COOKS

IMPORTANT COOK NOTES

OPENING THE CAFE

  1. Turn on fan and lights.
  2. Light the grill. Turn the right grill burners on maximum, leave the right grill burner off. When hot, turn the burner down to the 3/4 way position. At busy times the temperature may need turned up and/or the middle burner lit. If the grill is generating a lot of smoke it is set too hot and/or needs cleaning.
  3. Don't bang the grill with the edge of the spatulas. The nicks will develop into hot spots and be hard to clean.
  4. Heat chili in the can (note: remove the label first) in a pan of water (double boiler style) to 165F. Then pour it into the "crock pot double boiler" on the counter and maintain at 140F. (Note: Set temperature at about 200F to maintain at 140F. The crock pot needs about 2-3 cups water.)
  5. Heat hot dogs in water on burner to 165F. Maintain at 140F. Limit to 6-10 dogs at a time.
  6. Clean and slice tomatoes and onions. Chop onions for chili, hot dogs, and Frito chili pies. Break up lettuce. Set up dill pickles, green chili, chips, Fritos, and cheese for the grill area. Place frozen hamburgers and sliced cheese in a double tub on ice. Check the refrigerator for leftovers. Keep all food covered.
  7. Place ice under shredded cheese and green chile.
  8. Place 2-3 bags of green chile in refrigerator to thaw.

HEAD COOK

  1. Gloves are optional.
  2. Cook hamburgers and hot dogs. Prior to cooking, hamburgers must be kept on ice. Replenish the ice and drain the water frequently.
  3. To reduce smoke, keep the grill clean of grease with ice. Note: only a small amount, half a dozen cubes, is necessary. Using a large amount generates excess steam and cools the grill excessively.
  4. Use an empty chili can to collect the grease under the grill. It should be replaced when the grease level is about two inches below the top. Store the full can to the right of the grill. Grease is to be disposed of in grease depositories only. The depositories are usually located outside the back door across the walkway. The full cans can be emptied and discarded when closing the Cafe.
  5. Check the temperatures of the chili and hot dogs. (Cook to 165 F and hold at 140 F). Keep ahead with chili and hot dogs, but try not to have any left over when you close.

ASSISTANT COOK

  1. Assistant cooks must wear gloves.
  2. Keep supplies replenished. Prepare chili bowls and Frito pies.
  3. Add onion to hot dogs. Add chili and onion to chilidogs.
  4. Prepare plates for hamburgers and cheeseburgers with lettuce, tomato, and pickles.
  5. If requested, add onion to hamburgers and cheeseburgers once they are off the grill 
  6. Slice tomatoes and onions for burgers. Chop onions, grate cheese, and break up lettuce.

CLOSING THE CAFE

  1. Turn off the grill and crock pots about 9:45 P.M.
  2. Put all food away. Dispose of cooked hot dogs, hamburgers and chili.
  3. Dispose of grease.
  4. When the grill cools, clean with pumice brick and water. Wipe with a damp rag.
  5. Degrease the kitchen area. This includes hood, shelf under grill, and walls.
  6. Take the rubber floor mats outside for mopping.

Cleaning The Grill

While In Use:

Keeping the grill clean throughout the day will reduce burning of the surface and smoke accumulation in the cafe. To clean the grill while in use:

  1. Clear the area of food.
  2. Very CAREFULLY place a small amount of ice, about half a dozen cubes, directly on the grill. . Beware that the steam from the ice can very easily cause severe burns. As the ice melts it loosens the grease from the grill surface. Use the flat metal grill spatula to scrape the grease and water off into the drain. Be sure to periodically check the drain can for overflow.
  3. Resume cooking.
At Closing:

It is extremely important that the grill be thoroughly cleaned at the close of each shift. Poor cleaning at closing will result in burning the next day. The grill should look nearly new and shiny when thoroughly clean. It just takes time and elbow grease. For basic cleaning:

  1. Clear the area of food.
  2. Turn off the grill. DO NOT extinguish the pilots. (This should be done 15-20 minutes before cleaning to allow it to cool some.)
  3. Clean with ice as described above. As the grill cools more ice can be used at a time. It will take 1/2 a bag or more of ice. Be careful not to completely cool the grill; a warm grill is much easier to clean.
  4. Once the surface is free of the surface grease, use a grill brick to remove the burnt residue. Keep the grill wet while cleaning. The water creates a slurry from the residue and pumice of the grill brick, which does the work of polishing the surface. A dry grill will cause the residue to dry back on the surface as fast as it's cleaned. Begin with a back and front movement and finish with circular movements similar to waxing a car.
  5. Use hot soapy water to wash the surface clean. Rinse with plain water.
  6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until the grill is uniformly shiny clean from edge to edge. THIS TAKES A LOT OF ELBOW GREASE.
  7. Don't forget to scrub down the hood and walls!
  8. Clean and replace hood filter. Try to do this 30 minutes before closing to avoid using the sink at closing.
Seasonal Care:

At the end of the fair the grill must be prepared for the winter:

  1. Thoroughly clean the grill.
  2. Turn off the gas to extinguish the pilots.
  3. Coat the surface with a few tablespoons of cooking grease.
  4. Uniformly cover the surface with heavy plastic sheets. A couple of large garbage bags will work well.