Knife Skills/Safety
If a knife slips or falls, this is the one thing you should NEVER do.
What is try to catch it?
AFVT requires this exact amount of contact time.
What is 90 seconds?
Hot foods must be held at or above this minimum temperature.
What is 135°F?
This nickname is given to the rubber spatula because it protects food cost through recovered yield.
What is the “Million Dollar Tool”?
This tool must always be used so nothing gets missed during prep.
What is the prep list?
This hand position keeps fingertips tucked and uses the knuckles as a guide for the blade.
What is the claw grip?
After removing produce from AFVT, this step is never allowed.
What is rinsing the produce?
The thermometer accuracy must be checked daily using this method.
What is the ice‑water method (32°F)?
This simple habit prevents thousands of dollars of waste per year, per location.
What is scraping every container with a spatula?
To work smarter, teams should prep shared ingredients this way.
What is consolidating prep into shared batches?
This three‑step progression ensures safe, consistent knife work: first accuracy, then consistency, and only then this final stage.
What is speed?
You must never add this into the AFVT solution after dispensing it, because it dilutes the concentration.
What is additional tap water?
Before inserting the probe, you must always do this to foods like soups, dressings, taco meat, and guacamole to get an accurate reading.
What is stir the product thoroughly?
This common shift moment is when scraping habits slip the most.
What are rush moments?
This rule reminds teams to maintain cleanliness throughout prep, not just at the end.
What is CAYGO (clean as you go)?
This grip uses the thumb and index finger on the blade for max control and stability.
What is the pinch grip?
This approach—treating produce washing like prep—improves efficiency and consistency.
What is batch washing (mise en place method)?
This is required before AND after each temperature check to prevent cross‑contamination.
What is sanitizing the thermometer probe?
At the end of each shift, managers should check this area for missed yield opportunities.
What is the waste/trash area?
This phrase explains why missing even one ingredient means the recipe cannot be executed correctly.
“No ingredient, no recipe”? (Somethings missing you can't train it, make it or serve it)
This is the correct way to carry a knife through the kitchen, while saying “Knife!” to alert others.
What is carrying the knife at your side, tip down, with the blade facing back?
Hard fruits like cantaloupe and pineapple must be cleaned in this specific way before entering AFVT.
What is scrubbing them with a green food brush under cold running water?
These two surfaces must NOT be touched by the probe during measurement because they can give false readings.
What are the sides and bottom of the container?
Managers should use this technique to positively reinforce correct behavior when a team member scrapes properly.
What is catching them doing it right and reinforcing it immediately?
This must always be used when preparing recipes to ensure consistency and proper portioning.
What are measuring tools (like scales, portioning tools, or cups)?