[Sca-cooks] OOP - Meal Test for Chef's Certification

[Elaine Koogler]

kingstaste at mindspring.com wrote:

>Since I am now back working closely with the American Culinary Federation, I
>am planning on re-certifying for a chef's certificate.  The ACF website
>(www.acfchefs.org) has the requirements for each of the various levels along
>with the outline of the tests.  There is a practical and written exam for
>each one.  The practical entails getting a "market basket" (I provide all
>ingredients) and creating a meal.  I did my first trial run last night, and
>with a few exceptions, I'm fairly pleased with the results.  I need to do
>this several more times (my boss suggested 5 trials prior to the testing),
>and will work on garnishes, lists of equipment used, etc. with future tries.
>I've put the ingredients and my menu below for your perusal.  If anyone
>would like to make suggestions, feel free, just remember this is in no way
>supposed to be period food :)
>Christianna
>
>Personal Certified Chef
>
>A chef with a minimum of two (2) full years employed as a personal chef who
>is engaged in the preparation, cooking, serving, and sorting of foods on a
>"cook-for-hire basis"; responsible for menu planning and development,
>marketing, financial management and operational decisions of private
>business; provides cooking services to a variety of clients; possesses a
>thorough knowledge of food safety and sanitation and culinary nutrition.
>Utilizing all the ingredients in this Market Basket, write a three-course
>menu including a fish, salad, and main course with appropriate
>accompaniments for each. Four portions of each course will be prepared and
>plated. Submit a written copy of your menu to the examiner prior to the
>start of the exam. Each ingredient must be used at least once. The amounts
>given are only suggested as a guideline; you may not need to use all the
>amounts that are listed.
>
>        1 each 10 ounce Salmon filet
>        2 each 1.25 pound live Maine Lobster
>        2 each whole chickens (fabricate to your menus specifications during
>the exam)
>        2 ounces smoked bacon
>        1 pound fresh spinach
>        2 heads Boston lettuce
>        1 piece Belgian endive
>        1 pound Carrots
>        3 each Russet or Yukon potatoes
>        2 each Globe Artichokes
>        2 each Bartlett pears or Granny Smith apples
>        1 pint grape Tomatoes
>
>    The three courses shall include:
>
>    * Fish course (including both seafood items):appetizer portion
>    * Salad course (tossed, with extra dressing served on the side):as part
>of three-course meal
>    * Main course (two or more accompanying vegetables and starch):
>approximately 6-7 ounces protein
>
>    The meal must include:
>
>    * 4 classical vegetable cuts (i.e. Julienne, Tournee, Brunoise,
>Alumette, Small dice, Paysanne, and Batonette)
>    * 4 different cooking methods must be shown (i.e., fry, broil, sauté,
>roast, boil, poach, steam, or grill)
>    * Appropriate vegetable and starch accompaniment for the main course
>(may bring in additional ingredients and prepare then for plate
>accompaniments)
>    * An emulsified vinaigrette (ingredients must be brought in)
>    * 2 different sauces using different methods (i.e., roux-based,
>reduction, or butter)
>
>My Menu:
>
>Fish Course:
>	Medallions of Salmon and Lobster with a Shiitake, Tamari and Ginger
>Brunoise, garnished with Black Sesame Oil
>
>Salad Course:
>	Artichoke, Spinach and Roasted Garlic Pate Quenelles on a 5-Pointed Star of
>Endive, served on a bed of Boston Lettuce with a Lemon, Olive Oil and
>Mustard Emulsion
>
>Main Course:
>	Chicken Breasts stuffed with Potato, Grape Tomatoes, Spinach and Oregano,
>	Tourneed Carrots and Potatoes finished in butter
>	Apple Slaw
>
>The veg cuts were: tourneed carrots and potatoes (those need work),
>chiffonade of spinach in the salad pate, brunoise ginger (still have to get
>those smaller), batonette cuts on the apples in the slaw (was going for
>julienne but they came out a bit bigger)
>
>The cooking methods were: baked chicken breasts, steamed lobster tail,
>boiled artichokes, roasted garlic, broiled salmon.
>
>The sauces were: shiitake, tamari and ginger reduction and the lemon, olive
>oil and mustard emulsion.  I didn't do a sauce for the chicken, and although
>I thought the texture of the stuffing was smooth enough to negate the need
>for one, I think I will have to add one to fulfill the requirements.  I was
>thinking of a grape tomato coulis.
>
>I timed myself and did the entire thing in 3 hours handily, so that part
>won't be a problem.  I think the salad course pleased me the most, it was
>delicious.  The endive I bought was absolutely sweet (Kiri, this is the one
>I bought with you), here's hoping the one I buy for the actual test is that
>good - they are usually bitter.  I overcooked the salmon, dammit, by doing a
>classic move for me and leaving the kitchen during the cooking.  Stupid.  It
>was ok, just tough.  Bah.  The reduction could have been a bit thicker.
>The main course was great, although it was all together too orange and
>yellow.  I ended up putting a lettuce leaf under the apple slaw to get a bit
>of green on the plate, but I will need to work on the color combo there.  I
>left the green skin on the Granny Smith apples, but it was still mostly
>white, and I had mixed shredded carrots into it as well (the dressing was
>lemon juice, apple juice, salt and sugar.) If I go with a tomato coulis it
>will help some, but will still all be in the red/yellow/orange spectrum.  I
>also think the presentation of this course was uninspired, the chicken
>breasts were sliced and laid out to show the stuffing rounds, with the
>tourneed vegs and slaw on the plate beside it.  I know presentation these
>days is all about height, but I don't care to have to deconstruct my food
>before I can eat it.  A clever garnish would help, so I need to think on
>what that can be.
>
>I had a chart for rating each dish that included aroma, color, size, temp,
>consistency, arrangement, texture, etc.  I made my guest fill in each box,
>which was tough for a non-foodie.  I need to get some guinea pi... guests
>that can critique with a professional eye (hey, nic, when are you and Kim
>free for dinner? :)  My dinner guest joked about being made to work for the
>meal, and said "Will work for food!".
>
>So, that's my report on what I cooked this weekend.  As I said, any comments
>or suggestions are welcomed.
>Christianna
>
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>
>
>  
>
Sounds wonderful.  Wish I could be there to be your "guinea pig"!

Kiri