/culinary-cheat-sheet

Culinary School in One Page - Cheat Sheet

Culinary School in One Page - Cheat Sheet

Learn the following, in approximately the order listed:

Kitchen hygiene

  • Danger Zone
  • Expiration dates
  • Hand washing
  • Sanitizing dishes
  • Cross-contamination (E.g. store raw chicken at bottom of fridge, separate cutting boards)
  • Salmonella, Botulism, Mold, Bacteria growth
  • Safe internal temperatures for meats (E.g. 165F for Chicken)
  • If you have time to lean, you have time to clean, etc.

Kitchen Safety

  • Non-slip, closed-toe shoes
  • Apron for spills
  • How to walk with knife/knives
  • "A falling knife has no handle!"
  • Calling out "Behind","Corner", and "Hot!", etc.

Mise en place

  • Assemble and measure all ingredients, equipment before cooking
  • Read over entire recipe before starting

Knife skills

  • Claw grip
  • Chop, julienne, dice, slice, quarter, half, ribbons, mince, etc.
  • How to sharpen knives & keep sharp (+ danger of dull knife)

How to make a basic clear vegetable or chicken/beef stock

The Five "Mother" Sauces

  • Espagnole - Reduced brown stock w/ roux added
  • Veloute - Reduced white stock w/ roux added
  • Bechamel - Milk w/ roux added
  • Tomat - Tomato puree reduced over heat w/ spices, tomato paste (optional)
  • Hollandaise - Emulsion of egg yolk & hot butter

Bouquet garni

  • A bundle of herbs tied together with string
  • Thyme, bay leaf and parsley.

Sachet d'épices

  • A small sack of spices
  • Dried thyme
  • Parsley stems
  • Bay leaf
  • Whole peppercorns
  • Whole cloves

Cooking methods - High/low, dry/wet; Pros & cons

  • Grill
  • Steam
  • Sear
  • Braise
  • Boil
  • Poach
  • Saute
  • Fry
  • Deep Fry
  • Microwave
  • Sous Vide
  • Air-Fry
  • Roast
  • Broil
  • Kitchen utensils & appliances
  • Leavening agents - Yeast, baking soda, baking powder

Types of dough

  • Rough
  • Choux
  • Flaky
  • Filo
  • Short

How to make bread

  • Flour, Water, Salt, & Yeast

How to make pasta

  • Flour, Egg

How to cook grains

TODO

How to season food properly (salt)

TODO

Always taste as you go!

TODO

Types of oil

  • Butter, EVOO, Vegetable oil;
  • High vs. Low Smoke point

Stages of a fry station:

  1. Flour
  2. Egg
  3. Crumb
  4. Fry (Temp?)
  5. Dry (cooling rack/paper towels)

Nutrition basics:

  • Calories
  • Proteins
  • Carbs
  • Fats

Five basic tastes:

  1. Salt
  2. Sweet
  3. Sour
  4. Bitter
  5. Umami (Savory, meaty)

Service Basics—

  • Always serve from eaters left side (or non-dominant hand)
  • Never reach across eater
  • Plate & utensil, glassware positioning

Ingredients to always have on-hand:

  • Kosher Salt & black pepper, red pepper flakes
  • Butter, olive oil, vegetable oil
  • Flour
  • Eggs
  • Milk
  • Canned tomatoes
  • Garlic & ginger
  • Hot sauce(s)
  • Variety of spices

Essential Kitchen Equipment

  • Chef's knife, paring knife, serrated slicer & cutting board (wood)
  • Instant-read thermometer
  • Kitchen scale
  • Measuring spoons & cups
  • Tongs
  • Spatula
  • Wooden spoon
  • Oven mitts
  • Pot w/ lid
  • Strainer/colander
  • Mixing bowl(s)
  • Frying pans (1 Non-stick & 1 Cast Iron, ideally)
  • Baking sheets
  • Casserole dish
  • Steamer insert
  • Microplaner & grater
  • Blender
  • Fridge, Freezer, Oven, Stove, Microwave
  • Optional: Kettle, Toaster, Toaster Oven
  • Plates, bowls, forks, knives, spoons for serving; Cups

Key temperatures:

  • Boiling point of water 200F
  • Freezing point of water 32F
  • Maillard reaction temp range 350F+
  • Caramelization temp range
  • Fridge temp 40F
  • Freezer temp 0 F

Sources

  • The Professional Chef
  • Cooking

Additional Resources

  • On Food & Cooking
  • The Food Lab
  • Good Eats
  • Salt Fat Acid Heat
  • Larousse Gastronomique
  • The Joy of Cooking
  • The Flavor Bible
  • Iron Chef, Tournament of Champions, Etc.
  • Joshua Weissman
  • Binging with Babish