The following has been put together based on many visits with several Community Kitchen cooks and servers during the winter of 2008. It is updated as more ideas are contributed and as Kitchen equipment and supplies are expanded. If you have any contributions or corrections to this material, send them to formadmin@ucpnh.org.

Set Up

• Check refrigerator temperature BEFORE opening the door for the first time. Record temperature and initial the sheet on the door.
• Prepare or warm up food.
• Lights (kitchen, hallway, Fellowship Hall, two sections over tables
• Heat tea water
• Check filter basket for used grounds. Clean if needed and replace in slot.
• Pour full pot of water into capped reservoir hole on top right of the coffeemaker.
• Discard this water (which usually has grounds and coffee residue).
• Run a second full pot of water through the machine.
• Place hot water on heat plate and turn on heat plate of the hot plate.
• Make coffee
• Turn on coffee heat plate under filter basket.
• Place filter paper (from drawer at coffeemaker) into filter basket.
• Use two small scoops of decaf. Coffee and scoop in first cabinet.
• Replace filter basket in slot.
• Place the empty pot (marked “Decaf”) on the heat plate.
• Pour full pot of water into capped reservoir hole on top of coffeemaker.
• Make sure coffee heat plate is turned on.
• Set out 8-10 cups from cabinet below the coffeemaker.
• Set two double tables in breakfront area.
• Placemats (soup kitchen cabinet at kitchen side of passthru)
• Flatware (marked drawers at Fellowship Hall side of passthru)
• Napkins (soup kitchen cabinet at kitchen side of passthru)
• Salt and pepper (third drawer in breakfront)
• Individually wrapped butter in bowl. Do NOT put quarters of butter on tables.
• Set up counter
• Condiments as needed.
• Individual creamers in a bowl
• Beverages, juices and water
• Plastic cups (soup kitchen cabinet at kitchen side of passthru)
• Salad dressing if needed.
• Check sugar/substitute supplies. (More above freezer in kitchen.)
• Dishes as needed on island (cabinets below Fellowship Hall side of passthru)
• Place trash barrel and rolling cart for dirty dishes near kitchen door.

Serving rules

• No self-serve or family-style dishes.
• Place desserts, side dishes (like applesauce) and salads on individual plates. Place only the needed number of servings on the counter and keep others in kitchen or refrigerator.
• Use serving utensils whenever possible. If you must touch food with hands, wear gloves (first drawer on kitchen side of passthru).
• Flatware must be run through the dishwasher even if you think it wasn’t used.
• Any food unused on the tables must be discarded
• Includes bread, napkins, placemats
• Exceptions wrapped butter and individual creamers

Clean Up

• Dishes
• It is all about healthy and sanitary.
• If it was on the table or counter, it should be washed.
• Do NOT handwash dishes or utensils.
• Hand scraped or scrubbed dishes or pots, etc. must be run through dishwasher as well.
• Do NOT use towels to dry dishes or flatware. Allow dishes and flatware to air dry briefly and put away damp.
• Tables
• Food served on the table (such as bread) must be thrown away. Do not return to storage.
• Throw away ALL napkins, used or not
• Wash all flatware, used or not
• Return salt, pepper and wrapped butter to storage places
• Tables should be cleared completely and wiped off
• Counters
• If you put anything out on the counters (condiments, dressing, creamers, beverages), return it to its storage place.
• Wash all dishes on the counters, used or not
• Wipe off all counters
• Dishwashing area
• Remove food from sink and drains
• If you like using the rinsing station, part of the job is to lift the rinsing basket out and clean out any debris in and under the basket.
• Wipe down and clear puddles.
• Rinse out the rolling cart tray(s).
• Trash
• Empty any barrels with food in them. Trash bags are to be taken to the box on the exterior wall of the kitchen.
• New trash bags may be in bottom of barrel. Otherwise, a supply is kept in the Sexton’s closet on the shelf just inside the door.

Leftovers

• Most cooks have their own menus and will not incorporate your leftovers in their plan.
• If it is unlikely to be used, take it home or throw it away.
• Small amounts will never be used.
• Wilted, burned, overcooked, or dried out food will not be used.
• Some dishes don’t lend themselves to reheating.
• If it is likely to be used for an upcoming supper, cover it tightly or wrap it up well. Really well.
• Seriously ask yourself
• Will this food last until the next serving night? Two days in the refrigerator max.
• Is there enough to serve a normal-sized crowd?
• Mark it clearly:
• What it is, date served. Undated food will be discarded.
• Wax pencil and masking tape in first drawer kitchen side of passthru
• Notify a Community Kitchen committee member that food has been left.

Close Up

RecordKeeping

• In notebook in key bag, record the date, what was served, who served, and how many attended the meal.

Turn Off:

• coffeemaker
• hot plate
• lights
• exhaust fans
• dishwasher
• stovetop and oven
• small appliances (warmers, roaster)

Close:

• Kitchen and hall doors (fire regulation)
• Kitchen window

Lock up:

• freezer
• outside door

Where’s the Food

Not all food in the kitchen is for Community Kitchen use. Several groups use this kitchen. Community Kitchen supplies can be found as follows:

• Freezer in kitchen. Key on ring with exterior door key.
• Right side of refrigerator only.
• Paper supplies and cups in lower cabinet at kitchen passthru.
• Wrap and baggies in middle drawers at kitchen passthru
• Cooking supplies in top cabinets to right of stove.
• Pantry shelves at front right of Fellowship Hall.
• Freezer at front right of Fellowship Hall.
• Coffee and tea supplies in lower cabinets near coffeemaker. Sugar and substitutes on top of freezer.
• In emergency, canned goods in Food Pantry. Report use so we can return food later.

Bad Weather Cancellations:  In the event of bad weather conditions, the Open Door Community Kitchen will be open on its regular Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule unless the governor declares a state of emergency.

Closing Announcements: Every effort will be made to arrange a public service announcement on WMUR.

Cooks and Servers: If you cannot make it to the Community Kitchen on your assigned day because of weather conditions, please contact the Community Kitchen schedulers by noon of your assigned day so that a substitute can be found and a meal prepared. See the contact list for scheduler and backup names and phone numbers or visit www.ucpnh.org/soupkitchen.