Methodology And Performance Standards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Methodology And Performance Standards - Essay Example In this essay, Baldwin Hotel is assessed for service quality in the way and manner in which staff deal with guests by using two major performance standards namely resourcefulness and customer service. Resourcefulness is a quality of staff or workers that makes it possible for them to contribute to several aspects of decision making within their job even outside their official job specification. This means that for staff of Baldwin for example who are front desk attendants must be in a position to provide other services and resources to their superiors outside of their stated job specifications as front desk attendants. Generally resourcefulness improves service quality because it helps in eliminating gaps in tasks and services within the hotel. For example when one worker is absent, the presence of a resourceful employee would ensure that the vacancy is not felt and that it does not affect customer service because he will be there to take that task up. At the visit to the site, there were two major measurable and observable areas or components of resourcefulness that was seen. The first had to do with front desk attendants who were giving room services, and front desk attendants who were undertaking troubleshooting in inaccurate ledger postings and entries. The methodological tools that were devised to measure the resourcefulness of workers were observation and accuracy with ledger postings. This means that there was both a qualitative and quantitative methodology. Employees who were responsible for this performance standard were front desk attendants. Customer service is a performance standard that basically deals with the level of satisfaction that the services rendered to customers by staff is appreciated by customers (Covey, 2008). At the Baldwin Hotel, greater percentage of customers is guests to the hotel who come to book rooms to spend from one night to a whole vacation. Customer service rendered to

Early childhood education Essay Example for Free

Early childhood education Essay In a childcare setting the practitioners has an important role in supporting children. In a childcare setting the practitioner needs to help the children learn and achieve their full potential in their development stages; they must understand where the children are at in their development and know what they should be trying to achieve next, the practitioner can do this by spending time with the child and learning what the child can do and what they are struggling with so then they can plan activities to help the child with what they are struggling with and help them achieve their next stage of development. As a practitioner youve got to think about if the child is ready to be achieving the next stage of development because if they are not ready then it will be harder for them to do it; when a child achieves something new that they have not done before it is the practitioners job to praise them so they will feel like they did something good and will feel like doing it again as they like being praised for it and having that attention. Practitioners must make sure that all children in the setting are safe and secure; at all times children must be supervised, at least 1 of the staff members must be qualified in each room and their must be at least 2 members of staff in the room so if you need anything you can go and get it without the children being left on their own. To keep the children safe you must make sure that all dangerous objects and equipment are kept out of sight of children and make sure if it is equipment outside such as climbing frames or slides etc. that they do not go on them, you must make sure before the children go outside to play that you check whether all the playing equipment is safe so their wont be any accidents or injuries and if it is dangerous weather such as raining or snowing you must not allow the children on the equipment that they could injure themselves on. at my previous placement in the playground their was some monkey bars but in certain conditions when it was raining or snowing this piece of apparatus where not in use and all the children were told they could not use it; they did this so that none of the children would go on it and slip and injure themselves. When children first start the setting the practitioner has to make the child feel safe and secure because if you welcome them and you are warm and comforting they will feel more comfortable in the setting and wont mind leaving their mum and dads and will want to stay their and play with their friends. it is important that you work in partnership with parents because the parents know their child better than anyone, this allows you to find out what the childs likes and dislikes are and if you have good communication with the parents you will know what to expect the child to be like in the day whether they are upset or happy or they might need a sleep as they didn’t have much the night before, when you work with their parents you can find so much about the child which will help you later on and you can talk about the child about how they could help them develop if they are struggling or if they need advice on how to potty train them. (see appendix 1) E2 Many families have to deal with change in their lives and they usually have the support of their families to support them through these changes. Many families face daily issues that affect their family life and often need help to sort them out. These issues could be financial difficulties; all families have a lot of things to pay out for such as housing bills, care provision for their child and food etc. if the families cannot pay for this then it can be very hard on them if they dont have the correct support of their families and organisations as they could not have enough money to keep their house or to buy food and clothes for their child, families could support them with this situation by helping them out with buying stuff for the child for example a few extra clothes, food etc. , but also if the family also cannot afford this there is organisations you can go to within your community that helps in these situations such as food banks. Another issue is employment; if a member of the family loses their job then it can be difficult as you will not be getting enough income as you usually would and will be harder to provide for the child or if the mother wants to go to work and earn some extra money and not just be at home then it could be difficult if both the parents/carers work as you have to find provision for the child and can be difficult if you cannot afford to put the child in the nursery, families can support you with this as you can ask them if they can have the child for a bit some days whilst you are at work or you can try and get government funding at a nursery so you can take them in maybe in the morning depending on when you work and get another member of your family to pick them up if you are unable to. Many families go through divorce and separation and it can affect the family in so many ways; if the two parents separate then their will not be as much income so they will struggle in paying on everything and also may not have somewhere to go straight away so they might have to go and live with some of their families and will be cramped. There are certain organisations that can help you with these situations, you can go on the council list and they will try and find you a place as soon as possible as you will be classed as homeless and you can get housing benefits or benefits as a single parent. There are different types of family structures and it depends what structure you are in with how much support you will be getting not just with family but organisations within you society as well. Parents whose families are married will not need as much support as they will be getting more income and can get support of each other but they will get some support if they need it. when the child is being brought up by a lone parent then they will get support by all their family as they might need help to look after the child when they have something to do or has to work; when a parent is bring up the child on their own then they might be struggling financially as they will only be getting their income and no one elses, if you are a single parent then you can claim money for being a single parent to help you out a bit more. In reconstituted where only one adult is the biological parent to the child and where there may be children who may have different biological parents; in this family they will have the support of both families and will still get benefits to help them out with money. All families need support at some point in their life and there are many organisations and self help groups that can provide this support and there are many different settings where you can take your child and they will be cared for such as respite care, holiday play schemes, parent and toddler groups, schools, workplace nurseries, child minders, pre-school, after school clubs, residential care, day nurseries and creches. There are four different types of sectors that provide care and education for children which are: statutory sector voluntary sector private sector independent sector A statutory sector has to be there by law and is funded by the government. Local schools is an example of a statutory sector, they have to be there by law and gets funding by the government so they can afford all the equipment and everything they need to run the school. Schools look after children from the age of 5-11 years old; they follow a set routine. Foundation stage covers EYFS and year 1 to year 6 covers the national curriculum. Schools are open from 9-3:30 from Monday to Friday. Schools are closed in the holidays such as Christmas, Easter, summer and half terms. Schools are located all over in areas easy to access so it is easy for the parents to drop and collect the children off at their school. In all schools there is always enough space for an outside area for example the playground and an indoor area where they can do P. E activities. Local schools can be adapted when needed for example building ramps for people with disabilities so they find it easy to access the school. Schools also provides snacks for the children which are healthy such as fruit and vegetables to provide them with some of their five a day. they should also have toileting times such as before they go out for break or before dinner. Statutory schools are free apart from paying for school dinners, school trips and some snacks. The aim of a statutory sector school is to provide opportunities of education for every child and to support their learning and to help them in areas where they are struggling. They also aim to provide a safe and secure environment to keep the children from harm. Another aim is to provide social opportunities for the child for example learning to make new friends, learning to socialise with people, learning the difference between adults and children and learning to respect others. It may also provide opportunities for the family as they will be meeting other parents and socialise with them and get support from them if they need it and also they can find different services through schools to help support them. A voluntary sector are provided by organisations such as charities. Volunteers and paid staff provide services in the same way as in the statutory sector. mostly all their fundings come from donations from others. Mother and toddler groups, brownies and pre-school groups are apart of this. Mother and toddler groups are usually for children aged 2-4 years. Mother and toddler groups are usually open between 9-11:30 in the mornings or 1:30-3 in the afternoons. These kinds of organisations are usually placed in a church or community hall. The staff at these groups are usually parents themselves but the person that runs the group has to have a level 3 qualification in childcare. The group may ask for a small donation each week to cover the cost of booking the hall and also for lighting and water bills. The area where the group is located in may not have an outdoor play area for the children to play in. The group should also follow the EYFS Curriculum where children will learn through play and the space may also be Ofsted inspected . The main aim of a mother and toddler group is to provide short term care so the parent or carer gets a little time to themselves in case they need to get anything done and it also gives children the chance to develop their social skills and to make new friends. Another main aim is to get children ready for nursery. Also it provides opportunities for parents or carers to meet new people whilst helping out with the organisation or just dropping the child off at the group; this gives the parents someone to talk to about their child and if they need advice they can talk to someone. A private sector is where you have to pay extra to try and get their best out of their childs education. When you use a private day nursery you are charged for using them, you are approximately charged ?150 a week to use these services, but at some nurseries they offer free government funding for parents who cant afford to keep taking their child there. Nurseries are normally open from 8am-6pm all year except from bank holidays. At nurseries they look after children aged 6 weeks-5 years. They provide all meals including breakfast, snacks, dinner and tea. They also have sleep facilities, indoor and outdoor play areas for children to play in. The building may not of been purposely built to be used for a nursery but can be adapted for the children to provide their size abilities. All the members of staff will be fully qualified, managers and room leaders must be level 3 qualified. Ofsted will come and inspect the building and the staff to make sure it is safe and also to check whether they are following the EYFS curriculum. The aim of a private day nursery is to provide safe and secure environments for children to keep them from harm and to make them feel comfortable in the setting without the parents being there with them. it also gives the children the opportunity to build their social skills and make new friends. Another aim is to provide a stimulating environment with bonding sessions between the child and their key worker. Whilst the children are at nursery it gives the parents the chance to get a job and earn some extra money. E4+C The childrens act 2004 goes on about the rights of the children. This act is concerned with families and the care of children, local authority support for children and their families, fostering, childminding and day care provision. The children act is really important because it says the importance of putting the child first. This act states what is best for the child must always be the first consideration; when caring for children you must always think about what is best for the child because in all situations the child must always come first and you have got to think about how the child is going to react about situations they don’t like, youve especially got to think about the child when it comes to activities because you have to think about where the child is at and got to adapt the activity to suit their needs. It also states that unless the child is at risk or harm, a child should not be taken away from their family without the families agreement; children should never be taken away from their family because families the most important people in their life, the only reason you should take them away is if you have concerns about the child that they are not safe then you would have to contact other services such as social services and get the situated observed. Courts must put the children first when making decisions; when making decisions in court such as who gets to look after the child the mother or father you have to think about who the child would be best looked after with. There are five outcomes for children that the childrens act 2004 talks about. (see appendix 3) In Health and Safety at Work act employers must make the workplace as safe as possible; when working with children you have to make sure all the workplace is safe and none of the children can injure themselves or get hurt. Before the children goes outside to play a member of staff must go out and check whether all the equipment is safe and not broke so the children cant hurt themselves on them. All dangerous equipment or substances must be kept out of all childrens reach so they can not harm themselves on them and all plug sockets must have plug guards in to stop the children from putting their finger in them and all plug sockets must be turned of at all times when not being used. you must decide how to manage health and safety in the setting for example doing a written policy on how to make sure none of the children get hurt and how to keep them safe and healthy. All employees must work safely; if you are given guidance about how to use equipment you must use it that way and no put anyone in danger. E5 E6 When working with other professionals it is important to respect and value the knowledge of other professionals because everyone has better knowledge in certain areas and if you have concerns about something and you are not sure what to do then you could go to other professionals and ask for their opinions such as if you are having concerns about children if their acting a bit strange and you think they are in danger such as at home they are being hurt as they have got some strange markings or bruises appearing then you can take it to other professionals and see what they think and they can take it into their hands and look into it; they can observe the child closely to see what they actually think and the two professionals can work together and keep a close eye on the child and keep exchanging information so it works out best for the child in the end and to put them out of danger. You have got to have good communication skills whilst working with different professionals as you are working with different professionals all day and you have to communicate with them and share information with them for example teachers and teaching assistants work together all day, they share the class such as when doing phoenix or numbers they have half the class each depending on where the children are one of them will have the lower group and the other one will have a higher group and they’ve got to communicate with each other so they know how all the children in the group are doing and if they are improving; when you have shared this information you still have to communicate about what they could do to improve the child’s learning. It helps improve outcomes so if you think something is happening with a child and is bothering them then if you are working with different professionals that expertise in different things then it will benefit children in the end. If you have more professionals working together on a situation then they will pick up on signs quicker and it will benefit the child a lot because the sooner they know what’s going on than the less hurt the child gets and they won’t be as traumatized. If you are working with different professionals then you are learning from each other; each professional knows different things and knows how to handle different situations so if you come across a situation like that then you’ll know what to do. It helps us look at everything as a whole for example if you are looking at the child’s h health. Every professional works on different aspects of the child’s development so if you work together then you can go to them for advice. By working in a multi professional approach it maintains a focus on the child; by putting them at the centre of everything they do and by involving them, this ensures that everyone communicates about the child. It improves communication and strong partnerships between all other professionals which is important as they will have to work together at some point in your career. D1 If you have good knowledge about childcare then it can help you to recognise the care needs of all children in the setting. If you take reliable and valid assessments of the children then you will see exactly where the child is at and what they need help in; they might be really clever in certain areas but might need a bit of a push in others, if you do observations and assessments on the children then you will be able to plan activities where it can help them to know how to plan activities to make them develop their learning. You should always use development norms when thinking about what the children’s needs are because each child has different needs and depending on the age of the child they will have different needs as well so you have to look up where they are supposed to be and where they actually are and see what their needs will be, this will help you plan activities as well as you know where the children are at and whether they are above or below their developmental norms. Prediction of next stages; if you can predict what the next stages are of the children are it will help you to plan activities for them to help them to help them achieve their next stage and push them in that direction. You’ve got to understand that all children are different and have different needs so you’ve got to find out what all the children’s needs. D2 To improve my own practice I could look back at what I’ve done and discuss my strengths and weaknesses. You need to think about how you currently work and looking at what you need to do in order to improve. You should stand back, take a look and recognise what works well, but also you need to be able to recognise what could be changed. To be a reflective practitioner you need to be self-aware and look at how you work with children, colleagues and parents as honest as you can. Evaluating your own practice helps to put you in control of the changed that should be made, enables you to identify your professional development needs and will make you more confident. Being a reflective practitioner involves asking people you work with what they think you do well at and where you could improve. Everyone has their own ways of working and doing things differently, if you ask other people what they think you could improve at then they could tell you what they thinks going well and maybe give you examples of different ways of doing certain things, then you could test them out and see which way works best for you. Other people can look at what you are doing and discuss your strengths and weaknesses accurately, but when you might be looking at what you do well and what needs improving you may not look at every single thing as you can only look back at what you have done and other people can look at It as you are doing the activity. C B A Appendix 1 Nursery Nurse and Nursery assistant job description Nursery nurses provide care for children up to the age of 5 years. they work primarily with young patients, although some are employed in nurseries looking after children of NHS staff. Nursery assistants will work alongside and usually under the supervision of qualified nursery nurses The work of nursery nurses typically includes the following: provide physical, emotional and spiritual care to children coordinating play for children in a range of settings supporting carers in the parenting of their children  developing play as a means of communicating information to children, to distract them during unpleasant procedures and to maintain their stage of development during illness or stress maintaining the environment in a child-friendly manner maintaining toys and play equipment finding ways to stimulate children particularly those with special and sensory needs attending meetings working with members of multidisciplinary agencies within and outside of the NHS organisation they are working for maintaining records nursery assistants will assist nursery nurses in most aspects of their work, ensuring that the children in their care remain safe, happy and stimulated. Additional responsibilities for nursery nurses after further training or experience include: supporting children who have been abused playing a key role in supporting public health assisting in the education of learners/students who are training to work as a nursery nurse or assistant Nursery nurses and nursery assistants work in a variety of settings both in the hospitals and in the community. In hospitals this will include in childrens wards, nurseries and outpatient departments in community settings this could include working in nurseries in a health centre, or in a community centre, GP surgery or childrens centre. Appendix 2 Westdale lane all about us. Westdale infant school is a local authority/community school established over 40 years ago in its new building to educate. The school is placed on a pleasant site in the area of Mapperly area in Nottingham, falling within Gedling Borough although only 3 miles outside the centre of nottingham. The schools capacity is 180 children. 60 per year. The families come from mainly the catchment area or close by. However, there are a number of children who live further away. The school is adjacent to Westdale Juniors where most children move to for year 3 in their education. There is no doubt that teachers, the staff team and governing body pride themselves on the achievements of the school and all work in order to maintain very high standards. Please see our latest Ofsted report (available through this website) to see evidence of our performance. The report shows that out school performs above the national average for overall education attainment and is well lead by senior staff. The school excells in providing a stimulating learning environment for our children and there are many enrichment based activities such as trips outside the school and visits by musicians, story tellers, and theatre groups. Much pride is taken in providing a sense of community particulary involving parents and seeking their views. we have a very successful record on fund raising based on out of school events for all members of the family. The school takes seriously its role in embracing all elements of equalityand diversity to reflect our ever changing communities. we accomadate children with special needs and learning difficutlies and the school makes every effort to support children from different backgrounds and cultures. Appendix 3 Five outcomes for children stay safe- from: maltreatment, neglect, violence, and sexual exploitation; accidential injury and death, bullying and discrimination, crime and anti-social behaviour in and out of school; insecurity and instability. Be healthy- physically healthy, mentally and emotionally healthy, sexually healthy, healthy lifestyles, choose not to take illegal drugs. enjoy and achieve- ready for school, attend and enjoy school, achieve strethcing national educational standards at primary school; achieve personal and social development and enjoy recreation, achieve stretching national educational standards at secondary school. Achieving economic wellbeing- enagage in decision making and support for the community and environment; engage in law abiding and positive behaviour in and out of school, develop positive relationships and choose not to bully or discriminate, develop self-confidence and successfully deal with significant life changes and challenges, develop enterprising behaviour. make a positive contribution- engage in further education, employment or training on leaving school; ready for employment, live in descent homes and sustainable communities, access to transport and material goods, live in households free from low incomes.

John Dryden :: essays research papers

Research Essay on John Dryden John Dryden was born on an unsure date in 1631 in Aldwinkle, Northamptonshire. He was born the oldest of 14 children in a landed family of modest means. His parents sided with the Parliament against he King. There is some question to whether or not he was raised in a strict Puritan environment. His father was a country gentleman of moderate fortune. He was given the opportunity by his father to be educated at Westminster School and at the University of Cambridge. Around 1657 he went to London as a clerk to the chamberlain to the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell. The death of Cromwell in 1659 inspired Dryden to write his first important poem, Heroic Stanzas. After the Restoration Dryden became a Royalist and celebrated the return of kin Charles II. During the celebration he wrote two more famous poems, Astraea Redux and Panegyric on the Coronation. The rest of his life was then devoted to being loyal to Charles and his successor, James II. In 1663 he became happily married to Lady Eliza beth Howard, a sister of his patron. Until then he had no real source of income. He began writing plays as a source of income. His first attempt failed, but his second attempt The Rival Ladies, a tragic comedy, was a success. During the next 20 years he became an important and well-known dramatist in England. Some of his most famous plays included names like Ladies a la Mode, Mock Astrologer, and An Evening’s Love. Another play that was famously known because it was banned as indecent was Mr. Limberham. This was unusual for this time period for a play to be banned because of it’s indecency because the Restoration was a time of change. He was also a master of writing the heroic rhymed couplets. They were extravagant and full of pageantry. One of his later tragedies, the World Well Lost, was written in blank verse and was considered one of his greatest plays and one of the masterpieces of the Restoration tragedy. Throughout his career he wrote several "occasional poems," which celebrated particular events of a public character, a military victory, a death, or a political crisis. What made these poems he wrote special was the fact that they were written not for the self but for the nation. In 1670 he was appointed poet laureate and royal historiographer.

Seattle Central Community College

In my desire to have a sturdier foundation in establishing my dream and to enhance my values to be a stronger person, I have decided to transfer to Seattle University. In my previous school, Seattle Central Community College, I had been afforded with adequate education for my chosen course. However, I have decided to change my chosen my path to a better one. Hence, I have shifted to (course to enroll in Seattle University) in Seattle University.Undeniably, Seattle University has established its reputation in the field of education. The members of its faculty are also respected for their dedication in imparting their time and effort in developing the talents and skills of their students.The school is also complete with facilities necessary in making their students comfortable and contented in their studies. The school’s environment is also perfect as it provides for a learning ambiance that adds motivation for students. The school is indeed a great choice in the realization of my dream.I have also been inspired by the school’s mission and vision in producing students who will not only be successful in their chosen career but also an inspiration in the society because of their values and attitude towards societal problems. Notably, one of the school’s ways of educating their students is opening their minds about poverty, injustice, discrimination and other societal problems.As for me, I have been aspiring to share my life in helping my country by contributing to the minimization of these problems. I also realized that fulfillment does not come by any degree earned but by every simple yet great deeds and helping others from their pain. For me, I want to explore and understand more about these problems in order to decide my own way of helping and to being an asset of the society.In reaching this goal, I have confidence that Seattle University is the perfect institution that can provide me the values, experience, knowledge and the skills I need. Remarkably, faith is the foremost essential value that shields and protects an individual in battling all the trials and difficulties that may arise in the future. Through faith, one becomes stronger and fully spirited in taking his journey in life. As a Catholic individual, I have been found on faith. My parents have been imparting me important values that are necessary in dealing with life and to be a better person.In going on with my journey, I desire that the Catholic institution will continue to guide me. This will not only strengthen my faith but will also remind me of the basic values that I may come to forget when exposed in another environment.Furthermore, I long to enroll in Seattle University because I am fond of making friends with students from around the globe. At Seattle University, I will not be having difficulty in finding friends of different races because the school is diversified which is populated with students from all parts of the world. Through diversity,I al so wish to join student organizations in the school in order to gain more friends and additional input necessary in the development of my personality. Through these organizations, I believe that my self-confidence will be improved.At the same time, I am interested in joining volunteer community activities that any organizations may be engaging into. By reaching out to those in needs, I will be able to experience real life. I will also explore the outside world. More importantly, these activities will give me an opportunity to help others in my own simple way.To reiterate, I am determined to transfer to Seattle University because I want to improve my academic capability, values, attitude, and skills. In addition, I also want to make new friends and join organizations that are engaged in helping communities. Furthermore, I have chosen this institution because I am confident that it has all the factors needed in the realization of my dream an in making me a better person.

Asian Cuisine: Thailand Foods Essay

Thailand is a small country in Southeast Asia, sharing a peninsula with Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Like all local and national cuisines, the food of Thailand reveals a great deal about the country—it is a palimpsest of its political history, its trade, and its geography. Thailand sits between the cultural and political powers of India and China, and its food is clearly influenced by both. Yet Thailand’s food, like her people, has maintained its own distinct. Thailand is not a very big nor a very rich country, but it is unique. It has a way of life that mixes ancient ritual with the ways of the modern world. Thailand is most fortunate, with both the land and surrounding seas yielding rich harvests. The staple, rice, is grown in abundance, as do the numerous varieties of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices that enliven the Thai palate. Despite all the problems of the modern world Thailand still has much of old Siam. Thai cooking places emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with strong aromatic components. The spiciness of Thai cuisine is well known. As with other Asian cuisines, balance, detail and variety are of great significance to Thai chefs. Thai food is known for its balance of three to four fundamental taste senses in each dish or the overall meal: sour, sweet, salty, and bitter. As an acknowledged expert of Thai cuisine, David Thompson, explains in an interview: â€Å"Thai food ain’t about simplicity. It’s about the juggling of disparate elements to create a harmonious finish. Like a complex musical chord it’s got to have a smooth surface but it doesn’t matter what’s happening underneath. Simplicity isn’t the dictum here, at all. Some westerners think it’s a jumble of flavours, but to a Thai that’s important, it’s the complexity they delight in. Thai food is also known for its enthusiastic use of fresh (rather than dried) herbs and spices as well as fish sauce. Each Thai dish has more than 3-4 flavors. The ingredients of each dish helps to not only harmonize all different flavors but also to make it mouth wateringly delicious. Traditionally, Thai cooks & families usually needed quite a long time to prepare the ingredients and to cook, therefore, cooperation and team work is needed to cook a family meal. The process of Thai cuisine explains Thai life: its traditions, customs and culture. It shows Thai families were large, in which its family members live together with a warm, close relationship. In cooking, Thai family members have their fair share of helping as a team. With their Buddhist background, Thais shunned the use of large animals in big chunks. Big cuts of meat were shredded and laced with herbs and spices. Traditional Thai cooking methods were stewing and baking, or grilling. Chinese influences saw the introduction of frying, stir frying and deep-frying. Culinary influences from the 17th century onwards included Portuguese, Dutch, French and Japanese. Chillies were introduced to Thai cooking during the late 1600s by Portuguese missionaries who had acquired a taste for them while serving in South America. Thais were very adapt at ‘Siamese-icing’ foreign cooking methods, and substituting ingredients. The ghee used in Indian cooking was replaced by coconut oil, and coconut milk substituted for other daily products. Overpowering pure spices were toned down and enhanced by fresh herbs such as lemon grass and galanga. Eventually, fewer and less spices were used in Thai curries, while the use of fresh herbs increased. It is generally acknowledged that Thai curries burn intensely, but briefly, whereas other curries, with strong spices, burn for longer periods. Instead of serving dishes in courses, a Thai meal is served all at once, permitting dinners to enjoy complementary combinations of different tastes. A proper Thai meal should consist of a soup, a curry dish with condiments, a dip with accompanying fish and vegetables. A spiced salad may replace the curry dish. The soup can also be spicy, but the curry should be replaced by non spiced items. There must be a harmony of tastes and textures within individual dishes and the entire meal. Although considered as a single cuisine, Thai food would be more accurately described as four regional cuisines corresponding to the four main regions of the country: Northern, Northeastern (or Isan), Central, and Southern. Each cuisine sharing similar foods or derived from those of neighboring countries. ⠝â€" Central Thailand Central Thailand has a moderate flavor with herbs and sugar. Most curry with coconut milk dishes origin from central Thailand. For example, Kaeng Kaew Wan (Green Curry), Tom Yam (Spicy & sour soup), Tom Kha (Coconut milk soup), Panang Curry (Dry red curry). ⠝â€" Northern Thailand The dishes of Northern Thailand have light flavors, with a little spices, not very hot with chillies, not salty and most without sugar. The popular dishes are Sai-ua (Thai northern sausages), Nam-Prig Ong (Minced pork and tomato chillies paste), Kaeng Kare (vegetarian curry), and Cap Moo (Som Tam (papaya salad) is a north-eastern dish). ⠝â€" North Eastern (or Isan) The cuisine of Northeastern (or Isan) Thailand is heavily influenced by Laos. For example, Lap and Tom Sabb. Traditionally very spicy and strong tasting dishes, which show that north-eastern Thais like strong flavors with chillies, salt, herbs, and spices. ⠝â€" Southern Thailand The south has a very strong flavor of food with spicy herbs, like turmeric, and tend to contain coconut milk. For example, Kaeng Leang, Kaeng Tai-pla, and Kua Kling. In fact, Thai food always has various kinds of vegetables as a main ingredient. These can be found in many curry dishes with or without coconut milk, stir fried, salad, and eaten with chillies paste. As the Thai food’s ingredients have small quantities of fat and meat, Thai people are fortunate in their fat intake being far less than most westerners. Many popular dishes eaten in Thailand were originally Chinese dishes which were introduced to Thailand by Chinese emigration. Such dishes include Jok (Rice soup), Kway teow (noodle dishes), Khao Kha Moo or Moo Pa-loh (Pork stew, with or without rice) and Khao Mun Gai (Boiled chicken on lightly oily steamed rice). However, Thai people adapted and modified these dishes for local Thai flavor and taste. Not only the unique taste in each dish, there are more reasons why Thai food is popular among foreigners. Decoration, Thai food has an attractive decoration inducing appetites. Such as, Thai fruit and vegetable carving is an art which has been introduced to dishes, which makes you feel fascinated with the delicate preparation. Also, Thai food has both values of nutrition and medicine, obtained from ingredients such as vegetables, spices and herbs and without artificial flavoring substances. Moreover, Thai food can be harmoniously taken with other food, for example, Pad Kaprao as spaghetti sauce, and Nam-prig Pao, chili paste, as sandwich filling or bread spread. Thai folk wisdom, art and Thai culture is translated in Thai food. It reveals the characteristics of Thai people: their delicate taste, discipline, rules of conduct, artistic taste and human relationship. Hence, Thai cuisine is not only about food but it is an art to learn. Thai cuisine is not only about food but it is an art to learn. Eating & Ordering Thai Food Thai food is eaten with a fork and spoon. Even single dish meals such as fried rice with pork, or steamed rice topped with roasted duck, are served in bite-sized slices or chunks obviating the need for a knife. The spoon is used to convey food to the mouth. Ideally, eating Thai food is a communal affair involving two or more people, principally because the greater the number of diners the greater the number of dishes ordered. Generally speaking, two diners order three dishes in addition to their own individual plates of steamed rice. Thais do not use knives and forks but forks and spoons, holding the fork in their left hand to help get the food onto the right-hand-held spoon. Each spoonful should be moderately filled to conform with accepted custom. Eating by stuffing the mouth full is considered impolite. There shouldn’t be any sound of scraping the utensils on the plate nor should there be grains of rice on the lips. The Thais do not scoop portions onto their plates as home style serving in the west tends to do. They share from a common dish, taking only enough for a bite or two at a time. This way one avoids seeming too greedy and everyone has an ample share of each dish. What Comprises a Thai Meal : ⠝â€" Titbits These can be hors d’oeuvres, accompaniments, side dishes, and/or snacks. They include spring rolls, satay, puffed rice cakes with herbed topping. They represent the playful and creative nature of the Thais. ⠝â€" Salads A harmony of tastes and herbal flavours are essential. Major tastes are sour, sweet and salty. Spiciness comes in different degrees according to meat textures and occasions. ⠝â€" Dips Dips entail some complexity. They can be the major dish of a meal with accompaniments of vegetables and some meats. When dips are made thinly, they can be used as salad designs. A particular and simple dip is made from chilies, garlic, dried shrimps, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and shrimp paste. ⠝â€" Soups A good meal for an average person may consist simply of a soup and rice. Traditional Thai soups are unique because they embody more flavours and textures than can be found in other types of food. ⠝â€" Curries Most non-Thai curries consist of powdered or ground dried spices, whereas the major ingredients of Thai curry are fresh herbs. A simple Thai curry paste consists of dried chilies, shallots and shrimp paste. More complex curries include garlic, galangal, coriander roots, lemon grass, kefir lime peel and peppercorns. ⠝â€" Single Dishes Complete meals in themselves , they include rice and noodle dishes such as Khao Phat and Phat Thai. ⠝â€" Desserts No good meal is complete without a Thai dessert. Uniformly sweet, they are particularly welcome after a strongly spiced and herbed meal. The tastes of modern-day Thailand boast an ancient history. As early as the thirteenth-century, the Thai people had established what might be considered the heart of Siamese cuisine as we know it today: various types of meat and seafood combined with local vegetables, herbs and spices such as garlic and pepper, and served with rice. Later, the Chinese brought noodles to Thailand, as well as the introduction of the most important Thai cooking tool: the steel wok. Thai cuisine is also heavily influenced by Indian spices and flavours, which is evident in its famous green, red, and yellow curries. However, it would be nearly impossible to confuse an Indian curry with one from Thailand. Although Thai curry incorporates many Indian spices in its pastes, it still manages to maintain its own unique flavour with the addition of local spices and ingredients, such as Thai holy basil, lemongrass, and galangal (Thai ginger).