1)What challenges or difficulties did you face during this practical subject?

- During my second semester in advance diploma, we were required to do many practical

activities and assessments. One of them was creating a menu inspired from several famous
chefs and restaurants and to organize a dinner at Truffles restaurant in Taylors. So we had
a day to do our mise-en place which we will be preparing the desserts and bread dough in
advance. My menu included a dessert which is chocolate sphere with mango shaped white
chocolate dessert. While preparing this dessert, there were many difficulties and obstacles
that I had to face. One of the main difficulties I had was to having poor task management
and communication.

2) How did you overcome these challenges or difficulties? If you were not able to
overcome these challenges, what do you think prevented you from doing so?

- In life, we must learn to overcome our problems and not run away from it because it will
only make our lives harder. I had to overcome these problems and obstacles to become
better. Since I was having a hard time communicating with my team to get the plating’s for
dessert on time, I made sure everyone was ready with their dishes or components of dish
and made sure all of them finished their tasks that was assigned to them. Another
difficulty that I faced was assigning my team to do each tasks on the mise en place day. My
team member Priscilla who was supposed prepare the chocolate spheres was having a
hard time because it was not an easy task to do by the amount of time given. To overcome
this, I assigned another member Isaac to go and help out Priscilla with the chocolate
spheres. If I were not able to overcome these challenges, the only thing that was
preventing me from doing so was my lack of communication. As a chef de cuisine, it is my
duty to make sure everyone is on the right track and make sure everyone completes the
task that was given to them. I did not follow up on them regularly which led to poor time
management and the dishes were not able to me out for the demo on time.

3) What areas did you think you performed well in within this subject?
- The areas that I think I performed well within this subject is the creativity area. I think I
did a good job of coming up with the menu design and also the plating. I was given Thomas
Keller’s French Laundry and I was able replicate some of its common dishes like salmon
tartare cornets, tomato tartare and other dishes as well. For the dessert, I had to come up
with my own idea of the chocolate sphere and a pear shaped dessert. Another area that I
think I performed well was the punctuality. I was able to be on time to the kitchen and also
instruct others as well to be on time and follow the mise en place list. By doing this, we
were able to finish the mise en place on time. These are some of the plating and idea for
my dessert
. 4) If you were to rate your own performance in this subject on a scale of 1-10 (with one
being the lowest and 10 the highest) against the learning outcomes what mark would give
yourself and why? Explain and give evidence for the mark you have awarded yourself

- If I were to rate my own performance in this subject, I would rate a 6/10. The reason why I
gave myself this mark is because I believe I have achieved certain criteria in this module
such as timing, creativity, punctuality and others. I was able to think and create different
and various plating techniques during this semester and was able to plate and present it
accordingly. For example, there are some plating for my all my dishes. Another criteria is
being punctual. I was always on time to all the practical classes that took place in the kitchen
during this semester and was never late once. There are still places that I need to work on in
order to rate my performance a full 10.

5) How do you think the skills and knowledge you have learned in this subject will benefit
your future career prospects and goals? Do you think they are relevant to your future
career prospects and goals?

- The skills and knowledge that I have learnt in this semester are having good
communication and also time management. These skills will benefit my future career goals
because if I were to become a chef de cuisine, these skills are important in managing and
operating a restaurant. Everything that is learnt in this semester is related to my future
career prospects. For example, the dessert that my team prepared required a lot of team
work and time management because it was not an easy task to do. In the future if we open
up a business, it will be useful for us and we can learn from this semester and develop our
idea and creativity when coming up with a menu.
6) Think of another skill or attribute that is relevant to your future career goals that you
have learned during the subject (eg, communication, use of technology, team work,) and
relate that attribute or skill to your future career goals, how will it benefit you?

- Another skill or attribute that is relevant to my future career goals that I have learnt during
this semester is the use of technology. For instance, for the dessert which is the chocolate
sphere, we used the sphere mould which made it easier to produce the dessert. Another
equipment that was useful in pastry making is the electrical mixer which made it easier
when whipping or mixing the chocolate cream. Team work is another important skills that is
needed in the kitchen industry because everyone is working together in the kitchen. During
service the whole kitchen team will help with plating and organizing their stations

7) Describe some of the different feelings and emotions you have experienced throughout
this practical subject, do you think these feeling and emotions have helped you to learn,
or have they been a by-product of the learning process or environment?

- There were many emotions and feelings that I have felt during the entire service week and
semester. One of the feelings were nervous. I was feeling nervous when it was time for my
dinner service week. It is because everything had to be perfect and should go in a smooth
manner. I was feeling nervous because I was not sure if the ingredients that I had ordered
was enough for my dinner service. But somehow, I was able to overcome it and I consulted
the chef and clarified certain matters that I was not aware of. These emotions helped me
learn many things like for example, always take it easy and do not panic unnecessarily.
Another emotion that I had experienced was frustration. I was feeling frustrated because
my team member Priscilla who’s doing the chocolate sphere wanted to give up and was
angry because some of the chocolate sphere broke. But after a few tries, we manage to
prepare enough for the guests for our dinner