Service Styles

1. Service Styles

2. Classical French • Most elegant and elaborate style. • More labor intensive and time consuming • Teamwork is used called the Brigade system

3. Classical French • Tableside service is used, therefore special equipment is required • Preparing dishes in the dining room leaves no room for error • The entire staff must work together

4. General rules of French service • All food and beverages are served from the right, with the right hand • All food is cleared from the right except bread and butter • Servers always walk around the table in a clockwise direction • Not all food is prepared in the kitchen • Food may be prepared or plated tableside using a gueridon

5. General rules of French service • Plates prepared in the kitchen must arrive when tableside plates are ready • Plates may be presented under a dome cover, called a sous cloche • Use of show plates and service plates are used • Show plates are removed one the guest has ordered and replaced with service plates • When napkins are used, they should not cover the logo on the plates

6. Advantages • Very personalized • Very elegant and stylized • Food is prepared with finesse and flair

7. Disadvantages • More servers are required, more labor • Highly skilled servers required • Costly equipment is needed • Fewer seats available in the dining room • Takes longer to serve the guests, therefore fewer table turns • Menu prices are higher to cover the costs

8. The Brigade • Chef de Service- dining room manager • Hires and trains staff • Ensures proper set up of the dining room • Dining room inventory • Orders supplies • Supervises reservations • Schedules • Seats guests • Customer complaints, issues

9. Chef de Rang • Captain • Tables are positioned correctly • Equipment is ready • Greats guests • Is attentive to verbal and nonverbal communication of the guests • Prepares food tableside • Takes the orders

10. Commis de rang • Front waiter • Responsible for service • Beverage order • Opening wine • Assisting table maintenance • Flatware

11. Commis De Suite • Back Waiter • brings all food from the back to the service area • Presents platters • Coordinates orders with the chef

12. Commis Debarrasseur • Busser • Bread, butter, water • Clearing table • Resetting table *note- in most European countries, bread is served upon request

13. Sommelier • Wine Steward • Selling and serving wines • Helping guests chose wine • Wine inventory • Pricing wines

14. Tableside Preparation • Assembling • Saucing or garnishing • Sauteing, Flambeing • Carving, Deboning

15. Wagon Service • Carving Station • Less skill required than French Service • Illusion of being more elaborate • Helpful in selling specials

16. Russian service • Formal banquets, Elegant restaurants • All food is completely prepared and portioned • Servers have a clean towel draped over their left forearm • Beverages and empty plates are placed to the right of the guest • Counterclockwise

17. Russian Service • Serving Sets are used, never two of the same utensil • Served with the right hand from the left of the guest

18. Family Style • Placed in the center of the table • Appropriate serving utensil placed to the side of the dish • Guests serve themselves, and pass the food

19. Advantages of Family Service • Cost effective • Sense of good value • Helps maintain informal atmosphere

20. Disadvantages • Lacks service • No expertise in plate presentation • Portion control is minimized • A lot of waste

21. Butler Service • Server carries the hors d’oeuvre tray and presents the guest with a napkin • Napkins fanned in a spiral and held in the right hand • Appropriate toothpicks and frills • Tray jacks and stands must be provided