Unit of competency details

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Replaces and is equivalent to SITHCCC029A Prepare foods according to dietary and cultural needs.

Title changed to better reflect the intent and content of the unit. Unit structure made consistent across all cooking units. Re-worked Elements, Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge to more fully articulate content.

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. Confirm special dietary requirements and select ingredients.

1.1 Confirm the dietary  and cultural food requirements  of the customer .

1.2 Liaise with others  to clarify requirements.

1.3 Confirm health consequences of ignoring special dietary requirements of customers.

1.4 Access special dietary recipes and select specialised ingredients .

1.5 Identify, from recipes and packaging, ingredients that may cause health consequences due to food allergies or intolerance.

1.6 Exclude ingredients from dishes as requested by the customer.

2. Prepare foods to satisfy nutritional and special dietary requirements.

2.1 Follow special recipes to produce dishes for those with special dietary and cultural food requirements.

2.2 Modify menu items to meet different dietary requests by excluding or substituting ingredients while maintaining equivalent nutritional value.

2.3 Communicate specific dietary or cultural requirements for food preparation to other team members.

2.4 Select appropriate ingredients to ensure optimum nutritional quality of dishes.

2.5 Use appropriate equipment and cooking techniques for specific diets.

2.6 Employ suitable preparation and cooking techniques to retain optimum nutritional values.

2.7 Present nutritionally balanced food in an appetising and attractive manner.

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

Required skills 

• communication skills to:

• discuss and confirm dietary requirements with customers
• discuss special food preparation requirements with kitchen team members

• literacy skills to:

• read and comprehend special dietary recipes and packaging labels
• write notes on recipe requirements and calculations

• numeracy skills to weigh and measure ingredients
• planning and organising skills to efficiently sequence the stages of food preparation and production
• problem-solving skills to:

• consider and respond to special customer needs and requests
• adjust standard menu items to meet special customer requests

• self-management skills to manage own speed, timing and productivity
• technology skills to use food preparation and cooking equipment.

Required knowledge 

• culinary terms and trade names for:

• substitute ingredients used to produce dishes with special dietary recipes
• ingredients suitable for meeting basic nutritional needs
• ingredients that cause common allergic reactions
• food additives and preservatives

• main types and culinary characteristics of special diets that are part of contemporary Australian society:

• diabetic
• gluten free
• low cholesterol
• low fat
• low gluten
• sugar free
• vegan

• meaning of:

• drug–food interactions
• food allergy
• food intolerance

• key health and legal consequences of failing to address special requirements:

• allergic reactions
• anaphylaxis
• food sensitivity or intolerance reactions

• main types and culinary characteristics of cultural diets that are part of contemporary Australian society:

• halal
• Hindu
• kosher
• vegetarian

• basic principles and practices of nutrition, including:

• nutrients and their food sources
• influences on food choice
• food and beverage selection influences
• food labelling and interpretation
• role and implications of using food additives and preservatives
• health implications of food choices
• role of good nutrition in avoiding dietary diseases
• effects of various cooking methods and food storage on nutrients

• primary components of Dietary Guidelines for Australians, including those for older Australians, children and adolescents.

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:

• follow special recipes to prepare and produce a variety of dishes to meet multiple and diverse requests of customers with special dietary requirements
• modify a range of recipes and menu items to meet different dietary requests by excluding or substituting ingredients while maintaining equivalent nutritional value
• demonstrate knowledge of:

• key health and legal consequences of failing to address special requirements
• main types and culinary characteristics of special and cultural diets that are part of contemporary Australian society

• produce special dishes for multiple customers 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
• recipes for special dietary requirements
• Dietary Guidelines for Australians, including those for older Australians, children and adolescents
• a variety of commercial ingredients for special dietary and cultural dishes.

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 preparing for and producing a range of dishes for customers with special dietary requirements
• evaluation of the taste and visual appeal of dishes produced by the individual
• use of problem-solving exercises so the individual can identify and evaluate the dietary needs of different types of customer and provide responses
• projects that allow assessment of the individual’s ability to produce, within designated deadlines, a variety of special dishes that meet the cultural food requirements of a designated customer group attending a cultural event or function
• written or oral questioning to assess knowledge of:

• meaning food allergies and intolerance and common allergic and food intolerance reactions
• health and legal consequences of non-compliance with special requests
• characteristics of special and cultural diets

• 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:

• SITHPAT306 Produce desserts
• SITXFSA201 Participate in safe food handling practices
• TLIE1005A Carry out basic workplace calculations
• any commercial cookery, commercial catering, patisserie or Asian cookery unit.

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.

Dietary requirements  may include:

• diabetic
• contemporary eating regimes:

• elimination
• liver cleansing
• macrobiotic

• exclusions for:

• allergies
• contraindications with medicines
• food intolerance

• fluids
• food preferences
• food restrictions
• gluten-free
• high carbohydrate
• high or low-energy
• high or low-protein
• high-fibre
• lacto-ovo
• low-carbohydrate
• low-cholesterol
• low-fat
• low gluten
• low-kilojoule
• modified sodium or potassium
• modified texture
• nutritional requirements
• portion size
• vegan
• vegetarian.

Cultural food requirements  may include:

• cultural or religious dietary:

• needs
• requirements
• sanctions

• halal
• Hindu
• kosher
• vegetarian.

Customer  may include:

• adolescents
• athletes
• children
• defence forces
• health care customers
• infants
• international tourists
• people from different socio-economic groups
• people from specific cultural or religious groups
• the:

• aged
• ill
• injured
• obese

• those with particular nutritional interests
• those with varying nutritional and energy requirements due to physical condition.

Others  may include:

• allied health professionals
• customers
• diet technicians
• dieticians
• family members
• health and medical personnel
• nutritionists
• religious personnel
• supervisors and managers.

Ingredients  may include:

• fat-free
• low-carbohydrate
• low-fat
• low gluten
• low-kilojoule
• low-sugar
• substitutes:

• gluten-free flour
• yeast-free flour
• non-sugar sweeteners

• sugar-free
• those without known allergic reactions
• vegan.