Mike wrote:

> This is slightly off topic - I'm thinking about the food served in
> restaurants. Take Chilli's or T.G.I.Friday for example (a chain, but
> not "fast food"). How is the food prepared there? Let's say I order
> a grilled chicken sandwich. I assume the cook pulls a portioned
> chicken breast out of the freezer. Maybe its already cooked, or even
> partially cooked so it just gets heated?

It's already cooked, complete with grill marks. They can be "re-thermalized"
(I love that term) by microwave or by other specialized equipment.

> Was the bun fresh (never
> frozen)?

Maybe, maybe not. Most of the time, the chains have contracts with the same
bread suppliers that visit the grocery stores. The bread truck pulls up and
off-loads trays of bread products every day or two.

> I have to assume the lettuce and tomato that came on it were
> fresh, right?

The tomatoes are whole, and are sliced by hand in a "tomato witch"
http://tinyurl.com/29phjx The lettuce comes pre-shredded in HUUUUUGE bags.
The croutons come in large cardboard boxes -- about the size of a case of
bananas -- which are lined with heavy-duty plastic.

> I would guess if you order a plain salad that
> everything in it is fresh (croutons, bacon bits notwithstanding). How
> many deliveries would a chain restaurant get in a week in order to
> continually have all the fresh ingredients they need?

Usually two or three per week.

> Now think about the local Chinese restaurant. Surely some of their
> seafood and meat offerings have to come to them frozen. After all, if
> I order sesame chicken (essentially chicken nuggets fried then covered
> in a nice sesame sauce), it had to be frozen until I ordered it,
> right?

I know nothing about asian restaurant kitchens.

> Procedurally, does a chain or local restaurant thaw out all the frozen
> items it thinks it will need in a given day, or just thaw them as
> needed?

Based on product popularity during rush times, there will be several
ready-to-go at any given time.


--
Dave
www.davebbq.com