Michigan State University Extension
Tourism Educational Materials - 33300175
06/06/02
Evaluating Food Service Establishments...Key Check Point 5 Food Preparation
by Robert D. Buchanan, Restaurant, Hotel and Institutional
Management Specialist
Cooperative Extension Service
Purdue University
HE-206
The manager of a food service establishment and/or the
manager and his superior need to take the time to make an
overall analysis to determine the results that the
organization is actually obtaining. This should be done
several times a year. The evaluation should determine how
well the food service operation is doing and where
improvements should be made. Then some priorities,
objectives, methods, and deadlines for improvements can be
established.
This is one of a series of pamphlets describing how a
person can fairly comprehensively, yet in less than a day,
provide an overall evaluation of a food service operation.
The key items, or food service conditions, to evaluate
under each major category are described. Taken together,
the key indicators of general conditions measure the
degrees of efficiency (minimal costs) and effectiveness
(optimal organizational satisfaction). A major category
that has a deficient key indicator should be investigated
further, and corrective adjustment should be considered
and/or made where appropriate. A discussion of facts by
management with the operating personnel is perhaps most
needed to develop mutual understanding of the problems.
Attainable performance objectives should be jointly
established and reviewed at a later date.
If all key indicators are satisfactory in a major category,
other aspects of that category are probably being handled
with similar care. If all of the key indicators are high,
but the profit is not adequate, then it will be necessary
to examine the operation for inefficient purchasing and
receiving practices, improper menu pricing, inaccurate
records or financial statements, inventory method and
method of computing the value, production waste, plate
waste, security and pilferage, and so forth.
These operational analysis guidelines may be used by the
manager of a single food service establishment for
self-analysis, or by the unit manager's supervisor.
1 Management Planning, Organizing, Controlling (HE-202)
2 Personnel (HE-203)
3 Purchasing (HE-204)
4 Receiving, Storage, Issuing, Inventory (HE-205)
5 Food Preparation (this publication)
6 Food Presentation and Service (HE-207)
7 Maintenance of Building and Equipment (HE-208)
8 Sanitation and Housekeeping (HE-209)
9 Statistical and Ratio Analysis (HE-210)
10 Consumer Satisfaction (HE-211)
5. Food Preparation
Producing food in quantity is a highly specialized task. It
requires accurate recipes, developing food specifications
for raw ingredients of the right quality for the purpose,
food quality (preparation) standards, good planning and
training, and a skilled staff. The supervisor is the most
important factor. The supervisor needs to know, think,
talk, teach, and evaluate quality during preparation and
before service, and improve the quality. It takes
demonstrated knowledge and constant reinforcement - to see,
to evaluate, and to correct. Preparing quality food must
become a habit of the organization from, top to bottom.
Creating this emphasis begins with the job description
statements and must be carried through from the job
interview, job orientation, and training, frequent job
evaluations.
The food production principles and skills needed to produce
foods in quantity unfortunately are not easily or quickly
learned. It is really a lifetime job of learning. The
references at the end of this publication will be helpful
for those who want to learn more.
In a quality food production program, the general
indicators are standardized recipes, clearly defined food
quality standards, small batch cookery methods, controlling
food preparation, the pre-meal evaluation, and other
factors.
Standard Recipes
High-quality food, consistently served, requires competent
personnel and the use of selected recipes. Check to see if
there is a file of standardized recipes and whether they
are actually used. A well-worn recipe file is usually a
sign that supervisors and employees are taking steps to
maintain quality food preparation. Recipes should include:
Name of the food item.
Total quantity and number of servings of a specific size.
Processing steps and times for combining ingredients.
Advanced withdrawal procedures.
Advance preparation procedures.
Total time for processing.
Quality standard.
Garnishing, serving, hold procedures, storing, etc.
Cost information.
Food Quality Standards
Expectations must be clearly defined by management and
understood by preparation personnel in regard to:
Color (typical for the product) - True vs artificial,
pale vs dark, glossy vs dull, solid vs translucent.
Uniformity and general character - uniformity in size,
shape, and type of pieces; quantity of whole and broken
pieces; general appearance and characteristics typical of
product, including maturity.
Flavor and odor - sweet, sour, salty, bitter, spicy,
burnt, flat, strong, sharp, smooth, etc. Other helpful
terms are flat or strong, typical or musty, sharp or
smooth, true or artificial, acrid, oily, metallic,
rancid, and scorched.
Texture (desired tenderness in solids) and consistency
(degree of viscosity in liquids and sauces). Some of the
meaningful terms are coarse or fine, grainy or smooth,
hard or soft, tough or tender, brittle or rubbery, thick
or thin, dry or watery, stringy, sticky, mushy, chewy,
crusty, crackled, and cracked.
Specific product indicators of quality food preparation
are egg cookery, roast beef cookery, beef stew, grilled
foods, fried foods, sandwich preparation, mashed
potatoes, gravy, vegetables, salads, and coffee. These
preparation standards are provided to serve as an
example. The standards for your food service facilities
may be very different to satisfy your customers.
Egg Cookery
An all-around good job of food preparation is being done
if the unit consistently produces high quality fried
eggs. The egg must be fresh. The personnel need to know
principles and standards of protein cookery and need to
learn patience. Eggs, largely protein, must be cooked
slowly at low heat to prevent undue coagulation and
toughening. A properly fried egg should have a soft but
firm white which has not been browned or crisped. The
yolk should be set but soft, not firm or partly
hard-cooked. If application of cooking principles results
in final product of excellence, other items are also
likely to be superior.
Here are examples of food quality standards for scrambled
eggs:
Color: A glossy light yellow color achieved by well-mixed
egg yolk and white prior to cooking.
Consistency: Moist and smooth, light and tender,
irregular curd size, largest the size of a quarter.
Served product will nearly hold the shape of utensil.
Flavor: Natural fresh flavor of egg, no seasoning added.
Blended for local preference and fat flavor (i.e., butter
or bacon fat). Natural odor. Seasoned slightly with salt
and pepper.
Served: Immediately or held undercooked at 140 F. so they
will not be served overcooked to the customer.
Garnishes: Parsley, pimento, or peppers.
Roast Beef Cookery
Meat preparation requires a good knowledge of basic
principles and methods of food preparation. Meat is also
the most expensive category of food used in a kitchen.
Check to see if meat thermometers are used to ascertain
the degree of doneness. Kitchen personnel who use meat
thermometers generally will not leave much to chance. If
roast beef of high quality is served, it is reasonable to
assume that similar care is taken with all meats and
prepared items.
Here is an example of a quality standard for sliced roast
beef:
Color: Rich brown outside to pink in center.
Uniformity and General Characteristics: Sliced 1/8 in.
thick, across grain in oval or oblong shape, about 3 x 5
in. Fresh and moist looking, and firm.
Flavor: Fresh, well-seasoned rich beef flavor.
Odor: Pleasant, well-seasoned rich beef flavor.
Texture: Fork-tender, moist, easily cut with table knife,
no gristle, crisp outer edge-not edge toward rim of the
plate, rich brown natural juices.
Beef Stew
Beef cubes should be of uniform size. This interrelates
with purchase specifications, inspection and concern for
food quality standards. Uniform cubes is one indicator of
interest and concern for thoroughness which probably
extends throughout the entire preparation. The degree of
doneness of the meat and various vegetables is also an
indicator of high food quality. When each ingredient is
cooked to the right degree of doneness (time varies for
each ingredient), the ultimate in application of cooking
techniques has been achieved.
The flavor is another important indicator. Although stew
is a combination of ingredients;, stew should have a
distinct flavor of its own. No ingredient or seasoning
should dominate the individual flavor of the stew.
Grilled Items
The griddle or grill can provide the cooked-to-order
items that consumers may translate to "somebody cares."
Many items are cooked on the grill such as hamburgers,
frankfurters, some types of sandwiches, thin steaks,
bacon, sausage products, French toast, pancakes, and egg
products. Proper temperature and timing must be worked
out for each item. There are three operations: loading,
turning, and unloading with a great quantity capability.
Hamburgers are perhaps the most popular grilled items.
The usual procedure is to set the thermostat at 350 F.,
place the patties, and cook until juices show on the
surface, turn several at a time with a long spatula and
finish choking. Some operations use a special seasoning.
While the patties are cooking, the buns are toasted on
the grill. Each organization will have a different patty
diameter, thickness, preparation procedure, and quality
standard.
Here is an example of a quality standard for hamburgers:
Size: 1/4 lb. raw, 1/2 in. thick, 3 in. diameter.
Color: True charcoal dark brown with grill marks, pink,
juicy center.
Uniformity and General Characteristics: Tender, grainy,
juicy, round, firm, plump, sizzling hot (140 F.).
Flavor and Odor: Fresh tempting cooked beef odor,
distinct delicate moist true beef flavor.
Texture and Consistency 1/2 in. thick, the outside is
firm without being crunchy or hard. The inside should be
tender, juicy, coarse, grainy, and crumbly yet cohesive.
Separates easily when cut.
Garnish: Pickle, chips, onion slice, tomato, lettuce,
carrot sticks, celery slices.
Fried Foods
Fried foods are very popular. To be thoroughly enjoyable,
fried foods must please all of the senses, including the
eyes, and must be digestible. Deep fat frying requires
good organization of the work center, training, and
scheduling. Crisp, tender, and delicious products
indicate that three elements have been integrated: fat
management, equipment care, and training of fry cooks.
All pieces of cod should be evenly golden browned, crisp
but not hard, with no evidence of burning or soaking,
delicious, and retaining the characteristic form. The
food must be well drained by the use of a double set of
steam table pans. The inner one should be perforated and
lined with absorbent paper, or a wire mesh insert used.
One of the most popular items, French fried potatoes,
should be uniform and golden, the inside meaty, and the
outside crispy. The flavor combines the surface flavor
with the mealy real potato flavor inside. French fried
potatoes are available in a variety of sizes and cuts,
from half-inch to shoestring, straight cuts or crinkle.
They should be fried at 350-375 F. and served
immediately. Lower temperatures or excess fryer loads
produce limp, soggy French fries, as they tend to absorb
more frying fat to the point of being "greasy" which (can
cause indigestion.
Sandwich Preparation
The size and shape of sandwiches should be suitable for
the occasion. Bread should be old enough to be firm, not
crumbly or too porous, buttered on both slices, each
slice about 1/4 in. thick. Filling should be well mixed,
cut or broken into small size; pleasing flavor without
being too strong. Spread well out to the edge of
sandwiches. The filling flavor should combine with the
bread flavor to appeal to the appetite.
Mashed Potatoes
Color of mashed potatoes should be a glossy snow white.
Consistency should be creamy, smooth, and somewhat fluffy
and hold its shape. Flavor should be a true fresh potato
flavor or a slight earthy flavor. Mashed potatoes should
not be starchy or have an artificial flavor. They should
be slightly seasoned with salt and white pepper, mild to
the palate, lightly buttered, and served at 140 F.
Overcooking and overbeating of instant potatoes will
cause them to be sticky and gummy. Whiteness increases
with the incorporation of air. Mashed potatoes can be
garnished with a butter chip, gravy, or paprika.
Gravy
Gravy is a sauce which depends for its richness and
flavor upon stock or drippings left in the pan after meat
or poultry has been cooked. Most recipes for making gravy
depend on the gelatinization (when mixture of starch and
water is heated, water penetrates the granule with
increased ease and considerable swelling results)
properties of starch. Appearance of gravy should be
glossy, translucent, with a natural color true to the
type of meat or poultry base, of good consistency, and
flow easily. It has a smooth, even appearance, is
emulsified (an emulsion is formed when tiny droplets of
one liquid are held suspended in another liquid), and fat
has not separated from the liquid. The texture should be
smooth, not lumpy or grainy. Consistency of gravy should
have a uniform evenness, free flowing but clinging to the
product, its viscosity that of a medium white sauce.
Gravy should have a meaty, subtle and silky, rich flavor,
well seasoned; it does not have a "flour" taste. Gravy
should be served at 140 F., with a 1-oz. ladle.
Vegetables
The importance of vegetables to a meal cannot be
overemphasized. Do the minerals, vitamins, and cellulose
contribute to a balanced meal? Do the colors give a lift
to the attractiveness of the plate? Do the varied
textures add interest? Do the many shapes create a more
attractive plate? Are the diverse flavors effectively
used to complement the other foods in the meal?
Recommended methods of preparing and cooking vegetables
should be based on retention of nutritive value,
maintenance of high palatability, and retention of good
color and firm but tender texture. Overcooking should be
avoided and particular caution taken with canned
vegetables. Quality of vegetables is highly perishable.
Good texture, fresh flavor, and bright color are
essential to their goodness. They should not be: cold
(120 F. or under), flavorless, overcooked, and
underseasoned. The use of seasonings, sauces and
garnishes makes vegetables more appealing.
Here is an example of a food preparation standard for
buttered broccoli:
Color: Natural summer, glossy, forest green.
Texture and Consistency: Firm, crisp, fork tender, whole
stems with attached flowerets, outside crunch, inside
soft.
Flavor: Mild broccoli flavor with hint of butter and
salt.
Served: 140 F., three spears.
Garnish: Rich, smooth, cheese sauce.
Salads
The bright color, crisp texture, cold (40 F.)
temperature, and stimulating flavor of a salad should
contrast well with the main part of the meal.
The arrangement should be attractive, simple, pretty,
appealing to the taste and to the eye. Foods used should
have a pleasing combination of flavors. The salad
servings should be clean, with no drops of dressing
spattered on the edge of the plate or bowl, nor an excess
of dressing. Pieces should be large enough so that each
food may be distinguished. Salads should be tossed with a
fork rather than stirred with spoons. The amount should
be suitable to the plate size and the correct amount for
one person, with the rim of the plate showing around the
edge of the salad. Refreshing-this is the finest measure
of the excellence of a salad.
Coffee
Is the consumer getting his money's worth? A good cup of
coffee or beverage can do much to improve the quality of
the meal. Knowing how to make and serve a full-flavored
cup of coffee requires some technical knowledge and job
training. Here are some things to look for in a rich,
full-bodied, cup of coffee. Lower the spoon into the cup
and watch to see if it finally disappears; color should
be a rich, dark, blackish brown. Coffee should have a
great deal of aroma. To see if the coffee has some body,
pour some cream in a cup of coffee and watch if it
feathers out. In a full-bodied cup of coffee, the cream
will start to feather out and go on down, not just
disappear. There should be no sediment in the bottom of
the cup, and it should be served at about 175 F.
Small-Batch Cookery Other Factors
Another important consideration is how close food
production is to customer consumption. Food production
should be done in timely continuous small batches to
reduce the holding time of food before consumption. In
most situations food should not be held for longer than
15 minutes.
Controlling Food Preparation
A food quality program consists of standard raw product
food specifications, standard recipes, and continual
controlling during preparation.
The process of controlling involves (1) establishment of
a quality food standard; (2) procedures (the recipes) for
attaining the standard; (3) a process for checking up on
preparation steps from the beginning to the completion of
the product; and (4) implementing corrective action
during the preparation so that the product will meet the
expected quality standards. True food quality control
must be continual, done during preparation, and
corrective in effect.
Management must control each batch by determining, for
each product prepared, the major strategic production
check points, and by seeing that corrections are made
before deviations become serious.
The Pre-Meal Evaluation
Just before the serving period, several servings of each
item prepared are placed on a table. Management and
preparation personnel taste, discuss, and analyze each
product. The visual and verbal comparisons provide a
frame of reference and an opportunity for discussion,
allowing questions to be raised and answers to be
clarified. Preparation personnel learn to be
discriminating in taste and become familiar with the
standards of quality. The premeal evaluation after a
period of time communicates mental pictures of the
quality standards to the employees during each step of
production. They know the food being prepared is up to
standard, or that corrective adjustments are needed. The
pre-meal evaluation technique (1) transfers quality
standards to employees, (2) motivates employees to
assemble food with pride and efficiency, (3) provides a
good feedback by checking the understanding of the
quality during the pre-meal evaluation, and (4) serves as
a mini-training session in quality standards for
supervisors and cooks and indicates what needs to be done
to attain them, and (5) provides an opportunity to show
appreciation to employees.
Other Factors
Attitudes and production controls contribute to quality
food production. Such factors include:
Accurate consumer forecasts to eliminate over- and
underproduction.
Understood economical use of ingredients
(discriminating use of leftovers, inferior materials,
etc.)
Complete understanding of reason for procedures.
Sufficient supervision for quality and quantity
production control, and elimination of food waste.
Scheduling production to produce and serve food at the
highest quality. Controlled cooking means to bring the
cooking time and serving time as close together as
possible, and to cook in small batches throughout the
meal period.
Understanding and use of tools of quality control such
as recipes, accurate thermometers and thermostats,
clocks, timers, portion scales, graded measures, and
rulers.
Summary
Is consumer forecasting accurate? Is there food waste?
Over production? Underproduction? Look at the kind of
products and the quantity of products in the left-over
refrigerator.
The focus for quality food is knowledge and attention.
Does management achieve quality by teaching employees a
keen appreciation for good food, training them in methods
by which this is attained, constantly challenging their
interest and ability to reach out for higher standards,
and judging results with them by tasting their products?
If standardized recipes, clearly defined food standards,
and timely small-batch cooking are used, many additional
good food production techniques are also likely to be
used.
Excellence
Excellence never happens automatically nor does it come
with the size of the organization. It is earned by people
who care. Well-organized and trained employees make it a
reality because they are responsive, aware, involved, and
contribute the personal commitment that relates service
to need.
Excellence has no common definition. Fine food. Warm and
personal service. Good nutrition. A pleasant environment.
These are essential to a fine Food Service, but they are
not enough.
Management integrates and interrelates employees, food,
equipment, and preparation techniques. Excellence
requires more than involvement with technique; it
requires involvement with people.
The efficiencies of purchasing, administrative support,
and highly trained management and operational people make
excellence a practical possibility. Your employees make
it a reality. To be successful, your employees must care.
A successful food service organization has to have a
unique food service program - one specifically designed
to meet the specific needs, preferences, and attitudes of
consumers and top management. Yet, tomorrow's program
will be different from today's. Conditions change.
Customers change. Employees change. Your service must
change - responding to consumers' needs with empathy and
innovation that solves problems before they occur. You
must take advantage of opportunities.
References
Books
Folsom, Leroi A. The Professional Chef, 4th Edition.
Boston: Cahners Books International, 1974.
West, Bessie B.; Shugart, Grace S.; Wilson, Maxine F.
Food for Fifty, 6th edition. New York: John Wiley and
Sons, 1978.
Haines, Robert G. Food Preparation for Hotels,
Restaurants, and Cafeterias, 2d edition. Chicago:
American Technical Society, 1973.
Kotschevar, Lendal H. Quantity Food Production, 3d
edition. Boston: Cahners Books International. 1974.
McWilliams, Margaret. Food Fundamentals. New York: John
Wiley and Sons, 1966.
Morgan, William J., Jr. Supervision and Management of
Quantity Food Preparation. Berkeley, Calif.: McCuthan
Publishing Corporation, 1974.
Peckman, Gladys C. Foundation of Food Preparation, 3d
edition. New York: Macmillan Co., 1974.
Terrell, Margaret E. Professional Food Preparation. New
York: John Wiley and Sons, 1971.
Waldner, George K., and Mitterhauser, Klaus. The
Professional Chefs Book of Buffets. Boston: Cahners Books
International, 1968.
Recipe Files
Armed Forces Quantity Recipes. Superintendent of
Documents, U-S. Gov't. Printing Office, Washington, D.C.
20402 (approx. 1,000 thoroughly tested recipes for
serving 100, approx. cost $27.00).
Standardized Quantity Recipe File for Quality and Cost
Control, The Iowa State University Press, State Avenue,
Ames, Iowa 50010 (412, 5" x 8" recipe cards, for serving
100 customers, approx. cost $20.00.
Other Publications, Catalogs, Correspondence Courses
National Restaurant Association
One IBM Plaza, Suite 2600
Chicago, Illinois 60611
Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Motel
Association
Stephen S. Nisbet Building
1407 South Harrison Road
East Lansing, Michigan 48823
National Institute for the Food Service Industry
120 South Riverside Plaza
Chicago, Illinois 60606
Cahners Books International, Inc.
221 Columbus Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts 02216
Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home
Economics, State of Indiana, Purdue University, and U.S.
Department of Agriculture Cooperating. H.G. Diesslin,
Director, West Lafayette, Ind. Issued in furtherance of
the Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914. It is the policy of
the Cooperative Extension Service of Purdue University
that all persons shall have equal opportunity to its
programs and facilities without regard to race, religion,
color, sex or national origin.
This information is for educational purposes only. References
to commercial products or trade names does not imply
endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not
mentioned. This information becomes public property upon
publication and may be printed verbatim with credit to MSU
Extension. Reprinting cannot be used to endorse or advertise
a commercial product or company.
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