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Title / Steam food in a whare kai
Level / 2 / Credits / 2
Purpose / This unit standard is for people who cook simple foods using the steaming method and includes a basic understanding of preparation practices (mise en place) and cooking techniques. They will have been ringa wera in generating the evidence required for credit for this unit standard. As and when needed by events on a specific marae, they will have undertaken a range of cookery activities in accordance with the application of tikanga for that marae.
People credited with this unit standard are able, in a whare kai, to prepare (mise en place) to steam food and cook food items by steaming.
This unit standard is seen as an entry level unit standard to marae catering and professional cookery.
Classification / Marae Catering > Cookery in Whare Kai
Available grade / Achieved
Entry information
Critical health and safety prerequisites / Unit 167, Practise food safety methods in a food business, or demonstrate equivalent knowledge and skills.
Explanatory notes
1Definitions
mise en place – means the setting out of ingredients and utensils required for the preparation of food items;
dish requirement – any recipe or dish type specified by, or specific to the marae, and made known to the candidate prior to assessment against the requirements of this unit standard.
2This unit standard applies to the steaming of food items such as vegetables, kaimoana, and rice, and the steaming of puddings. Evidence must be presented across the whole of this range.
Food cooked in a hangi may not be used as evidence for this unit standard.
The food items may have already undergone a level of preparation, perhaps by someone else, and/or maybe a proprietary product.
3Evidence for this unit standard must be presented from within the context of a whare kai. There are many similarities in performance expectations and requirements between the kitchen of a whare kai and those in commercial kitchens. There are also some significant differences that must be taken into account when developing the knowledge and skills required to be demonstrated for credit for this unit standard and in the assessment of such knowledge and skills. For example:
atime taken to complete tasks matters – the kai must keep pace with other activities and processes on the marae;
bthe end user must be satisfied in such a way that mana is not compromised;
cthe contexts in which catering is required are real and cannot be simulated. Learning and assessment activities may just happen as well as be planned and scheduled, resulting in the availability of high levels of naturally occurring learning and evidence opportunities;
dequipment must be capable of, safely, providing sufficient volumes of appropriate product to the standard demanded by each occasion for which catering is being provided;
eperformance is embraced by tikanga; and
fwork ethic is guided through the expression of manaaki and awhi.
4Performance of the elements of this unit standard must accord with the application of tikanga on the marae in which assessment takes place. This would include any explanation of effective ways of dealing with unexpected problems with food and equipment, unexpected conditions within or demands placed on the whare kai, or accidents that cause injury, encountered during any learning and/or assessment processes. Relevant applications must be made known to candidates prior to assessment.
5Performance of the elements of this unit standard must comply with relevant legislation and regulations, in particular: Food Hygiene Regulations 1974; Food Act 1981; Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, and any subsequent amendments.
Areas where such legislative and regulatory requirements may be of direct relevance include but are not limited to:
athe cleanliness, tidiness and fitness for use of utensils, equipment, work areas, and ingredients;
bthe storage and labelling of products; and
cthe efficient use of product to reduce unnecessary wastage and to ensure maximum yield.
Specific applications of relevant legislation and related guidance for marae catering contexts are available in documents such as:
iOranga Kai pamphlet resources developed by and available from the Ministry of Health;
iiMinistry for Primary Industries, Food Safety, practices in preparing and cooking a hāngi, May 2013 (available on
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Prepare (mise en place) to steam food in a whare kai.
Evidence requirements
1.1Food items and other ingredients are of the required type, quality, and quantity for steaming.
1.2Food is prepared (mise en place) for steaming in accordance with dish requirements.
1.3Kitchen environments, equipment, preparation areas, and self are kept clean and ready for the next scheduled task or action.
1.4The wairua of kai is acknowledged and respected throughout the preparation process.
1.5The whanaungatanga of the whare kai is practised throughout the preparation process.
Outcome 2
Cook food items by steaming in a whare kai.
Rangethe amount of food to be steamed must be sufficient for the relevant occasion on the marae.
Evidence requirements
2.1Food is steamed and meets cooked dish requirements in terms of flavour, aroma, degree of cooking, temperature, and appearance.
2.2Food items are finished with any appropriate garnishes, accompaniments, and sauces, and are portioned and presented in accordance with dish requirements.
2.3Kitchen environments, equipment, preparation areas, and self are kept clean and ready for the next scheduled task or action.
2.4The wairua of kai is acknowledged and respected throughout the steaming process.
2.5The whanaungatanga of the whare kai is practised throughout the steaming process.
This unit standard is expiring. Assessment against the standard must take place by the last date for assessment set out below.
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 21 March 2005 / 31 December 2015
Rollover / 2 / 16 October 2009 / 31 December 2015
Review / 3 / 21 July 2011 / 31 December 2015
Rollover / 4 / 16 July 2015 / 31 December 2018
Rollover / 5 / 26 July 2018 / 31 December 2019
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference / 0186
This CMR can be accessed at
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
NZQA Māori Qualifications ServicesSSB Code 194 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2019