SITHCCC002A
Present food

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to efficiently and professionally plate, present and serve food in a commercial kitchen or catering operation. It may include the presentation of food for Asian cuisines.No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.

Application

This unit applies to all establishments where food is prepared and served. Those undertaking this role would work under supervision and usually as part of a team.


Prerequisites

This unit must be assessed after the following prerequisite unit:

SITXOHS002A Follow workplace hygiene procedures.


Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1

Prepare food for service.

1.1

Identify foods for menu items.

1.2

Arrange sauces and garnishes to enterprise requirements for specific dishes.

2

Portion and plate food.

2.1

Ensure that sufficient supplies of clean, undamaged crockery are available at temperatures appropriate to food being served.

2.2

Portion food according to enterprise policies and standard recipes.

2.3

Plate food and present neatly and attractively, without drips or spills, to the enterprise requirements for the specified dish, taking into consideration eye appeal, colour and contrast, temperature of food, service equipment, and classical and innovative arrangement styles.

2.4

Serve food to be displayed in public areas in appropriate serviceware at the correct temperature, in an attractive manner, without drips or spills and giving attention to colour.

3

Work in a team.

3.1

Demonstrate good teamwork with all kitchen and food service staff to ensure timely, quality service of food.

3.2

Organise and follow a kitchen routine for food service to maximise food quality and minimise delays.

3.3

Maintain a high standard of personal and work-related hygiene practices.

Required Skills

This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

The following skills must be assessed as part of this unit:

logical and time-efficient work flow

safe work practices according to OHS principles and procedures

hygienic handling of food and equipment according to regulatory requirements

waste minimisation techniques and environmental considerations in relation to food presentation

problem-solving skills to deal with minor problems such as shortages of ingredients, spillages and mistakes

literacy skills to read menus and orders

numeracy skills to calculate portions and plate menu items uniformly.

The following knowledge must be assessed as part of this unit:

use and characteristics of basic food products and types of menus as required

classical and innovative styles of food presentation for major food groups.

Evidence Required

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, the range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency

Evidence of the following is essential:

application of hygiene and safety principles and procedures

ability to plate, present and serve a general range of foods efficiently and within realistic workplace time constraints

ability to work as part of a team in a positive and courteous manner.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure:

demonstration of skills within a fully equipped operational commercial kitchen, including industry-current equipment, as defined in the Assessment Guidelines

access to a range of equipment for presenting food, including:

appropriate crockery and utensils for service

food and beverage trays

buffet table or unit (if displaying as buffet)

buffet display items, such as platters

display boards

use of authentic menu items.

Methods of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

direct observation of the candidate working as a member of a team and plating and presenting food

written or oral questions to assess knowledge of presentation techniques for different food items

review of portfolios of evidence, such as photographs, and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate.

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

SITHCCC001B Organise and prepare food.

Assessing employability skills

Employability skills are integral to effective performance in the workplace and are broadly consistent across industry sectors. How these skills are applied varies between occupations and qualifications due to the different work functions and contexts.

Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification and in the context of the job role.


Range Statement

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below.

A variety of foods must be plated, presented and served, including:

entrees

main courses

desserts

soups

sandwiches

breakfast items

canapés and appetisers.

Service equipment may include:

food and beverage trays

buffet or suitable table

dishes and platters

buffet and smorgasbord display items.


Sectors

Sector

Hospitality


Competency Field

Commercial Cookery and Catering


Employability Skills

The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit is packaged will assist in identifying employability skills requirements.


Licensing Information

Not applicable.