# Big Question ?



## ldts60 (Feb 9, 2005)

Is it a bad thing when a chef on your final exam states you used product that was not on your rec. sheet and was NOT used for any part of the final?
I.E. claims I used turkey when I used chicken.
Also , Is it the rate of speed getting a product done or the quality of your work? 
I.E. Stemming spinach ,removing silverskin and tendons when making a Chicken Galantine ?
Dazed & Confused


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## headless chicken (Apr 28, 2003)

My first midterm exam, I concentrated more on getting the product done correctly over my timing. My belief is that your better off a few minutes late then to serve something thats bland or missing something, or worse. 

My final exam is in a couple weeks, ending my year in chef training and now I have to do both. Make it right and on time, just like the real world. 

I don't know if its mandatory for you to produce a work plan but I highly recommend you do. Put everything you need on 1 or 2 sheets of paper. List all your ingredients, equipment, tools, misen place, then methods. If possible, provide a picture so you know what your end product looks and gives you a chance to produce a good presentation. 

Chef suggested that this is good practice until it all becomes second nature to you.


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## chrose (Nov 20, 2000)

Some good answers from HC. I never went into the kitchen without a work plan. It's the only way to ensure you have everything you need and can get everything in a timely manner. Remember too that just because a person is a Chef/instructor doesn't necessarily mean they have much of a clue , unless it's Brad  . Remember the old adage, that's occasionally true "Those who can do, do. Those who can't teach." In other words if it causes you problems in your grade that matters, bring it up to someone. If you're sure it was chicken fight it, but if there's a possibility you messed up, accept it and move on.
As far as speed and quality go, I realize you are still a student but of course what you want to strive for is quality and speed. They need to be inseparable and that will come in time. Speed comes with practice, quality can too, but if you don't have a good foundation than eventually you'll be able to put out crap faster than anyone!
Look at it this way, if you get a nice looking slice of a chicken galantine and it's gritty becuase you didn't wash the spinach well, or there's a piece of gristle because you didn't trim it well then who cares how fast you did it. If you work in my kitchen I will put up with a lack of speed (reasonably) than a lack of quality, because eventually you will get up to speed. That's what you are studying for and any instructor who's worth their salary would (should) agree with that.


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