Practical Exam

Practical Exam Process

DAY 1

Menu Development:
The candidate will prepare a six‐course menu for four (4) covers from a provided ingredient list to the parameters following:
• Selling Price: $85.00 (exclusive of breads and rolls, coffee, taxes, gratuities and spirits)
• Desired Food Cost: 32%
• Amount of food to be served: 32 to 34 ounces
• Cream will be allowed in 2 courses; 4 courses must be without cream

Courses Served:
1. Appetizer
2. Soup
3. Fish
4. Salad or Sorbet
5. Principle Plate
6. Dessert

You must display, at minimum, the following skills:
• Deboning of meats and/or poultry
• Filleting of fish
• Carving or turning of vegetables or potatoes
• Principal plate to show 3 cooking methods one of which is a ‘braise1’ (meat, poultry or vegetable2). Note: For the purpose of this exam a confit will be considered braising
• Dessert to have the following components; a pastry, a filling, a sauce, and a garnish of sugar (including fondant) or chocolate OR a soufflé (hot or cold) served with sabayon (hot or cold as appropriate)
• A clarification for consommé OR a mousseline forcemeat.
• A glazed sauce not based on butter sauces. (I.e. a Velouté egg: Coquille ‘St. Jacques’) OR a beurre blanc (or beurre rouge if appropriate)
• Piping skills – with piping bag or paper coronet
• Appropriate garnishing for all courses based on classic and contemporary culinary and gastronomic rules.

The candidate is allowed to bring in one ingredient that is not on the list if they choose. The ingredient must be written into the standard recipes and costed at a fair market value.
Note: The menu, standard recipes and requisitions must pass with 70% in order to proceed to Day 2.

EVALUATION

DAY 2

It is recommended that after the menu writing and costing component are completed but prior to the cooking component, all candidates assemble with their assigned apprentice and tour facilities.

Equipment not available will be your responsibility to provide ‐ this should only entail some small wares or specialty equipment. All candidates must agree on what is being brought in and it becomes common to all. The lead examiner’s ruling shall be final.

The menu cannot be changed. It must be presented as written. The one item you are allowed to bring in is subject to inspection in order to maintain fairness to everyone.

The Apprentice:
Candidates will be assigned an apprentice to assist them. You cannot use an apprentice who works or has been employed by you. The local CCI chair will endeavor to provide candidates with quality apprentices of similar ability.

The candidate has the right to request an alternate apprentice prior to entering the kitchen. If a suitable replacement cannot be found the candidate may a) use the originally assigned apprentice after discussing with the lead examiner the reasons for wanting an alternate b) withdraw from the examination with no penalty.

The written menu, recipes and requisitions will stand until the candidate can complete Day 2.

You must assign meaningful tasks and are expected to coach them during the test. Professionalism is required. We do pay the Apprentice Cook $100.00 (part of your exam fee) for this experience to assist you in the exam.

The lead evaluator will provide the time lines to you for presentation of the various courses of the menu.