Kitchen Areas: Functions and Equipment in a Professional Kitchen

Kitchen Areas: Functions and Equipment

Kitchen Areas, Functions and Equipment:

• Reception area: Here we weigh supplies, check temperature, date or quality. (slicer, trolleys)
• Storeroom office: We do all the paperwork and accounting for the department. (computers, telephone, files, shelving, printer, photocopier, desk)
• Dry store: We store supplies that do not need cold storage and keep all the food, beverages and whatever materials the department may need. (gastronorms, olives, cupboard, trolleys)
• Cold store: We keep food that needs to be kept cold. (shelves, trolleys, boxes, walk-in freezer)
• Preparation area: is where food is pre-elaborated and cooked. (combination oven, 4-burner stove, microwave oven, salamander...)
• Service area: we put the plates that are ready to serve. (set of dishes (vajilla), work top, counter (mostrador))
• Washing-up area: This is where we wash soiled plates and glasses, pans and pots. (soap dispenser, sink, scouring pad, conveyor dishwasher)

Management Structure

1. F&B manager: Management is responsible for planning the general organization.
2. Executive head chef: The kitchen is in charge of producing dishes.
3. Restaurant and bar manager: The restaurant takes care of promoting and selling dishes.

Kitchen Brigade

• Head chef: In charge of the kitchen brigade.
• Head starters (departure head): Makes support (acompañamiento) of plates.
• Head of cold room: Makes cold sauces, salads, starters, filling of raw meat, etc.
• Head confectioner: Makes doughs, pies, desserts, etc.
• Personal head: In charge of directing the personnel.
• Assistant: Helps the heads.

The Head Chef's Tasks

• Makes sure that the cooks supervise correct temperatures.
• Supervises the kitchen staff.
• Checks hygiene and cleaning.
• Supervises the cooking and presentation of dishes.
• Contacts the suppliers.
• Plans new menus.
• Has to keep up to date.

Dish Descriptions

This dish is crevettes à l'américaine. It is a sort of salad which contains shrimps, lettuce, hard-boiled eggs, fresh cream, a little ketchup and French brandy.

This dish is sirloin with dried fruit sauce. It is made of sirloin cooked in the oven and the trimming is potatoes and vegetables.

Cutting Techniques

Julienne, mirepoix, brunoise, in slices.

Cooking Methods

• With water: stew, to boil, bain-marie.
• With oil: fry.

Describing the Kitchen

In front of the door of my kitchen is the microwave oven, and on the left is a 3-burner stove and under the oven. On the left is the work top and the sink too. Under the work top are the drawers, and there are drawers under the sink as well. In the center of the kitchen is the dining room. On the left of the door there is furniture, and next to it are the refrigerator and freezer.