bisque, chowder); consommé is clarified with a raft of meat, egg white, mirepoix and tomato and simmers about 90 minutes.

Stocks are lightly salted or unsalted and seasoned at the end; they are cooled quickly, labelled and dated.

Beef primals: chuck, rib, short loin, sirloin, round, brisket, plate, flank and shank; tender cuts come from the loin, tough cuts from chuck and round.

Collagen converts to gelatin at 70–80°C with moisture during long moist cooking; elastin resists heat; acid from wine or tomato accelerates collagen breakdown.

Dry aging: 1–4°C, 75–80% relative humidity, 14–28 days; weight loss 10–20%; enzymes tenderise and concentrate flavour.

Doneness temperatures: rare 49–52°C, medium rare 54–57°C, medium 60–63°C, medium well 66–68°C, well done 71°C and above; rest 5–10 minutes.

Carryover cooking raises internal temperature 2–5°C after removal from the oven; meat is pulled 2–5°C below the target.

Poultry is cooked to 74°C in the thigh; trussing or spatchcocking promotes even cooking; stuffing must also reach 74°C.

Game is classified as furred or feathered; hanging 3–7 days at 1–4°C develops flavour; lean game is larded or barded to prevent drying.

Brining uses a 5–10% salt solution for 4–12 hours; dry brine is 1–2% salt by weight; equilibrium brining avoids oversalting.

Grading depends on marbling and maturity; USDA Prime, Choice and Select are main beef grades; Wagyu is valued for high intramuscular fat.

Lean fish contain under 2% fat (cod, haddock, sole) and suit quick moist cooking; oily fish exceed 5% fat (salmon, mackerel, sardine) and suit grilling or baking.

Freshness indicators: bright clear eyes, red gills, firm springy flesh, tight scales and a sea smell; dull eyes, soft flesh and ammonia odour are rejection signs.

Rigor mortis occurs 1–7 hours after catch; filleting during rigor causes gaping, so fish is iced and rested first.

Filleting: head removed, knife run along the backbone, ribs followed, skin removed by sliding the knife between flesh and skin; pin bones are pulled with pliers.

Fish is cooked to 63°C or until the flesh just flakes; the 10-minute rule uses about 230°C for 10 minutes per 2.5 cm of thickness.

Mussels and clams open during cooking and closed ones are discarded; lobster and crab are cooked from live; shrimp turn pink and firm when done.

Oysters are shucked from the hinge, liquor retained and served on ice; raw shellfish carries elevated risk for vulnerable groups.

Parasite control for raw fish: freezing at −20°C for 7 days or −35°C for 15 hours; sushi-grade fish arrives with documentation.

Storage: fish at 0–2°C on ice, below cooked foods and separate from ready-to-eat items, used within 1–2 days.

Pigments: chlorophyll is green and turns olive with heat or acid; carotenoids are orange-yellow, fat-soluble and heat stable; anthocyanins are red in acid and blue in alkali; betalains colour beetroot.

Blanching green vegetables for 2–5 minutes in boiling salted water followed by ice-water shocking sets colour and texture.

Cooking methods include boiling, steaming, sautéing, roasting, glazing and puréeing; green vegetables are cooked uncovered so volatile acids escape.

Legumes are soaked 8–12 hours, the water discarded and the pulses simmered; kidney beans must boil for at least 10 minutes to destroy phytohaemagglutinin.

Yield guides: 1 cup dry legumes gives about 2.5 cups cooked; rice uses 1:2 water, polenta 1:4 and couscous 1:1.5.

Starch gelatinises at 60–70°C; retrogradation occurs on cooling and reheating restores texture.

Potato types: waxy for boiling and salads, mealy for baking, mashing and frying; sugar content affects fry colour and acrylamide formation.

Grains: rice is rinsed, toasted for pilaf and stirred for risotto to release starch; pasta is cooked al dente and cooking water is reserved.

Vegetable cuts are uniform for even cooking; blanched vegetables are refreshed in ice water and drained before service.

Flour protein: cake 7–9%, pastry 9–10%, all-purpose 10–11%, bread 12–14%; gluten develops when flour is hydrated and kneaded.

Lamination alternates dough and butter layers; butter is kept at 15–18°C and dough rests 30 minutes between folds; croissant uses 3 folds and puff pastry 6.

Sugar stages: thread 110°C, soft ball 115°C, firm ball 120°C, hard ball 125°C, soft crack 135°C, hard crack 150°C, caramel 170°C.

Custards: crème anglaise 82–85°C, pastry cream 85°C, crème brûlée 80–85°C; overheating causes curdling.

Chocolate tempering: dark 45°C melt, cool to 27°C, reheat to 31–32°C; milk 29–30°C; white 28–29°C.

Meringue types: French (uncooked), Italian (118°C syrup), Swiss (warmed over water); a clean, fat-free bowl is required for stable foam.

Yeast activates at 35–40°C with an optimum of 27–32°C; dough proofs until doubled; salt inhibits yeast and is not placed directly on it.

Convection ovens are set 10–20°C lower than deck ovens; baked goods are checked with a skewer and cooled on a rack.

Custards and cream products are held at 5°C or below; egg-based sauces are held at 60–65°C; cream left above 5°C for over 2 hours is discarded.

Menu types: à la carte (each item priced), table d'hôte (fixed menu), prix fixe (fixed total price), buffet and cycle menu.

Balance is checked across colour, texture, flavour, temperature, cooking method, nutrition, cost and season.

Menu engineering matrix: stars (high popularity, high margin), plowhorses (high popularity, low margin), puzzles (low popularity, high margin), dogs (low both).

Contribution margin equals selling price minus food cost; food cost percentage equals total food cost divided by total food sales, multiplied by 100.

Cross-utilisation uses one ingredient across several dishes, reducing waste and inventory.

Seasonality lowers purchase price and improves quality; menus are adjusted quarterly or when markets change.

Dietary inclusion requires vegetarian, gluten-free and allergen-aware options with clear labelling.

Kitchen capacity is checked against station equipment, skill and ticket times; too many fried or grill items overload one station.

Pricing uses the factor method (price = food cost × markup factor) or a target gross margin and is checked against the market.

Energy factors: protein 4 kcal/g, carbohydrate 4 kcal/g, fat 9 kcal/g, alcohol 7 kcal/g.

Acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges: carbohydrate 45–65%, fat 20–35%, protein 10–35% of energy.

EU 14 allergens: celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, nuts, peanuts, sesame, soy and sulphites.

Gluten-free diets exclude wheat, rye and barley; oats must be certified gluten-free; sauces, stocks and coatings are checked.

Vegetarian and vegan diets replace meat with legumes, tofu, tempeh and seitan (not gluten-free); grains and legumes are combined for amino acid balance.

Fibre target is 25–30 g per day from wholegrains, legumes, vegetables and fruit.

Salt is limited to under 5 g per day; free sugar under 10% of energy; saturated fat under 10% of energy.

Diabetes management uses carbohydrate counting, lower-glycaemic-index foods and consistent portion sizes.

Cooking losses: vitamin C and B vitamins are heat- and water-soluble; vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble and can oxidise on storage.

Brigade de cuisine: chef de cuisine, sous chef, chef de partie, commis and plongeur, with a clear chain of command.

Station setup includes equipment, utensils, mise en place and plates within reach; the station is checked before service.

Service flow follows ticket order; orders are called back and expedited; ticket times are monitored by course.

Communication uses short, clear calls and confirmation such as “Yes, chef”; running is prohibited in the kitchen.

FIFO and labelling require product name, date, time and initials; expired items are discarded.

Par levels are the minimum stock needed for service; reordering occurs at par and deliveries are checked against the order.

HACCP records include temperature logs, cleaning schedules and corrective actions, retained for the required period.

Opening checks cover gas, refrigeration, hot water, equipment and stock; closing checks cover cleaning, storage, locking and security.

Waste control records trim, portioning and spoilage; prep quantities are adjusted to reduce overproduction.

Food cost percentage = food cost ÷ food sales × 100; typical targets range from 28% to 35% depending on concept.

Cost per portion = total recipe cost ÷ number of portions, including trim and cooking yield.

Yield percentage = edible portion weight ÷ as-purchased weight × 100; edible portion cost = as-purchased cost ÷ yield percentage.

Inventory turnover = cost of goods sold ÷ average inventory value; higher turnover is better within freshness limits.

Par level = usage per period × lead time + safety stock; reorder point = usage during lead time.

Variance = actual food cost − ideal food cost; a variance above 2–3% is investigated.

Menu pricing: markup factor = 1 ÷ target food cost percentage; price = portion cost × markup factor.

Receiving checks quantity, quality, temperature and dates; damaged or out-of-spec deliveries are rejected.

Stock is rotated FIFO, counted weekly and adjusted for waste, transfers and spoilage.

Convection ovens circulate heat with a fan and cook about 10–20°C lower or faster than still ovens; overcrowding blocks airflow.

Combi ovens run convection (dry heat), steam (100°C moist heat) and combination modes; they are cleaned and descaled daily.

Refrigeration is 1–4°C and freezers −18°C or below; door seals, airflow and loading limits are checked.

Blast chillers take food from 63°C to 3°C within 90 minutes and to −18°C within 240 minutes.

Sous-vide circulators hold water within about ±0.5°C; food is vacuum-sealed and cooked to validated time-temperature tables.

Probe thermometers are calibrated at the ice point (0°C) and in boiling water (100°C) and sanitised between uses.

Stand mixer attachments: paddle for creaming and mixing, whisk for aeration, dough hook for yeast dough; low speed limits flour dust.

Food processors are pulsed for coarse textures and run continuously for purées; bowls are not overfilled and blades are kept sharp.

Lockout/tagout is applied before cleaning or repair, and hands are never placed in moving machinery.

Burns are cooled under running water for 20 minutes; ice, butter and ointments are not used; the burn is covered loosely and medical help sought for serious burns.

Cuts are treated with direct pressure and elevation, then cleaned and dressed; blue detectable plasters are used in food areas and injuries are reported.

Fire classes: A solids, B flammable liquids, C gases, D metals, F/K cooking oils; the extinguisher must match the class.

PASS technique: Pull the pin, Aim at the base, Squeeze the handle, Sweep side to side; only small fires with a clear escape route are fought.

Oil fires are never doused with water; the heat is turned off, a lid or fire blanket is used and a wet chemical extinguisher is applied.

Gas leaks require shutting off the supply, avoiding flames and switches, ventilating, evacuating and calling the emergency service.

Slip and trip control: spills cleaned immediately, wet-floor signs posted, walkways kept clear and non-slip footwear worn.

Electrical safety: no wet hands, cords checked for damage, equipment unplugged before cleaning and RCD protection in wet areas.

First aid follows DRABC (danger, response, airway, breathing, circulation); emergency numbers and first-aid kit locations are known to all staff.