Unit of competency details

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New unit.

Unit covers important function for catering managers and sous chefs and includes content previously covered in SITHCCC017A Organise bulk cooking operations, SITHCCC026A Establish and maintain quality control of food and SITHPAT012A Plan patisserie operations.

This unit must be assessed after the following prerequisite unit:

SITXFSA101

Use hygienic practices for food safety

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

1. Plan food production requirements.

1.1 Determine food production requirements .

1.2 Choose food production processes  to ensure nutritional value, quality and structure of foods.

1.3 Select the appropriate in-house food production system to meet food production requirements.

1.4 Select and collate standard recipes for use of food production personnel.

1.5 Prepare a work flow schedule and mise en place plan for food production  according to menu and food volume requirements.

1.6 Develop food preparation lists for use of food production personnel .

2. Organise availability of supplies for food production period.

2.1 Calculate required food supplies for the food production period .

2.2 Check stores for availability and quantity of required stocks.

2.3 Order or purchase  additional stock.

3. Coordinate kitchen operations.

3.1 Supervise food production processes to ensure food safety.

3.2 Oversee and adjust kitchen work flow to maximise teamwork and efficiency.

3.3 Control the production sequence of food items to enable smooth work flow and minimise delays.

4. Monitor the quality of kitchen outputs.

4.1 Monitor kitchen work processes at all stages of preparation and cooking to ensure the quality of food items.

4.2 Check  that items match recipes and menu descriptions.

4.3 Ensure that food items are of consistent quality  and meet organisational standards.

4.4 Conduct final check on food items before they are served, stored or despatched from the kitchen.

4.5 Instruct kitchen staff to adjust food items to meet quality requirements and organisational standards.

4.6 Supervise the safe storage of food.

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• communication skills to provide clear written and verbal instructions to food production personnel
• critical thinking skills to analyse food production requirements and develop comprehensive operational plans to meet those needs
• literacy skills to:

• read and interpret recipes, menus and stock control documents
• write comprehensive yet easily accessible work flow schedules, mise en place plans and food preparation lists

• numeracy skills to:

• calculate required food supplies for the volume of food production
• determine timings for the production sequence of various food items

• planning and organising skills to efficiently sequence the stages of food preparation and production for a whole of kitchen operation
• problem-solving skills to:

• identify breakdowns in kitchen work flow and adjust to maximise efficiency
• recognise deficiencies in the quality of food and make adjustments to ensure a quality product

• self-management skills to take responsibility for kitchen management and quality outputs
• teamwork skills to coordinate a team of food production personnel and delegate work within a team
• technology skills to operate a food production system for commercial kitchens.

Required knowledge 

• for various types of hospitality and catering organisations and the organisation in particular:

• comprehensive details of all food production processes for:

• receiving
• mise en place
• preparing or cooking
• post-cooking storage
• reconstitution
• re-thermalisation
• serving

• critical control points in food production where food hazards must be controlled
• menus and recipes for different food items
• indicators of quality food products:

• appearance and eye appeal
• colour
• consistency
• moisture content
• mouth feel and eating properties
• plate presentation
• portion size
• shape
• taste
• texture
• use of designated, decorations, garnishes and sauces

• types of food production systems and their characteristics for different production methods:

• bulk cooking
• cook–chill
• cook–freeze
• fresh cook

• a range of formats for and inclusions of:

• kitchen workflow schedules
• mise en place plans
• food preparation lists.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

Evidence of the ability to:

• supervise food production processes and monitor the quality of kitchen outputs for multiple food production periods
• coordinate cooking operations for a diversity of food production processes which must include two of the following categories:

• bulking cooking
• cook-chill for extended life
• cook-chill for five day shelf life
• cook-freeze
• fresh cook

• integrate knowledge of:

• details of food production processes
• menus and recipes for different food items
• indicators of quality food products
• types of food production systems and uses

• coordinate cooking operations within commercial time constraints.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure use of:

• an operational commercial kitchen with the fixtures, large and small equipment and workplace documentation defined in the Assessment Guidelines; this can be a:

• real industry workplace
• simulated industry environment such as a training kitchen servicing customers

• industry-realistic ratios of kitchen staff to customers
• industry-realistic ratios of food production staff to the individual who is coordinating them throughout food production periods
• standard recipes, menus, mis en place plans, work flow schedules and food preparation lists
• a variety of commercial ingredients for food production.

Method of assessment 

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• direct observation of the individual coordinating cooking operations during a number of service periods
• exercises that allow the individual to develop documents tailored for different food production requirements:

• kitchen workflow schedules
• mise en place plans
• food preparation lists

• exercises that allow the individual to calculate and order required food supplies for different food production requirements:

• à la carte
• buffet
• bulk cooking operations
• set menu

• problem-solving exercises that allow the individual to respond to breakdowns in kitchen workflow and deficiencies in the quality of food
• written or oral questioning to assess knowledge of:

• food production processes
• menus and recipes for different food items
• indicators of quality food products
• types of food production systems and uses

• review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the individual.

Guidance information for assessment 

The assessor should design integrated assessment activities to holistically assess this unit with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role, for example:

• SITXFSA401 Develop and implement a food safety program
• SITXINV301 Purchase goods
• SITXINV401 Control stock.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Food production requirements  may include:

• customer requirements
• deadlines
• meal quantities required
• menu items
• organisational standards
• portion control
• special customer requests
• special dietary requirements
• standard recipes
• timeframe
• type of food to be prepared.

Food production processes  may involve:

• bulking cooking
• cook-chill for extended life
• cook-chill for five day shelf life
• cook-freeze
• fresh cook.

Food production  may be for:

• any type of cuisine and food service style:

• à la carte
• buffet
• set menu
• table d’hôte

• Asian cookery
• bulk cooking operations
• events
• festivals
• functions
• patisserie products.

Food production personnel  may include:

• catering assistants
• chefs de partie
• commis chefs
• cooks
• pastry chefs.

Food production period  may be:

• cooking for a single service period
• cooking for multiple service periods:

• daily
• weekly
• monthly.

Order or purchase  of stock may involve:

• ordering direct from suppliers
• ordering through central stock ordering system
• personally purchasing food supplies through an inspection and quality selection process
• transferring stocks from central storage to food production storage area.

Check  may involve:

• customer feedback
• feedback from kitchen staff
• formal audits against organisational standards
• taste tests
• visual inspection of presentation.

Consistent quality  may involve:

• appearance and eye appeal
• colour
• consistency
• moisture content
• mouth feel and eating properties
• plate presentation
• portion size
• shape
• taste
• texture
• use of designated:

• decorations
• garnishes
• sauces.