Hand washing station.

Of course we always need to wash our hand not only because to make it clean but also to avoid the spread of bad bacteria that is a causes of illness.

In the kitchen, You will found at least 2 hand washing area. This hand washing area has soap,hand sanitizer, tissue paper and the sink wherein design only for hand washing. In there there is also written instruction on proper hand washing.
I remember one time I wash the spoons in the hand washing area, the hygiene manager see me and he gave me bamboo LOL.

Tissue paper and sanitizer

Most Hotel's Kitchen nowadays are not using piece of cloth or towel in wiping dirt and or water in any surfaces of the kitchen specially on the working table. This is to avoid the transfer of the germs that stick on the piece of cloth. This is usually the cause of food contamination.
Rolled <strong>Tissue paper</strong>, the same like toilet paper but it comes in a big roll as you can see in the picture. This is what we are using in wiping dirt in kitchens things like knife, table, plates etc. And of course this tissue paper is disposable. Together with it when cleaning is a <strong>sanitizer</strong> that comes in a sprayer. this tissue paper and sanitizer are partner in preventing the spread of undesirable germs. This Tissue paper and Sanitizer are hanging in four corner of the kitchen for easy access and easy cleaning.

Piece of cloth the clean one are only used by the server in making their plates and silvers clean and sparkling.
The not so clean piece of cloth are used by the steward for cleaning and closing the kitchen.
And when the operations start we wipe the table by tissue paper and sanitizer.

Set Menu

Yesterday we have a VVIP Guests (very very important people), They order a Set menu..
Do you know what happening inside the kitchen when there is a set menu? The chef wants the food to be serve the food as fresh as possible but then those food that can be serve cold can be pre maid and just put on the fridges and take it when its about to serve. But those things that are need to be served hot are sometimes difficult to manage. We have a hot cabinet for hot food, garnishes are ready. hot plates are hot ready. Imagine if we have a 20 set menu it means difficult to make it in a minute. But then the chefs have this systems of one chef one duty for example one chef will put the meat, one chef will put the sauce and the others will put the garnishes.. That is how we do it. That is the same way with the starter, main course and usually the dessert are ready from the fridges.

Set menu according to yahoo Answer "It means there are certain dishes that are included within one price. This usually comes through  reservation.
EG, you can have a choice of a specified selection of dishes and pay one price for it. You can usually find something on the list that you like and sometimes it works out cheaper than ordering separate dishes" With These you can have starter, Main course and Dessert.

We did it very well.

Meat temperature.. Fire alarm

All I know about grilled items like steaks are WELL DONE. But then when I came to Dubai i learned that the meat specially steaks are served to the guest in different temperature or how thoroughly cooked the meat. Basically using the thermometer we can measure the temperature of the meat we're grilling, but then most of the grill master or those people working in the grill can tell by just looking,touching at it if the meat is well done or rare. Oh yeah the meat temperature are <strong>Rare, Medium rare, Medium and Well done</strong>. They based it on the color and temperature of the meat inside.

 

TERM	DESCRIPTION	TEMPERATUE
rare	cold red center, soft	52-55’C
medium rare	warm red center, firmer	55-60’C
medium	pink and firm	60-65’C

medium well

small pink center

65-69’C

well done

gray brown

>71’C

 

So for my first three days in the Robatayaki I ate a lot of these steaks, they want me to familiarize by look by touch and by taste the difference about the temperature of the grilled items. I like only the well done but I cannot say no to the medium rare etc. well I ate it good thing its a little bit dark in the Robatayaki it helps me to eat that meat and its tasty anyway but still I prefer Well done when it comes to grill items. So far I am learning.

It was funny.. How come these engineers does not know how to stop the fire alarm. Yesterday one of the chef accidentally press the fire alarm button and of course everybody panic because of the noise. The engineers and the security came but they do not know how to stop it. One of the engineer open the box and cut the wire but still sounding, finally one guy decided to cut the wire of that red alarm thing and the sound stopped. But then I think that is not the correct way.

The Robatayaki

Yesterday I had a chance to take a picture of my station. We do not have much things in the Robatayaki so its easy to arrange when closing time. There is a speaker over head so the sound is really good it will make you dance a little bit while do the grill LOL. We have Angus beef, wagyu beef, lamb chops, Jumbo prawn, Chicken wings, chicken BBQ and gilled vegetables..the rest are sauces and garnishes.
We had only 29 covers last night so its not busy.
The good thing every night the Chefs are cooking food enough for the chefs and the server so before we go home we are full, and its good because before in my previous kitchen we do not cook like that.. it always depend on the restaurant chef and this time this Korean chef is good. Before we need to call for a food delivery.

 

First time in a Japanese kitchen.

Robatayaki...Robatayaki is the original traditional Japanese Grill, barbecue cooked in front of customers and served direct, similar to the style of sushi.

Because our kitchen is now closed, yesterday I moved to Japanese restaurant kitchen. Most of the chefs are Korean 3 Filipinos, 1 Indian and 1 Nepali.There is no Japanese because the hotel did not able to find Japanese chef. Except the Filipinos I didn't know these very chefs well I always see and greet them in the hallway or cafeteria. So I am little bit uncomfortable.
The Restaurant chefs assign me in Robatayaki.. That time I didn't know what robatayaki means but i have in mind that maybe is a Japanese term for a grill. And just now I searched it and i am correct and I learned more. In there They just let me observed how they do the things..meat temperature, how to operate, the sauces they put, the plating's, the machine etc. some of them are new to me so until now i didn't remember. Some of the vegetable they call it in Japanese so I have to remember it that way.
I like it there in the Robatayaki because its a live grill.. I can see the guest, There is a loud music so its not boring if not busy. I remember there is couple sitting in front of the Robatayaki drinking eating chatting... then after a while the lady throw the mobile phone of the guy and said you are f--- liar and she left.
These kitchen is cool, Asian chefs..there's no so much shouting. Because if i compare working with these Arabic chefs who thought they are the best, Well White are reasonable. You will notice the big difference.
In this kitchen first time i saw a fresh Wasabi and i learned it's a vegetable I thought its not. To serve it fresh they rub it against the wood with small spikes and instant they have a fresh made wasabi. take a look at this picture.

I’ll be in Robatayaki for 1 week and be allocated in different stations for 1 month. I guess i will learn a lot in this kitchen.

Our kitchen is now closed..

After 4 weeks of preparing mise en place and throwing it the day after, after days of cleaning and maintaining the cleanliness of the kitchen, after days of cooking food just for us and for the server. FINALLY our kitchen is now closed and will open after summer.  I am expecting this thing to happen because really we never had a guest. The restaurant is only for member and just open 1 month ago and we only have 10 member so far. And because of the summer we are not expecting so much membership. That is the reason we closed. The restaurant dining area is still open but in case they have guest they will take food from the room service kitchen.
Because of this we will be moving to different kitchen of the hotel and I am lucky to be move in a Japanese restaurant. I do not have any Idea about Japanese kitchen for sure there will be a lot of things for me to know. Well I know some like wasabi, sushi, bento, and will learn more starting tomorrow.