Kerianne Hofsiss

Prof Jurasinski
Food 235
11//13

Practicum Assignment

Part 1: Design of Hulbert Kitchen

Hulbert is designed so that production happens in both the back of the house and in the front of
the house. It is a cafeteria style set up that contains five different stations all set up in a U fashion. The
kitchen is set up behind the middle station which allows easy access to the kitchen equipment in the
back used for that specific station. The two side stations are set up so that there is not much traffic
from them to the back of the house. The sandwich station has all its ingredients and prep tables within
its functional area. Magellans and the sushi station on the opposite side also have all necessary raw
material in fridges located directly behind the station. Magellans also has its own ovens for pizza so
that it is not necessary to walk to the middle station then back into the back of the house kitchen in
order to make more. Instead the ovens and the ingredients necessary are all within the functional area
of the station. This area also provides enough area to roll out dough and prep everything for
productions. Having each specific station be in close proximity of the necessary ingredients and prep
space allows for the least amount of traffic within the areas. It is not necessary for someone at the
sandwich station to have to go get something from the sushi station this decreases the amount of time
needed to prep which increase productivity and allows for a logical flow of ingredients and people.
When it comes to flexibility, Hulberts equipment allows for them to make many different
entrees. The buffet style section which is located in the middle station offers a variation of options and
every day offers different entrees. Throughout the day options change depending on time, the
equipment in the back of the house allows for all of these entre possibilities to be produced with ease
and in an efficient manner as to keep up with the constant peaks and valleys of service. The functional
areas are examples of Hulberts modularity. Just last year next to Magellans there was a pasta section
where students could order personalized pasta dishes. With the rising trend in sushi this station was
transformed over the summer and is no longer pasta but now is a sushi method. The modularity of the
different functional area sections made it so that this change could happen. Also all equipment is
spaced out so that if anything ever needed to be completely replaced, it could be done easily. Each
functional area also uses the concept of simplicity. Stations are set up so that only what is necessary is
in the work area. This makes everything extremely organized and easy to learn quickly. I was put in the
sushi station and all ingredients were directly in front of me and all I needed was a knife and gloves. I
was able to easily learn to make sushi within five minutes of being there because of the simplicity of the
production. All ingredients were prepped ahead of time and so was the rice so when it came to making
the sushi rolls it was as simple as putting them together, rolling them up, cutting and serving.
Supervision is easy in Hulbert because stations are set up so that when standing in one station it
is easy to see all of the other stations. There is also more than enough aisle and workspace so managers
and supervisors can easily walk behind all of the functional areas and oversee production. Sanitation is
also easily accomplished because of the large aisle spaces and available workspace. Sinks are in every
functional area along with sanitation buckets that can be used to clean each specific functional area.
Whoever is working in a certain station can easily clean up and sanitize equipment without even leaving
the area. There is easy access to mops, brooms and buckets for easy clean up at end of shifts or if an
accident or spill occurs.
Noise control was not an issue in Hulbert. There was only two people at most at each station
and anything being made did not make much noise. The only noise were customers talking with each
other or talking with one of the cooks at the stations to inform them of their specific meal order. I did
not enter the dishwashing area because it is mostly used to wash the used dishes of the students and
customers that are eating. At the sushi station there was nothing that really needed to be cleaned in
the dishwashing area except the knife at the end of the day. The rest could be cleaned and wiped down
in the sushi station functional area. Temperature control was difficult. The raw ingredients were placed
in metal containers surrounded by ice and keeping their temperature lower than 40 degrees Fahrenheit
was not a problem. However the premade sushi rolls on display were not surrounded by any ice so after
sitting on display for just 5 minutes or so the temperatures would be above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. We
fixed this by only placing one sushi of each type on display and keeping the rest in the fridge to the left
of the station. This got tedious during large volumes of customers because it meant we would have to
walk back from the fridge and it was hard to keep count of how much of each type there were so many
times it took more than one trip to the fridge. Hulbert she try and have a cooling device underneath the
display area so that they can stay cooler, or put them in a display case that is refrigerated like the case in
the salad area of Mills is.
In the end, the overall design of Hulbert is set up so that the flow of people and ingredients is
set up in a logical fashion that increases productivity. There is minimal traffic of people throughout the
different functional area which decreases conflict amongst employees and chances of accidental spills or
mishaps. The different equipment and setup of Hulbert is both modular and flexible. The setup of the
different functional areas and their specific procedures follow K.I.S.S. Each of the stations is set up so
that the production is simple to learn and master quickly. Supervision is not an issue, either is noise
control. Overall Hulberts design allows for a quick and easy flow of service.

Part 2: Wilsbach Pizza area Schematic design and layout
In Wilsbach the functional area I was assigned to work in was the pizza and hot entre area. This area
is located in the far back left corner of the Wilsbach dining hall. This dining hall follows a buffet style of
dining that is set up cafeteria style where students may walk around freely and stop by various stations.
From far perspective the entire line from the grill area to the sandwich area is a U shape. This allows
students to move from station to station in no particular set order.
The layout of the pizza area is also a U-shape just on a smaller scale. Hot entrees are placed in
the curve of the U and to the left pizza pies are placed on a heated surface where students can easily
grab a slice and continue on. To the right of the hot entrees (also located on top of a heated surface) is
a counter space that can be used for prep. On the other side of the U-shape line is where the pizza and
entrees are made. Directly behind the counter space is the impinger that cooks the pizza, adjacent to
the impinger; on the left, is where all the necessary raw materials are located. There is a prep area
consisting of three drawers. Within the first draw are pizza basics; sauce, pepperoni and cheese. The
second drawer holds the ingredients for the bruschetta slice and the last drawer holds ingredients for
meat pizzas and the garlic/ricotta cheese slice. Under the prep table there is excess ingredients if
needed. Right next to this prep area a refrigerator holds pre-cut dough for pepperoni and cheese pizzas,
and a moveable cart directly in front of that holds premade crust for the square pizzas. This made
access to raw materials extremely accessible and easy. Once the pizza was made it could be placed in
the impinger and right on the other end there were cutting boards located on a table so pizza could be
easily cooled, cut and served. The flow in this area was really good, everything needed to make the
pizzas was located within reach and out of the way of aisle space. This allowed anyone from other
stations to easily move back and forth through areas if need be without any interruption to the flow of
production of pizza and hot entrees. The hot entrees could be made on the prep table using whatever
equipment necessary. Not much equipment is necessary because hot entrees are either pre made in
the back of house and transferred to the pizza area for simple preparation and service or only small
equipment such as knives are needed. These can be found right through the door near the fridge with
pre made dough. The aisle space is large enough that traffic in and out of the back of house and
between functional areas really was not an issue.
The ware washing area was very far from this area, this is the one issue with this set up, since
Wilsbach is so large. However this functional area is set up in a way that the amount of utensils and
dishware needed to be cleaned is extremely minimal. The only dishware needed is the ones students
will use to serve themselves. These dishes are transferred to the area by a dishwasher, and is easily
done without traffic issues because the large aisle spaces allows for it. The only other utensils used are
the pizza cutters and servers which are colored for either use for pizzas with meat (black handle) or non-
meat pizza (white handle). These are reused and unless extremely dirt, are only cleaned at the end of
service.
All the appropriate equipment and work space was provided within this functional area. There
was more than enough space to prep everything and the little equipment necessary for this production
was all provided and easily accessible within the layout. Parking areas do not really apply to this layout
because this is a campus dining hall and nearly all the patrons eating at this establishment live on
campus and walk there, they do not drive so parking areas adjacent to the building are not a necessity.
There are parking areas available for off campus students and faculty all around campus so those who
are driving do have options for parking. However if Wilsbach were looking to commercialize more and
cater to residents of Oneonta and not just SUNY Oneonta college students and faculty, providing a
parking lot closer to the actual building for residents would definitely need to be provided..
No equipment in this functional area was mounted because for this specific production it is not
necessary. Sanitation is easily achieved. A hand sink is located directly next to the refrigerator and is
easily accessed. The production done in this area does not make a much of a mess due to well-planned
layout and easy flow of the area. Sanitation of equipment can be easily attained at closing because of
the large aisle spaces and if a spill were to occur mops and clean up materials are located conveniently
in the back of house just through the doors right next to the hand sink previously mentioned. The only
issue with the layout may be sanitation or the impinger. It is located so that it is wedged between the
prep area and the cutting boards so access to the other side of it would require it being moved away
from the wall which would be a difficult task requiring more than one individual.
Schematic layout key:
1. Storage container for garlic cheese spread/meat toppings
2. Storage container for bruschetta topping and precooked pasta
3. Storage container for cheese topping, tomato sauce, pepperoni
4. Garbage can
5. Stand up reach in refrigerator holding premade pre-cut pizza dough
6. Hand Sink, soap and paper towels
7. Prep table attached to storage containers for raw ingredients along with underneath storage for extra
raw ingredient storage
8. 3 level impinger (contained three impinge ovens in one, one on top of another
9. Rolling cart (plastic) with flatbread pizza crusts
10. Cutting board for cheese pizza
11. Cutting board for pizza with meat
12. Metal table
13. Pre Prep area for hot entrees
14. Heated surface for food pickup
15. Final prep area for hot entrees
16. Heated surface area for pizza pickup (3 areas for pizza placement)
17. Front of house, service area, cafeteria style serve yourself pick up


Part 3: Powered Equipment Specifications

Equipment name: Robot Coupe R2N
Model # R2 Manufacturers Number: O-3
Energy requirements: 115 V 60HZ 7amps 1725 BPM
Weight: 27lbs.
This is a fairly easy piece of equipment to maneuver. To set it up all that is required is locking in
the steel bowl, than placing the blade and locking the plastic lid on top nice and secure. Ingredients are
placed in a hole on the top of the plastic lid. There is only one speed so there are just two buttons; on
and off. After ingredients are in the bowl, all that has to be done is press the green button and wait
until all ingredients are chopped or mixed together. Then press the red button, remove the bowl and lid
and empty out the contents of the bowl. It is a very simple procedure. The only thing that changes is
what discs are used, the procedure remains the same. The standard package includes a grating disk and
a 4MM slicer. Depending on what your using the machine for, will dictate which disc will be used. For
instance if you are using the machine to grate cheese than instead of attaching the blade to the bowl,
instead you would attach the grating disc.
To clean this piece of equipment just remove the slicer/disc and unlock the bowl from the
motor. The bowl, disc/slicer and lid can all be hand washed. The motor should be wiped down with a
damp cloth. Let equipment air dry. Separate parts can be machine washed.
Safety requirements are not specified on the website. But basic precautions should be taken.
The machine is electric and the outlet connection should be kept away from liquids. It is important to be
extremely cautious when switching blades and discs. They are extremely sharp and must be handled
with care. Never stick any objects or body parts in the hole on the top lid while the machine is running.
Only food items meant to be processed and chopped are to be placed into the hole. When pouring
liquids pour slowly as to avoid splashing and overflow of the liquid.
This equipment is a necessary piece of equipment for the commercial kitchen in Human ecology
because it makes many recipes done in half the time. When it comes to making things like dough, Cole
slaw, crumble, dressings, etc. this machine eliminates the laborious process of having to chop each
ingredient separately and then mixing them all together. To make a crumble topping without one of
these would take twice the amount of time. It is portable too and so its location within the kitchen is
very flexible. However the fact that it is electrically powered does limit its flexibility somewhat which is
a slight disadvantage. It must be place within reach of an outlet. There are multiple outlets throughout
the kitchen though so the location of this piece of equipment is not permanent and it can be moved to
make room for other production. Disadvantages would be storage space. When it is not being used if
there is not any available space to store it then it may just be taking up valuable prep/work area.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Equipment Name: Marathoner Gold Convection Oven. Manufacturer: Southbend
Model Number: Gs/25sc G-Series Gas, Double deck
Energy requirements: 90,000 BTU (NAT gas type) per oven 3/4" NPT line at rear for gas connection. Two
speed hp fan motor 1710//1120 rpm
Max amps: 7.9 120V 60Hz. Interior lamps: 40 watt high temp recessed lamps.
This piece of equipment does not come with parts. The only thing after installation that may be
removed or added if need be are the oven racks. There is no assembling or disassembling of the product
after installation. The procedure for using this equipment is to simply preheat to desired temp and time
than placing food within the oven cavity. The following adjustments can be made depending on what is
being cooked; oven temp, cook time, fan speed, and removal or rearrangement of oven racks.
Daily cleaning requires:
1. Turning off equipment and waiting for it too cool then
2. Removing all interior racks
3. Wash in sink with mild detergent and warm water
4. Thoroughly dry with a clean cloth
5. Inspect interior blades and blower, remove any foreign material using a stiff brush. The
interior of the oven can also be removed and cleaned if necessary.
6. Interior surfaces can be cleaned with warm water and a mild detergent
7. Control panel can be cleaned with warm water and mild soap never use cleaning solvents
8. Wipe exterior surface with a clean damp cloth
9. Replace racks in oven cavity
10. After cleaning leave door to oven cavity open overnight.
It is recommended that a Southbend technician be hired to clean and adjust the equipment
piece twice a year. The venting system for the equipment piece should also be inspected and cleaned at
least twice a year by a Southbend technician. The outside doors and stainless steel parts of the
equipment that are operated at low heat may be cleaned with regular soap and water on a damp cloth
then thoroughly dried. For any dirt or grease that has been baked onto the equipment rub cleanser
onto the piece in the direction of the polishing lines. It is important to rub gently in this direction and to
not use a circular motion so that the stainless steel is not permanently marred. If dirt is not removed
using this technique Scott Brite or Stainless scouring pads may be used. Never use a wire brush, file or
any steel tools on this piece of equipment.
Safety precautions:
-Before installing and operating this equipment, be sure everyone involved in its operation is
fully trained and aware of precautions. Accidents and problems can be caused by failure to follow
fundamental rules and precautions.
-Do not store or use gasoline or other flammable vapors and liquids in the vicinity of this or any
other appliance.
-Keep area around appliances free and clear of combustibles.
-Purchaser of equipment must post in a prominent location detailed instructions to be followed
-in the event the operator smells gas. Obtain the instructions from the local gas supplier.
-Asphyxiation can result from improper ventilation. Do not obstruct the flow of combustion and
ventilation air to and from your cooking equipment.
-This product is intended for commercial use only. Not for household use.
This is an essential piece of equipment for this facility. It is extremely versatile and can be used
to cook entrees, desserts and appetizers. The location of this specific piece of equipment allowed for
maximum access. It is located so that there are three different prep areas within close proximity to it.
This is a good spot because people can be preparing a dough or dessert in one area and easily transfer
trays to the oven. At the same time directly in front is another prep station where another meal, an
entre or appetizer or even another dessert can also easily be prepped and transferred to the oven.
Lights in the oven also allow for easy supervision of the item while it is being cooked. The ovens are
stacked on top of each other to which maximizes space usage potential and more items are able to be
produced with multiple ovens. The shape and size of these ovens are the same, following modularity
and flexibility aspects to the design of the kitchen. When it comes to disadvantages there are not many.
It is a large piece of equipment when compared to smaller pieces like blenders or food processors so
space could be an issue in some facilities. Its size also means that it is not a moveable piece of
equipment it can be moved but requires installation and de installation. It is not a table top item that
can be easily transferred from one functional area to another so this does limit its flexibility somewhat.
Also these ovens are pricey pieces of equipment and may not be an option for all facilities.


Part 4: Management style/interview commissary
Interview of a Manager: David Kropp

What time does the operation at the facility begin?
4 am Monday- Saturday

What time does the operation close?
2 pm

Are you there the entire time?
I do have Wednesdays off.

Who is there when you are off?
When I am not here everyone does have their own job that they are responsible for and if they
do run out of stuff to do we have a list of products that need to be done

What past experience have you had before working at the commissary?
I have worked in a bakery since I was 16, I also ran a wholesale bakery out of my house for the
area restaurants for their dessert menus and also did wedding cakes before I came up here.

When hiring employees what experience do you look for, do you have a training process for all
new employees?
With every new job you still need to train them. I look for bakery experience.

What is your expectation in regard to the work of your employees?
My expectations would be give the client the best products, and on time

How do you deal with employees that do not follow expectations? (Write-ups, termination, etc.)
I would first work with them to see what they are doing wrong and work to fix it and help them
grow. One of the nice thing about my position is that I do work with them side by side as much
as I can. That gives me a great opportunity to work with them one on one.

In times of high demand do you step in with production ever?
Yes, I am always in the bakery

Do you ever anticipate high orders? Such as during holidays, or big events on campus? How
does production methods change during this time to compensate?
We do have times where we have bigger events. We just plan ahead and adjust to it. It just
depends on what is ordered.

Are you the sole supervisor of the facility or do you have other managers working with you?
I am the only manager up here. So, yes I am responsible for all the managers roles

I chose David to interview for a few different reasons. Upon meeting him the day I worked at
the commissary, right off the back he was friendly and inviting. He was upbeat and full of energy and at
such an early hour of the morning I was automatically put in a better mood upon his greeting. He
showed me around the facility and would introduce me to everyone he came across and mentioned a
guy who was working there had his birthday today. He even while I was working had everyone get
together and surprise him and sing happy birthday to him. It was really refreshing and fun environment
to be in. As much as I hated being up so early, David made the experience really fun and it did not feel
like work at all. His ability to make the job seem less like work and more enjoyable was extremely
impressive.
His office was tucked away from the actual area where production was taking place. It was right
near the loading dock which is convenient when it comes to receiving shipments and for supervision of
loading the trucks for delivery. It is a commissary so it is important that David be there to oversee the
loading of trucks since that is a huge component of the facility. To make sure all the products are
correctly loaded and are going to the right location is a major responsibility of his. However this location
limits his supervision of production in the kitchen. He overcame this by constantly walking throughout
the kitchen, checking in on everyone. He did it in a way that was not interrupting production which was
good. His supervision did not interfere with any work being done, it actually made it better because he
would joke and make the atmosphere more relaxed instead of tense and hostile. I used to work at
Panera bread and whenever managers would come supervise it made everything much tenser and nerve
racking, it felt like you were being graded and if you slipped up it was the end. Instead of making us
uncomfortable and nervous Davids presence and supervising was more inviting and welcoming. He
made you feel more comfortable because he was someone you could ask for assistance if need be.
He manages the entire bakery alone and still is able to get everything done and in a timely
manner. I asked him what he did during peaks and he said he would always step in if need be. His
experience in bakery service has made him very qualified he has been in the business nearly his whole
life. He knows how to do all of the things the people working in production are doing so he is able to
jump in wherever needed. He also knows the systems and flow of the facility that will increase
production. While I was there I would scoop cookie dough 9 roughs by 28 which seemed like way too
many to cook at once. I asked him how they did and he said they were just stored that way to maximize
storage space then showed me the trays they cooked on and how many there were. This method of
maximizing storage and having an excess of pre-cut cookie dough in the freezer allowed them to be
prepared for large orders of cookies; which he mentioned were one of their largest sellers. This way if
an abnormally large order was placed one morning they could easily run to the freezer and pop them
into the oven for 8 minutes and they would be done. In the end, Davids managerial practices were very
good, everyone working there was enjoying themselves and on task. To achieve this type of managing is
hard, overly strict managers often create a hostile work environment and workers do not want to be
there. However, being too lenient can lead to slackers and people not getting their jobs done. David
made it so that you wanted to get the work done as to not let him down, he was really a great person to
work for and I do not think theres anything he could do to improve what he is already doing. He has
accomplished what so many managers strive to become.



Part 5: Summary/personal reflection

Mills Salad:
The first facility I worked in during practicum was the Mills salad station. During this experience
I was able to see the entire layout and design of Mills and see how food and people flow throughout the
facility. Overall it was set up so that everything flowed efficiently throughout the facility. The stations
are all set up so that there is never really any traffic of people between them. The back of the house
connects to all stations and each station is located so that the ingredients, equipment and materials
needed for that specific area are all within close proximity. The salad station layout was set up so that
all the ingredients for the salad were in front of you or right behind you. The only issue really was
during times of high volume of people, which tended to be on the hour, when classes just
ended. During this time there would sometimes be traffic between me and the girl working when we
both needed an ingredient on the same side. The ingredients for the salad were in a glass case so that
the customers can point and tell you what they want. There were sliding glass doors that we would
need to open and close to get to certain ingredients and they were really small so if I needed an
ingredient on one of the sides that the girl working with me also needed one I would need to wait until
she went first. This only tacked on a few more seconds of wait time for the customer so it wasnt that
huge of a problem. However, during these times of high volume of people those glass doors would be
open the entire time and we found that if they were open for longer than 5 minutes that it effected the
temperatures of the food on the top shelf, which were all TCS foods like eggs and meat. Being able to
adjust the temperature during those times would help keep foods out of the temperature danger
zone. The dressings and salad mixes were all directly behind the glass case containing all the add-ons so
this made for easy flow back and forth to get ingredients. Fridges with extra ingredients were directly
behind us in the back of the house. There were two separate fridges located near the wrap and salad
station so that meant we did not need to walk through the entire back of the house to get to the main
fridge and freezers which was extremely convenient.
The design of Mills is set up so that the back of house flows behind all of the different stations
then into the dishwashing area. This is a logical flow because it allows easy access into and out of the
back of the house with minimal traffic amongst employees. The only issue with this setup however is the
distance between some of the stations such as, the salad bar and wrap station, with the dishwashing
area. There was a small spot to put dirty dishes and bins by the salad bar and it would fill up
quickly. There was not enough time to get the dishes to the cleaning area during busy times because it
was all the way at the end of the back of the house. The back of house held large kitchen equipment
such as kettles and ovens, along with dry and cold storage. There were also multiple prep tables
throughout the area. The back of house was fairly empty when I was working there so I didnt really see
how food was produced back there. Most of the food was already made and just being served or is
prepared at the station where it is served. The back of the house was relatively small, which makes
sense since majority of the food is produced in the front. There is a wok station separated from the
main back of house and is located right next to where food made in it is being served to reduce
traffic. The only station besides the Asian station that doesnt prepare food within the station area is
the one serving hot prepared food. Therefore the back of the house does not see too much traffic,
mostly just grabbing ingredients from storage when stations run out.
The flow of people and management were also very well controlled in Mills. Bills office is right
in the back of the house and he has easy access to both the back of house and front of house which
allows ease of supervision. Also all the stations are set up in a line pattern so that he can basically see all
employees with ease, except for the wrap station which is located a little further back than the rest of
the stations. His office is right behind it though so its not hard to supervise either. As supervisor he was
constantly coming to the front of the house checking in on every station and assisting us as
needed. There were also other managers walking around that would help us and walk us through
anything we needed help with.
Much of what I have read and learned in the textbook applied to Mills. The layout and design of
Mills is set up so that all materials and people have a logical flow from prep to service. This food service
facility is set up in a way that maximizes productivity efficiently. Being on a college campus the traffic in
Mills comes in packs at specific times, mostly right between classes. The design of the facility allows
these large groups of people to be accommodated and the layout of each station makes it easy to
produce food in a fast pace so that students can grab food quickly with minimal wait time. In the end
the design, layout and managerial system in Mills is set up so that the flow of people and materials is
logical and efficient allowing for high productivity and the ability to serve many people in minimal time.
This experience will be of value of me in the dietetics career because it broadens my
range of foods that I know how to prepare. Learning different combinations of salads, and seeing all the
different ingredients people use in them will make it easier to be able to give patients and clients
recommendations for how to get a higher intake of vegetables which tends to be a hard thing for most
people.

Oneonta High school:
The second place I visited during practicum was the Oneonta High school. This was a much
different experience because in this facility most of the food is prepped and made before service then
stored until lunch time. Unlike Mills, the high school only serves food for a designated time period to a
certain amount of people. This allows for less variation in service. On any given day, it is already known
what time food is going to be served and for how long. In a food service like this, the flow of people
through the back of the house during production is not a major problem since food is not being
prepared during the operation. However the front of the house needs to have a very organized layout
that can accommodate large groups of people who are looking for fast and convenient access to
food. The layout of the front of the house in the high school is set up like a buffet and separated into
different stations. This allows students to easily grab what they want and leave quickly so that they have
time to eat before their lunch period ends. I was not there during lunch periods so I wasnt able to see
how food was replaced in between lunch periods or how quickly foods were replaced during a lunch
period or if they even needed to be.
The back of the house was very large with an interesting layout. The fridges were on the wall in
the front and the first room was divided by a wall, one side was lined with ovens and the other side had
two large kettles and steamers. That side was much larger than the side with ovens and it had an area
with tables set up for prep. I did not use or see any of the ovens in use but the way they designed the
kitchen with the ovens in a completely separate area to the prep tables and other equipment seemed
odd. It also made it very hard for Mary Jane to be able to supervise anyone using those ovens. Her
office was also all the way in the back away from basically everything and supervision would be
impossible for her to do without leaving and having to survey the kitchen herself. The dishwashing area
was also located in a different area surrounded by three walls but open to the rest of the kitchen which
also makes supervision difficult. After the dishwashing area there were a bunch of prep table and across
the way was the storage area with all the dry goods. The dry storage area and refrigerators were on
completely opposite sides of the kitchen which made it so that the flow of employees back and forth
was not as efficient as it could have been. However each area was fairly large and besides the one area
with the ovens, there was plenty of room to walk behind people who might be working in a specific
area. The aisles throughout the place were very large, except right near the kettles where it was only
about 3 or 4 feet, that is the only area that might see some traffic issues, probably not much though.
While I was there I mainly worked at the prep tables all the way in the back right after the dishwashing
area. Here I made fruit salad on one table while another lady was making salads and cutting tomatoes
for BLT wraps. We then made the BLT wraps and the prep area layout made this process very easy. We
made a system so that we could make the many of them as quickly as possible. We set up all the wraps
then I would put mayo on them, then the next girl would put lettuce and tomatoes in each while
another followed with bacon. We were able to make over 30 wraps in less than 15 minutes. The design
of this kitchen seemed odd at first but it works for this facility because the food doesnt need to be
made in a rush. Everyone working has a set amount of food that they need to have produced before a
certain time. Therefore there is no hectic rush during the operation itself. The employees arrive to
work early in the morning so that they have enough time to prepare all the food before the lunch period
begins.
After working here I can see how design, layout and management are all very much dependent
on the method of service at a specific food service facility. The method of service depends on the
customer and their specific wants and needs. At the high school, there is not much variation on the
customer and there are no unknown peaks and valleys of service. All the peaks and valleys are already
mapped out and can be planned for accordingly. Therefore the layout and design of the kitchen does
not need to accommodate this, instead it is setup so that prep is easy and efficient. Food can then be
stored and is ready before service. The menu is preset since the front of house is buffet style and the
kids serve themselves. The production in the kitchen is easily controlled and organized, this is most
likely why supervision here is not set up like how it is in mills. Production of food happens before the
customer arrives so it is not necessary for every station to be set up in a linear fashion like Mills is. Mary
Jane has the ability to walk around and check on everything while production takes place since the food
being prepared is not being done so in a rush because the customer is not waiting on it.
I really enjoyed working here and this will definitely play a role in my career. If I ever
end up working in community nutrition and schools, school lunches are a huge aspect of that career
area. Seeing the production and setup of the kitchens are something I would need to do constantly.
Also the employees in this facility especially Mary, are very knowledgeable of what the most recent
standards and laws regulating school lunches are when it comes to their nutritional value.

Commissary:
My third visit was to the commissary on campus. This is where all of the baked goods on
campus are produced. Anything baked found in any of the dining halls, Jazzmans, Starbucks and the
bottom of mills is produced here early in the morning then delivered freshly baked to its specified
destination. The design of this foodservice facility was much different than all the others because food
is not served at the facility. It is a commissary styled food service in that all the production is centralized
in one location than the product is shipped (or in this case taken by a truck) to the location where it is to
be served. The entrance to the facility is actually the receiving area where the trucks come in to pick up
the finished product. Upon getting up the stairs from the receiving area, the fridges and freezers are to
the left, the supervisors office is in the middle and to the right is where the production takes place.
Upon looking at the main kitchen it looks hectic and unorganized at first but it in fact actually works. I
spent majority of my time in one area of the kitchen. I was put at a table where I would scoop cookie
dough onto trays and then place them on racks so that they could be stored in the freezer. I would
scoop 9 cookies along the bottom and going up 12 cookies so that each tray would contain 108 cookies
that would be cooked later on. Obviously 108 cookies would not cook all together but in order to
maximize freezer space they are stored in this order. This makes it much easier to produce cookies
faster if they are already set up and just need to be placed on separate sheets and cooked. While at my
station there was no traffic behind me, everyone was at their specific station doing whatever tasked
assigned to them. There were many different types of ovens and equipment specific to a certain item.
For example behind me was where bagels were made and when it was time to start making them, Brian
Would assign an employee to that station and they would produce bagels until the order was filled.
The layout of the area I worked in just consisted of two large tables and behind me different
ovens that at this time were not being used. The aisle space would not have allowed me to being doing
work while people were utilizing the ovens behind me, but throughout the kitchen there were
numerous prep tables. I was put at this specific table because the ovens were not being used and if they
were I would have just had to have used any of the other prep tables that werent being utilized. Much
of the aisle spaces in the different functional areas were like this where there was not enough space for
more than one person to fit comfortably working behind each other. Since so many things are being
produced here and each item has a specific machine or specialized equipment for their production, the
fact that the aisle space was so small did not really pose an issue. Subs had specific ovens and holding
areas, bagels had a specific machine, cupcakes had a specific area and many other specialty items. A
person would work in the specific functional are until the order was filled and then move on to the next
one so the flow of people never really caused problems even though aisle space was minimal.
Brian was very good at supervising here. He followed a lot of the things we learned in class.
Keeping things simple and easy and encouraging workers. He would walk around constantly and make
you feel welcome and really made it a fun atmosphere. When I was working that day it was one of the
employees birthdays and he had all the other employees go up and surprise him and sing happy
birthday. He really made it more of a fun place to be rather than a work environment. He didnt take it
too far though as to where people would slack off and not get things done. It was the perfect balance
and he had everyone set up systematically so that everything that need to be produced would be in the
time allotted. Having to go to the commissary at 6:30am made me really not look forward to this
specific practicum assignment but his managerial skills really made this an enjoyable and rewarding
experience.
This experience was difficult because getting up that early and being able to function was hard,
but is something I need to get used. Having to change my schedule so I get bed earlier to wake up is a
skill that will help me in any career. The actual food service aspect of this may not help me to much in
Dietetics since my goal is to go into diabetic and cardiovascular areas where sweets tend to be frowned
upon. But nonetheless it was an experience I found rewarding and I definitely learned from it.

Hulbert:
The fourth practicum assignment I went to was Hulbert kitchen. Upon arriving I met with Kathy
who from the start was extremely professional and made sure we were in proper clothing. I was
wearing nail polish and had to remove it before I could start, then was shown around told to wash my
hands and put on clothes. So from the start I could see that sanitation and proper hygiene were really
enforced and supervised. This shows Kathys seriousness with her position and she takes it extremely
seriously. After having a quick walk through of the kitchen and showed the different stations in the
cafeteria area Kimberly Chong and I were told which stations we were to work at. I was sent over to the
Sushi station and given a quick lesson on how to roll sushi. This station really held true to what we
learned in class of the importance of keeping things simple. After being shown how to make a sushi roll
I made one and within five minutes got the hang of it and it was so easy to learn and do. This stations
functional area consisted of the work area where all the raw ingredients were kept in refrigerated
containers and were easily accessible. Everything was already prepped, vegetables and seafood were
pre sliced and all the sticky rice was made before hand. The only piece of equipment needed was a knife
and cutting board. Excess ingredients in case they ran out could be found in the back of the functional
area to the left. Right behind the work space was a large aisle space and a very large prep table. Next to
us was where pizzas were prepped and cooked and served. This area was set up in an I formation but
the entire cafeteria was setup in more of a U so that each stations could easily see all of the other
stations which allows Kathy to have easy supervision.
Service at Hulbert came in peaks and valleys. At first customers came in slow and we had
maybe one customer every ten minutes or so. During this time me, and the girl working alongside me,
learned to make California rolls so we would make them ahead of time in anticipation that many people
during peak service would order them. We were also both just learning how to make the rolls so we
also for practice made various other types such as vegetable rolls, shrimp rolls and whatever came to
mind. Keeping temperatures controlled was difficult for the display rolls so we decided to put one of
each roll on display and the rest in the fridge. This worked really well at first because we would have
one or two customers, many of which were just trying sushi and asked for one of each. It became
difficult during times of peak service, especially with customers who had specific orders because making
rolls under pressure got hard. Also as more and more people would order rolls and order larger orders
then the normal 5 rolls it was hard to keep track of which rolls and how many of each type were still in
the fridge in the back. It became confusing to remember exactly which roll was which. Having a better
way to organize them in the fridge would have been a good idea, separating them by the type of protein
in each.
The layout of the functional are was setup so that traffic was not an issue. My partner and I ran
into no problems when it came to serving customers separately and obtaining ingredients. The only
issue that would arise during large volumes of customers is that we only had one knife, so we would
have to wait for it. This is an easy fix though, getting another knife to use would be a fast and cheap
solution to this problem.
This experience will help me in my dietetic career in that it opened my eyes to a form of food I
am not familiar with. Learning how sushi is made and being able to make it will only broaden the range
of different foods I will be knowledgeable about

Wilsbach Pizza area:
When working in Wilsbach I worked over in the pizza area. The layout of this area was very
efficient. All raw ingredients were easily accessed and conveniently located. Everything that was
needed to make pizzas were located within reach and pizzas could be made in minutes to keep up with
demand during peak times. The pizza prep area was a straight line prep table with all raw ingredients for
toppings located directly in front in storage bins. More storage area was located directly under the prep
area in drawers. Right next to this prep area a rolling cart had flat bread crusts so all that needed to be
done was take the crust, put the toppings on and then directly behind the prep table was the impinger.
Pizza was placed in the impinger, it is cooked through the machine and right on the other side where the
pizza comes out was a table with proper cutting boards and cutting equipment (pizza slicers). This flow
could not be more efficient, pizza is literally made in minutes. After its allowed to cool and is sliced its
transferred just steps away for service on a heating service area table.
Right next to the prep and raw ingredient storage is a garbage for easy disposal of waste and
gloves. Then a refrigerator containing cold dough for non-flat bread pizza is stored. The only difference
with this dough is it needs to be stretched, this adds only around a minute of more prep time though.
Then a hand sink for easy access to wash hands in between prep and glove changes. The man working
with me was very nice and helpful he showed me how to make each different pie and made it a very
enjoyable experience. The service area is buffet style and was in a U-shape. This allowed pizza to be
served in one spot on a heated area, hot entrees on another and a prep area for extra workspace. This
U-shaped allowed us to work behind the table and directly serve to customers on the other without any
interference between the two. We could prep behind and easily place the item on the table for service
with minimal steps between. This also reduced traffic between the functional areas. The pizza area is
located in a corner and so prep can be done out of the way of traffic also. The sandwich area was right
next store and when the dishwasher came back and forth with clean dishes he was able to do so with
the minimal interference. The refrigerator was also located in an area in which the opening of its door
did not interfere with traffic either. For this facility this design and layout worked very well. Since it is a
dining hall and is meant to serve many people at once and runs on a schedule of high peaks and low
peaks and impinger works best. Deck ovens, although create more authentic pizza, would not be as
practical. The impinger allows production of many pizzas in minimal time, it also allows for production
of other items such as pasta/cheese dishes. The storage for raw ingredients is well placed and adequate
and size, the aisles are also a good size allowing for ease of traffic flow within the functional area and
between them. The only improvement would be in ware washing which is located rather far and in
times of high demand I could imagine it being hard for the dishwashers to keep up with the demand of
clean plates at all the different functional areas.
This was a great experience. I experienced just how important an efficient layout is in
production. During high demand pizza could easily be made in minutes and served due to the setup up
along with the types of equipment being used. It was also enjoyable to be able to make a pizza on my
own.

Lab:
During my lab period I made a pecan pie, an apple crumble and prepped for BLT sandwich
production. I worked mainly on one prep table that was set up with two straight tables back to back.
This location was tucked away out of the main production area with large equipment such as ovens,
stoves, etc. This was good because no traffic came between me and the girl working with me. The
refrigerators were directly to our right and dry storage was located to the left so getting any necessary
ingredients could be done with ease and minimal interference. A cart was also located in front of one of
the tables where more raw ingredients could be placed for ease of access. We were able to make two
pies and two plates of apple crisp all in under two hours. This was doable because of the efficiency of
the setup of the area. During my time in the lab I worked with two equipment items. A food processor
and a convection oven. Both were extremely easy to use. The processor was easy to assemble and
disassemble and made making the crumble for the apple crisp extremely quicker. It eliminated many
steps, which is the main goal of production. What could have been done by hand in 10 or more minutes
was done in less than one. The food processor is a very flexible piece of equipment that can be moved,
when using this piece I was able to use it one the adjacent table as to not interfere with the girl working
with me so she could cut apples simultaneously. The convection oven also was located out of the way
but in a spot where it was visible allowing us to start on our next project while our first items were
cooking.
Supervision in this kitchen was easy. Mr. Os office is located at the end of the kitchen right near
the entrance and has a glass window. This allows for maximum supervision. He can see anyone who
leaves or enters and has a view of practically everyone in the facility. The ware washing area is the only
location he cannot see from his office, but he can easily move about the facility without interfering.
The area where the ovens are is much smaller which limits traffic. This is good though because it forces
people to walk around on the other side which minimizes interference in this area. Hot food is being
prepared and moved so minimal traffic in this area is necessary.
This was an overall good experience, it taught me to work with another person in a way to
maximize production in less time. We split up the work upon receiving the recipes and were able to
accomplish much more than I would have expected. It also gave me the experience to work with a food
processor which I have never had the opportunity to.




















Practicum Assignment Group A
Keri Hofsiss
Food 235
11/22/13