Principles Of Cooking And Food Preparation

Overview

Cooking is not just applying fire to food. It is a piece of everyday science that decides whether a meal is safe to eat, easy to digest and a pleasure to swallow. The same pot of soup can come off the fire nourishing or ruined, and the difference is not luck. It is whether the cook understood what heat was doing to the food all along.

In this lesson you will learn the real reasons we cook at all, the three ways heat travels from a flame into your food, and what that heat does to protein, starch, sugar, fat and the delicate vitamins inside. You will meet the simple rules that separate a clean, economical kitchen from a wasteful one, and the small habits that let you serve a plate of vegetables that still carries the vitamins nature put there.

Objectives

  1. Explain the reasons for cooking food
  2. Describe how heat is transferred by conduction, convection and radiation
  3. Explain the effect of heat on nutrients, colour, flavour and texture
  4. State the principles that guide the preparation of food
  5. Explain how to conserve nutrients during preparation and cooking

Lesson Note

A young caterer in Ibadan boils a big pot of ugu leaves for half an hour to be sure they are soft, then pours the dark green water down the drain and serves the leaves proudly. They look cooked. What she does not see is that most of the vitamin C the ugu contained has been destroyed by the long heat and washed away in the water she threw out. She has cooked the food and cooked away its value at the same time. Cooking is the daily science every caterer practises, and a cook who understands why we cook, how heat reaches the food, and what heat does once it arrives will make meals that are safer, tastier and more nourishing than a cook who simply waits for the pot to boil. This lesson gives you that understanding.

Lesson Evaluation

Congratulations on completing the lesson on Principles Of Cooking And Food Preparation. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.

You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.

Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.

  1. Which of the following is NOT a reason for cooking food? A. To make it safe to eat B. To make it easier to digest C. To destroy all its vitamins D. To improve its flavour and appearance Answer: C
  2. Heat passing through the metal handle of a frying pan until it becomes too hot to hold is an example of: A. Convection B. Conduction C. Radiation D. Evaporation Answer: B
  3. The setting firm of egg white when it is heated is called: A. Gelatinisation B. Caramelisation C. Coagulation D. Fermentation Answer: C
  4. Which vitamins are most easily lost when vegetables are boiled in plenty of water and the water is thrown away? A. Vitamins A and D B. Vitamins B and C C. Vitamins D and E D. Vitamins A and K Answer: B
  5. Grilling suya over glowing charcoal cooks the meat mainly by: A. Conduction B. Convection C. Radiation D. Steaming Answer: C

Recommended Books

The Theory of Hospitality and Catering
The Theory of Hospitality and Catering
Subtitle: Fourteenth edition
Publisher: Hodder Education
Year: 2021
ISBN: 978-1-3983-3295-9
Description: The standard theory text for catering students, covering the industry, food commodities, cooking, kitchen operations, hygiene and safety, menu planning and food and beverage service.
Food and Beverage Service
Food and Beverage Service
Subtitle: Tenth edition
Publisher: Hodder Education
Year: 2020
ISBN: 978-1-3983-0015-6
Description: The established reference on restaurant and banquet service, service staff and their duties, styles of service, table laying, and the service of food, wines and other beverages.
Practical Cookery
Practical Cookery
Subtitle: Eleventh edition
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Year: 2004
ISBN: 978-0-340-81147-4
Description: A long-established practical text taking students through methods of cooking, the preparation of food commodities and the production of dishes across the full range of the kitchen.

Past Questions

Wondering what past questions for this topic looks like? Here are a number of questions about Principles Of Cooking And Food Preparation from previous years

WAEC SSCE - Catering Craft Practice - 2022

Question 1 Report

(a) State four features of a good cake.

(b) State four defects that could occur in cakes.

View Answer