COURSE OVERVIEW:

This course is designed to equip culinary professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the diverse dietary needs of customers in contemporary Australian society. This course is essential for chefs, cooks, and food service professionals who seek to accommodate various dietary preferences, allergies, intolerances, and religious dietary sanctions.

In Section A, participants will explore the foundational aspects of special dietary requirements, including culinary terms, trade names, and the main types and characteristics of food allergies, intolerances, and religious dietary sanctions. Understanding these concepts is essential for effectively catering to the diverse dietary needs of customers.

Participants will also learn about special lifestyle diets, special medical diets, and special religious diets prevalent in contemporary Australian society, along with substitutes used in preparing dishes to meet these requirements. Additionally, the course will cover key health, legal, and reputational consequences of failing to address special requirements, mise en place requirements for special diet foods, basic principles and practices of nutrition, nutrient groups and their food sources, influence on food choice, food labelling and interpretation, role and implications of using food additives and preservatives, health implications of food choices, and primary components and recommendations of the Australian Dietary Guidelines.

In Section B, participants will develop practical skills for confirming dietary requirements of customers, accessing special dietary recipes, identifying ingredients that may cause health consequences, excluding ingredients to meet customer requirements, following recipes, modifying menu items, communicating dietary requirements to other team members, selecting appropriate ingredients and preparation techniques, presenting food in an appetising manner, storing finished dishes, and minimising waste to maximise profitability.

Participants will also learn to visually evaluate dishes and adjust presentation as required, as well as clean work areas and dispose of or store surplus and reusable by-products according to organisational procedures, environmental considerations, and cost-reduction initiatives. 

Next, participants will gain practical skills in modifying standard recipes, excluding or substituting ingredients, and preparing, plating, and presenting portions of different dishes that cater to customers with special dietary requirements. They will learn to operate within commercial time constraints and deadlines, communicate effectively between team members regarding dietary requirements and recipe modifications during production and service, and follow procedures for portion control and food safety practices, including avoiding cross-contamination when handling and storing food.

By the end of this course, participants will be equipped with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience necessary to prepare food to meet special dietary requirements effectively, ensuring customer satisfaction and compliance with dietary preferences and restrictions.

This course is designed to align with the content outlined in the Nationally Recognised Unit of Competency SITHCCC042.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand the following topics:

Section A: Knowledge

·       Culinary terms and trade names

·       Main types and characteristics of food allergy, food intolerance and religious dietary sanctions

·       Main types, culinary characteristics and ingredients of special lifestyle diets that are part of contemporary Australian society

·       Main types, culinary characteristics and ingredients of special medical diets that are part of contemporary Australian society

·       Main types, culinary characteristics and ingredients of special religious diets that are part of contemporary Australian society

·       Substitutes used in preparation of dishes to meet special dietary requirements

·       Key health, legal and reputational consequences of failing to address special requirements

·       Mise en place requirements for special diet foods

·       Basic principles and practices of nutrition

·       Nutrient groups and their food sources

·       Influence on Food Choice

·       Food Labelling and Interpretation

·       Role and Implications of Using Food Additives and Preservatives

·       Health Implications of Food Choices

·       Primary components and recommendations of the Australian Dietary Guidelines

Section B: Performance Tasks

·       Confirm dietary requirements of the customer.

·       Recognise potential consequences of overlooking special dietary requirements of customers.

·       Access special dietary recipes and select specialised ingredients.

·       Identify from recipes and packaging, ingredients that may cause health consequences due to food allergies or intolerance.

·       Exclude ingredients from dishes to meet customer requirements.

·       Follow recipes to produce dishes for customers with special dietary requirements.

·       Modify menu items to meet different dietary requests by excluding or substituting ingredients.

·       Communicate specific dietary requirements for food preparation to other team members. 

·       Select appropriate ingredients and preparation techniques to optimise nutritional quality of dishes.

·       Use appropriate equipment and cooking techniques for specific dishes.

·       Identify modified dishes to other team members prior to service.

·       Present food in an appetising and attractive manner.

·       Visually evaluate dish and adjust presentation as required.

·       Store finished dishes in appropriate environmental conditions.

·       Minimise waste to maximise profitability of food items prepared.

·       Clean work area and dispose of or store surplus and re-usable by-products according to organisational procedures, environmental considerations, and cost-reduction initiatives.

·       Modify standard recipes to prepare six different dishes that cater to customers with special dietary requirements, including:

o   three different food allergies

o   three different food intolerances

·       Exclude or substitute ingredients to meet dietary requirements specified above, while maintaining the nutritional value and integrity of the dish.

·       Prepare, plate and present two portions of each of the above six dishes:

o   within commercial time constraints and deadlines

o   demonstrating effective communication between team members regarding dietary requirements and recipe modifications during production and service of special dishes

o   following procedures for portion control and food safety practices including avoiding cross-contamination when handling and storing food.

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

You must have access to a computer or any mobile device with Adobe Acrobat Reader (free PDF Viewer) installed, to complete this course.

COURSE DELIVERY:

Purchase and download course content.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.