SH1605

Introduction to Culinary Arts

(Gisslen, 2009)
I. Definition of Terms
A. Food
- Any nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink, or that plants absorb, in order
to maintain life and growth.
B. Culinary Arts
- is the art of preparation, cooking, and presentation of food.
II. Origin of Classical and Modern Cuisine
A. Georges Auguste Escoffier
- Chef of Kings and the King of
Chefs
1. Father of 20th century cuisine
2. His contributions were the following:
o The simplification of the
classical cuisine and the
classical menu
o The reorganization of the
kitchen
o He rejected the idea of making
quantity the most important
factor in food.
o He called for order and diversity
and emphasized the careful
selection of one (1) or two (2)
dishes per course, dishes that
would follow one another
harmoniously and that would
Fig. 1: Georges Auguste Escoffier
delight the taste with their
delicacy and simplicity.
o His books and recipes are still important and being used until today.
o The basic cooking methods and preparations we study today are based on his works.
o His second major achievement, the reorganization of the kitchen, resulted in a
streamlined workplace. The system is used in hotel and full-service restaurants
today.
III. Heat Transfer and Cooking Methods
A. Heat Transfer Methods
1. Conduction
- It is a process by which heat energy is transmitted through collisions between
neighboring molecules.
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This occurs in two (2) ways:

a. When heat moves directly from one (1) item to something touching it.
b. When heat moves from one (1) part of something to an adjacent part of one (1) item.
2. Convection
- It is the heat transferred in liquids and gases
a. Natural hot liquids and gases rise while cooler ones sink. In any oven, kettle of
liquid or deep-fat fryer, a constant natural circulation distributes heat.
b. Mechanical in convection ovens and steamers, fans speed up the circulation of
heat. Heat is transferred more quickly to the food and the food cooks faster.
3. Radiation
- It is the energy that comes from a source and travels through some material or through
space.
a. Infrared
b. Microwave
B. Cooking Methods
1. Moist-Heat
- Methods are those in which the heat is conducted to the food product by water or waterbased liquids such as stock and sauces or by steam.
a. Boil to cook in liquid that is bubbling rapidly and is greatly agitated
b. Simmer to cook in liquid that is bubbling very gently
c. Poach to cook in liquid, usually in a small amount, that is hot but not actually
bubbling
d. Blanch - to partially cook food by immersing in boiling water
e. Steam to cook food by means of exposing it to steam
f. Braise to cook by covering food with a small amount of liquid, usually preliminary
browning
2. Dry-Heat
- Methods are those in which the heat is conducted without moisture; that is, by hot air,
metal, radiation, or hot fat.
a. Roast/Bake to cook food by surrounding it with hot, dry air usually in an oven
b.Broil to cook with radiant heat above
c. Grill/Griddle/Pan-broil done on an open grid over a heat source, which may be
charcoal, an electric element, or a gas-heated element.
d.Saut - to cook quickly in a small amount of fat.
e. Deep-fry - to cook thin, tender food products completely submerged in fat.
References:
Gisslen, W. (2009). Professional cooking, 5th edition. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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