Preparing for Service
The
serving food and beverage to the anxiously waiting customer needs professional
expertise. The service should follow a sequence and have a plan of action based
on the practices of the professional catering industry. The service staff
should be expert performers of certain tasks before, during and after service.
Diligent and courteous service would certainly transform a satisfied customer
to regular customer.
Preparation
before Service
The
service staff should check the following before service:
a) The tables and linen are
clean.
b) Tablecloths are evenly spread
on the table.
c) Chairs are dusted and properly
arranged.
d) The table set up is
appropriate and pleasing.
e) The silver is polished and the
china and crockery are spotlessly clean and befitting the occasion.
f) Cruet sets, sugar bowls and
flower vases are filled and placed on the table suitably.
g) The floor / carpet is clean
and dry.
h) The restaurant and back area
are in a state of readiness before the service session commences.
i) The side station is fully
equipped for service and the following should be checked:
j) Condiments tray is cleaned and
refilled.
k) Napkins are folded and kept
handy for the particular session.
l) Salvers, extra linen, cutlery
and service equipment necessary for the session are stacked up.
m) Water jugs and ice buckets are filled and kept ready.
n) Coffee pots ready with freshly
brewed coffee / tea.
o) Sugar cubes, butter and butter
plates ready.
Preparation during Service
a) When the guests arrive greet
them warmly, by wishing them the time of the day.
b) Escort the guests to the table
and seat them promptly by pulling the chairs out to ease seating. If need be,
the table should be moved so that very little inconvenience is caused to guests
when they seat themselves.
c) Ensure that children have high
chairs and special attention is paid to the elderly.
d) Remove extra covers, if any.
e) Serve water and present the
menu card, if the captain is busy.
f) If the order has to be taken,
offer suggestions to the guests on the choice of food and beverages and repeat
the final order to avoid possible errors.
g) Do not leave the station
unattended, as nothing annoys a guest more than not being able to find a
waiter, when something is needed.
h) If the table cloth has to be
changed during service, the table top should not be exposed. Any articles on
the table should be cleared to the side station and not placed on chairs or on
the next table. The soiled cloth should be brushed using a service cloth and a
crumbing tray or plate.
i) Do not neglect little things
such as lighting a guest's cigarette, responding to a request and showing
interest in the guest's needs.
j) Ensure that service is fast,
efficient and pleasant.
k) Before serving dessert, clear
and crumb the table.
Preparation
after Service
a) Pull out the chairs or the
table to enable guests to move out comfortably.
b) Wish them warmly and request
them to visit again, saying - Do visit again, sir / madam.
c) Clear the table immediately
and reset for the next guest.
d) Have the side station cleared
and restacked for the next sitting.
Organizing
Mise-en-scene:-It
is ideal to know the component, not from the beginning, but from the end,
because end is the beginning of
preparation for new and fresh service, and this type of preparation is
called as closing duties.
Mise-en-scene refers to the preparation the
environment of the area in order to make it pleasant, comfortable, safe and
hygienic. The service staff should ensure that the restaurant is made presentable before it is opened for public.
The
following mise-en-scene is done prior to each service sessions.
· Open the doors and window
for some me to air the restaurant.
· Brush and vacuum clean
the carpets.
· Checking if all the
electric gadgets are working properly.
· Exchange dirty linen for
fresh linens.
· Checks the menu cards are
presentable and attractive.
· Sort the menu card cards
and remove those that are dirty or torn.
· Ensure that all the
promotional material is available and presentable.
· Check and clean all the
furniture for their serviceability.
· Lay the table cloths or
cover mats on the tables.
· Discard wilted flowers
and replace them with fresh ones.
Organizing Mise-en-place
:-
The
French word mise-en-place means ‘putting in place’. It is the preparation in
which part of activity may be carried out immediately and part left for morning
(in case of dinner) or an hour before opening of a restaurant. The various
steps involved are:-
· Spread the tablecloths
and all other linen as and where required like slip cloth (napperon), napkin (serviette)
· The side board is set
with required cutlery, crockery, glassware, hollowware and fresh linen.
· Butter dishes are
prepared and kept ready for service.
· Glassware well polished
and ready for use.
· Soft music is to be
played.
· Cold water jug with under
liner & with napkins ready.
· Enough service forks
& spoons available.
· The covers are set on the
tables as per the standards of the organizations.
· The candles are prepared
and placed on candle stands.
· Extra table cutlery
ready.
· Tooth picks ready.
· Keep the finger bowls
with lemon wedges.
· Any special equipment
like cruet sets, corkscrew, marrow spoons, cheese knife, lobster pick and nut
crackers ready.
· Wine bottle opening
screws always ready.
· Ice cube and Ice bucket
with tongs, or spoon should be always ready.
· Candles with candle stand
and match box should be kept ready.
· Table reservations are
checked.
· Shut the doors and
windows and draw the curtains,
· Keeping the light to the
brightest level set the tables chairs according to reservations if necessary or
required,
· The activities of back
area includes:-
· Washing, cleaning,
wiping, sanitizing, drying & polishing of cutlery, crockery, glassware,
stoneware etc.
· Changing of old flowers
or flower vases with new and fresh one,
· Sauce bottles are
refilled to hall and clean and wipe the bottle neck,
· Cruet set polished &
wipe. Check the free flow & refilled to 2/3rd for convenience in
shaking,
· Carry the cutlery,
crockery, glassware from back area & stack them in the side boards.
Points to Remember When Laying a Table
1) The table on which a
tablecloth is to be spread, should be first covered with a baize base cloth,
for the following reasons:
a) To protect the diner's wrists and elbows from the tables sharp
edges.
b) To keep the tablecloth firmly in place.
c) To protect the surface of the table and prevent the rattling of
crockery and cutlery.
d) To absorb moisture in case liquid spills on the table.
2) Based on the size of the
table, appropriate linen should be used. The central fold of the tablecloth
should be in the middle of the table and all the four edges should just brush
the seats of the chairs. Soiled or torn linen should not be used. Three types
of tablecloths namely cotton, linen and damask are used. Of these, damask is
the best.
3) If a bud vase is used as a
central decorative piece, it should not be very large or tall as that obstructs
the view of guests sitting opposite each other. Heavily scented flowers should
be avoided, as they affect the flavour of the food.
4) Each cover should be
well-balanced. (A cover is the space required on a table for laying cutlery,
crockery, glassware and linen for one person to partake of a meal).
5) Only the required cutlery,
crockery and glassware should be placed on the table. On a normal dining table,
the space required for one cover is 60 cm x 38 cm. The cover on the opposite
side should be exactly similar, so as to give a well balanced look.
6) Cutlery should always be laid
from the inside to the outside of the cover, since the order of sequence in
which they are to be used is always from outside to inside.
7) Knives and soup spoons should
be placed on the right-hand side of a cover, while forks should be placed on
the left-hand side. Dessert spoons and forks should be placed on top of the
cover. The side knife should be placed on a quarter plates and kept on the left
side of the cover. The cutting edge of all knives should face to the left.
8) Water tumbler should be kept
to the right of the cover, at the tip of the large knife.
9) Napkins should be placed in
the centre of the cover, in between the cutlery. Normally during a dinner
session, napkins are arranged in empty water tumblers.
10) Cruet sets, a butter dish, an ashtray, meal accompaniments and a
bud vase should be placed in between the covers at the centre of the table.
11) Crockery and cutlery should be spotlessly clean and the glassware
well polished.
12) Chipped or cracked equipment should not be used. The hotel's
monogram should be visible to the guest.
13) All cutlery and crockery should be placed about an inch from the
edge of the table so that they are not accidentally tipped over.
Types of Food Services
Introduction
A
server becomes a professional when he/she has learnt the art of food service.
Food service has various approaches based on the origin and purpose. Therefore,
there is a particular approach to service which has pomp and ceremony as the
emphasis there is on show and finesse while there is another approach to the
service which has least fuss as such a service requires a person to help
himself.
The
style of service offered in food service operation keep on changing rapidly
according to the dynamic environment in which they operate. The variation in service
methods has emerged because of the culture and customs followed in a particular
location.
Food & beverage industry is usually
defined by its output of products, to satisfy the various demands of food &
drinks of people. In today’s world, the food & beverage service industry
has expanded a lot. It has spread across all walks of life. Hotel, restaurants,
industrial canteen, hospital canteen, railway, airways, all are now part of
food & beverage service industry.
The basic function of this industry is to
serve food & drink to people, to satisfy their various types of needs. The
main aim is to achieve customer satisfaction.
The
needs that customer might be seeking to satisfy are:
· Physiological:
the need of special food items
· Economic:
the need for good value for the price paid
· Social:
a friendly atmosphere, to express feelings frankly
· Psychological:
the need for enhancement of self-esteem
· Convenience:
the desire for someone else to do the work
The service of food and beverage may be carried out in
many ways depending on a number of factors:
· The type of establishment
· The type of customer to be served
· The time available for the meal
· The turnover of customer expected
· The type of menu presented
· The cost of meal served
· The site of establishment
Food
& Beverage service can be looked at from the customer’s point of view.
Essentially, the customer enters a food service area, orders or selects his/her choice and then is served(the
customer may pay either at this point or later. Food and beverages are then consumed,
following which the area is cleared.
Broadly
service methods are categorized into:-
Ø Table
Service
Ø Assisted
service
Ø Self
Service
Ø Single
Point Service
Ø Specialized
or in situ service.
Types
of Services:Different types of service followed in
food service operations are as follows:
Ø French
service
Ø Silver
Service/English Service/ Platter to plate Service
Ø American
service
Ø Russian
service
Ø Gueridon
service
Ø Buffet
service
Ø Counter
service
Ø Cafeteria
service
Ø Room
service
French
Service:This service is popular in formal
dinners and is relatively easy for service staff. This service is mostly found
in family functions and banquets, where the food is presented to each guest
from left hand side.
Features-
1. Food
is brought in dishes and salvers and placed on the table at the centre.
2. The
guests help themselves. Naturally this is ideal for a small gathering of
dishes.
3. Sometime
host may pass the portioned food around the table, and the guests serve
themselves.
4. Beverage
is served from right hand side and clearance is done from right hand side.
Advantage–
1. This
service is relaxed compare to silver service.
2. No
professional staff is required.
Disadvantage-
1. The
last guest may not receive as much of an item as they would like, if the first
guest served too much.
2. Guests
may spill the food on the table.
Silver
Service/ English Service/ Platter to plate Service :English service is a formal type of
service which originated in European nobility and is presently enjoyed by a few
who can afford time and expenses. This type of service is featured in many of
the best international restaurants and hotels. It is also known as the ‘host’
service where the host plays the dominant role. Commonwealth countries,
influenced by the British colonial adopted this style of eating at home.
Features-
1. The
food is prepared and attractively arranged on the service platters by food
production staff in the kitchen.
2. Waiter
brings food to the dining room.
3. Waiter
places the plates before each guest from his right hand side moving clockwise.
4. Food
is served from left hand side.
5. Beverage
his served from right hand side and clearance is done from right hand side.
Advantage-
1. It
is elegant and adds up to the total ambience of the restaurant.
2. Platter
service can provide a special touch.
3. Guest
satisfaction is very high in this form of service.
Disadvantages-
1. The
initial capital investment in service equipment is high.
2. This
style of service requires large number of staff.
AMERICAN
SERVICE-This is a style of service imported from
the US known as PLATED SERVICE. Coffee shops which are informal restaurants
adopt this style of service. It is the most common style of table service found
in the United States. This is a very simple and informal kind of service. It is
also known as pre-plated service. It is used in coffee shop and restaurants
with a busy lunch time.
Features-
1. The
food is portioned and pre-plated in the kitchen by the chef.
2. The
pre-plated food is brought into the restaurant by the waiter
3. Beverage
his served from right hand side and clearance is done from right hand side.
Advantage-
1. It
is quick and simple.
2. There
is less spilling.
3. Less
chances of complaints.
4. No
maintenance of silver items.
5. On
plate, looks superb.
6. Strong
portion control mechanism.
7. Standard
can be set and maintained.
Disadvantage-
1. Food
service becomes a dull and listless affair.
2. It
cannot fetch high returns and big margins.
3. Food
gets rapidly cold, often may need reheating.
4. More
to and fro rounds required for fetching plates.
5. Uninterested,
unnecessary, garnish can’t be avoided, may annoy the guest.
6. Too
much of wastage in the plates as guest can’t quantify.
7. Big
eaters remain hungry as they can’t share less eater’s portion.
RUSSIAN
SERVICE-
This
type of service comes from era of tsars of Russia, who believe in pomp and
ceremony. The basic element in this service is derived from the style of
heaving large joints, whole fishes, and birds. An elaborate silver service much
on the lines of French service except that the food is portioned and carved by
the waiter at the Gueridon trolley in the restaurant in full view of the
guests. Display and presentation are a major part of this service. The
principle involved is to have whole joints, poultry, game and fish elaborately
dressed and garnished, presented to guests and carved and portioned by the
waiter
Features-
1. Empty
soup bowl are put in front of guests on a show plate also called base plate.
2. The
soup is brought in a large tureen.
3. The
server present food to guest.
4. He
takes it to a side-station and portion the food in full view of the guest. The
server decides the portion served.
5. Then
proceeds to serve them.
Advantage-
1. Personal
attention is given to the guest.
2. Guest
satisfaction is very high.
Disadvantage-
1. Expansive
use of carving trolley. Flambé trolley and chaffing lamps on the side table to
keep food hot makes it an expensive style of service.
2. It
requires professional skilled people to carve, de-bone, and serve the food
items to the guests.
3. Labour
cost goes high.
GUERDION
SERVICE-
This is a service where food comes
partially prepared from the kitchen to be completed at the guest’s tableside on
a Gueridon trolley fitted with gas
burners. It is also known as the “cart”Or “trolley” service. Gueridon service is for the leisurely
diner who has time to enjoy the art of cooking. Gueridon food is highly priced but extremely delicious and requires
large aisle space for the movement of the trolley. This service is found in
upmarket restaurants.
Features-
1. The
guests choose from a special Gueridon
menu.
2. The
service prepares the food behind the tale in view of the guest.
3. The
food is pre-plated and serves to the guest from the right
Advantages-
1. It is the most elegant service mode of all varieties of services.
2. It
is a very effective tool of merchandising.
3. It
induces impulse buying.
4. Serve
staffs can exhibit their service skills.
Disadvantages-
1. It
requires extensive serving and preparation equipment.
2. This
style of service needs professionally trained labour, which increase labour
cost.
3. Cooking
in the service area may leave and odour.
4. The
seat turnover is very low.
BUFFET
SERVICE-It is a self-service where food is
displayed on tables. The guests take plates stacked at the beginning of the
table and proceed along requesting the buffet attention to serve them or they
help themselves. In stand –up buffets, guests are forced to stand and eat. This
type of service is found in banquet halls catering to large number of guests.
Features-
1. Crockery
and cutlery are stacked at the head of the buffet table.
2. Server
portion the food into their plates.
3. The
guest collects a plate from the head of the table.
4. He
serves each course as per the procedure above.
5. The
guest then proceeds to the next course of the meal in the buffets
Advantages-
1. A
large number of people can be served within a short time.
2. Less
service staff is required.
3. Labour
cost is very less as service staffs do not need any service skills.
Disadvantages-
1. Food
portion control is not possible
2. If
the buffet line is not properly organized, it may lead to congestion.
3. Dishes
may lose eye appeal after repeated servings.
COUNTER
SERVICE-In the
king of service, the guest sites on a high stool across the counter, and a full
cover consisting of a place mat, cutlery, and glass is placed in front of them.
The food is display just behind the counter for the guest to choose their food.
The order is taken and serves to the guest directly from the steward’s side of
the counter.In other word, guests select the items they
want to have from the menu displayed, buy tokens and collect their food items
from counters on submission their tokens.
Advantage-
1.Less
skilled staff is required.
2. Labour
cost is low.
3. Seat
turnover is very high.
Disadvantage-
1. Guest
satisfaction is low.
2. No
personal attention is given to the guests.
CAFETERIA
SERVICE:- This service is normally exists in
industrial canteens, collages, hospitals or hotel staff cafeterias. To
facilitate quick service, the menu is fixed and display on large menu boards
with each items priced separately. Food is attractively arranged in proper
sequence o counter. The guests start at one end of the counter holding plates
on their hands. They move along the counter picking their choice of dishes. The
cashier makes a bill for the items that are collected by the guests.
Features-
1. Guests
stand in a line.
2. They
pick up the tray.
3. They
move along the counter picking their choice of dishes.
4. The
guests pay the bill.
Advantages-
1. Less skilled staff is required.
2. Labour
cost is low.
3. Seat
turnover is very high.
Disadvantages-
1. If
counters are not properly organized, it may lead to congestion.
2. Dishes
may lose eye appeal after repeated serving.
3. Food
may be cold after some times.
Room Service:As
it is pre defined by its name that, service of food and beverage in guest
rooms. It takes place when the guest places their order with Room Service Order
taker (RSOT). The waiter receives the order and transmits the same to the
kitchen. In the meanwhile he prepares his tray or trolley. He then goes to the
cashier to have a cheque prepared to take along with the food order for the
guests’ signature or payment. Usually clearance of soiled dishes from the room
is done after half an hour or an hour. However, the guest can telephone Room
Service for the clearance as and when he has finished with the meal. There are
two types of Room Service:Its
main advantage is highest guest satisfaction and fewer skills are required. But
its main disadvantages includes that, food may get cold, as food has to be
transported from kitchen to rooms. Also service may be delayed during peak
hours of operation.
Centralized
room service:
Here all the food orders are processed
from the main kitchen and sent to the rooms by a common team of waiters.
Decentralized room service:Each floor or a set of floor may have separate pantries to service them. Orders are taken at a central point by order-takers who in turn convey the order to the respective floor pantry. Only snacks and beverages are served from this place, and other main items are served from the main kitchen only.
Room
Service is very important because the actual service is done without any
supervision and if there is anything done wrongly or not brought at the first
time, then there are no chances of any correction of the mistake. Therefore everything should be checked in the
beginning itself.
In room service department, the task
of order taking is most important as:
- The guest is
talking to the order taker through phone, not in person.
- This task
reflects/improve the image of the hotel.
- This task can
increase the revenue sale of food & beverage service dept. by a great
margin.
- This task can
make the guest a satisfied and delighted guest and thus can convert him in
a repeat clientele.
Sequence of order-taking in room Service:
Step 1: receive telephone for room
service:
- Smile when
you talk. A smile helps you sound more relaxed and pleasant.
- Speak clearly
to the receiver. Avoid slang (bad words), technical terms, or hospitality
words that callers may not understand.
- Use proper
grammar and diction. Avoid “yep,” “uh-huh,” and “ok.” Instead, use “yes,”
“certainly,” or “absolutely.”
- Answer the
phone within three rings. A phone that rings more than three times gives a
caller the impression that you don’t want to take the call.
- Always tell
your name, and the name of department.
- Give the
caller a friendly greeting, such as “Good Morning” or “ good Evening,” and
ask how you may help him or her.
- Give the
caller your complete attention. Pretend he or she is standing right in
front of you.
- Talk only to
the person on the phone, not to any one else around you.
Step 2: Get order and enter it into
the order taker book or form.
- Ask the
person giving the order for:
- Name of the
dishes
- Quantity/
portion of the said dish.
- If possible,
give details about the dish, i.e. this is made of beef or chicken etc.
- Ask any
special request for different preparation or accompaniments etc.
- For difficult
or unusual names, refer the room service menu. Repeat all information back
to the guests and thank them for giving the order.
- Under the
correct spelling of the name of dish, write it the way it sounded when it
was pronounced.
- Write your
initials next to the order.
Step 3: Make suggestions
- If a caller
asks what’s on the menu, describe several entrees.
- Tell them the
specialty of the house.
- Describe them
the important ingredients of any dish, which may be special for him/her.
- Try to sell
more than he orders, inform of best accompaniments with his said order.
- Describe him
the alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks, which can go along with his/her
order.
Step 4:
Thanks guest for giving the order. Tell him the approx. preparation time
required.
Step 5:
Give the order slip to the room service boy allotted for the floor.
Step 6:
make the guest bills as per house rule and handover it to the concerned room
service waiter/waitress.
GLOSSARY:
1. Mise-en-place:
Means putting in place and is the term attributed to the preparation of a work
place for ultimate smooth service.
2. Mise-en-scene:
Preparing the environment of the restaurant in order to make it pleasant,
comfortable, safe and hygienic.
3. Danger
zone: The ideal temperature for bacteria to
grow rapidly i.e. 5-65 degree Celsius.
4. Flambé:
Literally means flamed. In flambé preparations, spirits are added to the dish
while cooking and ignited.
5. Chafing
dish: An equipment used in buffet setup to
display hot dishes.
6. Menu: A sheet of paper or a folder on which the
names of all the dishes that are offered in a restaurant are written in a
specific order.
7. Table
d’ hote: A menu offered with fixed choice at
set price.
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