Speciality dishes in food and beverage operations require precise selection and understanding of ingredients, especially when preparing seafood dishes that often feature international culinary influences. Ingredients not only define the flavor profile but also contribute to the presentation and authenticity of the dish. In Kenya’s vibrant hospitality sector, chefs in hotels and restaurants rely heavily on quality ingredients such as fresh herbs, spices, and seafood to meet the expectations of both local and international guests. Mastery of ingredient knowledge enhances the ability to innovate and maintain high standards in seafood preparation.

4.1 Ingredients used in international dishes

International dishes depend on a set of key ingredients that give each cuisine its character: pasta and cheese in Italian cooking, soy sauce and vinegar in Chinese and Japanese cooking, wine in French cooking. A chef who knows where each ingredient comes from, its types, quality points, uses and storage can cook these dishes authentically, choose sensible local substitutes when an import is unavailable, and control the cost of expensive items. Many of these ingredients are now produced in Kenya, while others are imported and must be ordered and stored with care. Example: a conference hotel in Gilgil buys its wheat flour, cheese and chives locally and imports only its Parmesan, wine vinegar and soy sauce for its international buffet.

Pasta

Pasta is an Italian dough made from durum wheat semolina mixed with water, and sometimes eggs, shaped and either cooked fresh or dried for storage. It is the base of many Italian dishes, including lasagne and spaghetti Bolognaise, and is now made in Kenya as well as imported.

• Dried pasta: Made from durum wheat semolina and water and dried until hard; it keeps for many months and is the most used in commercial kitchens.
• Fresh pasta: Made from flour and eggs, cooks in 2 to 4 minutes, and is used for filled pasta and high-end dishes.
• Long shapes: Spaghetti, linguine, tagliatelle and fettuccine, suited to smooth or meat sauces.
• Short shapes: Penne, fusilli, farfalle and macaroni, which hold chunky sauces and suit baked dishes.
• Sheet and filled pasta: Lasagne sheets, cannelloni tubes, ravioli and tortellini.
• Quality points: Even golden colour, no cracks or white spots, and pasta that holds its shape and stays firm to the bite (al dente) when cooked.
• Storage: Dried pasta in sealed containers in a cool, dry store; fresh pasta covered and refrigerated and used within 1 to 2 days.

Caviar

Caviar is the salted roe (eggs) of sturgeon, a large fish of the Caspian and Black Sea regions, and is one of the most expensive foods in the world. Strictly, only sturgeon roe is caviar; roe from other fish is sold as caviar substitute and named by its fish.

• Main types: Beluga (large, grey eggs, the most costly), Oscietra (medium, golden to brown, nutty flavour) and Sevruga (small, dark grey, strong flavour).
• Substitutes: Salmon roe (large, orange), lumpfish roe (small, dyed black or red) and trout roe, used for garnishing at lower cost.
• Quality points: Whole, separate, glossy eggs that pop in the mouth, a clean sea taste, and no fishy smell or broken eggs.
• Uses: Served chilled on its own, on blinis with soured cream, as a canapé topping, and as a garnish for fish and egg dishes.
• Service: Served in a glass or crystal dish on crushed ice with a spoon of horn, bone, mother-of-pearl or plastic, since silver gives it a metallic taste.
• Storage: Kept unopened at minus 2 to 2 °C and eaten within a day or two of opening.

Wheat

Wheat is a cereal grain milled into flour and other products used in breads, pastry, pasta, couscous and sauces in nearly every international cuisine. Kenya grows wheat mainly in the Rift Valley and also imports large quantities. Example: a bakery and pastry kitchen at a hotel in Narok uses locally milled bread flour for its rolls and imported durum semolina for its fresh pasta.

• Hard (strong) wheat flour: High in protein and gluten, used for bread, pizza bases and puff pastry.
• Soft wheat flour: Low in gluten, used for cakes, biscuits and shortcrust pastry.
• Durum wheat semolina: Coarse, yellow and very hard, used for dried pasta and couscous.
• Wholemeal flour: Contains the whole grain, including the bran and germ, giving more fibre and a nutty flavour.
• Other wheat products: Bulgur (cracked wheat for tabbouleh), couscous, breadcrumbs and wheat noodles for Chinese dishes.
• Functions: Thickens sauces as a roux, coats foods for frying, and gives structure to doughs and batters.
• Storage: Dry, cool, pest-free store, in sealed bins off the floor, used in rotation, since flour absorbs moisture and smells.

Cheese

Cheese is made by curdling milk with rennet or acid, separating the curds from the whey, then shaping, salting and often ripening the curds. International dishes use many types, each with its own melting, flavour and texture properties. Example: a cheese dairy in Molo supplies Gouda, cheddar and mozzarella to hotels across the Rift Valley.

• Fresh cheeses: Mozzarella, ricotta, cream cheese and paneer; mild and moist, used in pizza, lasagne, desserts and Indian curries.
• Soft ripened cheeses: Brie and Camembert, with a white rind and creamy centre, served on cheese boards and baked.
• Semi-hard cheeses: Gouda, Edam and cheddar, which melt well for sauces, gratins and toppings.
• Hard cheeses: Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano) and pecorino, grated over pasta and risotto for a strong savoury flavour.
• Blue cheeses: Roquefort, Stilton and Gorgonzola, used in dressings, sauces and on cheese boards.
• Quality points: Right colour and texture for its type, a clean smell, no unwanted mould, and intact wrapping within date.
• Storage: Wrapped in waxed paper or cling film and refrigerated at 1 to 5 °C, strong cheeses kept apart, and served at room temperature for best flavour.

Wines

Wine is the fermented juice of grapes and is used in international cooking to add flavour, acidity and colour, to tenderise meat and to deglaze pans. The alcohol largely evaporates during long cooking, leaving the flavour behind.

• Red wine: Used in rich braised meat dishes such as beef bourguignon, coq au vin and Bolognaise sauce, and in red wine sauces.
• White wine: Used in fish and chicken dishes, cream sauces, risotto and for steaming mussels.
• Fortified wines: Sherry, port, Madeira and Marsala, which add sweetness and depth to sauces, soups and desserts.
• Rice wines: Japanese mirin and sake and Chinese Shaoxing wine, used in Asian marinades, glazes and stir-fries.
• Cooking use: Wine is added early and reduced so the alcohol and harsh acidity cook off, and wine not fit to drink is not used for cooking.
• Control: Cooking wine is issued from the store against a requisition, because it is costly and easily misused.
• Storage: Bottles are stored lying down, away from heat and light; opened wine is corked, refrigerated and used within a few days.

Vinegar

Vinegar is a sour liquid produced when alcohol in wine, cider, malt or rice is fermented into acetic acid. It adds sharpness, balances sweetness and richness, and preserves food in pickles and marinades.

• Wine vinegar (red and white): Used in French dressings, sauces such as hollandaise and béarnaise, and marinades.
• Balsamic vinegar: Dark, sweet and aged, from Italy, used in salad dressings, glazes and on strawberries.
• Malt vinegar: Made from malted barley, used for pickles and served with fish and chips.
• Rice vinegar: Mild and slightly sweet, used to season sushi rice and in Asian dressings and sweet and sour sauce.
• Cider vinegar: Made from apples, fruity, used in dressings and chutneys.
• Spirit (white) vinegar: Very sharp and clear, used for pickling and cleaning.
• Storage: Kept tightly closed in a cool, dark store; its acidity means it keeps for a long time.

Soy sauce

Soy sauce is a salty, dark brown liquid made by fermenting soya beans with roasted wheat, salt and a mould culture. It gives a deep savoury taste (umami) and colour to Chinese, Japanese and other Asian dishes.

• Light soy sauce: Thin, saltier and lighter in colour, used for seasoning stir-fries, dips and dressings.
• Dark soy sauce: Thicker, aged longer and slightly sweet, used for colour in braised dishes and sauces.
• Japanese soy sauce (shoyu): Balanced in flavour, used for sushi and sashimi dips and in teriyaki sauce.
• Tamari: Made with little or no wheat, suitable for guests who must avoid gluten.
• Low-sodium soy sauce: Contains less salt, for health-conscious guests.
• Uses: Marinades, stir-fries, sweet and sour sauce, dipping sauces, glazes and noodle dishes.
• Allergen note: Most soy sauce contains soya and wheat, which are both allergens that must be declared.

Chives

Chives are a fine, hollow, grass-like herb of the onion family with a mild onion flavour and bright green colour. They are used fresh, mainly as a garnish and finishing herb, because cooking destroys their delicate flavour.

• Flavour: Mild onion and garlic taste that complements eggs, potatoes, cheese, cream and fish without overpowering them.
• Uses: Garnish for soups, omelettes, baked potatoes, sushi, salads and canapés, and an ingredient in cream cheese, soured cream dips and herb butters.
• Cutting: Snipped with scissors or sliced finely with a very sharp knife just before use, so the stems are not bruised.
• Adding: Added at the end of cooking or sprinkled on the dish at service.
• Varieties: Common chives and garlic (Chinese) chives, which have flat leaves and a stronger garlic flavour for Asian dishes.
• Quality points: Bright green, firm, upright stems with no yellowing, wilting or slime.
• Storage: Wrapped loosely in damp paper in a container in the refrigerator, and used within a few days.

Other ingredients used in international dishes

Several other ingredients appear repeatedly in the dishes of topic 4.2 and are kept in an international kitchen's stores.

• Short-grain sushi rice: A sticky Japanese rice that holds together when seasoned with rice vinegar.
• Nori: Sheets of dried, pressed seaweed used to roll sushi.
• Olive oil: Used in Italian and Mediterranean cooking for frying, dressings and finishing dishes.
• Paneer: A fresh Indian cheese made by curdling hot milk with lemon juice; it does not melt when cooked.
• Herbs and spices: Basil, oregano, thyme and bay for European dishes; garam masala, cumin, turmeric and cardamom for Indian dishes; ginger, star anise and five-spice for Chinese dishes.
• Soured cream and mustard: Used in Russian beef Stroganoff.

Receiving and storing international ingredients

Many international ingredients are imported, expensive and slow to replace, so they are checked on delivery and stored with care.

• Checking deliveries: Labels, use-by dates, packaging and temperatures are checked against the order, and damaged or out-of-date goods are rejected.
• Language and labels: Imported goods carry an English label listing the importer and ingredients, including allergens, and the KEBS Import Standardisation Mark (ISM).
• Correct store: Dry goods such as pasta, flour, rice, vinegar and soy sauce go to the dry store; cheese, caviar, fresh herbs and opened sauces go to the refrigerator.
• Stock rotation: First in, first out keeps ingredients within date.
• Security: Costly items such as caviar, wine and imported cheese are kept locked and issued against requisitions.

Chapter Summary

This chapter covered the essential ingredients commonly used in international dishes, highlighting their unique flavors and roles in culinary preparation. It then examined various types of international dishes such as bolognaise, masala, sour pork, corn cane, and bourguignon, emphasizing their distinct characteristics. The discussion progressed to the preparation methods applied to these dishes, detailing techniques that enhance taste and texture. Production methods and procedures were explored to ensure consistency and efficiency in cooking. Quality assessment of finished dishes was addressed, focusing on sensory evaluation and adherence to standards. The chapter also explained the importance of attractive presentation to appeal to diners. Proper storage techniques were outlined to maintain freshness and safety. Finally, post-production tasks and responsible waste disposal practices were discussed to support hygiene and environmental sustainability in food preparation.