Day 3

More theory today.

We were introduced to the kitchen organization (commis, sous chef, chef de cuisine, chef de partie, garde manger, patissier and the like). Then an introduction to the basic workflow for a kitchen from receiving of raw materials, to storing them, prepping, to serving, washing and rubbish disposal. The chef instructor also gave a group exercise to design a kitchen (for maximum efficiency and safety) and he did a little critique. It did liven the class up.

There was also some introduction to the industrial equipment we would be using. I think tomorrow, we'll get some physical look see. We'll also be getting our knife kit at last.

Some interesting asides.
- We have some of the cheapest food in the developed world (hawker food). Visiting chefs from Australia, USA do comment on it. A quote : "Dirt cheap". A part of the reason below.

- NEA has a number of regulations on the book that are unnecessarily strict, but generally unenforced. On the other hand, it also leaves quite a bit unsaid. Europe and USA are stricter - probably because they have experience of mass poisonings and the like.

- If NEA really enforced all its rules, our cost of food would go up across the board. Example : if we have to store raw and cooked food in separate fridges, all our hawkers would need 2 fridges. Even restaurants would be affected (e.g. if every single food handler had to have a basic hygiene cert).

Lunch today was uninspiring (even  below average). Malay food this time : Sayur lodeh and sambal fish. Dessert did not save the day either : the banana bread was dry and (again) pear tart was mediocre (crust and pear). So the standard does vary across our lunches.