SITHCCC011A
Select, prepare and cook seafood

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to select, prepare, present and store seafood in a commercial kitchen or catering operation.Menu items to be produced from seafood may include a variety of classical and contemporary dishes, of varying cultural and ethnic origins, and may involve raw or cooked fish, shellfish and seafood by-products.No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.

Application

This unit applies to all hospitality and catering enterprises where seafood is prepared and served such as restaurants, hotels and other catering operations. It applies to cooks who usually work as part of a team and under supervision.


Prerequisites

This unit must be assessed after the following prerequisite units:

SITHCCC001B Organise and prepare food

SITHCCC002A Present food

SITHCCC005A Use basic methods of cookery

SITXOHS002A Follow workplace hygiene procedures.


Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1

Select and store seafood.

1.1

Select seafood according to quality, seasonal availability, price and requirements for specific menu items.

1.2

Estimate yields accurately for various types of seafood.

1.3

Maintain and kill live seafood, where used, in a humane manner and according to government regulations.

1.4

Handle and store seafood hygienically and correctly.

1.5

Thaw frozen seafood to ensure maximum quality, hygiene and nutrition.

1.6

Where applicable, check date stamps and codes to ensure quality control.

2

Prepare and cook fish and shellfish.

2.1

Clean, gut and fillet fish correctly and efficiently according to enterprise standards.

2.2

Clean and prepare shellfish and other types of seafood according to enterprise standards.

2.3

Cook seafood to enterprise standards using a variety of cookery methods.

2.4

Use fish and shellfish by-products appropriately for a variety of dishes and menu items.

3

Present fish and shellfish.

3.1

Prepare and present fish and shellfish for service.

3.2

Prepare suitable sauces and dips according to standard recipes and as required to accompany menu items.

3.3

Select plate presentations and garnishing techniques and use according to recipes and enterprise standards.

3.4

Carry out service according to enterprise methods and standards.

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:

cutting and presentation techniques, particularly in relation to fish and crustaceans

waste minimisation techniques and environmental considerations in relation to seafood

safe work practices, particularly in relation to using sharp knives

problem-solving skills to deal with problems such as shortages of food items and inferior quality of commodities

literacy skills to read orders and instructions

numeracy skills to calculate quantities and portions against orders.

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

classification and varieties of fish and shellfish

appropriate cookery methods for fish and shellfish

criteria for judging the quality of fresh fish and shellfish

storage requirements for fish and shellfish

costing, yield testing and portion control for seafood

nutrition in relation to fish and shellfish, in particular the nutritional value of fish and shellfish and specific dietary issues, including allergies and intolerances

culinary terms commonly used in the industry in relation to fish and seafood

principles and practices of hygiene, particularly in relation to the handling and storage of fish and seafood.

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:

ability to prepare and serve a variety of fish and shellfish raw or cooked as appropriate to enterprise standards

preparation of dishes for customers within typical workplace time constraints

detailed understanding of the different classifications of seafood

understanding and demonstration of storage and handling issues related to seafood.

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 specific equipment for preparing seafood, including fish poacher or similar, fish scaler and pliers or tweezers

use of authentic ingredients

industry-realistic ratios of kitchen staff to customers.

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 preparing and cooking fish and shellfish

sampling of dishes cooked by the candidate

written or oral questions to test knowledge on storage issues related to fish and shellfish

review of portfolios of evidence 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.

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.

Seafood must include:

shellfish, including molluscs and crustaceans

fish.

Fish may be fresh, frozen or preserved, from ocean or freshwater, and includes:

octopus and squid

flat fish

round fish

fillets

whitefish

oily fish.

Considerations for cooking seafood must include:

variety of fish and shellfish

cut and size or portion

whole fish or fillets

texture and types of flesh

bone in or boneless portions.

Considerations for preparing and presenting fish and shellfish must include:

palatability

visual appearance

harmony of ingredients

comparative size between dish and garnish

quality and taste.


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.