The chipkins visit in Polokwane 21-06-2012

On the 21 of July 2012, The first year students and i went to chipkins in polokwane. This trip for the first years was to help them gain more experience and ideas for their baking modules. My aim on this trip was to supervise the students and gain information on how to be a better trainer. The bakers that showed us all the new techniques and methods used a variety of demonstration methods, beginning with breaking the ice, and getting the students involved in creating items.



 We were taught to make items such as chakalaka buns and a chakalaka sea monster, which looked more like a rock with a tail after baking. Even though we used all premix items that chipkins supplies. We learned about alot of new ideas that can be used when baking. This gave us all an opportunity to play around a little in the training kitchen and gain new experience.   

 


We saw how a supplier packs and distributes some of their goods and wares. and other items that chipkins supplies as well.The picture to the right is one of the students creation where they experimented with the different colour seeds making a pattern on the hunters loaf.






For the items that are not used or that is damaged or past the expiry date, there is a special area called the quarantine area.

 There are no harmful substances here, but these items are all kept away from the products that are being delivered to the customers. the reason this stock is kept is to have physical evidence of stock loss.

The 6th and 7th of June, Juan and Sean tackle Prima SlagHuis

On the 6th and 7th of June, Juan Botha(2nd yr chef) and myself now doing my 3rd yr advanced diploma were sent to a Butchery called Prima Slag huis (The best a braai can get). Our Mission at the slaghuis? to learn all the cuts of meats prepare and package meat products for our modules, Juan completed his entire module on meats and poultry. Mine was to gain insight onto different training methods on demonstrations and cutting techniques used by the butchers to get the most out of their Product to prevent stock loss during the trimming process.

Goulash blocks after and during trimming of the fat

On the 16th, our first day. The day started a little slower than we expected. But picked up quickly as we realized standing with our hands in our pockets was gonna get us no where! We jumped in and started questioning the workers of the butchery like policemen on a trail trying to pick up as much information as possible. 2 days to steal trade secrets isn't a lot of time in this industry, the butchers were just as willing and eager to teach and train us beginning with cutting up and portioning goulash blocks.

THE MINCER!!!

Juan demonstrating the removal of meat from the rib area

The next task we undertook was the beginning of the making of cabanossi from the fat of pork and warthog meat. We were given 3 carcasses that had to be stripped of all its meat and fat and put into a large box, which would later on be taken to the mincer to be processed. 

BAND SAW!!!

Patty press

we weren't allowed to use the band saw, but an example of some more of the butchers tools of the trade include the band saw, the mincer(picture above) the patty press, sausage press and a scale... 

The 7th of June there was a delivery to the butchery from a supplier, All items that were brought into the shop were weighed and then stored in the fridge, they used a scale weight to get the mass of the product.

Juan using the scale

Some of the other items delivered that day to the butchery included offal, which the 1st years found out on the 12th of june that it was apart of their practical. We packaged, labelled set the offal aside for the delivery to sondela. Among the items to be taken included the spleen, the lungs, the wind pipe, the heart, the kidney in the grisse and the livers. The piece of offal that grabbed my attention the most was the whole head! it still had all the hair and skin on it, with the brain and eyes still intact. Where some people find this disturbing, the opportunity to hold a whole cow head, then cut it in half and see just how the head and skull is formed around its brain and the cavities that allow the cow to hold food while swallowing really taught us alot more than we already knew.

We were given this chance to expand our knowledge of the products we work with every day in the kitchen, and with all the extra information we gained, we can now produce better meat dishes. I gained some demonstrative training skills and also some knew knowledge on how our commodities are made before we get them and work our own magic on items that are already having magic made on the.

The skinning and cutting of a cow carcass. 16-07-2011

 There was a cow that had accidentally  been hit by a car, it had died on impact and was bought to Sondela, so we could make use of it.

 We began by first cleaning the carcass, skinning it and cutting any pieces off that shouldn't really be on it, such as grass and sticks.

 

 The skin was removed, and other items such as the legs from the knee down was removed.

 

 Excess fat, and organs as well as the head were removed as well, and placed in big blag bags. We made very sure the stomach wasnt punctured as it wouldnt have smelt so nice.

 

 This cow, unfortunately was becoming a mother, as there was a 1 month old with a calf growing inside the womb. We had to crack open the chest, and break the rib cage to get the stomach and other organs out, it took 4 men to cut open this cow.

 

 The cow was portion and cut further, into smaller pieces and shipped off to the butcher, to be processed and made into wors

14-09-2011 a typical conference buffett setup

 This is a breakfast buffet, where eggs are prepared on the flat top, in the chaffing dishes, are scrambled eggs, tomatoes, sausages, bacon and mushrooms.

 The cereals and yogurts and fruit salads are placed on the cold section boma bar for the conference people that dont really want a hot breakfast.

This is a closer view of the set up of the salad section during lunch time.

A plated conference lunch. 06-09-2011

There was a conference for about 12 people, that was to each lunch around 12. This was a 3 course meal, with biltong fondue and mosboletjie as the starters


Muffins and flap jacks for the tea time break.

This is the preparation of a papaya sundae, using kiwi fruit, strawberries and ice cream for dessert. 

 

Main course was beef medallions, mash potato and oven roasted Vegetables.

This is the completed papaya sundae served for dessert.

Cheese Platter for the Cheese and wine evening 31/08/2011

We had to make a cheese platter for the cheese and wine dinner, on the platter i made i had placed Amabutho cheese, blue cheese , brie cheese, babybell, camembert, n'tabamhlope(cajun spiced cheese)
white cheddar and montery jo cheese. along with some chillie bites, dry wors and biltong. the cheese platter had to be tall, and colourful, and the cheese pieces were to be kept large or whole. very minimal cutting was done for the platter.