Ideas for Efficient Production
What are some time management tips that you give to your students?
We use timelines for every dat that we cook in class. It is mandatory for my students to bring their production breakdown to class every day.
I have them "mise en place" before their mise en place...
Having their recipes written out by hand shows me that they have reviewed it and are mentally prepared for the day.
Also, most students seem to have the instinct to gather recipe ingredients one by one, bringing each item to their preparation table independantly, looking at their recipe again and going to search for the next ingredient. I teach them to take the recipe with them in a hotel pan and to gather all of their ingredients at once. This dramatically improves production times in labs.
Time lines are very important because they carry over into the real world. So the students have to get use to the time management aspect of the business. I always suggest to start with the products that are going take longer to cook.
I couldnt agree more,It is crutial for students to learn how to balance detail, quality and time. it will improve efficiency throughout their future culinary endevours.
Timelines are very important. We discuss them in the beginning of class and make corrections after lab on what worked and what didn't.
I literally tell them they have to the count of 10 or 15 or whatever to get something accomplished. They think it is amusing but at the same time they "get it"
Depends on the class Jae. The less advanced classes we provide the recipes, work in teams and discuss the priority and timeline together. We always work backwards from the established service time. In the more advanced classes, we give them an overall theme or a mystery basket and they come up with the plan themselves. Right now I am teaching Restaurant Rotation, so they are encouraged to be very independent thinking and come up with the menu items based on the ingredients of the week. It is very rewarding to be able to guide them through different levels and see their progress.
Alexandra
Alexandra,
Absolutely! Do you have the students prepare a timeline or "battle plan" that they must present prior to production?
Jae Gruber
Always come prepared to class: recipes, timelines, take notes throughout the demos, know your cooking method and know your products.
The use of a prep/production list is very important to introduce to the students, as these are a universal language of organization in the industry.
The day before their production, I write on the board the prodcution list that is going to be done the next day along with a sample timeline of how I would plan my day. I call this a "plan of attack". I assign students to create their own plan of attack so that they can plan their day to complete the tasks given within the production day window that is set the night before. I check this as they enter class because their plan and recipes are their ticket to get into class for the day. This helps them to plan their day and they know what is going to require them more speed and what their limitations are that they need to improve on to get the items done.
I put the time their plate is due on the whiteboard and also remind them (during production) of the time left.
Our students do not have the sence of urgency. I have them play a game, beat the clock. If it takes you 20 minutes to do something, the next time, shave off five minutes. Time is money, we have to work efficiently
I encourage them to read the recipes and plan ahead, before they come to class. To always identify the items with longer cooking time and shorter cooking time, and plan their production accordingly. For instance, if they have a braise and a salad in their menu, they need to start with the prep for the braise first, and while that is cooking, work on their salad. In the beginning of the block, I kind of set those timelines with them but as we progress, I slowly let go and they are the ones to determine the priority and timeline for the day.
nelson ,
This is a very good practice. Sometimes students do not have an idea how long it will take them to produce a particular item. They may think it takes less time than it actually does, or they may make the task fit the amount of time alloted. Tracking their time, then trying to beat their time is a great idea!
Jae Gruber
I tell them to time themselves while doing any task, they will have to continue timming themselves while repating the task in the future while keeping in mind that first time and making sure they show improvement. Only by analizing existing data (in this case, their own times) can they become better.
Time management in the last class before graduation and Certitfication is usually easier to manage than earlier classes. Students have grasped the concept of time management, what needs to be completed first or last, is any teamwork involved in the presentation, and are all sanitary requirements being followed. Remembering that if time management has not been fullfilled, and the dishes are not completed on time or as requested, the customer has gone home, and no payment is received and all your work was for nothing.
Peter,
It is a great idea for instructors to provide students with the grading rubrics prior to production. If the rubric is specific, there should be no surprises when the grade is given.
Jae Gruber
It all begins with Mise en Place. I ask the students if they have seen a chef on TV who has a tray with all of their ingredients ready before cooking the dish. Inevitably, they all agree; the reason I reinforce is so that the recipe production goes smoothly and in a timely manner without the need to run around for ingredients.
Another would be to organize their work station in a tight manner; somtimes I even tape the area they are allowed to work in. This forces them to work more neatly and efficiently as space is a premium.
Thirdly, I emphasize the "clean as you go concept", encouraging students to do this and also watch their partner's pots on the stove while they wash the last one they soiled. then do the same for your partner.
