Food Service Styles

1. Food Service Styles

2. Since Beauviller’s famous late 18th century Paris restaurant, 4components for maintaining first class restaurant remain the same: 1. Well trained wait staff 2. Elegant dining room 3. Fine wine cellar 4. Kitchen staff with ability toprepare superior foods

3. History of Serving • Basic serving skills haven’t changed since Egyptian Pharaohs. • Until late 17th century, table service of all skill levels practiced in private residences. • Staff was bonded (owned), apprenticed or hired • Paid with room and board and perhaps menial wages • expected to always be available

4. History of Serving, con’d • American Service History • Influx of French Royalists to America following French Revolution • Thomas Jefferson-traveled to France, interest in French foods and wine • Prior to French influence, American service was rudimentary and rustic • America’s democratic society didn’t highly regard serving traditions • European immigrants located in major cities where financial and professional aspects of service were appreciated

5. History of Serving, con’d • French Service History • Traditions begun by Catherine de Medicis of Italy when she married Henry II of France in 1533 • Following French Revolution, late 1700’s, chefs and maitres d’hotel employed by French nobility left for other parts of Europe • As with their cuisine, French prided themselves on quality table service which enhanced meal pleasure • This pattern of skills still exists today as French service

6. 5 Major Styles of Table Service • French • Russian • American • Buffet • Family Style

7. Dining Room Brigade(Brigade de Service)

8. French Service • Basis of evolution of all other styles • Most detailed of styles • Purest form-6 person dining room brigade • Seating • maitre d’hotel selects station and assigns guests to table-can designate guest status • Menu Presentation • principal server presents menu, takes preliminary beverage order (cocktail or aperitif) • table captain takes food orders

9. French Service, con’d • Wine selection • wine steward offers wine list, offers suggestions for appropriate wine choices • wines may be purchased by glass or bottle • Table Service • 8 courses served: appetizer, soup, fish, intermezzo sorbet (clear palate), meat, salad, dessert, cheese • principal server and bus person responsible for all table clearing and resetting

10. French Service, con’d • Table-Side Cooking • traditional in French service for salad, some entrees and flambeed desserts • principal waiter works from geridon (roll cart) with a rechaud small open flame heating unit

11. Russian Service • Generally used for banquets that involve table seating for 6-12 guests • All food fully prepared in kitchen and arranged on serving dishes • Servers bring food to table and distribute by portion to guests • Entrees are placed on platters • Vegetables and starches placed on escoffier dishes (2 compartments)

12. American Service • Most prevalent in American restaurants • Dramatically reduces number of servers • All food cooked and plated in kitchen • Stainless steel covers used to keep food warm in banquet service • Minimizes serving equipment and cleanup • Food portions tightly controlled, aiding profitability

13. Buffet Service • Variety of food items set on tables • Guests help themselves • Many are “all-you-can-eat” • Some offer carving stations and service staff to assist guests • Elaborate decorations add visual appeal and reinforce cuisine or theme • Informal-guests pick up flatware; Formal-place settings at table; wait staff-beverages

14. Family Style Service • Often called English service • All food brought to table on platters or in bowls • Guests pass the dishes and serve themselves with serving utensils • Increases possibility of spread of disease • Local health and sanitation laws prohibit...

15. Sequence of Service

16. Rules for Table Service • Serve food with left hand from guest’s left • Beverages - right hand from guest’s right • Women first, oldest to youngest; children; men • Position plates attractively, entrée in front of guest • Clear dishes-right hand, guest’s right • Guest moving knife and/or fork to top of plate indicates completion and removal

17. Optional Service Rules • Dessert service • for visual impact, serving tray or dessert cart • soft desserts, already dished • desserts on carts or trays are pre-portioned and on plate • Salad service • if separate course, set in front of guest • if served with another course, place to left

18. Optional Service Rules, con’d • Table-Side Preparation • also used by many full-service American restaurants • examples: Caesar salad, flaming cherries jubilee • servers should always have careful instruction and practice

19. The Serving Profession • Servers among most important staff members-direct contact with guests • Poorly trained servers-low sales, no-return • Satisfaction in gratification of helping people enjoy themselves • Demanding on time and energy • 6-7 days per week • 12-14 hour days sometimes required • often working when friends are “off”