Stock Making
Stock making is a fundamental cooking skill where chefs create the flavor base (called stock) used in many dishes like soups, sauces, and other recipes. It involves slowly simmering ingredients like bones, vegetables, and seasonings in water to extract their flavors. Think of it as creating the foundation that makes restaurant food taste so good. While home cooks might use store-bought broth, professional kitchens often make their own stocks because it's more cost-effective and provides better quality. You might see this skill mentioned as "stock preparation," "base making," or "foundation sauce making" in resumes.
Examples in Resumes
Managed daily Stock Making operations for a high-volume restaurant kitchen
Trained junior cooks in proper Stock Making and Stock Preparation techniques
Developed and implemented new Stock Making recipes that reduced kitchen costs by 15%
Typical job title: "Stock Makers"
Also try searching for:
Where to Find Stock Makers
Professional Associations
Online Communities
Job Resources
Example Interview Questions
Senior Level Questions
Q: How would you organize stock production for a large hotel operation?
Expected Answer: A senior candidate should discuss planning production schedules, managing ingredient costs, training staff, implementing quality control measures, and coordinating with other kitchen departments to meet demand.
Q: How do you ensure consistency in stock quality across different batches?
Expected Answer: They should mention standardized recipes, proper documentation, temperature control, ingredient quality checks, and training protocols for staff members.
Mid Level Questions
Q: What are the key indicators of a properly made stock?
Expected Answer: Should describe clarity, flavor depth, proper color, gel consistency when cooled (for bone stocks), and appropriate seasoning levels.
Q: How do you troubleshoot common stock making problems?
Expected Answer: Should explain solutions for cloudy stocks, over-reduced stocks, lack of flavor, and how to adjust seasoning properly.
Junior Level Questions
Q: What are the basic ingredients for making chicken stock?
Expected Answer: Should list chicken bones, mirepoix (onions, carrots, celery), aromatics (garlic, herbs), and explain basic preparation steps.
Q: What safety measures do you follow when handling hot stocks?
Expected Answer: Should mention proper cooling procedures, safe lifting techniques, appropriate container use, and temperature monitoring.
Experience Level Indicators
Junior (0-2 years)
- Basic stock making techniques
- Kitchen safety and sanitation
- Following standardized recipes
- Proper ingredient handling
Mid (2-5 years)
- Multiple stock variety production
- Quality control procedures
- Recipe scaling
- Kitchen equipment maintenance
Senior (5+ years)
- Production planning and scheduling
- Cost control and inventory management
- Staff training and supervision
- Recipe development and improvement
Red Flags to Watch For
- No knowledge of basic food safety
- Unfamiliarity with different types of stocks
- Poor understanding of temperature control
- Lack of experience with large batch production
- No awareness of cost control principles
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