HE 325: Commercial Cooking

Module 9-Select, prepare and serve special cuisines

Week 8: March 15-21, 2021 | 2nd Semester, S.Y. 2020-2021

Introduction

This unit deals with the skills and knowledge required in the preparation and
service of a range of specialized items offered by enterprises which specialize in
particular cuisine style. This may be applied with other relevant cookery skills to
a specialized cuisine context such as an ethnic or specialist restaurant.
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Intended Learning Outcomes

 Identify special cuisine dishes

 Identify and purchase foods
 Identify and use specific equipment for special cuisines
 Explain the preparation, cooking, and service of special cuisine
 Distinguish the storage of special cuisine products

Topic 1: Select dishes for special cuisines

1.1 Identify and select a range dishes for special cuisines

Introduction

Every country has its own unique dishes that is

traditionally serves, either at a specific meal time or for a
specific event. Given that each country draws tourists from
all corners of the world, it is not only important to showcase
local cuisine, but to also provide dishes that they may be
accustom to. Therefore, it is essential that chefs understand
special dishes and cuisines that are served in all corners of the world. Whilst
having a thorough understanding of all cuisines is simply not possible of
practical, normally an understanding of cuisines of countries where most of their
customers come from is advantageous. This manual will explore the different
types of cuisines that may be offered to international customers and
considerations when preparing, cooking, serving and storing ingredients and
meals themselves.

Culture

The types of customers catered for by the hospitality

industry are diverse. Often the expectations
customers have about foods, meals and even the style
of food service is related to the cultural groups of
which they belong. Cultural influences such as
nationality, ancestral background and religion affect the foods that are chosen
and the manner in which food is eaten. It is important that cooks have knowledge
of how to design meals to meet the needs of specific cultural groups or the diets
which may be based on religion or other beliefs.
 World Cuisines

Food plays a major role in many cultures. Cuisines are as varied as there
are countries and communities within those countries. The foods that are
preferred, the types of meals that are prepared and even the style in which food
is generally served is influenced by factors such as the history, climate and the
geography of the area.

Looking at a cuisine of a country such as Vietnam you can see this influence:
1. French baguettes are readily found on the streets:
a. An aspect of the French occupation of Vietnam
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2. Fish is a major protein food eaten in Vietnam:

a. Vietnam has many thousands of kilometers of
coastline and waterways
3. Rice is a staple food in Vietnamese cuisine and is
eaten at most meals:
a. Much of Vietnam has a significant rainfall, which is ideal for
growing rice.

What is eaten in one culture or sub culture may not be considered food in
another.

The way food is prepared can also affect how it may be viewed. Eating raw fish
like Sashimi or food cooked in the ground like a Maori Hungi or cheese coated
in wood ash are enjoyed by some and would be considered unacceptable to
others.

Food preferences may also be influenced by religious beliefs and practises,

economic capacity and even political factors. Many dishes have developed
simply from the access people have to food; the dishes that are based on easy
to grow local foods in rural communities.

Identifying the main ingredients, cooking methods and service styles of a cuisine
will help you to be able to prepare meals which will be appealing to customers
from specific cultural groups. A good start is to be aware of the key components
of meals from general areas of the world.

This course is very general and you will probably need to explore the specifics of the
most relevant cuisines that apply to your work situation.
 Example of components for Japanese cuisine

For example, a specific Asian cuisine you may need to prepare meals for such as
Japanese cuisine would likely often comprise of the following components:

Protein

 Seafood
 Tofu

Starch
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 Rice
 Vegetables
 Radish
 Mushrooms
 Seaweed

Flavorings
4. Soy sauce
5. Miso

Cooking methods
6. Braising
7. Raw
A well-known Japanese dish is Sushi. Sushi is usually made of rice, topped with fresh
raw seafood and served with soy sauce. Some sushi is also wrapped in nori which is
toasted seaweed.

You can then investigate cuisines in even more depth by exploring the regional
differences. There are many regions of China where significant differences in the
Chinese cuisine can be identified, some feature spicy dishes and other focus on rich
braised dishes.

Examples of Chinese cuisine

A few examples of regional Chinese cuisines you may wish to explore in more detail
include:
8. Cantonese cuisine
9. Hunan cuisine
10. Szechuan cuisine.

Cuisines

When designing meals to meet the needs of customers from specific cultures it is
practical to use ingredients and cooking preparation methods that the customers are
familiar with. Each cuisine has its own characteristics and being able to identify these
will assist you in choosing appropriate meals. A few examples are listed:
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Not all cuisines are specific to a country.

Some cuisines develop when peoples from countries combine such as the combinations
found in Nonya, Creole and Cajun cuisines. Sometimes the same dishes can be found
in the cuisine of two countries such as Greek or Turkish baklava, although they will still
have variations such as whether honey or syrup is used and which nuts, walnuts or
pistachios.

And a number of countries seem to have many cuisines, like Italy, where the dishes vary
from region to region.

Being able to identify a range of dishes from different cuisines will broaden your ability
to offer customers meals that are suitable for their varying requests.

Cuisine in different countries

When designing meals for different cultures, it is important to explore some popular and
common dishes from a variety of countries. It is important to note that the list provided
is only a snapshot of what a specific country has to offer. All countries normally have
endless types of dishes, with local regions having their own unique cuisines and
delicious food dishes.

ASEAN Cuisine

Each ASEAN country has its own cuisine that it is famous for. Some dishes are
associated with special events, whilst others may be eaten at any time of year. Some
dishes may be popular throughout each country or specific to certain regions. Naturally
all dishes associated with each country cannot be identified. Following are a list of
popular foods in different ASEAN countries.
 Brunei

 Daging Masak Lada Hitam – spicy beef, potatoes and beans

 Udang Sambal Serai Bersantan – chilli prawns with coconut
milk
 Serondeng Pandag – fried chicken with garlic wrapped in
pandan leaves
 Nipah Palm Fruit (Mangrove Palm)
 Roti Prata – a kind of fried bread served with Dahl and Sambal or fish/chicken curry.
Can also be ordered with egg inside (Roti Telur)
 Nasi Lemak – coconut rice served with anchovy sambal (spicy sauce), peanuts, eggs
and cucumbers.
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 Lontong – cubes of rice served with sayur lodeh, a vegetable

curry made with coconut milk and tumeric.
 Mee Goreng – fried noodles.
 Nasi Goreng – fried Rice
 Soto – a thick soup usually consisting of chicken or beef.

Cambodia

 Bai sach chrouk – pork and rice

 Fish amok
 Khmer red curry
 Lap Khmer – lime-marinated Khmer beef salad
 Nom banh chok – Khmer noodles
 Kdam chaa – fried crab
 Red tree ants with beef and holy basil
 Ang dtray-meuk – grilled squid
 Cha houy teuk – jelly dessert
 Cha Traop Dot – Cambodian eggplant/pork stir-fry
 Cha Kdao Sach Maon – hot basil chicken
 Cambodian Manor Kho to Hu – caramelised pineapple and tofu.

Laos
 Sticky rice
 Tam mak hoong – spicy green papaya salad
 Miang
 Look seen – Lao beef meatballs
 Khua Pak Bong – stir fried water spinach
 Yor – Lao salad roll
 Som moo – pickled pork with pork skin
 Som pa – pickled fish
 Lao sausage(sai kok) – chunky pork sausage
 Seen hang – beef jerky that is flash-fried beef
 Larb – a spicy Lao minced meat salad
 Pon – spicy puree of cooked fish
 Tam mak guh – spicy green plantans (bananas) salad
 Tam mak thou – spicy green long/yard beans salad
 Tam mak taeng – cucumber salad
 Tam kow phun – spicy vermicelli noodles salad
 Kaeng kalee – Lao curry
 Sin dat or "Lao BBQ" – traditional Lao BBQ
 Mok pa – fish steamed in banana leaf
 Mok gai – chicken steamed in banana leaf
 Titi gai – steak in a banana leaf wrap
  Nam khao – fried rice ball salad and lettuce wraps
 Khua khao: Lao-style fried rice
 Khao piak khao – Lao rice porridge
 Khao piak sen – Lao noodle soup
 Khao poon – Rice vermicelli soup, also known as Lao
laksa
 Voon – Lao Jelly made with coconut milk
 Khao pard
 Khao tom – steamed rice wrapped in banana leaf
 Khao khohp
 Khanom maw kaeng – coconut custard cake
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 Indonesia

 Sambal – combination of chilies, sharp fermented

shrimp paste, tangy lime juice, sugar and salt
 Satay – meat skewers cook up over coals
 Bakso – savory meatball noodle soup
 Soto – simple, clear soup flavored with chicken, goat or
beef
 Nasi goreng – fried rice
 Gado-gado – vegetable salad bathed in peanut sauce.
 Nasi uduk – rice cooked in coconut milk and includes a
pinwheel of various meat and vegetable
 Nasi padang
 Ayam goreng – Indonesian fried chicken
 Bakmie goreng – noodles
 Gudeg – sweet jackfruit stew
 Rawon – beef stew from East Java
 Pecel lele – fried catfish
 Opor ayam – braised chicken in coconut milk
 Gulai – curry dishes
 Bubur ayam – savory porridge served with soy sauce, fried
shallots, shredded chicken, beans and crackers
 Bakpao – fluffy meat-filled buns
 Asinan sayur – pickled vegetable salad
 Cah kangkung – water spinach.

 Malaysia

 Rendang daging or ayam (beef or chicken) – curry with

coconut milk and spices
 Apam balik – pancake with sugar, peanuts and corn
 Nasi kerabu – blue powedered flowers, bean sprouts,
fried coconut, warm spicy sauce
 Ayam percik (chicken with percik sauce) – barbecued chicken lathered in spicy chili,
garlic and ginger sauce mixed with coconut milk
 Kuih - Malay-style pastries
 Air tebu – sugar cane
 Cendawan goreng - fried mushrooms
 Serunding daging or ayam - beef or chicken floss
 Lemang - glutinous rice mixed with coconut milk, which is
cooked in bamboo
 Otak-otak – brains
 Tepung pelita – sweet cake
 Rempeyek – deep fried dough with peanuts and anchovies
  Popia basah – wet spring roll
 Bubur (porridges)
 Roti jala
 Murtabak – pan-fried bread stuffed with minced meat and onions
and dipped in spicy sauce
 Laksa – spicy noodle soup

Myanmar

 Mohinga
 Burmese biryani

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Kausuetho (khow suey)

 Hnyin htoe
 Burmese naan flat-bread and pe byouk
 Rice and Burmese Curry
 Beans, onions, pumpkin
 Burmese fish curry
 Khaosay thote
 Deep fried stuffed tofu
 Sticky rice with shredded coconut
 Burmese salads:
o Laphet thohk – pickled tea leaf salad
o Lemon salad – entirely made from red onions and lemon
pulp
o Gyin thohk – pickled ginger mixed salad
o Tofu thohk – tofu salad
o Another lemon pulp salad
o Tomato and cabbage salad
 Burmese Indian thali mixed platter
 Burmese Indian dosa
 Grilled fish
 Mala hin.

Philippines

 Adobo – pork or chicken cooked in a marinade of vinegar,

soy sauce, bay leaves, and peppercorn
 Sinigang – pork or shrimp cooked in a tamarind-based sour
broth with vegetables
 Nilaga – beef boiled in onions and peppercorn
 Tinola – chicken or fish sauteed in garlic, onion, ginger, and
fish sauce with vegetables
 Pancit – rice noodles sauteed in pork or chicken, soy sauce,
and vegetables
 Tapsilog – a popular breakfast consists of beef jerky, fried
rice and sunny egg
 Pinakbet – vegetables sauteed in shrimp paste and pork or
fish
 Bicol Express – chilies and pork or chicken or dried fish cooked in shrimp paste
and coconut milk
 Monggo Guisado – boiled mungbean sauteed
 Chop Suey - bits of pork or chicken meat, giblets, and
liver and assorted vegetables
 Sisig – roasted pork head cut into tiny bits and mixed
with chopped onions and chili pepper Chicken Inasal –
chicken parts marinated in herbs and spices, then
skewered on sticks
  Pork Barbecue – pork chunks grilled over hot coals
 Lumpia Shanghai – ground pork or chicken mixed with
vegetables bits, firmly rolled in rice wrappers and deep-
fried
 Crispy Pata –marinated pork legs
 Lechon Kawali – deep fried pork belly or pork chop
 Kare-Kare – ox tail and ox tripe tenderized served with
bagoong or cooked shrimp paste
 Caldereta – beef sauteed with liver sauce and simmered in tomato sauce
 Kilawin – marinated raw fish or shellfish
 Lechon – whole pig
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Singapore

Popular dishes include:

 Chicken Rice
 Chilli Crab
 Mee Goreng
 Bak Kut Teh
 Bak Chor Mee
 Prawn Mee
 Hokkien Mee
 Ice Kachang
 Durian
 Carrot Cake
 Roti Prata
 Sting Ray / BBQ "Zi Cha"
 Nasi Lemak
 Kaya Toast
 Char Kuay Teow
 Yong Tau Fu
 Otah
 Curry Fish Head
 Satay.

Thailand

Popular dishes include:

 Tom yam goong – spicy shrimp soup
 Pad Thai – fried noodle
 Kang keaw wan gai – green chicken curry
 Gaeng daeng – red curry
 Tom kha kai – chicken in coconut milk soup
 Tom yam gai – spicy chicken soup
 Moo sa-te – grilled pork sticks with turmeric
 Som tam – spicy papaya salad
 Yam nua – spicy beef salad
 Panaeng – meat in spicy coconut cream
 Por pia tord – fried spring roll
 Gai pad met mamuang – stir-fried chicken with
cashew nuts
 Khao pad – fried rice
 Pak boong – morning glory.
 Vietnam

Popular dishes include:

 Pho – beef noodle soup

 Bún bò hue – spicy beef and pork noodle soup
 Com tam – pork dish
 Canh chua – sour soup
 Banh hoi – thin noodle dish with meat
 Bo la lot – rolled spiced beef dish
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 Banh mi thit – Vietnamese baguette

 Vietnamese salad rolls
 Banh cuon –rice flour rolls
 Banh bao – a steamed bun dumpling
 Banh chung – sticky rice dish
 Bun mang vit – bamboo shoots and duck noodle soup
 Bun cha – grilled pork and vermicelli noodles dish

Global cuisines

So far we have focused on cuisines from ASEAN nations,

however customers come from countries all around the world and
expect cuisines from different countries to complement local
delicacies.

Following is a list of popular cuisines from around the world.

Chinese cuisine

Popular dishes include:

 Kung pao chicken
 Spring rolls/egg rolls
 Szechuan hotpot
 Szechuan chicken
 Mushu pork
 Fried rice
 Beef with broccoli
 Fried dumplings
 Chinese dumpling – jiaozi
 Hot and sour soup
 Dim sum
 Beef fried noodles
 Hunan fried tofu
 Chow mein
 Wontons
 Peking duck.

Indian cuisine

Popular dishes include:

 Biryani
 Butter chicken
 Vindaloo & Rogan Josh
 Tandoori chicken
 Idli-Dosa-Vada with sambar
 11. Palak paneer
 Chole-Bhature
 Dal makhani
 Malai Kofta
 Naan
 Samosa and pakodas
 Pav Bhaji
 Panipuri -Chaats
 Kebabs
 Aloo gobi
 Lassi – Shakes
 Pickles.
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Japanese cuisine

Popular dishes include:

 Sashimi – thin slices of raw fish
 Sushi – raw fish, served on vinegared rice
 Sushi roll – filling is rolled in rice with a
covering of nori.
 Tempura – seafood or vegetables dipped
in batter and deep fried
 Kare raisu – curry rice
 Soba, udon and ramen noodles
 Teppanyaki – meat, seafood and
vegetables prepared in front of guests
 Donburi – bowl of rice covered with one
of a variety of toppings
 Sukiyaki – savoury stew of vegetables
and beef
 Shabushabu – thin slices of beef dipped
in a pot of boiling water and stock
 Okonomiyaki – savory Japanese pancake
 Yakitori – broiled chicken
 Yakiniku – grilled meat.

French cuisine

Popular dishes include:

 Soupe à l'oignon – French soup made of onions and beef stock
 Cheeses – brie, camembert, roquefort
 Baguette – a long skinny loaf of French bread
 Boeuf bourguignon – traditional French stew
 Coq au Vin – a famous food that is simply chicken
 Flamiche – pie crust filled with cheese and vegetables
 Salade nicoise
 Duck confit
 Foie Gras – This is the very fatty liver of a goose or duck
 Escargots – snails
 Truffes – expensive black mushrooms
 Ratatouille
 Crepes – thin pancakes
 Desserts – flans, ganache, tarts, pastries, crossaints.
 Italian cuisine

Popular dishes include:

 Pizza – cooked dough base with various toppings

 Chicken parmigiana
 Gelato – Italian ice-cream
 Tiramisu – dessert made of biscuits soaked in coffee with layers of whipped
mascarpone and egg yolks
 Risotto – short grain rice dish
 Mortadella – heat cured sausage
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 Spumoni – molded Italian ice cream dessert

 Cheeses – Mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano
 Pasta – Cannoli, spaghetti, penne, Fettuccine,
Linguine
 Lasagna
 Saltimbocca.

German cuisine

Popular dishes include:

 Bratwurst – sausage made of mixed meats
 Frankfurter – smoked sausage made from pure pork
 Sauerkraut – Fermented shredded cabbage
 Spätzle – hand-made noodles
 Knödel – German dumplings
 Kartoffelsalat – potato salad
 Schweinshaxe – pork hock
 Eisbein – ham hock usually served with Sauerkraut
 Weihnachtsgans – roasted goose
 Wiener schnitzel
 Strudel
 Stollen – a bread-like cake
 Apfelkuchen – apple cake.

Greek cuisine

Popular dishes include:

 Baklavas – baklava pastry
 Horta Vrasta – boiled leafy greens
 Tyropitakia – cheese pie triangles
 Kotosoupa avgolemono – chicken & lemon rice soup
 Revithosoupa – chickpea soup
 Classic dips & spreads – melitzanosalata, skorthalia,
taramosalata, tzatziki
 Pastitsio or pasticcio – creamy cheesy baked pasta with
meat
 Horiatiki salata – Greek salad
 Moussakas – moussaka with eggplant
 Arni me patates – roasted lamb with potatoes
 Souvlaki – skewered kebabs
 Gyro – sliced rotisserie-roasted meat
 Spanakopita or spanakotyropita - spinach pie with cheese
 Dolmathes or dolmades - stuffed grape leaves
 Yemista me ryzi - meatless stuffed vegetables
 Spanish cuisine

Popular dishes include:

 Pulpo a la gallega – galician octopus
 Cochinillo asado – roast suckling pig
 Paella – Spanish rice dish
 Jamon iberico and chorizo – Iberian ham and spicy sausage
 Gambas ajillo – garlic prawns
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 Pescado frito – fried fish

 Tortilla Española – Spanish omelette
 Gazpacho – cold tomato soup or liquid salad
 Queso manchego – spanish sheep cheese
 Patatas bravas – fried potatoes in spicy sauce.

Religion

Food is an important part of religious observance for many faiths. The role that food
plays in each religion is varied and may include:
 Food restrictions
 Fasting
 Meal time restrictions
 Festivals and celebrations.

There are numerous religions studied and practiced around the world however five are
considered the major religions of the world, this is not based on numbers of followers.
You will need to be aware of the significant religions in your own region so that you are
able to prepare suitable foods for your customers.

The major five religions which tend to have the most

significant impact on food requests in the hospitality
industry are:
 Christianity
 Islam
 Hinduism
 Buddhism
 Judaism.

Christianity
Christianity is the world's biggest religion, with about 2.1 billion followers
worldwide. It is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Those who follow
Christianity are called Christians.

Islam
Islam is a faith regarded as revealed through the Prophet of Allah, Muhammad.
Those who follow Islam are called Muslims. Muslims believe that there is only
one God and the Arabic word for God is Allah.

Hinduism

Hinduism is the religion of the majority of people in India and Nepal. It also exists
among significant populations outside of the sub-continent and has over 900
million adherents worldwide. Hinduism has no single founder, no single scripture,
 and no commonly agreed set of teachings. Followers of Hinduism are called
Hindus.

Buddhism

Buddhism is a tradition that focuses on personal spiritual development.

Buddhists strive for a deep insight into the true nature of life and do not worship
gods or deities. A follower of Buddhism is referred to as a Buddhist.

Judaism
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Judaism is one of the oldest monotheistic (one god) religions and was founded
over 3500 years ago in the Middle East. Followers of Judaism are called Jews.
Jews believe that God appointed the Jews to be his chosen people in order to
set an example of holiness and ethical behaviour to the world.

Most religions have divisions or branches which impact on the understanding

and practices, some followers will have a more orthodox (strict) view while others
will be more liberal (less strict). An example of how this might apply to food
choices would be the interpretation of not killing animals for human consumption.
This might be practiced by following a vegetarian diet or by not personally killing
animals for food.

Religion and Food Preferences

When preparing meals for customers who follow one of the religions listed or any
other set of beliefs specific meals may need to be offered. If you are aware of
the main food preferences which apply this will assist you to meet their needs.
Guidance from customers is often necessary as there are differing
interpretations of how to implement food preferences.

The most commonly requested food restrictions include the following:

 Overall Christianity has few food restrictions although there are some branches
of Christianity that have more restrictions on foods.

For example, many Seventh Day Adventists are vegetarian, some vegan.
However, as Christianity is the one of the world's largest religion, there are many
festivals which are widely celebrated and these will impact on the hospitality
industry.

The most well-known of these is the festivities at Christmas. Many hospitality

venues offer special menus at Christmas time.
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Catering to special days

In any country there are a number of special days that are celebrated. Naturally
each country celebrates days that are recognized around the world, or may have
their own unique days.

Many of these special days will have traditional cuisine that needs to be
prepared.

This section will explore some of these days and the traditional meals that
accompany them. It is important to note that items may vary between countries.

Christmas

Christmas is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ and a widely

observed holiday, celebrated generally on December 25 by millions of people
around the world.

Commonly served Christmas dishes, includes but not limited to:

 Roast turkey, chicken and ham
 Stuffing
 Roast potatoes and other vegetables
 Christmas cake or Christmas pudding
 Custard
 Gingerbread in Christmas shapes
 Sweets such as rocky road; rum balls; candy canes
 Champagne
 Cold turkey and cold ham
 Seafood and salads
 Trifle
 Pavlova
 Mince pies
 Bûche de Noël
 Eggnog
 Fruitcake
 Shortbread
 Pumpkin pie
 Cranberry sauce
 Mulled wine.
 Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday celebrated

primarily in the United States and Canada as a day of
giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the
preceding year. Several other places around the world
observe similar celebrations. It is celebrated on the
fourth Thursday of November in the United States and
on the second Monday of October in Canada.
Thanksgiving has its historical roots in religious and
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cultural traditions, but has long been celebrated in a

more secular manner as well. In the United States,
certain kinds of food are traditionally served at
Thanksgiving meals including:
 Baked or roasted turkey
 Stuffing
 Mashed potatoes with gravy
 Sweet potatoes
 Cranberry sauce
 Sweet corn
 Fall vegetables
 Pumpkin pie

St Valentine’s Day

Saint Valentine's Day, also known as Valentine's Day or the

Feast of Saint Valentine, [1] is observed on February 14
each year. It is celebrated in many countries around the
world.

It is not commonly celebrated in Malaysia.

it evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their

love for each other by presenting flowers, offering
confectionery, and sending greeting cards.

Common Valentine’s Day meals and food items include:

12. Chocolates
13. Candy / sweets
14. Champagne
15. Seafood.

An example of a Valentine’s Day menu is as follows:

Baked Oysters

Herb Aioli, sweet smoked BBQ sauce, arugula, parmesan and cheddar cheese

Tuna Tartare with black truffle powder

Chilled sauce Bearnaise, white truffle oil, black truffle powder

 Foie Gras
Foie gras with mustard seeds and green onions in duck jus

Pork Rib Eye

Mushroom fricassee, spinach Florentine, rosemary jus lie

Wagyu Beer and Lobster

Potato bacon lyonnaise, arugula, sauce au poivre and bearnaise

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Chocolate Truffle

Tasting Assortment of chocolate truffles

Mother’s Day

Mother's Day is a celebration honoring mothers and motherhood, maternal

bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days
in many parts of the world, most commonly in March or May. There are no
traditional Mother’s day menus, with different restaurants creating their own
menus reflecting what they feel may suit their customers.

An example of a Mother’s day menu is as follows:

 Father’s Day

Father's Day is a celebration honouring fathers and celebrating fatherhood,

paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. Many countries celebrate
it on the third Sunday of June, but it is also celebrated widely on other days.

Like with Mother’s Day, there are no traditional Father’s day menus, with different
restaurants creating their own menus reflecting what they feel may suit their
customers.
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An example of a Father’s day menu is as follows:

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1.2 Select dishes taking into account cultural/cuisines or special customer

requests
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Nutrition

All meals must be designed with nutrition in mind. This is important regardless
of any cultural, religious or health beliefs.
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Plant protein

Some plant foods also contain good sources of protein such as soy products like
tofu or bean curd.

Many plant foods contain protein which can be useful if combined together:

 E.g. Grains, nuts, seeds and legumes.

Lipids

Lipid is the combined term used to describe foods that are a fat or oil. Lipids are
used in the body in the structure of cells, to provide insulation, to assist in the
transport of fat soluble vitamins and can be used as a source of energy.

Lipids can be classified as:

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Vitamins

Vitamins are micronutrients, meaning they are only needed in very small
amounts. Eating a balanced diet as outlined in dietary guidelines will provide
most customers with sufficient quantities of these vitamins. Vitamins are divided
into two groups based on their solubility:
 Water soluble:
- Vitamins C and the B complex vitamins
 Fat soluble:
- Vitamins A, D, E, K

Minerals

Minerals like vitamins are also micronutrients and only needed in very small
amounts. Again eating a balanced diet as outlined in dietary guidelines will
provide sufficient quantities of the 17 minerals that the body needs for health.
Each of the minerals plays an important role in the body’s daily processes. There
are 4 minerals that are often discussed when considering health, they are:

 Iron:
 Required for the production of red blood cells
 Assist in the transport of oxygen
 Calcium:
 Essential for strengthening bones and teeth
 Play a role in muscle functioning and blood clotting
 Sodium:
 Essential in balancing fluid in the body
 Zinc:
 Needed for growth.

There are also two additional requirements needed by the human body for its
daily processes, these are:
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 *Anaphylaxis is a sudden, potentially life threatening condition, which can cause
a person's airways to swell, and blood pressure to drop. This results in a person
having trouble breathing and they could lose consciousness. A person can die
within minutes of having a reaction. Nuts particularly peanuts are one of the
allergens that is most likely to cause this reaction.

Food allergy is an immune response, while food intolerance is a chemical

reaction.

Vegetarian Diets
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The term 'vegetarian' is not clear-cut. It includes people with a wide range of
attitudes and eating behaviours with respect to foods of animal origin. The food
vegetarians may choose to eat is often dependant on the reasons or beliefs for
following a vegetarian diet. People may choose to follow a vegetarian diet for the
following reasons:

Religious beliefs
- Many Hindus and Buddhists follow a vegetarian diet
- Preparing foods for Muslim and Jewish customers can be easier by
offering a vegetarian dish rather than having to source Halal or Kosher
meats.

Cultural beliefs
- What is considered food in an area
- It can be difficult to separate Cultural behaviours
from the dominant religion of an area.

Health related

A well balanced vegetarian diet can reduce the risk of

chronic disease such as:
 Obesity
 Coronary artery disease.
Cruelty to animals
 Large scale animal food production has in some situations led to cruel animal
husbandry (farming) practices
 Some people believe that large scale slaughter of animals is brutal.

Economics
 Food from plants is generally cheaper than animal products.

Political
 Food access can be political.

Environmental
 Livestock production produces immense greenhouse gas emissions worldwide
 Aesthetic
 Some people simply do not like the look or even smell of animal flesh.
 In general, the term applies to people who do not eat the meat of animals and
may not eat eggs or dairy foods.

Vegetarians all base their diets on foods of plant origin, but there are different
levels of vegetarianism according to what types of animal products are eaten.
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Well-planned vegetarian diets have many health benefits and can provide all the
essential vitamins and minerals necessary for a long and healthy life. Not eating
any animal products means that all protein will need to be sourced from plants.
Understanding how to ensure plant based proteins meet the nutritional
requirements for customers who follow a vegan diet is very useful.

Role of market trends

The importance of understanding trends is vital to ensure that any menu and the
meals within it that you consider introducing has a unique place in the market
and is in fact needed and seen as value to the end user. It is no point introducing
a menu items if the end consumer does not want it.

Influences on market trends Market trends may be influenced by:

 Media influence
 Contemporary dishes
 Seasonal items and availability
 Cultural and ethnic influences
 Social influences.

Whilst is it hard to identify the trends that affect each and every market segment,
it is essential that kitchen staff understand food trends not only specific to their
region, but also around the world.

Given that customers coming to a hospitality establishment from all corners of

the world, it is wise to have a ‘global understanding’ so appropriate meals can
be designed and provided.

Understanding trends
 Trend Analysis is the practice of collecting information and attempting to spot a
pattern, or trend, in the information.

Each organization will have their own way to collect and analyze information to
determine which products and services are not only popular and in demand now,
but will also be in the foreseeable future.

Any hospitality manager must not only understand current trends but also try to
predict future trends that may impact on the existing market or potential markets
in the future.
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Every organization will have its own ideas as to what is the ‘next big thing’
customers want.

Regardless of what trends may indicate, you must be able to produce a product
or service that is seen as modern, fresh, innovative but more importantly, of
‘value’.

It is important to remember customers will decide what they want to spend

money on. The business itself may have ideas what they consider to be in trend.

One good way to see if a product or service is ‘trendy’ is to see its popularity in
other hotels or hospitality organizations. If a number of hotels are doing it and it
is working, then obviously it is popular at this time.
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 1.3 Ensure resources are available to prepare, cook and serve special cuisines

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 Topic 2: Identify and purchase foods

Introduction

Once all customer needs, preferences, culture and traditional influences have
been identified it is now time to select food items that are required to construct
special dishes. This section will explore the need to identify and source suitable
ingredients for special dishes.

Elements of a meal
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Regardless of special cuisines served around the world, it is essential that the
core elements of a meal are considered. Elements are all the components that
make a dish or menu item complete. Start with the main part of the dish:

Need for culinary and nutritional balance

As well as containing the core elements required for a meal, it is essential that dishes
are ‘balanced’

Meals prepared by cooks in commercial kitchens should be designed to take into

consideration both

culinary and nutritional balance. Culinary balance includes making sure the meals have
a range of:
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 Quality and quantity of ingredients

There is an ever increasing range of ingredients for you to choose from.

Globalization means that more and more ingredients are being grown and produced
around the world, or shipped long distances. Food manufacturers are constantly
producing new food products.

Regardless of the ingredients that are selected it is vital the quality of ingredients used
are suitable to meet the customers’ expectations.

Raw foods
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Raw foods provide the most versatility in the commercial kitchen especially when you
need to prepare meals for a diverse range of customers' dietary and cultural preferences
and requirements.
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 Topic 3: Identify and use specific equipment for special cuisines

3.2 Identify and use specific equipment requirement for cuisines

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 Topic 4: Prepare, cook, and serve special cuisine

4.1 Prepare food items taking into account special preparation techniques
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Topic 5: Store special cuisine products

5.1 Store fresh and/or Cryovac items correctly

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Study Guide Questions
1. What are key factors influencing food choices?
2. What are key components of meals?
3. What are possible staffing considerations when ensuring
sufficient resources to prepare and cook cuisines?
4. Why is it important to have the correct resources to prepare,
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cook and serve cuisines?

5. Why is it important to have the correct resources to prepare,
cook and serve cuisines?
6. What are examples of meat and poultry that can be served in
cuisines?
7. What are some considerations when selecting suitable suppliers?
8. What are different types of knives that are used in a kitchen?
What are they used for?
9. What are examples of ‘cooking equipment’ used in a kitchen?
10. Why is it important to have ‘standard recipes’? What information
is normally included in a recipe?
11. What are examples of possible items that can be used to serve
menu items, sauces and accompaniments?
12. What are some considerations when enhancing the ‘attractive
appearance’ of a dish?
13. What are the three ways to thaw food correctly?
14. Why is it important to use correct storage containers and
techniques?
15. What are examples of possible allergen ingredients (food items
that people are allergic to) that should be recorded on labels?

References

1. Australian Aid, 2013. William Angliss. Special Center for food, tourism
and industry
2. http://www.deni.gov.uk/guidance_on_foods_for_religious_faiths_poster.
pdf
3. http://www.butlersguild.com/index.php?subject=103
4. https://pdfslide.net/documents/select-prepare-and-serve-special-
cuisines.html
5. https://www.eatright.org/food/nutrition/nutrition-facts-and-food-
labels/serving-size-vs-portion-size-is-there-a-difference
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