Stewarding Department Training Guidelines Knowing the Different Kitchens
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A new member of the Stewarding Department should know that the commercial kitchen is divided into different areas, the two most common of which are the cold and hot kitchen. Aside from this, the kitchen is still divided into stations, and you have the stations where you saut, grill, fry, etc.
Knowing the different kitchens is very important because not only does the kitchen steward have to know the uses of each of the kitchen areas, but he also has to know how to properly clean and maintain the cleanliness of these areas.
Hot and Cold Kitchen
The two most common division of a commercial kitchen is the hot and cold kitchen.
In a nutshell, the cold kitchen is where chefs prepare the salads as well as appetizers and desserts that do not need cooking with heat. The cold kitchen is usually where dishes that do not require heat are prepared. As the name implies, the cold kitchen is cooler than its counterpart, the hot kitchen, and it contains the coolers, freezers, chillers, refrigerators, etc. where food is kept.
On the other hand, the hot kitchen is where chefs cook, grill, and fry food. This is also where pastries and cakes are made. The hot kitchen is where the ovens, stoves, grills, deep fryers, etc. are situated, so, as the name implies, the hot kitchen is literally hot.
The Kitchen Stations
The kitchen station where the most complex and intricate dishes are prepared and cooked is the saut station. This is also the busiest station during the peak hours of the restaurant as multiple dishes are cooked simultaneously to accommodate the guests. The saut station has several gas ranges with multiple burners to provide ample space for multiple cooking, and it also has its own prep area where the food is prepared.
As the name implies, the grill station is where food is grilled. Like the saut station, it is also a very busy station since the cook has to grill several foods at once. This station contains the grill, of course.
The fryer station, on the other hand, is where food is fried. This station contains the deep fryer and its very own freezer, which is where the frozen food products are usually kept.
The Kitchen Line
Another important part of the kitchen is the kitchen line. This is, after all, the area of the kitchen where the dishes are placed and where the servers pick up the dishes to serve the guests. The kitchen line usually has heating lamps to keep the dishes hot.
Importance of Knowing the Different Kitchens
As stated above, knowing the different kitchen areas is very important, especially when it comes to cleaning them. The cold kitchen needs a more thorough cleaning and sanitizing, and the kitchen steward has to make sure that the hygienic state of the cold kitchen is kept excellent. This is particularly because the food products used here need not be cooked before being served to the guests. Plus, the risk of bacterial contamination here is much higher since heat is needed to kill bacteria.
However, this does not mean that the hot kitchen deserves less cleaning though. Bacteria grows faster and spreads quicker in warm temperatures, so the kitchen steward also has to make sure that this area is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized as well.
To maintain the cleanliness and hygiene of the different kitchen areas, the kitchen steward has to have a very excellent personal hygiene as well. This includes washing his hands after each activity, especially after visiting the restroom. This is so as to prevent cross contamination.
