Application
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to develop menus and meal plans for people who have special dietary needs for health, lifestyle and cultural reasons. It requires the ability to identify the dietary requirements of customers, develop special menus and meal plans to meet those requirements, cost menus and to monitor and evaluate the success of menu performance.
The unit applies to all hospitality and catering organisations that prepare and serve food. This includes hotels, clubs, restaurants, educational institutions, health establishments, defence forces, cafeterias, kiosks, cafes, residential caterers, in flight and other transport caterers, event and function caterers.
It applies to those people who operate independently or with limited guidance from others such as senior cooks, chefs, catering supervisors and managers.
No occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENTS | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Identify menu requirements. | 1.1.Identify dietary and cultural or religious menu requirements of different customer groups. 1.2.Assess contemporary dietary trends and regimes. 1.3.Liaise with other professionals to identify and confirm customer requirements. 1.4.Identify health consequences of ignoring special dietary requirements of customers. |
2. Develop menus and meal plans for special diets. | 2.1.Select a variety of suitable foods and meals for specific requirements. 2.2.Identify appropriate combinations of food to meet macro and micro nutrient requirements. 2.3.Develop menus and meal plans that promote good health and reduce the incidence of diet related health problems. 2.4.Prepare cyclic menus and balance nutritional requirements and variety. 2.5.Incorporate sufficient choice of dishes into the menus. 2.6.Recommend food preparation and cooking methods to maximise nutritional value of food. |
3. Cost and document special menus and meal plans. | 3.1.Calculate expenditure items to determine production costs of menu items. 3.2.Calculate portion yields and costs from raw ingredients. 3.3.Assess cost-effectiveness of proposed dishes against budgetary constraints and choose products that provide high yield. 3.4.Use correct terminology in menus and meal plans. |
4. Monitor special menu performance. | 4.1.Seek ongoing feedback from customers and others and use to improve menu performance. 4.2.Analyse the success of special menus against dietary goals and customer satisfaction. 4.3.Adjust menus based on feedback and success. |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role, and:
develop and cost at least six menus or meal plans that individually or in combination meet at least six different special dietary requirements as specified in the knowledge evidence
two of the above menus or meal plans must reflect one or more cultural or religious dietary requirements as specified in the knowledge evidence
two of the above menus or meal plans must address the special dietary requirements of different customer groups as specified in the knowledge evidence
evaluate each of the above menus by obtaining at least two of the following types of feedback:
customer satisfaction discussions with:
customers
employees during the course of each business day
customer surveys
improvements suggested by:
customers
managers
peers
staff
supervisors
suppliers
regular staff meetings that involve menu discussions
satisfaction discussions with:
customers
allied health professionals
dietitians
medical specialists
seeking staff suggestions for menu items
develop above menus and menu plans within commercial time constraints, demonstrating:
methods for responding to feedback and adjusting menus
basic principles and practices of nutrition.
Evidence of Knowledge
Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:
culinary terms and trade names for:
substitute ingredients used to produce dishes with special dietary recipes
ingredients suitable for meeting basic nutritional needs
ingredients that cause common allergic reactions
food additives and preservatives
main types and culinary characteristics of special diets that are part of contemporary Australian society:
eating regimes:
elimination
macrobiotic
exclusions for allergies, contraindications with medicines or food intolerance
fat-free
fluids
food preferences
food restrictions
gluten-free
high carbohydrate
high or low energy
high or low protein
high fibre
lacto ovo
low carbohydrate
low cholesterol
low fat
low gluten
low kilojoule
low sugar
modified sodium or potassium
modified texture
nutritional requirements
portion size
substitutes:
gluten-free flour
yeast-free flour
non-sugar sweeteners
sugar-free
type one and two diabetes
main types and culinary characteristics of cultural or religious diets that are part of contemporary Australian society:
halal
Hindu
kosher
vegan
vegetarian
main types of customer groups that have special dietary requirements:
adolescents
athletes
children
defence forces
elderly
health care
ill or injured
infants
international tourists
nutritional and energy requirements due to physical condition
people in areas affected by disaster or environmental extremes
people from different socioeconomic groups
people in remote areas
those with weight problems:
underweight
overweight
obese
meaning of:
drug-food interactions
food allergy
food intolerance
key health and legal consequences of failing to address special requirements:
allergic reactions
anaphylaxis
food sensitivity or intolerance reactions
basic principles and practices of nutrition:
nutrients and their food sources
influences on food choice
food and beverage selection influences
food labelling and interpretation
role and implications of using food additives and preservatives
health implications of food choices
role of good nutrition in avoiding dietary diseases
effects of various cooking methods and food storage on nutrients
primary components of Australian Dietary Guidelines, in particular those for older Australians, children and adolescents and their use in menu planning
methods and formulas for calculating portion yields and costs from raw ingredients:
butcher’s test
standard measures
standard yield tests.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must be demonstrated in a hospitality industry business operation or activity for which special menus and meal plans are prepared. This can be:
an industry workplace
a simulated industry environment.
Assessment must ensure access to:
computers, printers and software for costing and developing menus and meal plans
Australian Dietary Guidelines
recipes that accommodate a range of special dietary requirements.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations’ requirements for assessors; and:
have worked in industry for at least three years where they have applied the skills and knowledge of this unit of competency.
Foundation Skills
Foundation skills essential to performance in this unit, but not explicit in the performance criteria are listed here, along with a brief context statement. | |
SKILLS | DESCRIPTION |
Reading skills to: | read and interpret complex details of health-related problems and cultural meal requirements. |
Writing skills to: | write comprehensive menus, meal plans and recommendations for cooking methods. |
Oral communication skills to: | listen and respond to routine customer feedback, and ask questions of health and other professionals to inform menu choice. |
Numeracy skills to: | calculate the cost of producing dishes for menus and meal plans. |
Learning skills to: | continually research information on emerging dietary trends. |
Problem-solving skills to: | evaluate diet-related health problems and design varied menus to address them identify budgetary constraints and adjust menus to include the most cost effective options. |
Planning and organising skills to: | access and sort information required for menu design to coordinate a timely and efficient development process. |
Technology skills to: | use computers and software programs to cost and document menus and meal plans. |
Range Statement
Specifies different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment. | |
Other professionals must include the appropriate: | allied health professionals dietitians medical specialists nutritionists. |
Expenditure items must include: | ingredients labour operational costs of the kitchen wastage. |
Sectors
Hospitality
Competency Field
Kitchen Operations