CC Communication & Documentation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the term '86' communicate in professional kitchen slang?
- A dish is being added to the menu
- An item is out of stock or no longer available (Correct answer)
- An order needs to be rushed
- A dish has been returned by a guest
Correct answer: An item is out of stock or no longer available
In professional kitchen terminology, '86' means an item is unavailable, either because it sold out or because the kitchen cannot produce it.
Question 2: A standardized recipe card should always include which of the following to aid in food cost control?
- The chef's personal notes
- Unit cost per ingredient and total recipe cost (Correct answer)
- Guest feedback history
- Plating photo only
Correct answer: Unit cost per ingredient and total recipe cost
Including unit costs and total recipe cost on a standardized recipe card allows management to monitor and control food cost percentage effectively.
Question 3: When a cook needs to communicate an urgent problem to a supervisor during service, which approach is MOST appropriate?
- Wait until the end of service to discuss it
- Interrupt any ongoing conversation immediately with the full story
- Calmly state 'Chef, I need a moment — problem at my station' and briefly explain (Correct answer)
- Text the supervisor from their phone
Correct answer: Calmly state 'Chef, I need a moment — problem at my station' and briefly explain
A direct, concise alert respects the supervisor's attention while ensuring the urgent issue is immediately flagged and can be addressed quickly.
Question 4: Which document serves as the legal record of goods received from a vendor?
- Purchase order
- Receiving report (Correct answer)
- Requisition form
- Production schedule
Correct answer: Receiving report
A receiving report documents the actual items, quantities, and conditions of products delivered by a vendor and serves as a legal record of receipt.
Question 5: In professional kitchen communication, what does the response 'Yes, Chef' primarily signify?
- Agreement with the chef's opinion
- Acknowledgment that an instruction was heard and will be followed (Correct answer)
- A greeting
- Request for clarification
Correct answer: Acknowledgment that an instruction was heard and will be followed
'Yes, Chef' is the standard professional acknowledgment that a directive has been received and will be executed, maintaining clear command structure.
Question 6: A temperature log shows that walk-in cooler readings were not recorded for a 4-hour period. What is the CORRECT action?
- Fill in estimated temperatures retroactively
- Document the gap, investigate the cause, and record when monitoring resumed (Correct answer)
- Discard all food in the walk-in immediately
- Ignore it if the food looks fine
Correct answer: Document the gap, investigate the cause, and record when monitoring resumed
Documenting the monitoring gap honestly with an investigation note preserves record integrity while triggering appropriate food safety follow-up.
Question 7: Which element makes a kitchen communication board MOST effective during a busy service shift?
- Detailed paragraphs with full context
- Color coding, large fonts, and brief bullet points (Correct answer)
- Handwritten cursive for authenticity
- Only management can update it
Correct answer: Color coding, large fonts, and brief bullet points
Visual clarity through color coding, large fonts, and concise bullet points allows kitchen staff to absorb information quickly during fast-paced service.
CC Communication & Documentation 3
What does the term '86' communicate in professional kitchen slang?