Kitchen Tips and Recommendations

These are some things the authors have learnt through time and experience They are also important from a safety/hygiene point of view.

General Kitchen Set Up: Space, Logic and Flow

a) Where possible have food storage, prep, cooking and serving area separated but consecutive (this is a useful ordering to work with). Not in different tents or anything, but in some kind of set up that aids logical progression/flow from food sack to mouth. Different areas are generally for different tasks but they should link with one another in an order that works without people having to bump into one another trying to do things. Eg the prep area should be close to the food, and a tap for washing veg should be nearby etc.

b) Try and have enough space for people to move past one another and hot things easily

c) Have a distinct, separate washing up area with a hot rinse and capacity for air drying. People should be able to take their things there without coming back through the kitchen. There should be a separate hand wash here for washer uppers.

d) Have all burners away from tent walls and sheltered from the weather. Make sure they are stable and away from any burnable material. Grass will nearly always burn, so you can dampen it or cut it back. Or watch it carefully the first time it catches with water on hand and then it is fine.

e) Get gas set up checked by an experienced person and keep your spanner handy. (See later sections for advice on gas set up)

f) Have sturdy tables and make sure they are steady on the ground. They should also be the right height for an average height person not to get back ache chopping.

g) Tables can be used logically to aid the flow of the kitchen and to create no-go areas. You can almost never have too many, and 8 is a good number for a 200 person kitchen. At climate camp the central kitchen had two tables at the front with tea and snacks to keep people out of the kitchen most of the time. We had two-three large prep tables running perpendicular to these for prep and serving, and another two or three for the washing up area .

The back of the kitchen was pallets with food on and in the middle space and around the sides we had pallets with pans and cleaning equipment on. The burners were in the far corner, away from the general flow of people.

h) We made sure that once people had their food they could walk out of the door to the eating area without doubling back.

i) You can create non slip areas using rubber mats around urns, washing up pathways etc to avoid a mud bath.

j) Pallets are invaluable for keeping things off the ground and also for creating logical storage areas. Food should always be stored off the ground in closed bags and boxes.

Lighting

The kitchen area should be well lit, and a light coloured tent is recommended. Lighting should be installed for evening and night cooking. Head-torches are really helpful

Gas and Burners

Where to get stuff?

Calor suppliers are usually helpful and information or www.bes.co.uk come highly recommended

Gas Quantities:

19kilo bottles are the most manageable and last a decent amount of time. Generally we discourage people from ordering 47kg gas bottles because they weigh much more than 47kg including the bottle and are so very difficult to move about. The Anarchist Teapot do use them for their impressive burners but most burners can cope with the 19kilo.

Safety Advice

IMPORTANT: ALL THE INFORMATION BELOW CAN BE FOLLOWED WITH VERY LITTLE RISK. HOWEVER THIS IS A ROUGH GUIDE AND ANYONE WHO IS GOING TO CREATE A GAS SET UP SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONE WITH EXPERIENCE BEFORE THEY START TO PLAN,AND GET SOMEONE KNOWLEDGEABLE TO CHECK IT BEFORE USE.

a) Don't use any gas equipment you are not sure about- was it designed for the task you are going to use it for, is it still in good working order?

b) MAKE SURE YOUR REGULATOR AND BOTTLE MATCH. If they don’t you will not be cooking a thing.

c) Treat gas with respect. Always have the bottle off when you are working on anything, keep naked flames away and out your kitchen when it is not in use, and keep your nose attuned for a gas smell when there shouldn’t be one.

d) Use a proper lighter for lighting your burners, one that keeps your hand as far away as possible. I recommend the co-ordinator keeps the lighter on their person. (it's always best to use a lighter rather than matches as matches have a habit of getting into food)

e) You can easily run two average burners off one bottle and you should do that for economy. Most burners come with their piping and regulator set up ready. You should check the piping for wear, and that the screws on the security clips are tight. Any missing security clips should be replaced.

Gas Set Up

For new set up for two gas burners running off one bottle.

You will need. Two burners. Spanner and screwdriver. 3-5m length of orange rubber piping, triad splitter and security clips (at least 6), and one compatible regulator to join to the bottle.

i)First you need to attach two half metre pieces of orange rubber gas piping to each of the burners and secure each join with a screw on security clip ( note: screw on security clips (jubilee clips) damage hosing and should be single use. Either cut the piece of hosing damaged off after use or use crimps and crimping tool (£10 to £15 gas supplier) and again discard after use. Tough piping can be softened in a mug of hot water.
ii) Take a metal triad splitter, available from most calor gas stores, and insert the two lengths of piping on either end of the horizontal metal part. Again you should join firmly and secure with screw on security clips (see above about re-use).
iii) Another part of the triad splitter should be pointing vertically and this will join to the bottle. Take another length of piping appropriate to your needs and add it to the third branch and join it to the regulator. Again all joins should be security clipped
iv)The regulator should be fixed to the bottle and tightened thoroughly with a large spanner, which should remain near the gas area
v)Turn on gas and check all joints with gas leak liquid (from gas supplier) or washing up liquid. Smear on joint and check carefully for bubbles
vi)The gas bottle can then be turned on as needed, and the burners lit using the nozzles on the model you have.
vii)to change the bottle. Turn it off, detach the regulator and join it in the same manner to a new bottle.

Gas bottles should be put outside the tent. Turn them off when they are not in use for a length of time (overnight) it is easy for the nozzles on the burners to be left open.

Make sure the burner supports the pan and use two burners for one pan if you think it is necessary. You cannot heat a huge pan using tiny burners. Make sure your burners are powerful enough. A regular £35 one ring calor gas burner can cope with medium pans, but a three or four ring burner is often needed for a super big amount of sauces or grains. Check out your local Asian catering store, and Army surplus are also great.

If you suspect you have a leak turn everything off at once and test using soapy water, or a nearby plumber if there is one! Replace the part that is leaking

Always have spare piping, regulators and security clips/crimps and the tools needed to work with them.

Rocket Stoves and Alterative Fuels and Cooking Stoves

Wood chip fuelled rocket stoves are becoming a common site around field kitchens and they can be very useful for heating water. Advice on their construction can be found on the internet and skill shares are common around the environmental movement and social centres. At current capacity it can be suggested that they are generally best kept as a supplement or reserve heat source, though as the technology and experience moves on this may change. Their advantages are sustainability and DIY/recycling ethos. However it is good to bear in mind that they are not often big, powerful or stable enough to support large pots and pans, they need constant tending and fuel monitoring and they make everything turn black and messy. Propane burners remain more reliable and you do not need to get in vast amounts of wood fuel.

Watch this space, I am hoping to be convinced!

Solar and Haybox ovens are also possible, and Gasifiers have also been mentioned and experimented with.

Food Safety

Pest Avoidance

a) Store food off the floor and avoid spillage.

b) Your containers must have lids.

c) Don't leave food lying around and cover your compost in a sealed container that is strong enough to present a challenge to rats foxes etc- so not just bin bags

d) Sweep and mop if you have the kind of flooring that could be. If not pick up any obvious bits of food waste left lying around.

General Hygiene

a)All people who walk in the kitchen area and do anything must wash their hands. All volunteers should wash their hands in a bowl separated for this purpose using soap. You can also make sanitising gel available.

b) The kitchen should be a working area. Don't let people hang out in there and try and avoid self service snacks. They make a mess and create germs. NO SMOKING in the kitchen

c) Cover your clothes and your HAIR.

d) Wipe all surfaces regularly with sanitiser. Rinse chopping boards off regularly.

e) Have only one WASHER UPPER for people’s plates and mugs etc. AVOID DIY washing up. This person must wash their hands first

f) Keep food off surfaces and in containers. The central kitchen was full of plastic boxes and tubs of a variety of sizes for washing, storage and transportation of food. These are invaluable and it is recommended that you invest in a selection, some with lids, some without. They are also useful for serving (see below) If you're buying things in bulk, big brand new dustbins are an excellent investment as storage containers.

g) If possible tubs for vegetable washing should be for that task only. Soil is a contaminant.

h) Remember some people eating with you will have more vulnerable immune systems than you- take food hygiene seriously

i) If you're going to use teatowels, you will need a few hundred. Loads and loads of aprons are also a good idea, then laundry becomes another issue to consider. Have a washing line available and take detergent for washing.

Food Poisoning and Contamination

a) It is a strong recommendation that you do NOT REHEAT RICE, or indeed anything. Cook to the number of people you have and weigh out grains. 10kg feeds 100people. If it helps to avoid wastage cook smaller batches more often rather than cooking a huge batch and wasting it

b) Try not to have leftovers. Offer seconds once everyone has eaten. Throw away what is not eaten unless you have a cool place to store it.

c) Have a food thermometer to check that all food has reached a temperature of 65-70 degrees before serving. This is vital if you do reheat in desperation.

d) Avoid keeping food warm for long periods before during or after cooking. Food should be hot or cold

e) Have plenty of hot water. Set aside an urn, burner or rocket stove for that purpose alone.

Safety with heat and knives

a) Have either bluntish or sharp knives - my experience is that a mixture between blunt and sharp knives is what's really dangerous and a uniform sharpish/bluntish is easier to maintain than all sharp.

The reason for the cliché that sharp knives are more dangerous than blunt ones, is that you have to push hard, but this is only really the case with meat. How much resistance to vegetables really put up!

b) Do not lift pans unaided and try and avoid moving them at all. Decant food into containers to serve using large jugs( see below)

c) If you have to move large hot things around make sure everyone in the kitchen knows what you are about to do before you do it- shout a warning.

d) Have pan holders. Take great care with urns and steam as many of the nastiest kitchen burns come from steam rather than flames.

People management, timing and staffing

a) Have one co-ordinator for each meal if possible. This is a constructive and fluid hierarchy and makes for better humour for all if someone has a recipe and system in mind and can take others through it.

b) A list of daily tasks and tasks needed for the next meal on a whiteboard or whatever works well. It can also be helpful to delegate specific tasks to a group. One for salads, one for sauce etc.

c) Keep children, dogs and snackers out of the kitchen. Make the kitchen recognisable as a separate area using counters and tables.

d) Have set meal times and make them clear to avoid nagging, Make sure that the kitchen door shuts to the public at some points of the day so breaks can be taken and there is a sense of rest. If you're not confident at achieving your meal time let people know eg write “ish” after the time aimed at

e) Set shifts for the volunteers and have a rota.

f) Have tea coffee and snacks in a separate area so people can help themselves.

Cooking For Many People

Preparation

a) Regard prep as a constant task not a prelim to a meal. Try to have lots of large clean plastic containers labels on that you can ask choppers to fill regardless of what time of day it is.

b) Have working areas for veg, salad and important but fiddly things like garlic, ginger and chilli. It is good to use colour-coded chopping boards to separate salad and more mucky veg.

c) Never turn any volunteers away, you will always need garlic and onions and the kitchen can always be cleaner.

d) Use any downtime within range of a meal to put pulses into soak, boil beans and parboil hard veg like potatoes, carrots etc.

Stock Control

a) Ask neighbourhoods to bring containers for dried goods so it is easier for you to keep track centrally and then you do not have loads of bags open. Get items as you need them and keep track.

Cooking Tips

a) Prepare food in order of priority in terms of how long it takes to cook. Chop and cook potatoes before mushrooms for example.

b) Add them to the pan using a similar logic. Hard stuff first, softer stuff later

c) Several simple smaller dishes can be easier than a few large if you have the capacity. It also makes for variety if there is a bit of sauce and grains, some bean salad and side veg. It can also be simpler than a complex curry, and faster to cook.

d) Don't be scared of big pots. Fill them gradually and bulk out with stock, lentils and pulses. Add bulk and then liquid to avoid drying out and burning. The protein element is important. And yes fifty onions is normal! Be careful not to let food stick on big pots make sure to have big enough wooden spoons. It will need stirring well because a lot of food is heavy and will stick to the bottom

e) Lou cooks using a standard method that she finds works for most one pot sauces. Onions and veg fried with a bit of oil in order of toughness, add hot vegan stock (if you are making a sauce) for further cooking time, add cooked pulses and any tomatoes and condiments and then season. Other people have their own ways though.

f) Don't be shy with seasoning in big pots. You will need more than you think! But do add salt and chilli steadily checking taste and heat. Lou has ruined more than one meal by chucking it in. She also adds garlic raw and late in the cooking process as often it has more power that way. It may be useful to fry spices in separate pan. People who really like salt or chilli can add more themselves.

g) Don't rush grains or leave them until last minute as they take time. Start with heated water early and add the grains until the water just covers them. One technique is to stir as it boils and add more water if necessary. You can be more generous with water if you want to prevent burning. You can scoop the grains out with a wire hoop in this case rather than attempting to tip a heavy pan to drain.

h) LIDS are very important and save a LOT of time and energy

Serving

a) It is usually best if you serve people, rather than self service. It helps with portion control and also avoiding germs. It also saves a lot of time and faffing.

b) You can put food in containers on a table at right angles to the counter and stand in a line passing plates along each server who has a different item and finally handing them full to people through a 'hatch', or to the end of the queue

c) People should take what they are given, they can always leave it. Don't fuck around with preferences.

d) Only give seconds when you are sure everyone is eaten- though don't be saving food for too long for people who may or may not turn up in a bit, it will only lead to food wastage

e) Have bread and cutlery, tea and coffee on another table so that you don't get a hold up from buttering etc..

f) We recommend that people bring their own cutlery and plates and you conserve your stash for people who are visiting or have forgotten

g) make sure people donate and remind them!