This unit applies to all hospitality and catering enterprises where food is prepared and served such as restaurants, hotels, clubs, cafeterias and other catering operations. It applies to cooks who usually work as part of a team and under supervision.

This unit must be assessed after the following prerequisite units:

SITHCCC001B Organise and prepare food

SITHCCC002A Present food

SITHCCC005A Use basic methods of cookery

SITXOHS002A Follow workplace hygiene procedures.

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1

Prepare stocks, glazes and essences required for menu items.

1.1

Use ingredients and flavouring agents according to standard recipes and enterprise standards.

1.2

Produce a variety of stocks, glazes and essences to enterprise standards.

1.3

Use clarifying agents appropriately.

2

Prepare sauces required for menu items.

2.1

Produce a variety of hot and cold sauces from classical and contemporary recipes.

2.2

Make appropriate derivations from basic sauces.

2.3

Use a variety of thickening agents and convenience products appropriately.

2.4

Evaluate sauces for flavour, colour and consistency and rectify any problems.

3

Prepare soups required for menu items.

3.1

Select and assemble the correct ingredients to produce soups, including stocks and prepared garnishes.

3.2

Produce a variety of soups to enterprise standards.

3.3

Use clarifying and thickening agentsand methods, and convenienceproducts where appropriate.

3.4

Evaluate soups for flavour, colour, consistency and temperature and rectify any problems.

3.5

Present soups at the right temperature in clean serviceware without drips and spills, using suitable garnishes and accompaniments.

4

Store and reconstitute stocks, sauces and soups.

4.1

Store stocks, sauces and soups to maintain optimum freshness and quality.

4.2

Reconstitute stocks, sauces and soups to appropriate standards of consistency.

This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

The following skills must be assessed as part of this unit:

using various stocks and bases for a range of soups and sauces

logical and time-efficient work flow

safe work practices, particularly in relation to bending and lifting

waste minimisation techniques and environmental considerations in relation to soups, stocks and sauces

problem-solving skills to deal with problems such as mayonnaise breaking or soup curdling, shortages of food items and equipment failure

literacy skills to read orders and instructions

numeracy skills to calculate quantities and portions against orders

organisational skills and teamwork.

The following knowledge must be assessed as part of this unit:

principles and techniques of producing stocks, sauces and soups to industry standards

common problems in stocks, sauces and soups and how to identify and rectify them

culinary terms commonly used in the industry in relation to stocks, sauces and soups

appropriate ingredients and food components that may be substituted to meet special dietary and cultural needs

principles and practices of hygiene on a personal and professional level.

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

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency

Evidence of the following is essential:

ability to prepare a variety of stocks, sauces and soups from different recipes and cultural backgrounds

detailed commodity knowledge of different classifications of stocks, sauces and soups

preparation of sauces and soups for customers within typical workplace conditions, including working within time constraints.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure:

demonstration of skills within a fully equipped operational commercial kitchen, including industry-current equipment, as defined in the Assessment Guidelines

access to appropriate equipment for stocks, sauces and soups, including stock pots and mouli or food processor

industry-realistic ratios of kitchen staff to customers

use of a variety of real, suitable ingredients for stocks, sauces and soups.

Methods 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 candidate making stocks, sauces and soups

sampling of dishes prepared by the candidate

written or oral questions to test commodity knowledge of stocks, sauces and soups

review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate, such as menus and photographs.

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended.

Assessing employability skills

Employability skills are integral to effective performance in the workplace and are broadly consistent across industry sectors. How these skills are applied varies between occupations and qualifications due to the different work functions and contexts.

Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification and in the context of the job role.

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 in the performance criteria is detailed below.

Stocks and sauces:

must include a selection from each of the following:

reduced sauces

thickened sauces

hot, warm and cold emulsion

may include:

demi-glacé

béchamel

chicken and fish velouté

hollandaise and béarnaise

mayonnaise

jus and coulis.

Soups must include a selection from each of the following:

clear

broth

purée

cream

bisque.

Thickening agentsand methods may include:

white, blond and brown roux

beurre mani

cornflour, arrowroot and potato flour

bread

modified starch

liaison

sabayon.

Convenience products may include:

stocks

boosters

bouillons

flavour enhancers.

Sector

Hospitality

Commercial Cookery and Catering

The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit is packaged will assist in identifying employability skills requirements.