The below article was written by YachtChefs.com and gives a great analysis of what to expect and prepare for in terms of the New MCA Ships Cook Assessment.
The Ships Cook Assessment is here to stay and needs to be embraced as chefs have until 15th February 2015 to get assessed and certified and comply with the requirement to have a certified Ships Cook onboard all commercial vessels with more than 10 crew.
So the Ship’s Cook Certificate is an assessment, not a training course. Chefs need to understand this.
Presentation and time taken to ensure the food is plated and garnished correctly plays an important part! Obvious maybe but sometimes overlooked in the heat of getting your dishes out in the service window you are given!
Requirements: Chefs must have 1 year experience at sea or 1 year experience on land as a Chef/Cook + 1 month sea service.
Day 1: you are asked to prepare and demonstrate your technical knowledge for around 5 dishes (starters and mains). You have a 30 minute window to serve the 5 dishes to the assessors and they then mark each dish accordingly!!
Presentation and plating up is key here as is tasting your food as you work! Think of it that you need to impress the assessor with your presentation skills as well as your technical knowledge!
Day 2: Pastry and bread making skills are tested to the full here. If you are not sure what to expect contact Cedric or Duncan to ask for more information. After all you are paying over Euros1250 for a course so it is not unreasonable to ask for more info so you can prepare for the assessment.
See the assessment criteria at the bottom of this post to see the full range of what you need to know!
Day 3: the written half day exam, make sure you know about different dietary requirements, food safety topics, HACCP etc… you will be asked about this!
WHEN TO BOOK? Finally try to book it on a quiet week when there are six or less on the assessment. Just a tip as cooking with 11 other chefs around you is going to be harder than 4/5 chefs..
So here is a rough summary to help give you an idea of what to expect. If elements of this change then so be it.. this example is for guidance purposes only!
DAY 1
Proceed to bench and collect your work list for the starter and main menus
09:45 – 13:30
Prep time to prepare the 5 dishes listed on your menu
13:30-14:00
Food service Window
14:00
Tasting and marking of your individual dishes
The assessor will mark you based on the following so take your time with service, present well and have clean and tidy plates!
14:30 onward
clear down kitchen and answer some questions on dietary requirements and food safety
NOTE: the assessors will watch you preparing the dishes for your menu and take note that you will be assessed on:
technical skills, knowledge and ability presentation and taste food safety on the kitchen and adhering to correct practices
DAY 2
Proceed to bench and collect your work list for the pastry & bread making menus
09:45 – 13:30
Prep time to prepare the 5 dishes listed on your menu
13:30 – 14:00
Food service Window
14:00
Tasting and marking of your individual dishes
14:30 onward
Clear down kitchen and answer some questions on dietary requirements and food safety
NOTE: this is a pastry and bread making day so make sure you know the basics!If unsure ask Cedric prior to doing the course what elements you need to be competent in and practice before attending the assessment!
DAY 3
Proceed with half day written exam on food safety and dietary requirements, costing and galley administration and management
It shows you all the elements you will need to know for the assessment!
MCA Ship’s cook certificate of competency
The level required for the MCA Ship’s cook certificate is equivalent to a city and guilds level 2 in catering. The assessment consists of three different modules which all need to be validated
1 day practical assessment in cookery.
1 day practical assessment in pastry and bakery .
1/2 written assessment
Syllabus
As per MSN 1846 annex 2 the syllabus is the following :
Written exam syllabus
Health and safety in catering in the maritime industry
- Understand the importance of health and safety in the maritime industry
- Be able to identify hazards in the catering workplace onboard ship
- Understand how to control hazards in the workplace
- Understand how to maintain a healthy and safe workplace
Kitchen operations, costs and menu planning
- Describe the organisation of a kitchen
- Plan and prepare menus for catering operations
- Demonstrate awareness of basic costs associated with the catering industry
- Apply the basic calculations used in catering operation
Applying work place skills
- Be able to maintain personal presentation
- Be able to work effectively with co workers customers and colleagues
- Be able to prepare for a job application
- Be able to produce a plan to develop skills
Healthier foods and special diets
- Understand how to plan and provide special diets
- Outline current government nutritional guidelines for healthy diets
Cultural and religious catering requirements
- Understand how to plan and provide dietary requirement for people from different cultural and religious backgrounds
Dietary requirements of shift workers
- Understand how to plan and provide the dietary requirements for shift workers
Practical exam for cookery
Prepare and cook soups ans sauces
- Prepare and cook stocks
- Prepare and cook soups
- Prepare and cook sauces
Prepare and cook fruit and vegetables
- Prepare fruit and vegetables
- Cook fruit and vegetables
Prepare and cook meat and offal
- Prepare meat and offal
- Cook meat and offal
Prepare and cook poultry
- Prepare poultry
- Cook poultry
Prepare and cook fish and fish and shellfish
- Prepare fish and shellfish
- Cook fish and shellfish
Prepare and cook rice, pasta, grains and egg dishes
- Prepare and cook rice
- Prepare and cook pasta
- Prepare and cook grains
- Prepare and cook eggs
Practical exam for pastry and bakery
Prepare and cook desserts and puddings
- Prepare hot and cold desserts and puddings
- Demonstrate how to cook and finish hot and cold desserts and puddings
Prepare and cook bakery products
- Prepare paste, biscuits, cake and sponge products
- Cook and finish paste, biscuits, cakes and sponge products
- Prepare fermented dough
- Cook and finish fermented dough products
Start your career as a Chef in the Superyacht Industry today: https://www.certifiedtraining.co.za/superyacht-courses/chef-career-training/
Source: http://www.yachtchefs.com/ships-cook-assessment-explained-what-to-expect-on-the-assessment/