What is the initial step in the chicken cool down process?

The correct initial step in the chicken cool down process involves placing the chicken on a tray with a date/time stamp. This practice is crucial for food safety and inventory management. By placing the chicken on a tray and marking it with the date and time, team members can track how long the chicken has been out of the heat and ensure it cools down properly. This helps in maintaining compliance with food safety regulations, as it allows monitoring of the cooling timeframe.

Subsequent steps may involve placing the chicken into the refrigerator or using methods like ice baths to expedite cooling, but these are not the first action taken in the cooling process.

Utilizing smaller portions can facilitate faster cooling, but without the initial tracking of time, it may lead to potential food safety issues if the chicken is not cooled down efficiently.