New and learning

[newtokitchenlife]

So I am not to the kitchen life. I have no commercial kitchen trainning and therefor no context of performance standards. The other day I diced 50 lbs of potatoes, unpealed, and it took about an hour. Can anyone help bring context, perspective, or tips on where this rates?

 

[dragnlaw]

Rate it for what? Speed? Quantity? Context as to??

My rating, after 50 lbs of potato dicing, would be to only buy frozen pre-diced potatoes ever again and never volunteer.
Welcome to DC newtokitchenlife.

 

[newtokitchenlife]

Since I dont know what an average cooks rate of dicing potatoes. Am I about where i should be? Am I too slow? What can I do to increase speed? I guess I am looking for a rule to guage where I am currently in my knife skills.

 

[jennyema]

Do you work in a restaurant ?

 

[dragnlaw]

I don't believe knife skills have much to do with speed. It is with accuracy and not chopping off a finger here and there.

Have you julienned carrots? try that for skills. There are plenty of videos out there that can show you what skills are. But ignore the speed - until you can do the accuracy then you can slowly work on speed.

Speed is really just showing off IMHO.

 

[newtokitchenlife]

No. I work in a cafeteria at a rehab/boarding school for trouble teens.

 

[dragnlaw]

If you are looking to see if you are doing what an average home cook would do with 50 lb. of potatoes then I think you are doing great.

If you think this is really important, keep timing yourself and test against yourself, not someone else. Just remember your fingers are more important than the speed with which you get those potatoes done. Because you will have to throw all those potatoes out and start with new ones if they get covered in blood.

 

[Andy M.]

Don't try to measure yourself against some standard (I don't think one exists). Don't try to go faster. Just keep doing it and you will become more familiar with the motions, your brain and muscles will learn the steps and you'll naturally get faster. Forcing yourself to get faster will lead to injury.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I agree with Andy, concentrate on doing a good job.

In the end the only opinion that will matter is your employer’s and I doubt that they will be shy about telling you where you stand.

Just keep choppin’, Kiddo!

 

[blissful]

An hour sounds reasonable. I don't know how long it would take me to chop 50 lbs of unpeeled potatoes, oh the drudgery of it!
It does sound reasonable. It's always more pleasant chopping up veggies with someone else, someone to talk with while working. Or at least have some music playing while chopping.

 

[Badjak]

I have no idea!
I don't think I have ever peeled that much potatoes in one sitting!

 

[Kathleen]

Welcome to DC! I'm sure that it would take me over and hour to peel and dice 50 pounds of potatoes.

 

[SGM Chef]

I take your just asking the question as a big positive indicator of potential. Caring is the most important part of cooking, that no one can teach. You're feeling proud of how you did, and indicates that essential caring about your product. Good for you! I'm guessing you are thinking about a profession in food service.

In a commercial kitchen speed is very desirable, but never at the cost of waste, attention to detail, or uniformity though. In my kitchen that is... Especially waste!

Knife skills is a BIG category and long road! Each veg. and fruit requires a slightly different focus. Skinning a Salmon filet, breaking down a hind quarter of beef, and the ever present cutting up whole chickens into halves, quarters, spatchcocking, deboning thighs, removing backbone, etc., etc.... Knife skills...

 

[caseydog]

Since I dont know what an average cooks rate of dicing potatoes. Am I about where i should be? Am I too slow? What can I do to increase speed? I guess I am looking for a rule to guage where I am currently in my knife skills.

I am an experienced home cook, and I don't know how long it would take me to dice 50 pounds of potatoes, because I would stop dicing at five pounds.

Knife skills have nothing to do with cooking good tasting food. For me, good knife skills is all about keeping all of my fingertips.

CD

 

[msmofet]

Welcome to DC!