---
watermark: ORIRO
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name: trades-cooking-pro
provider: ORIRO.ai
copyright: Copyright (c) 2026 ORIRO.ai
description: >




  Professional cooking and food service — culinary techniques, food safety, HACCP, kitchen management, and recipe scaling.

  Sources: USDA, OSHA, trade association guidelines, professional kitchen standards.
---

# Professional Cooking and Food Service

## Fundamental cooking techniques

### Heat transfer methods

**Dry heat (no moisture):**
Roasting/baking: Oven, all-around heat. Good for whole cuts, breads, vegetables.
Broiling/grilling: High direct heat. Maillard reaction → browning and flavor. Sear then finish.
Sautéing: High heat, small amount fat, constant movement. Quick cooking of small/tender items.
Pan-frying: Moderate heat, more fat, less movement.
Deep-frying: Submerged in oil 325-375°F. Rapid crust formation seals in moisture.

**Moist heat:**
Poaching: 160-180°F. Gentle. Eggs, fish, fruit.
Simmering: 185-205°F. Stocks, soups, braises.
Boiling: 212°F. Pasta, potatoes, blanching.
Steaming: 212°F+ (steam). Preserves nutrients, gentle.
Braising: Brown first (dry heat), then cook long in liquid (moist heat). Collagen → gelatin → tender.

### The Maillard reaction

Occurs at 280-330°F between amino acids and sugars. Creates brown crust and hundreds of flavor compounds. Why seared meat tastes different from boiled.
Requirement: Dry surface. Wet surface = steam first, no Maillard until dry.
Pat dry before searing. Don't crowd the pan.

### Stock fundamentals

Cold water start. Bring slowly to simmer (never boil — clouds stock).
Skim impurities (scum) for first 30 minutes.
Mirepoix: Onion, carrot, celery. 2:1:1 ratio.
Bouquet garni: Thyme, bay leaf, parsley stems, peppercorns.
Simmer: Chicken 3-4 hr. Beef 6-8 hr. Fish 30-45 min. Veg 45 min.
Reduce to concentrate. Cool rapidly (ice bath → refrigerate within 2 hours).

## Food safety (HACCP principles)

**Temperature danger zone:** 40-140°F (4-60°C). Bacteria multiply rapidly here.
**Cold storage:** Refrigerator ≤40°F. Freezer 0°F.
**Safe internal temperatures:**
Poultry: 165°F
Ground meats: 160°F
Whole beef/pork/lamb: 145°F + 3-min rest
Fish: 145°F
**Two-hour rule:** Discard food left at room temperature > 2 hours (1 hour if > 90°F ambient).
**Cross-contamination:** Raw proteins on lowest shelf. Separate cutting boards. Sanitize surfaces.
**FIFO (First In, First Out):** Date all stored items. Use oldest first.

**Handwashing:** 20 seconds, soap, between raw protein handling. Required after bathroom, handling trash, touching face.

## Recipe scaling

Linear scaling: All ingredients multiply by same factor.
Scale factor = Desired yield / Original yield.
1/4 recipe → scale factor 0.25.
Exception: Leavening (baking powder/soda), salt, spices don't scale linearly in large batches. Taste and adjust.
Pan size affects cooking time when scaling baked goods.

## Kitchen organization and mise en place

**Mise en place:** "Everything in its place." Prep and organize all ingredients and tools before cooking.
**Station cleanliness:** Clean as you go. Sanitation = 200ppm chlorine solution or approved sanitizer.
**HACCP critical control points:** Points in the process where control prevents or eliminates food safety hazards. Receiving temperature, storage temperature, cooking temperature, hot/cold holding.

## Menu costing

**Food cost %:** Food cost / Menu price × 100. Target: 28-35% for full-service restaurants.
**Plate cost:** Total cost of all ingredients in a dish.
Menu price = Plate cost / Target food cost %
If plate costs $4.50, target 30% food cost: Menu price = $4.50/0.30 = $15.00

Sources: ServSafe Food Handler certification (servsafe.com — widely referenced),
HACCP guidelines (FDA, usda.gov), Escoffier culinary foundations (principles),
National Restaurant Association educational materials