VIENID Start practicing

Home › Lessons › Restaurant and Food Service

Fundamentals of Food and Drink Preparation

Restaurant and Food Service · 外食業 · Written by Tokutei Pass based on the official study texts; not copied verbatim.

Ingredient Knowledge, Measuring, and Prep Calculations

Beef and pork cuts have distinct traits: 'Tenderloin (Hire)' is the leanest, finest-grained, and most tender cut, ideal for steak or tonkatsu. 'Loin / Sirloin' has balanced fat and umami; 'Shoulder (Kata) and Shank (Sune)' are rich in collagen and suited for long-simmered stews; 'Belly (Bara)' has alternating layers of lean meat and fat suited for braised pork or stir-fries.

For measuring seasonings, use '1 measuring cup = 200 mL (1 gō of rice is 180 mL)', '1 tablespoon (Ōsaji) = 15 mL', and '1 teaspoon (Kosaji) = 5 mL (1 tbsp = 3 tsp)'. For example, 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon equals 35 mL. On a digital scale, place the container first and press 'Tare (Fūtaibiki / zero)' to weigh only the ingredients inside.

The ratio of usable weight after trimming to the original raw weight is called 'yield rate (Budomari)' (e.g., 1,000 g of vegetables at an 80% yield gives 800 g of edible portion). Also, calculate backward from opening time to schedule prep work and scale recipe ratios (e.g., 10 dashi : 1 soy sauce : 1 mirin) or serving counts accurately.

Key points


  • Tenderloin (Hire) is lean and tender, whereas shoulder (Kata) and shank (Sune) are suited for long-simmered dishes.

  • Standard measurements are '1 cup = 200 mL, 1 tablespoon = 15 mL, 1 teaspoon = 5 mL', and a digital scale's tare function subtracts container weight.

  • The usable percentage of an ingredient after pre-processing is called 'yield (Budomari)'; calculate ingredient amounts accurately by headcount and ratio.
WordMeaning
tenderloin (Hire), loin (Rōsu), belly (Bara)
tablespoon (Ōsaji) and teaspoon (Kosaji)
digital scale
tare function (resetting container weight to zero)
yield rate (Budomari)

Types of Knives and Vegetable Cutting Styles

Among Japanese knives, the 'Yanagiba knife (sashimi knife)' has a long, narrow blade for slicing raw fish cleanly in one pull; the 'Deba knife' has a thick, heavy blade for filleting fish and cutting through fish bones; and the 'Nakiri knife' has a thin rectangular blade for cutting vegetables.

Sharpen knives regularly to maintain sharpness, and curl the fingertips of your left hand inward like a 'cat's paw' when holding ingredients. To prevent injuries, never leave knives submerged in a sink filled with water.

Vegetable cuts include round slices (Wagiri), lengthwise halves sliced into half-moons (Hangetsugiri), quarters sliced into ginkgo fans (Ichōgiri), fine strips (Sengiri), thin rectangles (Tanzakugiri), thick rectangular sticks (Hyōshigigiri), 1 cm cubes (Sainomegiri / Kakugiri), and thin squares (Shikishigiri).

Other cuts include rolling diagonal chunks (Rangiri), thin end rounds (Koguchigiri), wedges for tomatoes or onions (Kushigatagiri), fine mince (Mijingiri), rotary sheet peeling (Katsuramuki), and shavings for burdock (Sasagaki), as well as 'chamfering edges (Mentori)' to prevent breaking when simmering and 'scoring (Kakushibōchō)' for even cooking.

Types of Knives and Vegetable Cutting Styles

Key points


  • Use a Yanagiba knife for sashimi, a Deba knife for filleting fish, and a Nakiri or chef's knife (Gyūtō) for vegetables.

  • Select the appropriate cut—rounds, half-moons, ginkgo fans, fine strips, thin rectangles, rolling chunks, or wedges—according to the dish.

  • Perform 'chamfering (Mentori)' to keep vegetables from crumbling while simmering, and 'scoring (Kakushibōchō)' to help heat and flavor penetrate.
WordMeaning
Yanagiba (sashimi knife) and Deba (fish-filleting knife)
fine julienne strips (Sengiri) and fine mince (Mijingiri)
half-moon cut (Hangetsugiri) and ginkgo-leaf cut (Ichōgiri)
thin rectangular strips (Tanzakugiri) and diced cubes (Sainomegiri)
rolling diagonal cut (Rangiri) and wedge cut (Kushigatagiri)
chamfering edges (Mentori) and hidden score cut (Kakushibōchō)

Pre-processing Vegetables, Seafood, Meat, and Rice

Soak cut burdock root, eggplant, or lotus root immediately in water or vinegared water to remove 'harshness (aku)' and prevent discoloration. When prepping fish, remove scales, gills, and internal organs, wash under running water, and wipe dry. Sprinkling salt on fish (Furijio) draws out excess moisture and fishy odor while firming the flesh.

In fish filleting, separating the fish into 2 pieces (one bone-in side and one boneless side) is called 'two-piece filleting (Nimai-oroshi)', while separating it into 2 boneless left/right fillets and 1 center bone is called 'three-piece filleting (Sanmai-oroshi)'. Devein shrimp (remove back vein) and make shallow cuts on the belly (Sujikiri) so they do not curl when fried.

For pork loin and similar cuts, use the tip of the knife to 'sever connective sinew (Sujikiri)' between the lean meat and fat so the meat does not shrink and curl when grilled or deep-fried.

When cooking rice, wash it quickly with cold water at first so bran odor is not absorbed, then soak it in measured water (e.g., about 1.2 times the weight of rice) before cooking. After cooking and 'steaming (murasu)', fluff the rice from the bottom with a paddle (shamoji) in a cutting motion to release excess moisture.

Key points


  • Soak burdock and eggplant in water to remove harshness and prevent discoloration, and use 'salting (Furijio)' on fish to remove odor and moisture.

  • Dividing a fish into two left/right fillets and one center bone is called 'three-piece filleting (Sanmai-oroshi)'; score sinews (Sujikiri) on meat and shrimp to prevent curling.

  • Wash and soak rice before cooking, let it steam after cooking, and fluff from the bottom with a rice paddle to release excess moisture.
WordMeaning
removing harshness/astringency (Akunuki)
sprinkling salt on fish (Furijio)
two-piece filleting (Nimai-oroshi) and three-piece filleting (Sanmai-oroshi)
scoring tendons/sinews (Sujikiri)
steaming rice after cooking (Murasu)

Fundamentals of Heated and Non-Heated Cooking Methods

In 'Simmering (Niru)', add seasonings in the order of penetrability: 'Sa (Sugar) → Shi (Salt) → Su (Vinegar) → Se (Soy sauce) → So (Miso)'. Basic Japanese dashi broth is made from kelp (kombu) and bonito flakes (katsuobushi); use a 'drop lid (Otoshibuta)' to circulate broth and skim off floating 'scum (Aku)'.

In 'Boiling (Yuderu)', boil leafy greens like spinach or broccoli uncovered in plenty of salted boiling water, then plunge into cold water to keep their bright green color. Conversely, boil root vegetables (Konsairui) like daikon and potatoes 'starting from cold water' so heat penetrates evenly to the center.

In 'Grilling/Baking (Yaku)', grill fish over 'high heat from a distance (Tsuyobi no Tōbi)' for crisp skin, and always 'preheat (Yonetsu)' ovens. In 'Deep-frying (Ageru)', mix tempura batter lightly with cold water and fry at 170–180°C, and coat breaded cutlets (Furai) in the order of 'Flour → Beaten egg → Breadcrumbs (Panko)'.

Extend frying oil life by skimming crumbs frequently and filtering after use (replace degraded oil that has persistent bubbles, dark color, viscosity, bad odor, or smoke). Perform non-heated 'Tossing/Dressing (Aeru)' just before serving to prevent moisture from drawing out.

Key points


  • Add simmering seasonings in the 'Sa-Shi-Su-Se-So (Sugar → Salt → Vinegar → Soy sauce → Miso)' order, using a drop lid and skimming scum.

  • Boil leafy greens in boiling water and chill in cold water, while boiling root vegetables 'starting from cold water' to cook evenly to the center.

  • Coat breaded fried foods in the order 'Flour → Beaten egg → Breadcrumbs', and replace degraded oil that foams persistently, smokes, or smells bad.
WordMeaning
Sa-Shi-Su-Se-So seasoning order
drop lid placed directly on food (Otoshibuta)
scum (Aku)
preheating (Yonetsu)
tossing / dressing (Aeru)

Handling Kitchen Equipment, Utensils, and Occupational Safety

Among kitchen tools, a soup dipper is called a 'ladle', a wire whisk is a 'whipper', a flat spatula is a 'turner', and a conical strainer is a 'chinois'. Stir deep stockpots (Zundōnabe) from the bottom with a wooden spatula to prevent scorching, and never dry-heat (karadaki) or scrub fluoropolymer-coated pans with metal scrubbers.

A 'steam convection oven' uses steam and hot air to bake, steam, and simmer; open its door slightly first to let steam escape and avoid burns. A 'blast chiller' rapidly cools cooked foods, and a 'vacuum packaging machine' removes air to prevent oxidation and drying.

Always turn off the power and unplug the cord before disassembling, washing blades, or clearing jams in slicers or mixers. Carry hot pots using 'dry cloths or dry oven mitts' (never wet cloths, as steam causes burns) while calling out to coworkers around you.

If you smell gas, never use fire or touch ventilation fan switches; close the main gas valve immediately and open windows. If fryer oil catches fire, never pour water on it because the oil will splatter explosively—turn off the heat and extinguish it with a fire extinguisher or lid.

Key points


  • Open steam convection oven doors slowly to prevent steam burns, and always hold hot pots with dry mitts or dry cloths.

  • Always turn off power and unplug the power cord before disassembling or cleaning slicers and mixers.

  • Never pour water on burning frying oil, and if gas leaks, close the main gas valve and open windows without touching ventilation switches.
WordMeaning
ladle, whipper (whisk), and turner (spatula)
deep cylindrical stockpot (Zundōnabe)
steam convection oven
blast chiller
dry-heating an empty pan/pot (Karadaki)

Official references