Basic, basic fundamental knowledge for cooking. Simply put, these are things every cook should know.
More to be added later.
Definition of ‘sweat’ as it applies to vegetables.
Why salt is important to the aforementioned application.
Rapid cooling technique for cooked items to include liquids and solid foods.
Cross contamination of every food must be understood.
Temperature Danger Zone and why nothing may be in it.
Definition of ‘deglaze’, why is it necessary.
How to find ‘umami’ in the kitchen and how to develop it when cooking
Five mother sauces as defined by Escoffier.
Five derivatives minimum of one mother sauce. Extra credit for all sauces.
‘How to’ consomme.
Seasons of vegetables and fruits and why to cook in the season.
Locations on earth of where this produce is grown.
Geography of the oceans and the seafood harvested from it.
How to read a menu.
How to develop synergy with ingredients.
Be aware of duplicity on the menu.
Chef John Brand 