Apr 11
25
General Skills Required in the Stewarding Department
If you think that it does not require that much skill to get into the Stewarding Department, you will be proven wrong. In fact, it does require not only skill but adaptability, too, to be able to perform your duties as a kitchen steward very well. So, what are the general skills that you will need in order to perform your kitchen stewarding duties well?
Skills in the Work Area
The most important skill that you need to have is the ability to keep your work area clean at all times. Although this may sound so simple, it actually is not as your “work area” encompasses the whole kitchen and all the kitchen items, equipments, and appliances that it has. This means that you should always be aware of what needs to be done first, especially since there will be a lot going on all at the same time in the kitchen.
Of course, skills in the work area also include how you deal with the other members of the restaurant kitchen. It will take skill to be able to adjust to the different types of people, and it will definitely take skill to have teamwork in the kitchen.
Skills in Equipment Use
As a kitchen steward, you are going to use a number of kitchen equipments and appliances. You have the dishwasher machines, the freezers, the refrigerators, etc. For this reason, it will require skill to be able to operate them the right way. In conjunction with this, you will also need to learn how to properly wash and clean them as well as know when something is wrong with the equipment or appliance.
Know the Kitchen Items and Food Products
Since you are working inside a kitchen, you should know what the kitchen items are and their differences. You should also know how to wash, clean, and rinse them properly, especially since you will be using cleaning chemicals to wash and disinfect them. Aside from this, you should also know how to store them properly.
It is also very important that you get to know the food products commonly used in the kitchen. After all, it is one of your duties to report to the appropriate personnel any ingredient or food product that is running low, so that they can immediately reorder. If you fail to notice such important things, it will cause the restaurant some losses in revenue.
Skills and Handling and Storing Items
It is not just about handling and storing food products or other items in the kitchen like cleaning agents, but it is about “proper” handling and storage of all kitchen items. You need to know where things are commonly stored, and you need to know they are commonly stored. With proper handling and storage, you reduce the risk of food spoilage or wastage, and you also lessen the risk of contamination.
You should also know about the FIFO policy to help reduce costs. FIFO, in a nutshell, is simply the first-in and first-out policy.
A good kitchen steward should have these qualities and skills to help the kitchen run smoothly. Without these, teamwork is not possible.