Food Preparation & Service

Food Preparation & Service Ch. 5 HS

Section 1 The Menu

Types of Menus • Menu – a list of food and beverage items served in a food and beverage operation • Basic game plan for a restaurant • Expresses the concept and theme through the choice of foods on the menu, the prices, and the design of the menu itself • Main way the restaurant communicates with the customer • Fixed Menu – the same foods are offered every day • Cycle Menu – foods change daily for a set period of time; at the end of that period of time’ the menu repeats itself • Market Menu – changes with the availability of food products • Hybrid Menu – is a combination of two types of menus

Parts of the Menu • Seven Classic Parts of the Menu • Appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, side dishes, desserts and beverages • Appetizer – a small portion of food served before the meal • Purpose: to stimulate the appetite • Entrée – the main course of a meal • Side Dish – a portion of food that goes with the entree

Pricing • Three methods of pricing menu items: • A la carte, table d'hôte, and combination • A la carte pricing – every food and beverage item on the menu is priced and ordered separately • Table d'hôte pricing – a complete meal is offered at a set price • Combination Pricing – some food items are priced and ordered separately, and other food items are grouped together and priced as a group

Menu Planning • Taste - is the reason that customers go to restaurants • Variety • Party – a group of people who go out to eat together • Appearance • How the foods will look together on a plate or next to each other on the table • Have a variety of colors • Nutrition • Nutrients – chemical substances in food that help maintain the body • Production Methods • Kitchen staff must be able to prepare foods and have the proper equipment • Price • Should vary in price so that guests have a choice among less expensive, moderate and more expensive items

Section 2 Food Production

Standardized recipes & preparation • Food Production – is the process of changing raw foods into menu items • Standardized Recipe – a recipe that has been tested for consistency • Consistency – is the quality of producing the same result every time • A standardized recipe should include the following items: • Each ingredient, including spices • Precise amounts of each ingredient • Preparation instructions in detail • Portion size • Yield (number of portions) • Preparation • Divided into six (6) areas: • Meat, fish, poultry, vegetable, salad, sandwich, bread and dessert • Measuring – using a measuring tool to get the correct amount of an ingredient • Processing – includes cleaning and changing the form of the food • Mise en place – the process of getting everything ready

Cooking methods & Beverage Preparation • Three basic cooking methods • Moist heat – uses liquid • Dry heat – no liquids • Dry heat with fat – requires the use of fat • Beverage – a food that is drinkable • Cocktails – iced drinks of wine or distilled liquor that are mixed with flavoring ingredients

Section 3 Presentation

Plating, Portion Control, & Art • Food Presentation – the art of making food look attractive • Plating – the placing of food on a plate • Plate rims must be clean • Portion Control – making sure that each portion of a food item is always the correct size • Important for two reasons: customers and cost control • Art • Shapes, sizes, textures, and colors of the food on the plate should balance each other • Garnish – a decoration • Should always be edible and harmonize with the taste of the food

Section 4 Serving

Styles of Service • Over-the-Counter – used mainly in quick-service and fast-food restaurants • Drive-Through – offered by many quick-service restaurants • Cafeteria – popular in institutional foodservice • Buffet – food is arranged on tables throughout the dining area • Seated – service in which the customers are seated at a table • American service – food is plated in the kitchen • AKA Plate Service • French service – the meal is partially prepared in the kitchen, then the server finishes the cooking, carving, or flaming of the food in front of the customer • Brought out on a cart called a gueridon • The gueridon has a small heating utensil called a rechaud • Russian service – the food is cooked and divided into portions in the kitchen • Portions are placed on silver trays and food is served to each individual guest • Used for banquets

setup • Involves preparing the table for service • Make sure the table is stable and doe not wobble • Cover the table • Setting the table • General categories included in a place setting: napkins, flatware, glassware and plateware • Flatware – consists of the knives, forks and spoons (silverware or cutlery) • Glassware – all drinking glasses • Plateware – all dishes • Add any additional accessories or condiments to the table • Condiment – something that is added to food to make it taste better

Serving Food • Sequence • Female customers should be served before male customers; oldest female first • Children before females • Host or hostess should be served last • Direction • Food is served from the customer’s left side with the server’s left hand • Beverages are served from the customer’s right side with the server’s right hand • Timing • All guests at the same table should be served their entrees at the same time • Clearing Dishes • Are cleared from the customer’s right side with the server’s right hand • Dishes should be removed in a counterclockwise pattern • Bussing • Consists of setting the place settings, clearing dirty dishes from the table and taking the dirty dishes to the kitchen • Sidework • Consists of duties that servers must perform other than serving guests

Food Preparation & Service