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Contents {#contents.TOCHeading} ======== [Rangetops 1](#rangetops) [Open elements (burners) 1](#open-elements-burners) [Flattop 1](#_Toc156466250) [Induction cooktops 1](#induction-cooktops) [DO'S AND DON'TS 1](#dos-and-donts) [Ovens 1](#ovens) [Conventional Ovens 2](#conventional-ovens) [DO...

Contents {#contents.TOCHeading} ======== [Rangetops 1](#rangetops) [Open elements (burners) 1](#open-elements-burners) [Flattop 1](#_Toc156466250) [Induction cooktops 1](#induction-cooktops) [DO'S AND DON'TS 1](#dos-and-donts) [Ovens 1](#ovens) [Conventional Ovens 2](#conventional-ovens) [DO'S AND DON'TS 2](#dos-and-donts-1) [Convection Ovens 2](#convection-ovens) [DO'S AND DON'TS 2](#dos-and-donts-2) [Combination Steamer Ovens 2](#combination-steamer-ovens) [Wood Burning Ovens 2](#wood-burning-ovens) [Microwave Ovens 3](#microwave-ovens) [Broilers & Salamanders 3](#broilers-salamanders) [Grills 3](#_Toc156466262) [Griddles 3](#griddles) [Deep Fryers 3](#deep-fryers) [DO'S AND DON'TS 3](#dos-and-donts-3) [CLEANING 4](#cleaning) [Processing Equipment 4](#processing-equipment) [Mixers 4](#mixers) [Attachments 4](#attachments) [DO'S AND DON'TS 4](#dos-and-donts-4) [Food Cutter 4](#food-cutter) [GENERAL OPERATION 4](#general-operation) [DO'S AND DON'TS 4](#dos-and-donts-5) [Attachments 5](#attachments-1) [Slicer 5](#slicer) [Types 5](#types) [DO'S AND DON'TS 5](#dos-and-donts-6) [Food Processor 5](#food-processor) [Blender 5](#blender) [Immersion Blender 6](#immersion-blender) [Hot Food Holding Equipment 6](#hot-food-holding-equipment) [Cold Food Storage Equipment 6](#cold-food-storage-equipment) Rangetops ========= While many of its functions have been replaced by various other appliances such as steamers, steam kettles, tilting skillets, and ovens, the range top remains an essential cooking appliance to be used in the kitchen. Open elements (burners) ----------------------- These tops are quick to heat up and can be switched off after one use. On the downside, there is only one pot per burner. []{#_Toc156466250.anchor}Flattop These burners are covered with thin or heavy cast steel. Many heavy pots are supported by the top. A thicker top generally requires a longer preheating time. Set burners to different levels and adjust cooking heat by moving pots around the top. A flattop range with removable rings that provides access to even more concentrated heat from the fires below is known as a ring-top range. Induction cooktops ------------------ An induction unit\'s top never gets heated. Instead, it heats up and uses less energy by stirring up the molecules in steel or iron utensils using magnetism. Because only the pots and cookware are heated, the kitchen stays cooler as a result. Sadly, these cooktops can only handle pans made of iron or steel. Producing pots and pans with layers of aluminium sandwiched between stainless steel is one way that some cookware suppliers have reacted to this new demand. Aluminium retains its excellent heat-conducting properties as a result. There are lightweight, compact induction stoves available. They are useful for off-site cooking business, buffet service, and even tableside cooking. ### DO'S AND DON'TS 1. Make sure gas pilots are lit before turning on burners. If burners do not light, switch off the gas and allow the gas to ventilate before trying again to light pilots or burners. 2. Adjust air entry so that gas flames are blue with a white tip for maximal heat. 3. Do not keep flattop ranges on high heat unless items are being cooked over them. This results in damage to the tops. Ovens ----- Ovens are enclosed spaces where food is heated, typically by hot air or, in some newer models, by microwaves or infrared radiation. Ovens and range tops are considered vital for a kitchen to function. Hence, they are often found together. In order to free up the range top and the chef\'s focus for other duties, food can be roasted, braised, cooked, poached, or simmered in the oven. In addition to roasting and baking, ovens can do many of the jobs normally done by the range top. There are many kinds of ovens beyond those discussed here, but they are often used for specialty or high-volume uses. Conventional Ovens ------------------ Conventional ovens merely heat the air inside a closed environment. The most common oven-equipped ranges are range units, though standalone oven units and ovens included in broiler units are also offered. Stack ovens are made up of separate ovens stacked one on top of the other. Pans are placed down directly on the oven floor rather than on wire shelves. The temperature is adjustable. ### DO'S AND DON'TS These points apply to various types of ovens. 1. Thoroughly preheat ovens. Avoid heating them more than required to save energy. 2. Avoid energy loss by opening the oven door only when required. 3. Items should be well spaced to allow for heat movement. 4. Before using a gas oven, make sure the pilot light is lit. Convection Ovens ---------------- In today's time, convection ovens are widely used. Fans inside the oven rapidly circulate the heat throughout the space. Foods cook faster at lower temperatures due to the forced air. Shelves can be positioned closer together without obstructing the heat transfer, unlike conventional ovens. ### DO'S AND DON'TS 1. Set the temperature between 15°--30°C lower than you would a conventional oven. It is also advisable to check the manufacturer's recommendations. 2. Be careful of the cooking time. The forced heat speeds up the cooking process and dries up the food faster. Compared to regular stoves, roasts shrivel more. 3. Most convection oven models should not be operated with the blower switched off, as the motor may burn out. 4. To avoid the forced air from deforming soft items (ripples formed due to forced air on cake batter), check the manufacturer's recommendations. Combination Steamer Ovens ------------------------- Convection oven, convection steamer, and high-humidity oven are the three working settings of the combination steamer oven (also known as combi oven). Adding moisture to the oven may help reduce shrinkage and dryness when cooking foods. Wood Burning Ovens ------------------ In this type of oven, the brick captures the intense heat from the fire and continues cooking the food long after the fire has been put out. Foods like bread and pizza are cooked directly on the oven\'s surface, similar to current deck ovens. Practice is required to produce high-quality baked goods reliably because traditional wood-burning ovens lack a temperature dial. Some of the enticing tastes and scents of woodsmoke are absorbed by the foods. Directly on the hearth inside the oven, a wood fire is constructed during the oven\'s burning process. To enable the smoke to leave, the entrance and flue are left open. The ashes and embers are cleared away after the fire is put out. To enable the heat to balance inside the oven\'s dome, the door and flue are shut. At this time, the oven\'s initial temps could reach 480°C. In a pizza oven, this setting is suitable. For meats and bread, the oven is allowed to stand until the temperature steadily lowers to the appropriate range. As an alternative, a fire can be maintained in the oven\'s rear while food is cooked in the front, with the flue left open. Microwave Ovens --------------- Special tubes in these devices produce microwave radiation, which generates heat inside the food. Broilers & Salamanders ====================== **Broilers** are sometimes known as overhead broilers to prevent confusion with grills. Food is put on a plate beneath the heat source in overhead broilers, which produce heat from above. Broiling is a common method of preparing steaks, chops, chicken, and other dishes. To avoid burning, foods must be constantly watched over. To adjust the heating temperature, you can elevate or lower the food-holding grate. Small broilers called **salamanders** are mostly used to glaze or brown the surfaces of some foods. During off-peak hours, they can also be used to broil tiny quantities of food. Salamanders are usually hung above the range. []{#_Toc156466262.anchor}Grills Grills work similarly to broilers, except that the heat source is situated beneath, rather than above, the grid that contains the food. Grilling creates a flavor that many people appreciate due to the smoke created by meat fats that drip into the heat source. Although smoke from animal fats produces the flavor people identify with grilled foods, real wood-smoke flavors such as hickory or mesquite can be added to foods if those woods are torched in the grill beneath the food. To accomplish this, you must use a grill made to consume such fuels. Griddles ======== Griddles are flat, smooth, heated spaces that are used to prepare food precisely. Typically pancakes, French toast, Hamburgers and other meats, eggs, and potato-based dishes are cooked on griddles. Griddles are available as separate units or as part of a range top. *Griddle surfaces are to be cleaned after use for efficient cooking. They are typically cleaned* *To prevent scratching, follow the texture of the metal. Condition griddles after each cleaning* or before each use to create a nonstick surface and prevent rusting. Procedure: Spread a thin film of oil over the surface and heat to 200°C. Wipe spotless and continue until the surface is shiny and nonstick. Deep Fryers =========== A deep fryer\'s primary function is to cook meals in hot oil. But because fried food is so common, this role is essential. Standard deep fryers have thermostatic controls that maintain the temperature of the oil at preset amounts and can operate on either gas or electricity. Automatic fryers remove food from the fat after a preset time. Pressure fryers are enclosed fry kettles that use pressure to cook meals. Even when the fat temperature is reduced, food cooks more quickly. DO'S AND DON'TS --------------- The following points relate to the operation of the equipment. 1. When filling kettles with solid fats, set the thermostat at 120°C until the fat has melted enough to cover the heating elements. 2. Keep the kettles filled to the fill line. 3. Make sure the drain valve is shut before adding fat to the empty kettle. 4. Check the accuracy of the thermostat regularly by reading the fat temperature with a thermometer. CLEANING -------- Cleaning procedures differ greatly depending on the model. Here is a general procedure. 1. Switch off the power. 2. Drain the fat through a filter into a dry container (unless you are discarding it). make sure the container is of appropriate size before you begin draining the fat. Processing Equipment ==================== Mixers ------ Vertical mixers are essential tools used for various tasks, both in bakeries and kitchens. Three operating speeds are available in most mixers. Bench-model mixers range in capacity from 5 to 20L. Floor models are available as large as 133L. ### Attachments Along with a few specialized accessories, there are three main mixing devices. For basic mixing, a flattened blade known as a paddle is used. Mayonnaise is made by whipping milk, eggs, and other ingredients with a wire whip. The yeast doughs are combined and kneaded using the dough hook. ### DO'S AND DON'TS 1. It is required that the bowl and the mixing attachment are solidly positioned before switching on the device. 2. Verify that the attachment you are using is the appropriate measurement for the bowl. For instance, using a 40-quart paddle with a 30-quart bowl could result in severe damage. On the edges of big containers and the tops of attachments, there are quart-sized markings. 3. Switch off the machine before scraping down the bowl or inserting a spoon, scraper, or hand into the bowl. Mixer motors are powerful and can cause serious injury. 4. Switch off the machine before changing speeds. Food Cutter ----------- The food cutter or rotation chopper, familiarly known as the **buffalo chopper**, is a typical slicing piece of equipment. It is a useful instrument because it has a number of attachments. ### GENERAL OPERATION Food is put in a revolving bowl, which transports it to a pair of knives spinning swiftly beneath a cover. How long the food is kept in the grinder affects how fine the cut is. ### DO'S AND DON'TS 1. Always make sure the machine is completely assembled before use. 2. Close the cover lock knob, or the machine will not turn on. 3. Never reach under the bowl cover while the machine is running. 4. For uniform chopping, place the food in the bowl all at one time. 5. Keep the knives sharp. Dull knives bruise food rather than cut it cleanly. ### Attachments The **food grinder** is mostly used to process meat, but it can also mince other moist items. Food is pushed through a feed tube into a screw, which forces it through openings in a plate, where it is cut by a revolving blade. The size of the openings controls how precise the grind is. When assembling the grinder, check that the rotating blade is correctly fastened with the cutting side out. The **slicer/shredder** consists of a hopper and a lever that feeds the food onto a revolving disk or plate. The plate cuts or shreds the food and drops it into a receiving container. The slicing plate may be attuned to cut various thicknesses. The **dicer** attachment forces foods through a grid-type blade that cuts them into perfect dice. Blades of different sizes may be used. Slicer ------ Because it cuts food more equally and consistently than can be achieved by hand, a slicer is a helpful appliance. This is beneficial for controlling portions and lowering cutting loss. ### Types Most modern slicers have blades set at an angle. Slices fall away from these blades with less breaking and folding than from vertical blades. With manual machines, the operator must move the carriage back and forth to slice the food. Automatic machines move the carriage with an electric motor. ### DO'S AND DON'TS 1. Be sure the machine is properly assembled before using it. 2. Always use the end weight to press the food against the blade. This protects the hand from serious cuts and provides more even pressure on the food, resulting in more uniform slices. 3. Set the thickness control knob to zero when the machine is not in use or is being cleaned. 4. Always unplug the machine before dismantling and cleaning it. 5. Keep the blade sharp with the sharpening stones provided with the slicer. Food Processor -------------- Long before domestic versions were made available, food processors were used in commercial kitchens. Professional versions are typically 2-4 times the size of the biggest home models. They are made up of a hefty base with an engine inside, and a cylindrical work bowl with an S-shaped blade on top. Processors are used to combine or emulsify foods like sauces and seasoned butter as well as to cut or purée foods like uncooked or prepared proteins. They can also chop, shred, and julienne solid foods like veggies using special disc attachments in favor of the conventional blade. A vertical cutter/mixer and a food processor share a similar fundamental construction. Blender ------- It consists of a base with a motor, topped by a container with a spinning blade. The narrow and tall shape of the blender makes it ideal for mixing and puréeing liquids. Blenders are used to mix, purée, and emulsify liquids such as soups, sauces, and batters. The motor speed ranges from 2 to 10 or more. Stainless steel, glass, or plastic vessels are used. The container\'s blade component at the bottom can be disassembled for complete cleaning. Immersion Blender ----------------- An immersion blender (stick blender) is made up of a long shaft or wand with a motor on the top and guard protected blade of the blender at the bottom. The chef can purée or combine hot or cold meals in any jar using an immersion blender without moving them to a blender jar. This makes it possible to blend hot foods in their cooking pots. The largest stick blenders are long enough to purée foods in large steam kettles. Hot Food Holding Equipment ========================== To maintain meals hot for delivery, various kinds of equipment are used. These types of equipment are designed to hold foods above 57°C in order to prevent the growth of disease-causing bacteria. The high temperatures require the food to be cooked for short durations. 1. **Steam tables** are standard holding equipment for serving lines. Standard-size counter pans or hotel pans are used as inserts to hold the food. Flat or domed covers may be used to cover the foods. Water levels are periodically checked to ensure that they don't dry up. Electrically heated counters that operate without steam are also available. 2. A ***bain-marie*** is a hot-water bath. Food containers are placed on a shelf in a small basin of water that has been heated by electricity, gas, or steam. The *bain-marie* is used more often in production areas, while steam tables are used in the service areas. 3. **Overhead Infrared** In serving areas, lamps are used to keep plated food warm before it is collected up by the service personnel. They can also be used to keep big roasts toasty. Food rapidly dries out under holding lights. Except for French fries and other deep-fried foods, which lose their crispness if kept wet, this is a drawback for almost all foods. 4. **Holding ovens** or warmers, which are designed to hold many types of foods at serving temperatures for extended periods without drying out or overcooking (this category includes ovens that also cook the food, then automatically switch to holding temperature); 5. High-volume **roll-in ovens**, with large doors into which one can roll carts loaded with trays of food. Cold Food Storage Equipment =========================== Refrigeration is an important aspect of quality food service. As such, food is stored below 5°C to guard against spoilage and bacterial growth. The **walk-in** is a room-size refrigerator with built-in shelves on the walls. Walk-ins are customizable to fit any space. The **reach-in** is a standard upright refrigerator, similar in shape to a large home refrigerator, minus the freezer unit. It may contain shelves or brackets for holding sheet pans. Small reach-ins that fit under counters, as well as refrigerated drawers, are used in prep and service areas of the kitchen. Additionally, refrigerated display cases are used in retail and the dining areas of delis, bakeries, diners, coffee shops, and some restaurants. **Freezers** are used to store foods for longer durations or to store foods purchased in frozen form. Like refrigerators, freezers are available as walk-ins, reach-ins, and smaller units. To ensure that refrigerators and freezers operate at peak effectiveness, practice the following guidelines: 1. In refrigerators it is advisable to place items far enough apart and away from the inside walls, so cold air can circulate. Freezers, on the other hand, work most efficiently when they are full. 2. Door must remain shut when not in use. Storage and removal of an item must be done as fast as possible. 3. Keep stored foods well wrapped or covered to prevent drying and transfer of odors. Meats are an exception. 4. Keep refrigerators spotlessly clean.