Business Operations Food Service part 1 v7 Jan 2011

Student Resource Manual 2011

Business Operations – Food Service (Part 1)

First edition published 1989.

Updated 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004,2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011.

This edition 2011.

ISBN: pending BOFS_SM_SIT_Part 1_v7_Jan 2011 ď›™ 2011 All rights reserved. This publication is copyright and may not be resold or reproduced. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be produced without written permission. Enquiries should be made to the publisher.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS With thanks and gratitude of the contributions made by Hospitality Operations and Management Studies, Regency Institute of TAFE and International College of Hotel Management.

Owing to a change of curriculum and the name of the subject, this book has been based entirely on the books previously produced for the subjects known as Restaurant, Function and Room Service Procedures (RFRP), Advanced Food Service Techniques and Prepare and Serve Espresso Coffee. They have been combined into this one larger publication divided into two parts.

Originally Developed by: Wilhelm Ruff Sections 1 - 6 Alan Holroyd Section 7

Updated by: Neil Mathieson

2

Table of Contents Business Operations – Food Service Part 1 SUBJECT INFORMATION

10

Welcome

10

Prerequisites

10

Subject Presentation

10

Competency Standards

10

Your Learning Guide Aim Summary of content How to use this book Language

10 10 11 11 11

Additional Texts, Resources and References

12

Abbreviations

13

Self Test Questions

13

Assessment Procedures

14

SECTION 1: THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY, YOUR FUTURE WORK ENVIRONMENT 16 Introduction

16

Topic 1: Establishments Hotels Motels Resorts Convention centres Casinos Clubs Restaurants Cafés and bistros Pubs/taverns Fast food restaurants

17 17 17 17 17 18 18 18 18 19 19

Topic 2: General Working Conditions Key points How much money can you expect to make?

20 20 21

Topic 3: Career Opportunities

22

3

Topic 4: Desirable Attributes of a Waiter Attributes of a professional waiter Client expectations Unprofessional behaviour

26 26 27 27

Topic 5: Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Your responsibilities as a student at Regency International Centre Your responsibilities as an employee

29 29 30

Topic 6: Hygiene Personal hygiene Work hygiene

31 31 31

Topic 7: Waste Management and Environmental Considerations How can you contribute as a waiter?

Waste management

32 32 32

Topic 8: Dining Room Etiquette What are your rights and obligations as a customer?

Table manners, dos and don’ts Eating Drinking

33 33 34 35 35

Topic 9: Brief History of the Restaurant Industry Ancient Rome The middle ages The first restaurant

37 37 37 37

SECTION 2: PREPARING THE RESTAURANT FOR SERVICE

39

Topic 10: Check the Customer Area Prior to Service Pre-opening checks

40 40

Topic 11: Tables and Other Restaurant Furniture Tables Other restaurant furniture

43 43 45

Topic 12: Position the Restaurant Furniture Space requirements How wide should aisles/walkways be?

47 47 48

Topic 13: Table Linen Tablecloths Napkins Overlays (Napperon or Slipcloth) Waiter's cloth or service cloth Glass towels Cleaning rags Oshibori

49 49 50 50 51 51 51 51

4

Topic 14: Cutlery What is cutlery?

52 52

Topic 15: Plates and Other Crockery Common pieces of crockery

55 55

Topic 16: Wine Glasses and Other Glassware Wine glasses Handling glassware

56 56 57

Topic 17: Miscellaneous Equipment Miscellaneous equipment

58 58

Topic 18: Cut Butter Olive oil and balsamic vinegar

60 60

Topic 19: Prepare the Hotplate for Service

61

Topic 20: Sideboards and Wine Waiter’s Tables The contents of a sideboard The contents of a wine waiter’s table

62 62 62

Topic 21: Set Tables Commonly used restaurant terms Polish tableware Set tables

63 63 65 65

SECTION 3: PROVIDE RESTAURANT SERVICE

68

Topic 22: Take a Restaurant Booking Restaurant bookings

69 69

Topic 23: Allocate Tables Table numbers Considerations for allocating tables No-shows Walk-ins

73 73 73 73 73

Topic 24: Welcome and Seat Customers What determines the first impression?

Welcome and seat the customers Customers have been seated at your table

74 74 74 75

Topic 25: Serve Pre-Dinner Drinks Introduction Popular apéritifs Take the order for apéritifs Serve apéritifs Clear apéritifs

77 77 77 77 78 78

5

Change ashtrays

78

Topic 26: Present the Menus and Wine List Selling skills The daily specials Present the menus Present the wine list

79 79 79 80 80

Topic 27: Serve Bread and Butter Serve bread Serve butter

81 81 82

Topic 28: The Meals of the Day Introduction Meal times

83 83 83

Topic 29: Different Menu Styles A la carte Table d’hôte Set menu Cycle menu

85 85 85 85 86

Topic 30: Menu Terminology Spelling Menu terms

90 90 90

Topic 31: Sequence of Courses Introduction A traditional 15 course meal A modern seven course meal

93 93 93 94

Topic 32: Take Orders for Food and Beverages When should you take the food order?

Essential knowledge when taking orders Write the order on the order docket When should you take the wine order?

96 96 96 97 102

Topic 33: Change Cutlery According to the Order Guidelines for changing the cutlery

103 103

Topic 34: Serve Wine Process the order Wine service temperatures Store wines Equipment for wine service Serve wine Your customers order another bottle Sparkling wine service procedure Decanting procedure

104 104 104 105 105 109 111 112 112

6

Is it difficult to serve wine?

Summary

113 113

Topic 35: Collect the Food in the Kitchen The hotplate Place the food order Collect the food

114 114 115 116

Topic 36: Carry and Clear Plates This is not an easy task to learn Guideline for carrying plates Guidelines for clearing plates Take the plates to the dishwashing area Crumb the table

118 118 119 121 122 122

Topic 37: Serve the Food to the Table Different service styles General service guidelines One of your guests complains about the food Accidents

123 123 124 124 125

Topic 38: Provide Silver Service Plate service Silver service French/guĂŠridon service Silver serve the food

126 126 126 126 127

Topic 39: Finger Bowls Prepare a finger bowl Serve a finger bowl

128 128 128

Topic 40: Serve Salads Service guidelines

129 129

Topic 41: Serve Accompaniments Service guidelines Common accompaniments

130 130 131

Topic 42: Serve Desserts Serve dessert

133 133

Topic 43: Serve Cheese Cheese production Popular cheese varieties Serve cheese from a cheese trolley

134 134 135 136

Topic 44: Serve Coffee The most popular ways of drinking coffee Filter coffee Espresso coffee

137 137 139 142 7

Topic 45: Serve Tea Tea production The three different styles of tea Tea making guidelines The service procedure

145 145 145 146 146

Topic 46: Serve Other Hot or Cold Beverages Cocoa Hot chocolate/cocoa Fresh cold lemonade Fresh hot lemonade Cold milk Hot milk

149 149 149 149 149 149 149

Topic 47: Serve Digestifs Popular digestifs Service guidelines

150 150 150

Topic 48: Present the Guest’s Account Prepare the account Present the account

152 152 152

Topic 49: Process the Payment Control systems Guest ledger Special client accounts Credit cards EFTPOS

154 154 155 156 156 157

Topic 50: Farewell Your Guests Guidelines for bidding your guests farewell

158 158

Topic 51: Summary of the Service Sequence – À la Carte Work flow guide

159 159

Topic 52: Close Down the Restaurant Coffee area Bar area Dining room Provide handover for next shift De-briefing session Lock up

161 161 161 161 161 162 162

Topic 53: Serve Breakfast The two basic styles of breakfast Service styles Popular breakfast items Buffet breakfast

163 163 163 164 165

8

The breakfast table set-up

165

Part 2 of the Learning Guide is presented in a different volume: Section 4

Function Service

Section 5

Room Service

Section 6

GuĂŠridon Service

Section 7

Espresso Coffee

Appendix A

Answers to Self Test Questions.

9

SUBJECT INFORMATION Welcome Welcome and congratulations for having chosen Business Operations – Food Service, as part of your study. We trust you will find this subject challenging and rewarding.

Prerequisites There are no prerequisites for this subject.

Subject Presentation This subject is usually presented as a series of 4 hr class room lessons of theoretical and practical activities, and at least 12 eight hour shifts in a real restaurant environment.

Material included in this subject has been drawn from the following Units of Competency with the permission of the National Skills Training Council and the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST), the copyright owners.

SITHFAB003A - Serve Food & Beverage to Customers SITHFAB004A - Provide Food & Beverage Service SITHFAB005A - Provide Table Service of Alcoholic Beverages SITHFAB018A - Provide Silver Service SITHFAB017A - Provide Guéridon Service SITHIND003A - Provide and Co-ordinate Hospitality Service.

For detailed information on the Training Packages Competency Standards refer to the Business Operations – Food Service Study Guide.

Competency Standards The competency standards by which you will be assessed have been laid down by the National Skills Training Council in the training packages. The description of these competencies has been included in Business Operations – Food Service Study Guide. It explains in detail which skills, knowledge and attitudes you must demonstrate in order to complete this subject, and to what level of standard.

Your Learning Guide Aim This book has been designed to assist you in learning the skills and knowledge you will need to succeed as a professional waiter.

10

Summary of content The book has been divided into two parts containing seven sections: •

Section 1 - The restaurant industry – your future work environment.

When compared with other professions, working in the restaurant industry has advantages and disadvantages. In this section you will learn about them.

•

Section 2 –Preparing the restaurant for service.

In this section you will learn the skills needed to prepare the dining room and ‘back of house’ area for service.

•

Section 3 - Restaurant service.

In this section you will learn the skills and knowledge required to provide professional food and beverage service.

•

Section 4 - Function service.

In this section you will learn the skills and knowledge required to work competently in the function department of a hotel or convention centre.

•

Section 5 - Room service.

In this section you will be introduced to the basic skills and knowledge required to work in the room service department of a hotel.

•

Section 6 - Guéridon service In this section you will be introduced to the basic skills and knowledge required to work in a guéridon style restaurant.

•

Section 7 - Espresso Coffee In this section you will be introduced to more in depth skills and knowledge about coffee and how to make it well.

•

Appendix.

In this section you will find the answers to the self test questions and directives for working in the college restaurant.

How to use this book The seven sections have been divided into topics. Each topic consists of a range of related activities. Work through each topic from beginning to end, do the learning activities and, when you feel comfortable with the content, do the self-test.

Compare your answers with the answers provided in the appendix at the end of this book. If some of your answers are incorrect, work through the activities again until you get them all right.

Don’t feel bad if there is an issue which you find difficult to understand. Ask your lecturer and they will explain it to you, if you wish in private.

Language The word ‘waiter’ is a non-gender biased term used to describe professional food and beverage service staff, both male and female.

11

Additional Texts, Resources and References Your greatest resource is your lecturer. Do not hesitate to ask them for assistance with any matter of concern.

The interactive program referred to throughout Section 2 of this book, contains eight topics with photographs and video clips of the tasks which you will perform when you prepare the restaurant for service.

Originally a CD-Rom, it is now located on the ‘Student Share Drive’ available to all students on campus. The icon is light blue in colour and in the shape of a standard cocktail glass.

Restaurant – Preparing for Service Ruff, W. Regency Publishing Adelaide, 1996 (interactive CD Rom) In addition, the books and journals below provide valuable information. We suggest that you consult these resources in order to build a broad foundation of knowledge.

Australasian Ingredients Werle, L. Gore & Osment New South Wales, 1997 ISBN 0864550189 Food and Beverage Service 5th edition Lillicrap, D.R. Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1998 ISBN 0340505141 Host Magazine Peter Isaacson Publications, Melbourne The Banquet Business, Schmidt, A. Thomas Nelson South Melbourne, 1990 ISBN 0442319282 The Professional Waiter 3rd edition Howard, P. & Puckridge, J. Wagg Sydney, 1999 ISBN 0957703406 The Cheese Bible Teubner, C., Penguin Group, Ringwood, Victoria, 1998 ISBN 0-670-88129-5 The Australian Bartender’s Guide to Cocktails Staebben, R. and Corsar, F.Hospitality Press, Melbourne, 1999 ISBN 1 86250 486 5 Business Operations – Beverage Service ICHM Adelaide, 2011 ISBN 1 86393 374 3

12

Food and Beverage Service Lillicrap, D., Cousins, J. and Smith, R. Hodder & Stoughton London, 1998 Larousse gastronomique (Cookery encyclopaedia) Lewis Esson Publishing London, 1994 ISBN 0 7493 0316 6

Abbreviations The following abbreviations have been used in this book: M/C UL S&M S&F S&P

Main course Underliner (a plate with a doiley) Sugar and milk on an underliner Spoon and fork for silver service Salt and pepper shakers or grinders

Self Test Questions Most topics include one or more self test questions. After having worked through the content once or twice check your progress by doing the test. Most tests consist of a scenario and one or more challenges. (A scenario is a description of a situation; a challenge is a problem for you to solve.)

Example: Scenario You are a waiter in an Ă la carte restaurant. One of your customers orders spaghetti as a first course.

Challenge Which cutlery should you provide for this dish?

Write your answer(s) on a sheet of paper. When you have completed the test, compare your answers with the sample answers in Appendix A. Make sure that at least 95% of your answers are right before you move on. If necessary, work through the Topic again.

There are self tests also on the interactive program on the student share drive. When you have completed a test the computer program will inform you of your score right away. If you do not think you have done well enough, then do it again until you are happy with the result.

13

Assessment Procedures Assessment for this subject is competency based. You will be required to demonstrate your skills and attitude by working to a specified standard in a real restaurant situation, and your theoretical knowledge by completing an assessment paper.

The Business Operations - Food Service Study Guide explains the assessment points, tasks and criteria in detail. Should you require clarification or more information, ask your lecturer.

14

Notes:

15

SECTION 1: THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY, YOUR FUTURE WORK ENVIRONMENT Introduction The restaurant industry offers a great variety of careers.

There are many different types of establishments including fast food franchises, bistros, ethnic restaurants, cafés, fine dining rooms, hotels and exclusive restaurants. All require staff trained in the common principles: excellent skills in food and beverage service and effectiveness in dealing with customers.

Hospitality is undoubtedly a ‘people industry’ and you need to be a team player, working with other staff to provide the best possible service to your customers.

In this section you will learn about the restaurant industry, your future work environment.

16

Topic 1: Establishments The various establishments which are part of the restaurant industry The restaurant industry consists of various types of establishments. Let’s look at the most important ones, one by one.

Hotels A hotel is an establishment which provides accommodation, meals and other services to the traveller. Hotels range from small budget accommodation to luxurious international standard establishments. Traditionally hotels have star ratings from 1 through to 5, depending on the facilities and services that they offer to the guest with one being the least and five the most services available.

A 5 star hotel provides first-class accommodation, a number of restaurants ranging from casual to fine dining, a cocktail lounge and a more casual bar area, a pool and gym, 24 hour room service, function and conference facilities, secretarial services and specialty shops.

Several hotels have recently opened that are rated as seven star hotels, namely the Venetian hotel and casino in Macau, China and Burj Al Arab in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Motels A motel is a roadside hotel designed primarily for the motorist, typically having the rooms arranged in low blocks with parking directly outside. Motels are also given star ratings depending on the facilities, level of service and accommodation offered. Many motels have dining facilities and a pool.

Resorts A resort is a hotel in a special location, e.g. on a tropical island, which has been designed specifically for the guest wanting a holiday away from the usual ‘hustle and bustle’ of cities.

The typical resort has several restaurants and bars, and offers a wide variety of sporting and adventure activities.

Convention centres A convention is a large meeting or conference, sometimes lasting for several days.

Convention Centres facilitate large groups of people and stage seminars, exhibitions, product launches, cocktail parties, banquets, balls and other functions. A function is a pre-arranged event, usually including food and beverages.

Convention centres are rated by the amount of available space, layout flexibility, audio-visual facilities and service. Some convention centres are able to provide sit-down dinners for more than 5000 people.

Convention tourism Convention tourism is the name given to tourism activities which are arranged as a part of a convention/conference package for the delegates and/or their partners. The package may include travel arrangements, accommodation, excursions and leisure activities as part of the conference, immediately prior to or following it.

17

Casinos Casinos offer a range of games that patrons can play and, if lucky, win money. Some of the games offered are poker, black jack, roulette, prize wheel and two-up. Several food and beverage outlets are located within the Casino from fine dining rooms to coffee shops and bars. Whilst some will allow drinks to be taken at the gaming tables, rarely is food allowed.

Clubs Club are organisations which bring together people of similar interests. They provide members and guests with food and beverages, and entertainment. Clubs can range in size from a small bowling club through to the very large football and Returned Services League clubs, employing over 300 staff.

Many clubs offer gaming facilities, including poker machines and Keno.

Restaurants A restaurant is an establishment where people pay to sit and eat cooked meals. Restaurants range from small casual eating places to fine dining restaurants offering silver service in elegant surroundings. Staff working in any of these areas need to have excellent technical skills, product knowledge and customer relations skills.

Restaurants open at certain times with lunch bookings from 12 to 3 pm and dinner bookings from 6 to 10 pm. Some fine dining restaurants open only for dinner but may provide service until midnight or as long as the guests require.

Different types of restaurants Restaurants may be named after either the type of cuisine they offer or their service style: •

Chinese restaurant

•

Italian restaurant

•

French restaurant

•

Seafood restaurant.

•

Casual restaurant

•

Formal restaurant, also called fine dining room or restaurant. Usually, fine dining restaurants offer some form of, with a few providing guéridon service (table side preparation) the most formal style of service.

Cafés and bistros There is no great difference between a café and a bistro. Both are restaurants which offer meals, cakes, ice-cream, a large range of coffees, and the full range of beverages, including alcoholic beverages. They offer a variety of cuisine styles in an informal atmosphere.

Over the past few years, the café/bistro style of eating has grown in popularity, not the least because these restaurants provide food and beverage service throughout the day and often till late at night, but also through their broad range of foods on offer from pizza and pasta as well as steaks, seafood and chicken.

18

Pubs/taverns A pub or tavern is a public venue offering beer and other beverages, often also meals and entertainment. Traditionally, in Australian and English pubs the customer’s order at the counter and collect the drinks themselves; the food is usually brought to the table by the staff.

In recent years, the traditional Australian pub has changed significantly, especially in South Australia, due to the introduction of gaming machines.

Poker machines, TAB and Keno allow the customer to place bets on races or a number game.

If you want to work in any gaming area you will need to have experience and a licence in dealing with gaming machines and responsible gambling.

Fast food restaurants A fast food restaurant is an eating place with a limited range of light meals, snacks, desserts and beverages such as soft drinks, coffee and milk shakes. Most fast food restaurants belong to chains which have outlets in several countries.

Fast food outlets are highly profitable, why? The food is of a consistent quality, reasonably priced, and served quickly and with a smile. The staffs are efficient, well trained and well presented (neat hairstyle, clean and pressed uniform).

Many young people start their hospitality career by working for one of the fast food chains.

They are welcomed as waiters in other establishments because they have already learned that besides doing a good job it is also important to show a number of other qualities such as being on time, being well presented and observing safety rules.

These qualities are called desirable attributes. In Topic 4 you will learn more about the desirable attributes of a waiter.

19

Topic 2: General Working Conditions As a professional waiter, you will have many rewards You will be in contact with people from many backgrounds. Your customers may come from the same suburb or the other side of the world; they may be families celebrating a birthday or a Hollywood star that has come to your city to promote their latest movie. You will find it rewarding to interact with your customers and help them to have a good time.

As a professional waiter you have the opportunity to work overseas. You can learn much about other cultures when you travel abroad but if you work amongst the people you will learn so much more. After a few years working in other countries you will have little difficulty finding a job because waiters with international experience are highly sought-after.

But like any other job there are also a few disadvantages. Many people see the irregular working hours as the greatest disadvantage. As a waiter, you work evenings, weekends and public holidays and are not always able to spend time with your family. Many restaurants require their waiters to work at lunch time, take a break in the afternoon and return for dinner service (this is called a split shift).

Do you still want to enter the restaurant industry? If yes, we bid you a friendly welcome! The future of the industry depends also on you!

Key points Here are some points which apply to the working conditions of a waiter.

ADVANTAGES •

You will be able to travel and work in other countries.

•

You will find it rewarding when your guests have a good time.

•

You will find it rewarding to be part of a well-functioning team.

•

You have the opportunity to advance to managerial positions or open your own establishment.

DISADVANTAGES

20

•

You will work unusual hours, weekends and public holidays.

•

You will work very hard.

•

You will encounter difficult customers.

•

You will deal with considerable amounts of money.

How much money can you expect to make?

Wages In Australia, you will usually get a weekly wage which depends on the number of hours worked. In 2009 the hourly wage for a restaurant waiter in Australia was approx. $22, depending on your level of skills and knowledge.

Tips A tip or gratuity is a small sum of money which the customers leave on the table, or add to their credit card amount, when they appreciate your service.

Tips are usually shared among the floor staff (i.e. all personnel who are in customer contact) but in some establishments you are allowed to keep what you get.

There are different tipping customs in different countries. In the U.S.A. the customers know that the waiters are paid rather low wages and depend on the tips as their main income. It is expected that 10% of the bill is left as a tip so to increase their tips they must learn to ‘sell’ more items to their customers. When they have received really good service customers may add a further 5 – 10 % to the bill.

In Australia, waiters get considerably higher wages and considerably less tips.

Remember!

Your customers are is not obliged to leave a tip so never get angry when you receive a lower tip than you think you deserve.

21

Topic 3: Career Opportunities What career opportunities are there for you? The following flowchart shows the positions in a restaurant although only large restaurants employ that many staff. In a small restaurant the owner or manager would also fill the roles of the host and headwaiter, and the waiter would be responsible for their station without the assistance of a busperson.

Note: The larger the restaurant the greater the variety of positions.

FLOWCHART OF THE SIX MAJOR POSITIONS IN A RESTAURANT

Restaurant owner/manager Is in overall charge of the operation.

Assistant Manager

Is in charge when the manager is away.

Headwaiter

Is responsible for the day-to-day operation.

Host or hostess Welcomes and seats the customers.

Waiter Provides excellent service and has outstanding people skills.

Bus person Has only basic training; assists the waiter.

22

Fine dining rooms A fine dining room is a first-class restaurant. It may be an establishment or part of a 5 star hotel. It offers high-class cuisine, sophisticated wines and silver service.

Some fine dining rooms also offer table-side preparation called guéridon service, which involves the waiter preparing some of the dishes at the table, using a trolley with in-built burners. This style of service is not as popular as it used to be some because it is labour intensive, time consuming and expensive. However, there are still a few restaurants which offer this highly personalised style of service, mainly in Europe and America but becoming increasingly popular throughout Asia. You will learn more about guéridon service in section 6 in part 2 of this book.

Flowchart of the positions in a fine dining room

Maitre D’restaurant Is responsible for the overall operation.

Assistant Maitre D’ Is in charge when the maitre d’ is off duty.

Chef de rang Takes orders, serves food and beverages, and performs table-side cooking.

Demi chef de rang Is in training for chef de rang.

Commis de rang Assists the chef de rang.

Note: Although each restaurant has a Maitre D’restaurant, there is only one Maitre D’hotel. In a hotel that has several restaurants, they are normally the person in charge of the finest dining room in the hotel. Some fine dining restaurants also employ a: Sommelier Host/hostess Cashier

specialist wine waiter. receives and seats the customers. prepares the guests’ accounts.

23

Sample job description Job title: Head Waiter Reports to: Management Major duties •

Ensures that company policies are being complied with.

•

Plans and prepares weekly time sheets and work rosters.

•

Interviews and hires staff.

•

Prepares restaurant plans and allocates waiter sections.

•

Maintains a high standard of service and recommends improvements to the food and beverage operation management.

•

Informs staff of any promotions or changes to the menus, plus specials of the day.

•

Supervises the maintenance and cleanliness of the dining room.

•

Checks the appearance of all employees' uniforms, body hygiene, hair cut etc.

•

Supervises and coordinates the work of all waiting staff.

•

Arranges and supervises training programs for the waiting staff.

•

Attends the weekly food and beverage or management meetings.

•

Establishes and maintains good relationship with customers.

•

Liaises with the Chef to ensure food service is correct and on time.

•

Ensures that all customers receive the best possible service.

Qualifications and experience

24

•

Should have completed higher level skills training with an accredited training program, approved by the Australian Hospitality Review Panel (AHRP). Diploma or certificate course in food and beverage service desirable.

•

Should have worked as a waiter in a comparable establishment for a minimum of two years.

•

Must be diplomatic, trustworthy and energetic with a pleasant personality.

•

Must be a good team leader, able to generate an enthusiastic and cheerful attitude amongst staff and maintain a standard of professionalism and ultimate efficiency.

•

Must speak and write English fluently, a second language being desirable.

Sample job description Job title: Waiter The term ‘waiter’ refers to professional food and beverage service staff of either gender.

Major duties •

Prepares dining rooms and associated areas for service (mise en place).

•

Establishes and maintains good client relations including anticipating needs.

•

Takes and processes orders.

•

Serves and clears food and beverages.

•

Maintains a clean and hygienic work environment.

•

Promotes sales.

•

Prepares and processes customer accounts.

•

Maintains a good working relationship with other members of the staff including the kitchen brigade and management

25

Topic 4: Desirable Attributes of a Waiter To become successful in the hospitality industry you should have a number of desirable attributes regardless of your level or the work you perform.

Attributes of a professional waiter Punctuality Always be on time for work. ‘On time’ means, you should be ready, and in uniform, to start your duties at least 10 minutes before your shift begins.

This gives you the opportunity to learn the daily specials and inform yourself of any function which may have been booked for the day.

Excellent personal presentation and hygiene Clean and pressed uniform, appropriate hairstyle, polished shoes and a sense for cleanliness at work.

Efficiency To be efficient means to perform one’s work within a certain time and to a certain standard.

Courtesy Always be polite and tactful.

Personality Show a warm, friendly nature, good manners and plenty of common sense.

Honesty Honesty in all dealings with guests, staff and company property must be a matter of course.

Good health/ability to work hard Time constraints and food service delivery requirements mean a great deal of effort and energy is required at busy periods. Look after your health, exercise regularly, eat nutritious food and be moderate when consuming alcohol.

Smoking Most people are convinced that smoking is bad for the health. In Australia, smoking is not permitted in dining rooms, kitchens or staff rooms. Some establishments provide a special area, usually outside. As a result guests will smell smoke on your clothes and breath so avoid smoking during service.

Sales/product knowledge Knowledge of the products you are selling is necessary to answer your customers’ questions and assist them in making decisions. Use effective sales techniques to promote daily specials, desserts or side orders to increase customer satisfaction and revenue. You will learn more about selling techniques in another subject.

26

Industry trends, current affairs and general knowledge Food style and service trends are continuously evolving. In a competitive marketplace, you will need to keep up with current trends by reading relevant magazines and attending courses and seminars.

Confidence Profound knowledge and high-level skills will allow you to develop the confidence that is valued by customers and employers.

Most likely you already have some of these attributes. As you work through this course you will develop more.

Client expectations The qualities described above will enable you to fulfil your duties to everyone’s satisfaction.

Guests Customer expectations vary according to the type of venue but they will always expect you to provide friendly and efficient attention.

Colleagues Co-workers will expect open communication and cooperation; be prepared to assist when your colleagues are busy.

Company Managers depend on front-of-house staff to provide good service and communicate the company image or style to the general public. Be loyal to your employer and treat their affairs and property with respect.

Unprofessional behaviour Eating and drinking during duty Restaurant guests not wish to watch service staff eating or drinking while waiting for their meals to be served.

Unhygienic work practices Health regulations prohibit food service staff from touching their mouths or faces etc. with their fingers. These regulations are intended to prevent bacterial contamination of food. It is not difficult to understand that scratching and hair combing is not acceptable in the dining room or kitchen.

Chatting As a customer, would you wait patiently while waiters are standing nearby chatting?

27

Unprofessional behaviour in the kitchen The kitchen is a busy place. Do not spend time there unnecessarily, do not make jokes or play around; also do not eat or drink anything other than water or other drinks as allowed by the establishment.

You can easily determine which behaviour is acceptable and which not when you put yourselves in the position of the customer.

Note: There may be special house rules in addition to these common sense guidelines.

28

Topic 5: Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare What would you think if you would cut your hand because someone has thrown broken glass into the plastic garbage bag you were about to pick up? Or, how would you feel if you would have to spend time in hospital because a heavy weight has dropped on your foot.

Just like every other industry, the restaurant industry also has a number of safety and welfare regulations which everyone needs to observe in order to prevent injury and accidents from happening.

In this topic you will learn about some of the most important ones. If you want more information you can contact the college representative of OHS&W issues or access the official web site on http://www.workcover.com/resources/publications/PubsLegisCodesOfPrac.htm Your responsibilities as a student at Regency International Centre Once you have been informed of the safety procedures it is your duty to follow them. These include: 1. Evacuate the building when the alarm sounds. Your lecturer will demonstrate to you how to leave the building safely and where to assemble. Fire drills will be held regularly.

2. Report any accident, no matter how minor, to your lecturer.

3. Report any safety hazards and ‘near misses’.

4. Let your lecturer know if you feel unwell during class. They can contact a first aid officer or arrange an appointment with the college doctor.

5. Internal phones have been installed at strategic places in the college which you can use to contact a first aid officer or security.

6. It is advisable that female students do not walk through the car park by themselves after dark. Contact a security officer to escort you to your car.

7. The floors in the toilets, kitchens and corridors are often slippery when wet. If a wet floor sign is visible take extra care and if one is not then put one immediately on any affected area you find.

8. Long hair is a potential safety hazard. It must be tied up and out of the face.

9. You will spend all of your working time on your feet. Wear closed shoes which support your feet and have a low heel.

10. When you pick something up from the ground do not bend at your hips but at your knees.

11. Do not carry heavy loads, use a trolley.

12. Do not lift heavy loads by yourself but get someone to help you.

13. Do not carry more than two chairs at a time, use the chair trolley.

14. When transporting tables, follow the procedure which has been demonstrated by your lecturer.

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15. Do not throw broken glass in the garbage bin. Put it in the special containers which are labelled ‘Broken Glass”. They are located in every bar in the college.

16. Broken crockery should ONLY be placed in the large green ‘General waste’ bins in the kitchens as it cannot be recycled.

Your responsibilities as an employee Familiarise yourself with the safety rules at your place of work and follow them even in the manager’s absence.

Key point You have a responsibility to follow the safety rules also in the lecturer’s, manager’s or supervisor’s absence.

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Topic 6: Hygiene How would you feel when a waft of unpleasant smell comes out of the armpit of the waiter when he serves you?

Personal and work hygiene is of the utmost importance. Negligence here causes not only unpleasantness but can be life threatening when food becomes contaminated because of unhygienic handling.

You will learn more about personal and professional hygiene in other subjects but we want to include a few points here.

Personal hygiene Besides wearing a well maintained uniform you must also ‘maintain’ yourself well. Before work you should: •

Take a shower

•

Wash your hair

•

Brush your teeth

•

Shave, if you are male.

Keep your hair neat and styled appropriately. If you have a beard or moustache make sure it kept neat and clean also. Your hands are on display all of the time so ensure they are clean and your fingernails short, neatly trimmed and free of dirt. The conventional industry standard for females is to wear only clear or neutral nail polish.

Work hygiene Make sure that everything which is placed on the customer’s table is absolutely spotless! All tableware must be polished and checked for cracks and chips. Only use pieces of equipment which are in perfect order.

Always keep your work station tidy. You will find that you can work much more efficiently when you take dirty dishes to the dishwashing area and dirty linen to the linen basket as soon as possible. Also, keep your order dockets in a neat stack and the menus and wine lists in a neat pile.

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Topic 7: Waste Management and Environmental Considerations Environmental considerations have become more and more important over the last few decades. Air pollution, deforestation and resource recycling are issues of general concern and we all must do what we can to preserve our planet for future generations.

How can you contribute as a waiter?

As a waiter but also as a private citizen, use resources responsibly and recycle waste.

Waste management More and more restaurants have begun separating recyclable waste from rubbish. If your workplace has a system, ask your supervisor to explain the system to you and make sure that you follow it. If your workplace doesn’t suggest it should.

We now have a 3 bin system in the college restaurant kitchen with a separate bin for  Organic/biodegradable waste including food scraps and paper towel  Recyclable plastics, glass, tins, cardboard  General waste for everything else- food cling wrap, foam meat trays etc.

You are already using objects which have been fabricated from recycled material almost every day, perhaps without knowing it, e.g. paper towels.

Recycling reduces the strain on our resources but an even better method is to try to reduce the production of waste in the first place.

How can you reduce the production of unnecessary waste?

•

Save paper, e.g. don’t use two paper towels if one will do the same job.

•

Save water, e.g. turn off the tap when you do not need any more water.

•

Save energy, e.g. use cold rather than hot water when ever you can.

•

Save energy, e.g. turn off the light when you are the last one to leave a room.

•

Save linen, e.g. don’t put clean napkins in the dirty linen basket but use them as waiter’s cloths.

Use your imagination to find more ways for reducing the production of waste.

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Topic 8: Dining Room Etiquette There are situations when it is important to behave ‘correctly’.

In Australia, the relationship between people is usually friendly and informal and does not depend as much on one’s financial, professional or personal background as in some other regions in the world. Overseas tourists are often delighted by the uncomplicated way in which Australians deal with each other and with guests from other countries.

However, as a professional waiter, you should know how to behave ‘correctly’ when a formal situation requires it, e.g. when you dine (or work) in a formal restaurant.

In this topic you will learn the more important ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts’; what you should and should not do in a formal situation. We will look at this from the customer’s point of view.

What are your rights and obligations as a customer?

You are entitled to: •

Friendly, timely and helpful service

•

Value for money

•

A pleasant and safe dining environment

•

An opportunity to enjoy and socialise.

You are expected to: •

Treat the restaurant’s property with respect

•

Observe the rules and regulations of the house

•

Act with consideration for other customer’s needs

•

Treat the staff fairly and with respect, not in a servile or demeaning manner

•

To pay for what you order.

Remember!

Just as you have expectations, there are expectations of you.

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Table manners, dos and don’ts

34

•

Do not hang handbags over the back of your chair; put them under your chair or table.

•

Do not click your fingers or call loudly to attract the attention of your waiter.

•

Do not stare or point at others (e.g. celebrities).

•

Do not speak loudly.

•

Do not argue with your table partners.

•

Do not disturb other patrons.

•

Do not use offensive language.

•

Do not move around the dining room.

•

Do not allow children to move around the room.

•

Do not lounge or rock on your chair.

•

Do not play with table decorations.

•

Do not be ‘musical’ with glasses etc.

•

Do not adjust your make-up at the table.

•

Do not stretch/reach across the table.

•

Do not blow your nose.

•

Do not sneeze into your napkin.

•

Do not cough continuously.

•

Excuse yourself to the other guests and fold your napkin when you have to leave the table.

•

Check behind your chair before getting up.

•

As a male, rise when a woman joins or leaves the table.

Eating •

Do not start eating before all guests at the table have been served.

•

Do not sprinkle salt/pepper on your food before tasting.

•

Do not speak with your mouth full.

•

Do not put too much food into your mouth.

•

Use the butter knife to transfer butter to your side plate.

•

Do not cut the bread or roll but break off small pieces and use your side knife to put butter on the pieces, one at a time.

•

Only ask for more bread/butter if you intend to eat it.

•

Do not place elbows on the table.

•

Do not eat with your mouth open.

•

Do not play with the food.

•

Use the correct cutlery.

•

Eat silently.

•

Do not eat too quickly.

•

Do not eat too slowly.

•

Do not slurp your soup.

•

Use a tooth pick, not your fingernails.

Drinking •

Do not turn tasting the wine into a show.

•

Wait with drinking until all glasses have been filled.

•

If you are the host, propose a toast, e.g.

“May I propose a toast to this occasion. Thank you all for joining my wife (husband etc.) and me in celebrating our … (5th anniversary etc.)”.

•

Drink in small sips, one sip at a time.

•

Do not slurp beverages (including coffee/tea).

•

You do not need to finish a drink/bottle of wine.

•

If you top up your own wine, offer it to your guests first.

•

Use the napkin to dry the bottle before pouring.

•

Do not offer to top up other guests’ beer/soft drinks.

Note: Do not drink too much alcohol!

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If all this seems to be too difficult to remember, relax. We are not trying to discourage you from going to a formal restaurant. There is an easier way of learning this than memorising the rules.

When you are in a formal situation, observe what the other customers do.

Soon you will find it easy to pick out those who behave appropriately and those who don’t.

Just behave like the experienced ones and remain cool.

Remember!

Ignorance (not knowing what the accepted behaviour is) is often excused, arrogance (not wanting to behave in an accepted manner) never!

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Topic 9: Brief History of the Restaurant Industry It may come as a surprise to some people that the restaurant industry actually has a long history. Already in the ancient world people liked to buy prepared food as a special treat and travellers were often dependent on roadhouses for accommodation and nourishment.

Ancient Rome The Romans were renowned for their elaborate feasts, in fact several of the emperors were so fond of banquets they rendered the nation bankrupt with the enormous costs involved.

The middle ages Public eating took a downturn in the dark ages, although some inns still operated on the main highways. During this time the major developments in catering took place in the abbeys and monasteries, where the art of baking, wine and beer making and cooking was considerably advanced. It was during this time that Benedictine, Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Chartreuse and other famous liqueurs were developed.

Around this time various guilds were formed and took over much of the preparation of food in quantity. The 'Chaine de Rotissieres' (Guild of Roasters) was chartered in the 12th century, and still exists as one of the most influential guilds of today. The guild started the development of a professional culinary group that was to be the forerunner of the chef and his entourage.

France has not always been a country of fine foods. In medieval times, its food was coarse and plain, and not until the marriage of Henry II of France to Catherine Medici of Florence, Italy, did France start on its ascendancy as the country of ‘haute cuisine’ (English: sophisticated cooking style). Catherine introduced many new foods and food combinations to the king's table, as she brought her full entourage of chefs and servants to France.

However, up until the time of the French Revolution in 1799, this development had only taken place in the houses of the nobility, and the food of the common people was still coarse and plain.

The first restaurant An important event occurred in 1760 when a man by the name of Boulanger opened an eating place serving nourishing soups, which he called health restorers (French: restaurers). The enterprise in which they were served was consequently called a restaurante (English: restaurant). His business was so successful that it was copied by many others and by 1800 Paris had over 500 restaurants. From Paris, restaurants spread over the rest of France and all over the world.

This topic concludes the first section. In the next section you will learn to prepare a restaurant for service.

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Notes:

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SECTION 2: PREPARING THE RESTAURANT FOR SERVICE As a restaurant customer, how would you feel if the knife on your table was dirty or your wine glass still showed the lipstick of the previous user? We are certain you would not like this.

As a waiter, make sure that you only use equipment which is absolutely spotless. In this section you will learn about the equipment you will use when you work in the dining room, including tables, chairs, cutlery, glasses, crockery and linen. You will also learn to prepare all relevant areas for service.

Be ready to spend a significant part of your working hours on polishing and cleaning equipment. This is not a very glamorous or challenging activity but it must be done, and it must be done well.

Note: The information in this book will prepare you for most dining room situations but be aware that different restaurants use different methods for many tasks, e.g. how they set tables or present the food. Every time when you change employment you must make an effort to learn how “things� are done in your new place of work.

Collins Kitchen, Grand Hyatt Melbourne

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Topic 10: Check the Customer Area Prior to Service Dining room customers expect more than good food and service. Equally important is the physical environment in the dining and rest rooms, i.e. room temperature, lighting, background music, table and wall decorations, etc.

In this topic you will learn what you can do to ensure that your customers enjoy the dining environment in your restaurant.

Pre-opening checks After all preparation work has been completed, walk around and check if the following features are in good working order.

Air conditioning The air conditioning system has been designed to ensure that the room temperature stays within a certain range, usually between 22 and 23 degrees Celsius. Once the temperature controls have been set, they should not be altered.

If customers complain because they feel too cold or hot, report this to your manager who will take the necessary steps.

Background noise Make sure that all doors to noisy areas are closed and place screens in front of doors which must remain open, e.g. the door into the kitchen.

Do not make any unnecessary noise by chatting with other waiters or operating machinery (e.g. the blender in the bar) for longer than needed.

Background music Background music creates a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere when the type of music – and the volume – has been chosen with care.

It is surprising to see that there are still establishments which do not pay enough attention to this important part of the customers’ dining experience.

The type of music played depends on: •

The type of establishment

•

The age group of the clients

•

The time of day.

Fresh and lively music at breakfast and lunch, more subdued and romantic in the evening.

Research has shown Jazz is ideal as it is acceptable to a large range of people and its tempo and volume vary far less than classical music.

During promotions the music can aid in ambience by matching the theme of the promotion.

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The volume depends on: •

The type and number of clients

•

The mood and ambience of the restaurant.

It should be loud enough to mask conversations of nearby tables early and later during service, but once the restaurant is full there is generally sufficient noise form the guests to do this.

If the player has a ‘repeat all’ button then use it until all the guests have gone.

Dinner dance functions At dinner dance functions the music should be of a background type, until most customers have eaten their main course.

At dinner dance functions with a set menu the music should stop before the next course is served to allow the customers to return to their tables.

Floral arrangements In some restaurants it is the responsibility of the waiter to look after the flowers.

•

Cut the flowers to approx. twice the height of the vase.

•

Use only one to three flowers per vase, depending on their size.

•

Cut greenery shorter and arrange it around the flowers.

•

Top up the water in the vases every day.

•

Artificial flowers should be dusted and cleaned in accordance with the restaurant cleaning routine.

Lighting Ensure that the level of lighting is set to reflect the desired atmosphere, considering the time of day and the occasion that may be taking place in the dining area.

All lighting should be checked daily and any faulty globes/tubes should be replaced before the start of service.

Rest rooms As a waiter you do not have to clean the toilets but you may be asked to check them. Look for the following: •

Have all the lights been turned on?

•

Is everything absolutely clean?

•

Is there enough toilet paper, paper towels and soap?

•

Has the waste basket been emptied?

•

Is everything is good working order, including toilet flushes, electric hand dryer, vending machines?

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Smoking areas In Australia, smoking is not allowed in places where food is being served.

Since many people still like to smoke cigarettes or cigars, some restaurants have introduced designated smoking areas. If your restaurant has a smoking area, check if the ashtrays have been emptied and the area looks clean and tidy regularly during service.

What should you do if any of the above is not in good working order?

Report any problems which you can not solve right away to the manager. They will take the necessary steps to rectify the situation.

Remember: An unpleasant atmosphere will prevent your customers from enjoying their dining experience.

Exercise Work through interactive program on the student share drive topic 11. You will see photographs and slide shows on preparing equipment for service. When you have completed the learning activity, do the self test. A short game is part of the topic. When you have completed the self test you can play the game if you wish.

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Topic 11: Tables and Other Restaurant Furniture The most obvious pieces of furniture in a restaurant are the tables and chairs. A number of other pieces are also needed to ensure customer comfort and effective operation.

Warning Most restaurant furniture is too heavy to be transported by one person. To avoid injury, always seek the help of a fellow member of staff when you move bulky or heavy objects.

Tables Restaurant tables are square, rectangular or round. All tables should be the same height and rectangular tables should have the same width as square tables so that they can be joined together for larger parties.

Square tables Square tables should be placed with the edges diagonal to the walls. This makes the room look more interesting and uses the available floor space more efficiently.

Rectangular tables If the full capacity of the room is needed, long rectangular tables are more useful as they minimise the dead space - the pockets between the than round tables.

Note how the table legs are attached to and fold under the frame of the table for easy storage.

Round tables At round tables it is easier for the members in a party to talk to each other.

Note: Customers will often ask for round tables.

Oval tables Are a compromise between round and rectangular shapes and mostly used for functions.

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Table tops A table top looks like a round table without an underframe. Placed on top of a ‘normal’ table it enlarges the surface area and allows a greater number of people to be seated at that table.

Table leaves A table leaf looks like a rectangular or square table without legs. It can be inserted between two ‘normal’ tables by means of two rods on either side.

The advantage of table tops and table leaves is that a greater number of customers can be accommodated but not much storage space is needed.

Other table shapes Unusually shaped tables are used to add to buffets, display tables or bridal tables to make them look more appealing.

•

Half moon tables

•

Quarter moon tables

•

Quarter ring tables.

Note: Many of these have pedestal legs making them harder to store and easier to damage when moving.

Check all tables for stability before using them. You can cut a slice from a wine cork and place it under the leg to stop a table from rocking as a temporary measure, but the table should be properly repaired as soon as possible.

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The most common tables with their appropriate tablecloths

SHAPE

SIZE

TABLECLOTH SIZE

COVERS

Square

75 x 75cm

140 x 140cm

(54 x 54 inch)

1–4

Rectangular

75 x 120cm

140 x 180cm

(54 x 72 inch)

4–6

Rectangular

75 x 210cm

140 x 275cm

(54 x 108 inch)

8 – 10

Round

110cm φ

160 x 160cm

(63 x 63 inch)

2–4

Round

140cm φ

180 x 180cm

(72 x 72 inch)

5–8

Round

180cm φ

230 x 230cm

(90 x 90 inch)

8 – 12

Oval

120 x 210cm

180 x 275cm

(72 x 108 inch)

6 - 10

Note: A cover is a table setting. Usually it consists of main course knife and fork, side plate, side knife, white wine glass and water glass. You will learn more about table settings in one of the following topics.

Other restaurant furniture Chairs A restaurant chair should be placed so that the front of the seat just touches the tablecloth. If there is no tablecloth, line up the front of the seat with the edge of the table. This allows the tables to be properly spaced with enough room guests and staff to move.

High chairs A high chair, also called baby chair, allows a young child to be seated securely at a restaurant table. It is higher than a normal chair and has straps for securing the child in a position from where they can see what is happening on the table.

Make yourself familiar with the mechanism because often a parent will ask your assistance with seating the young lady or gentleman.

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Sideboards A sideboard is a piece of furniture used by the waiter for storing menus, cutlery, crockery and other pieces of equipment which are needed during service. It is usually placed against a wall in the dining room and must be kept clean and tidy at all times.

You will learn more about preparing a sideboard for service in the following topic 20.

Wine waiter’s table A wine waiter’s table is a small, usually square, table used by the waiter for keeping wine lists, spare glasses, service trays and other pieces of equipment on hand. It is usually placed near a sideboard and must be kept clean and tidy at all times.

Pot plants Pot plants give the dining room a pleasant and lively appearance. They need to be watered regularly and kept free of brown leaves and other debris.

Place pot plants at a sufficient distance from the tables so that the customers are not disturbed by any wide-hanging leaves or branches.

Many restaurants and hotels lease their plants from companies who regularly check, water, clean and replace as necessary any plants that are not in good condition.

Exercise 1 This exercise applies to you only if you work in a restaurant where customers often bring their small children along: •

Visit a baby care shop and ask to be shown how a high chair works.

Exercise 2 Work through interactive program on the student share drive Topic 2, learning activity 1. In this activity you will find photographs of the various table shapes and video clips which show safe methods for transporting large and heavy tables. When you have completed the learning activity, do the test, then work through the self test questions following.

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Topic 12: Position the Restaurant Furniture Imagine you are sitting in a restaurant and the waiter keeps bumping into your chair while you are trying to eat. Or, while you are proposing marriage to your loved one, you can hear the people at the next table discussing their friends divorce.

We don’t think you would want to return to a restaurant where the tables are too close for comfort.

The positioning of the furniture has a great influence on the comfort of the customers, the efficiency and safety of the staff and, last but not least, the profit potential of the operation.

You must find a compromise between placing too many and too few tables in the room. At first glance, you may think the biggest profit can be made by placing as many tables into the restaurant as possible – this is not so. When there are too many tables your customers will feel uncomfortable and may decide not to come back another time. They may even discourage their friends. This would reduce your profit dramatically in the long term.

On the other hand, if there are too few tables, the restaurant may look bare and empty and the income may be too low for operating profitably.

Space requirements How much space should there be between the entrance/emergency exit and the nearest table?

Neither the entrance nor the exit may be obstructed. Place the tables at least several metres away.

How much space should there be between the door to the kitchen and the nearest table?

Busy kitchens are noisy. Place a screen in front of the doorway to block off the view and reduce the noise level. Depending on the effectiveness of the screen place the next table at a smaller or greater distance away.

How much space should there be between the door to the toilet and the nearest table?

In many restaurants the access to the toilets is outside the dining room. If the doors are inside screen them off and place the nearest table well away from the screen.

How much space should there be between tables?

Ideally, the space between two tables should be wide enough that a waiter can carry a tray through without disturbing the customers, even when they have pushed their chairs slightly away from the tables.

How much space should there be between a table and a sideboard?

At least twice as much as between two tables.

How much space should there be between tables and the bar?

At least two metres.

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How wide should aisles/walkways be?

Aisles/walkways are the main routes between tables which most customers and staff follow when they move through the room. Allow pathways to be wide enough so that two people can pass each other without disturbing the customers at the nearby tables.

Key points The following factors need to be considered when positioning the furniture in the restaurant guest’s comfort.

•

The number of bookings.

•

Access for disabled persons.

•

Location of the doors (entrance, emergency exit, kitchen, toilet).

•

Enough space for the staff to walk and work effectively and safely.

Exercise Work through the interactive program on the student share drive Topic 2, learning activity 6.

The learning activity deals with the positioning of furniture in the restaurant. Watch the photographs and video clips and read the explanations, then do the test below.

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Topic 13: Table Linen As a waiter, you will use various pieces of linen. The most obvious ones are tablecloths and napkins but there are also a few others. In this topic you will learn to identify the linen, lay tablecloths and fold napkins.

Tablecloths Tablecloths may be made from a number of fabrics and come in a variety of colours.

Generally if a hotel has its own ‘in house’ laundry, it will own its linen. This gives it the option to change colours easily for special occasions or themes as they will buy linen specifically for their sized tables and needs.

Most smaller restaurants hire linen from companies and pay for the amount they use. These companies generally have a limited range of colours and sizes other than the traditional white.

The most common materials for tablecloths are: Cotton/polyester Most commonly used because of ready availability and high quality.

Damask Damask has a pattern woven into the fabric. It is more elegant but also more expensive.

100% cotton or linen Rarely used nowadays due to problems with pressing/fraying/fading.

Note: All pieces of cloth in a restaurant are called ‘table linen’, no matter what material they are made of.

The dimensions of the most common tablecloth sizes are shown in the topic, Tables and other restaurant furniture. Make sure that you are competent in matching the table cloths with the appropriate tables.

Laying and changing tablecloths This skill will be demonstrated in class. If you miss this demonstration a video clip is shown on the interactive program.

The four key points to remember are: 1. the centre crease should be a peak not a valley 2. the centre creases should all run in the same direction 3. the crease should bi-sect the table legs, and 4. the drop should be even with the corners covering the legs of the table.

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Napkins Usually, napkins are made of the same material as the tablecloths but may have a different colour. Napkins are generally 45-55 cm square.

Many budget priced restaurants use paper napkins because they are less expensive.

Folding napkins There are many ways to fold a napkin. At the Regency Internationale Centre we mainly use the seven folds which are shown in the photograph below.

Seven common folds (from the left): Five point star, Bishop's mitre, Sail, Candle, Cone, Triangle, and Fan. In the foreground: Bishop's mitre and Triangle can be pre-folded and stored for large functions.

Simple folds are often preferable to more complicated ones because they can be learned easily, produced quickly and involve less handling.

Folding napkins will be demonstrated in class.

Overlays (Napperon or Slipcloth) An overlay is a cloth which is laid on top of the tablecloth. Sometimes it is made of a different material, often has a different colour, and should be about 1/2 to 2/3 the size of the tablecloth on which it is used.

The purpose of an overlay: •

to cover stains

•

to make the table look more attractive

•

to save on laundry expenses.

The larger the cloth the more it costs to launder eg. A napkin costs approx. 25¢ to launder whereas a 230 x 230cm cloths approx $9.50. an overlay is approx $1.75 compared to a 160 x 160cm cloth at approx $3.50 per item.

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Waiter's cloth or service cloth A napkin used to protect your hands when you carry hot plates. It is also used for serving wine, and many other purposes.

Note: The waiter’s cloth may not be used for cleaning purposes.

Glass towels Glass towels are used for polishing cutlery and crockery and other equipment. They must not be used for cleaning purposes, especially mopping up spillage on floors.

Cleaning rags Cleaning rags are pieces of old tablecloths, towels, etc., used for cleaning purposes.

Oshibori An Oshibori is a face towel which has been moistened, heated and sometimes lightly perfumed.

The waiter in a first-class restaurant presents to their customers an Oshibori when they have finished their meal; the guests will use it to clean their hands and may also freshen up their faces.

These are normally presented on a small silver tray, rolled. The waiter will take the corner with a pair of small tongs, shake it to unroll it allowing some heat and steam to escape so as not to scald the customer.

In a Japanese restaurant, an Oshibori may be presented at the beginning and end of the meal.

Table linen is expensive. Handle all linen with care.

Exercise 1 Work through interactive program on the student share drive Topic 2, learning activities 2, 3 and 4. You will see photographs of tablecloths, learn to match them with the appropriate table sizes and view the video clips on laying and changing tablecloths. Complete the self test before you move on.

Practise laying and changing tablecloths until you are satisfied that you can do it well.

Exercise 2 Work through interactive program on the student share drive Topic 2. View the video clips which show the correct method for producing the four different napkin folds.

Practise folding napkins until you are satisfied that you can do it well.

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Topic 14: Cutlery In the past, people ate with their hands or used a knife to cut chunks of food into manageable portions. Nowadays, Western style restaurants provide a large number of eating implements, called cutlery.

The following range of cutlery is not used everywhere as in many countries it shows good manners to eat with the fingers of the right hand or use chopsticks.

What is cutlery?

The word ‘cutlery’ is used for eating implements such as knives, forks, spoons, and also special tools like snail tongs and lobster crackers.

Maintenance Most cutlery is made from stainless steel and must be dipped in hot water and polished before being placed on the tables or into the sideboards.

Some expensive restaurants use silver cutlery which must also be polished before use. In addition, silver cutlery must be de-tarnished at least once a week.

The metal used for most ‘silver’ tableware is in fact not silver but Electro-Plated Nickel Silver (EPNS). A metal core is coated with a thin layer of a nickel and silver alloy during a process involving electricity. Silver requires regular cleaning and polishing with either silver dip for small items or silver-plate powder for large items such as trays and pots.

A silver polishing cloth is also available to maintain silverware but they are not effective at removing large quantities of tarnish.

Common pieces of cutlery

From the left: Soup spoon, entrée fork and knife, M/C fork and knife, fish fork and knife, dessert fork and spoon, cocktail fork and spoon, teaspoon, demi tasse spoon.

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Commonly used cutlery

ITEM

USED FOR

Main course knife

Main course, except fish on the bone.

Main course fork

Main course, except fish on the bone.

Silver service, together with a tablespoon.

Steak knife

Serrated knife for cutting steak.

Fish knife

Fish on the bone.

Fish fork

Fish on the bone.

Soup spoon

Soup.

Entrée knife

Most entrées, together with entrée fork, bread and butter (then called ‘Side knife’).

Cheese, together with entrée fork.

Fresh fruit, together with entrée fork.

Entrée fork

Most entrées, together with entrée knife.

Spaghetti or similar pastas, together with dessert spoon (Fork on the right, spoon on the left).

Cheese, together with entrée knife.

Desserts, together with dessert spoon.

Dessert spoon

Dessert, together with entrée fork.

Spaghetti or similar pastas, together with entrée fork.

Tablespoon

Silver service, also called ‘Service Spoon’.

Teaspoon

Tea/coffee and certain oyster dishes, Fruit, e.g. ½ kiwifruit and passionfruit.

Demi tasse spoon

Coffee, when served in demi tasse cups or piccolo glasses.

Grapefruit spoon

Grapefruit.

Oyster fork

Oysters Natural, or with teaspoon for other oysters (e.g.

Kilpatrick).

Cocktail spoon/fork or fruit spoon and fork

Prawn, seafood or fruit cocktail (Oyster fork and teaspoon can be used if not available).

Butter knife

Resembles a small fish knife and sits on the under plate of the butter dish. Not to be confused with the fish knife.

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Special cutlery

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ITEM

USED FOR

Lobster pick

All crustaceans when served in shell, always with finger bowl.

Asparagus tongs

Fresh asparagus, when served on its own, always with entrĂŠe knife and fork.

If asparagus tongs are available, no finger bowl is necessary.

Gateau fork

Used for cake (gateau) in bistros and cafĂŠs.

Snail tongs and Snail fork

Escargots (snails), when served in shell. The tongs are put on the left hand side, the fork on the right. No finger bowl.

Parfait spoon

All dishes that require a spoon which are served in a tall glass, e.g. parfaits and iced coffee (often with a straw).

Corn holders

Corn on the cob, with a finger bowl.

Topic 15: Plates and Other Crockery There are many pieces of crockery and equipment available in different shapes, colours and sizes. Here at the Regency International Centre, we have a wide range of equipment which you will learn to identify and use during many practical sessions.

Note: All crockery must be absolutely spotless and free from cracks or chips.

Common pieces of crockery •

Show plate

•

Main course plate

•

Entrée plate

•

Dessert plate

•

Side plate

•

Soup plate

•

Soup cup and saucer

•

Coupe

•

Ramekin

•

Tea or coffee cup and saucer

•

Demi tasse cup and saucer

•

Butter dish

Self Test Questions 15 Work through interactive program on the student share drive Topic 4. Work through the learning activity and complete the test.

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Topic 16: Wine Glasses and Other Glassware All glasses must be absolutely spotless. The most efficient way is to polish them is when they come out of the glass washing machine – still wet and hot!

Wine glasses

From left to right: Water glass, white wine glass, red wine glass, champagne flute and champagne saucer.

White wine glasses These are smaller than red wine glasses because white wine is served chilled and would get warm if large amounts were poured. White wine glasses should be filled to approximately two thirds, depending on the size of the glass: the larger the glass the less of its capacity should be used.

Red wine glasses Red wine glasses are bigger than white wine glasses. Red wine should only be poured to half of the glass’ capacity to allow the aroma of the wine to be trapped in the upper part so that the customers can ‘nose’ it but, again, the larger the glass the less of its capacity should be used.

Champagne flutes These are elegant elongated glasses, designed to display and maintain the fine bubbles of sparkling wines and champagnes. This is achieved by minimising the surface area from which the carbon dioxide can escape. They should be filled to approximately 2 cm from the top.

Champagne saucers Champagne saucers are squat shaped glasses. Although not as elegant as flutes they are more stable to carry on a tray. However, with the large surface area the wine tends to go flat very

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quickly which is why they are rarely used any longer. They should be filled to approx. 1 cm from the top.

Water glasses Water glasses are either shaped like a whisky tumbler or a large red wine glass. Water glasses have become part of the Ă la carte cover since it has become commonplace to serve water to every table as part of providing responsible service of alcohol.

Handling glassware Handle glassware with care! Remember, glass breaks easily and can give nasty cuts.

For hygienic reasons, always handle the glass by the stem or toward the base, never by the rim or inside the glass.

During set-up, carry the glasses in your hand by holding them upside down between your fingers. When customers are present, carry them on a tray.

Do not stack glasses as they may crack or break.

Never use a glass to scoop ice cubes because it could break and shards end up in the customer’s drink!

Exercise Work through interactive program on the student share drive Topic 6. Look at the photographs and read the explanations. Complete the activity before you do the self-test in this topic. You can also play the game if you wish.

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Topic 17: Miscellaneous Equipment In the previous three topics you have learned about cutlery, crockery and glasses. As a waiter you will also use a variety of other equipment, such as flower vases, sugar bowls and coffee pots. In this topic you will learn to identify a wider range of equipment, it’s use and how to prepare it for service.

Miscellaneous equipment Here are some of the many pieces of equipment you will use as a waiter.

Cona pot

Coffee plunger/Cafetière

Coffee pot

Bud vase

Tea pot

Service flat or platter

Crescent plate

Cloche (lid to put on a plate)

Pepper mill (grinder)

Oyster plate

Sugar bowl

Sauce boat/sauciere

Milk or cream jug

Salt and pepper shakers

Snail plate

Glasses for special espresso coffees

Bread baskets

Candle holders

Soup Tureen

Menus, wine lists

Underliner (a plate with a doily used under a smaller plate).

Maintaining miscellaneous equipment All equipment must be maintained. Sugar bowls have to be cleaned and filled daily; salt and pepper shakers have to be emptied, washed, dried and refilled weekly; sideboards have to be cleaned with a furniture polish regurlarly.

Salt and pepper shakers, pepper grinders Salt and pepper shakers are part of the table set-up in most restaurants. The shakers may be filled with rock salt or sea salt, white or black pepper.

Freshly ground pepper has a pleasantly pungent aroma and flavour. More and more restaurants place a pepper grinder on the table instead of a pepper shaker. Usually, black (not white) pepper corns are used in the grinders.

In some restaurants the waiters offer to grind fresh pepper on the food in front of the customer.

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Candle holders and candle lamps Candles create a romantic atmosphere and are used in some restaurants. Their disadvantage is that the wax drips down onto the candle holder and has to be removed which is a timeconsuming task.

In candle lamps the candles are enclosed in a tube. A spring pushes the candle upwards as the wax burns off. These lamps also create an elegant atmosphere, are easier to clean but quite costly.

Menus and wine lists Menus and wine lists need to be kept clean and up-to-date. Always check if the menu or wine list is alright before you hand it to a customer.

Preparing a flower vase Some restaurant tables are decorated with small vases which hold one or two flowers. As a waiter you should know how to prepare a flower vase.

Note: Many restaurants now only use flowers at reception desks or as focal points in the restaurant, not on each table, as some flowers can affect people’s senses of smell and taste.

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Topic 18: Cut Butter In most restaurants the customers are automatically served bread and butter at the beginning of their meal. As a waiter you need to know how to cut the butter and place it in the butter dishes.

You will learn this during a demonstration session in class where you will also have the opportunity to practise. If you can not attend the session do the exercise below.

Butter dish with triangles of neatly cut butter, decorated with a sprig of parsley and presented with a butter knife on an underliner.

Olive oil and balsamic vinegar A healthy alternative to butter is virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, often served with the Italian Ciabatta or French Baguette styles of bread.

Additionally, an increasing trend in many cafes where olive oil is being served in place of butter, it is accompanied by Dukkah – a mixture of seeds, herbs and spices – to give subtle variations to the taste of the bread.

Self Test Questions 18 Exercise Work through interactive program on the student share drive Topic 8, learning activity 5. You will see photographs of cut butter and view a video clip on the cutting. Work through the activity a few times.

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Topic 19: Prepare the Hotplate for Service The hotplate is the area in the kitchen where you collect the food for your guests. It is a benchtop with a shelving unit where the dishes are kept hot under heat lamps. In some restaurants it is called “the passe”. This French word is pronounced “pass” and means a place where something is passed from one person to another.

The set-up of the hotplate is different for each restaurant, depending on the style of menu, the layout of the kitchen and the preference of the management.

Important is that all equipment needed for service is on hand and arranged to allow hygienic, safe and efficient operation.

At Graduates restaurant in the Regency International Centre, the passé mise en place consists of three basic sections; 1. Bread - bread baskets lined and on underliners adjacent to the bread service point 2. Entrée – soup underliners entrée plates lined with paper serviettes 3. Main course – a lined tray of silver service cutlery for vegetables with some dessert cutlery for salads and waiters cloths folded to carry hot plates.

Self Test Questions 19 Exercise Work through interactive program on the student share drive Topic 8, learning activity 7. It shows which items are kept at the hotplate and how they should be arranged, then complete the test.

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Topic 20: Sideboards and Wine Waiter’s Tables In the dining room, the sideboard is your ‘home base’. This is where you keep the cutlery, crockery, menus and other equipment you need for service, here you write the kitchen order dockets or process orders on the Point of Sale (POS) system. Ensure it is well stocked before service commences so you don’t need to chase items during service.

The contents of a sideboard •

Cutlery

•

Cutlery plate

•

Crumbing plate

•

Spare napkins

•

Pepper grinder

•

Food order pad

•

Kitchen order dockets

•

Menus

•

Wine lists.

Other items

Stocked Sideboard

•

Coffee cups and saucers

•

Milk and sugar

•

Condiments (e.g. Parmesan cheese, chilli sauce, mustard)

•

Fresh table linen for resetting tables.

The contents of a wine waiter’s table The wine waiter’s table is your ‘home base’ when you are a drink waiter although this rarely occurs in modern restaurants as waiters are now more frequently referred to as ‘Food and beverage attendants’ because they do both . It is a small, square table, where you keep glasses, wine lists and other equipment for beverage service usually located near a sideboard and contains; •

Red wine glasses

•

Coasters for red wine bottles

•

Waiter’s cloths

•

Beverage trays

•

Wine lists.

Always keep your sideboard or wine waiter’s table clean and tidy and do not use them as a storage space for your private belongings.

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Topic 21: Set Tables In the last few topics you have learned to identify the equipment you will use as a waiter, and to prepare the various back of house areas for service. You are now ready to set the tables.

It is very important that restaurant tables are well presented. Always follow the correct procedure and remember, all items on the table must be exactly in their appropriate position, and absolutely spotless!

Commonly used restaurant terms The restaurant industry uses many special words which you need to know. Below is a selection of the important ones. You will come across some more terms later in the course.

Mise en place French term for ‘put in place’. All preparation work done before the arrival of the customers.

A cover a.

The setting of cutlery, crockery and glassware for a guest, determined by the type of menu and the food and wine to be served.

b.

The number of guests attending a function, e.g. “The restaurant has been set for 50 covers”.

A la carte set up A la carte is French for by the card. It describes a situation where the customers choose their meal from a menu. This is not always the case, such as at weddings and other special occasions the choice of food is often set in advance. (Refer to Topic 29) The traditional à la carte cover

In most restaurants, the à la carte cover consists of: Napkin, main course knife, main course fork, side plate, side knife, white wine and water glass.

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The cover for a set menu The cover for a set menu includes the cutlery for each course of the meal. Since you know what the customers will eat you can set all items before your guests arrive. Sometimes, also when the beverages have been pre-arranged, you can place all the glasses as well.

The cover of a set menu for: Soup, entrĂŠe, M/C and dessert, with water, white and red wine glasses.

In the background note the table accompaniments: Flower vase, Two sets of salt and pepper grinders and table number.

Service/cutlery plate A service plate is a M/C plate covered with a waiter’s cloth folded into quarters. It is used for carrying cutlery and small pieces of equipment through the restaurant.

Crumbing plate A dessert plate with a folded napkin, used for removing bread crumbs and other debris from the table.

Table accompaniments Flower vase, candle (at dinner time), salt and pepper (S&P) shakers or grinders, table number and tent card. A tent card is a tent-shaped paper or plastic card which is put on the table to advertise a special item, e.g. the apĂŠritif of the week, the liquor coffee of the day etc. If the number of covers on a table has to be changed, the table accompaniments should be moved accordingly (see the interactive program Topic 7).

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Remember!

In Australia, smoking is not allowed in restaurants but in other countries an ashtray is often part of the table accompaniments.

Unused covers If there are fewer people in a party than anticipated, and you know that the missing person(s) will not come, remove the spare cover(s) right away.

Polish tableware Before you can set the tables you must polish the cutlery, plates and glasses. This will be demonstrated and practised extensively in class. In addition, do the exercise overleaf.

Set tables This important skill will be demonstrated and practised extensively in class.

In addition, do the exercise overleaf.

Suggested order of setting tables When you prepare the dining room use the following system. It will help you to set the tables uniformly and avoid forgetting items.

1.

Place tables in the correct position (check the reservation book for the number of covers).

2.

Position chairs square with the table, and in line with the table edge.

3.

Place and lay table cloths (systematically).

4.

Fold and place napkins (systematically).

5.

Place M/C knives 2 cm from the edge of the table on the right side.

6.

Place M/C forks 2 cm from the edge of the table on the left side.

7.

Lay other cutlery required to suit menu, if applicable.

8.

Place side plates on the left next to the forks.

9.

Place side knives on the side plates close to the right edges.

10. Place white wine glasses above the M/C knives.

11. Place water glasses to the right of the M/C knives, just under the wine glass.

12. Place table accompaniments, e.g. S&P (salt and pepper shakers), table numbers, tent cards, flowers.

Note: “Use you head to save your feet!” If a cover requires more than one of the same piece of cutlery, lay them both at the same time eg. entrée and dessert fork, entrée and side knife.

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Exercise 1 Work through interactive program on the student share drive Topic 1. Look at the photos, read the explanations and view the video clips. This will introduce you to some commonly used restaurant terms. Complete the test.

Exercise 2 Work through the interactive program Topic 7, learning activity 1. View the video clips on polishing several times.

Exercise 3 Work through the interactive program Topic 7, learning activity 2. You will see a slide show of the setting up procedure and photographs of table settings for a number of different occasions, such as Ă la carte, set menu, breakfast etc. Work through the activity a few times and when you feel confident that you have a good understanding of the correct procedure complete test.

We hope you noticed that no water glasses were shown in the photographs. The interactive program was produced a few year ago when water was not served to every table, as it is now normal. Remember to include water glasses when you set tables.

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Notes:

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SECTION 3: PROVIDE RESTAURANT SERVICE In the previous section you learned to prepare the restaurant for service.

You became familiar with the tables, chairs, cutlery and other pieces of equipment, and spent quite some time on preparing mise-en-place and setting tables.

Now you will learn how to serve your customers: how to greet and seat them when they enter the restaurant, how to cater for all their needs and how to farewell them when they leave.

The major aspect of this section is on doing. You will work in a simulated restaurant situation where your fellow students act as customers. This will prepare you for the day, your first day in the restaurant.

Be aware that the success of the practical sessions depends on your attitude. Treat these exercises as realistically as possible. Do not play and do not distract others from giving their best effort.

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Topic 22: Take a Restaurant Booking How would you feel if you had to tell a group of customers that you can not accommodate them because you have lost their booking and there is no free table? That would be most embarrassing, wouldn’t it? Make sure that you process table reservations effectively and responsibly.

Restaurant bookings Making a booking (or just answering an inquiry) is often a customer’s first contact with the establishment. They will form a first impression by the manner in which the inquiry is handled.

First impressions are very important and you only get one chance, so make it a good one.

Every customer expects courtesy, efficiency and helpfulness and may choose to go to another restaurant if these expectations are not met.

Take a booking by phone Answer the telephone promptly and in a friendly manner. Say, “Good morning/ afternoon/evening”, the establishment’s name, your name and “How may I help you?”

Example: “Good morning, Graduates restaurant, this is John speaking, how may I help you?”

In the following conversation you need to establish the following details: •

day

•

date

•

time of arrival

•

number of covers

•

any special requests

•

name of person making the booking

•

contact telephone number.

Use a pencil because this makes it easier to correct a mistake. When you take a booking, always write it directly into the reservation book. Do not use a piece of paper because it may get lost and ‘forgetting’ a reservation is most embarrassing.

Before you take any details, establish the date, day and time of arrival and check if there is sufficient space available. Know the capacity of the restaurant and keep in mind that on certain occasions you may not be able to accommodate as many customers as usual. Example: New Year's Eve, a number of tables may have to be removed to create space for a band or dance floor.

Regular customers may know the number of their favourite table or request to be seated at a window, away from the entrance, etc.

Special requests may be a birthday cake with a greeting written on the top, a bunch of flowers or a bottle of champagne to be ready at the table on arrival.

Record all details in a legible print. It is embarrassing to mispronounce a customer's name because of bad handwriting.

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When you have received all details, repeat them to the customer to verify that you have understood correctly and thank the customer for the booking.

Say something like, “Thank you Mrs Jones, we look forward to welcoming you next Thursday.”

Let the customer hang up first.

Bookings taken further than one week in advance should be confirmed two days before the date. Sometimes, the customer telephones the establishment but more often a member of staff will telephone the customer to confirm the details.

If a booking is cancelled it should not be rubbed out but crossed out so that the information remains recorded in case it is needed in the future.

Computerised booking programs are now widely in use and these will prompt the user to enter information into many of these fields. They may also remember customer preferences, spending trends and can even ‘black list’ undesirable customers by either their name or telephone number.

Take a booking in person Sometimes, customers make a booking in person because they want to see the restaurant before committing themselves.

When you take the booking, observe all points in the procedure just as when you take a booking by phone. In addition, make sure that you are well attired (uniform, hair style), show a friendly smile and give the impression that you are in perfect control of the situation.

Vegetarian customers It will happen that customers enquire about the availability of vegetarian dishes when they make the booking. The following is an explanation of the various groups of vegetarians.

GROUP

DESCRIPTION OF DIET

Vegans

No food of animal origin at all.

Lacto vegetarians

No animal flesh or eggs, but includes dairy products.

Ovo vegetarians

No animal flesh or dairy products but includes eggs.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians

No animal flesh, but includes eggs and dairy products.

Pesco vegetarians

No red meat or poultry but includes seafood.

Semi-vegetarians

No red meat but includes poultry and seafood.

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Common food allergies Increasingly restaurants have to cater for customers who have allergies or sensitivities to a variety of foods or chemicals used in food processing. The reactions to these allergies can vary from a mere annoyance and discomfort, to life threatening. If you are aware a customer has an allergy/sensitivity you must make sure this is passed on to the chef to avoid a “poisoning�.

Below are some of the more commonly occurring allergies.

ALLERGY

REACTION CAUSED BY

Coeliac

Gluten - insoluble protein in wheat, flour and other cereals

Lactose

Sugar in milk

Seafood

Crustaceans and molluscs

Nuts

Peanuts commonly and peanut oil (stir frying)

Key points 1.

Always enter the bookings directly into the reservation system

2.

Establish the date

3.

Establish the day

4.

Number of people

5.

Know the seating capacity of the restaurant for the particular day

6.

Time of arrival

7.

Name and phone number (ask to have the name spelled)

8.

Table number (if a special table is requested)

9.

Special requests (selling opportunities)

10. Repeat booking to the customer 11. "Thank you Mrs Jones, we are looking forward to welcoming you" 12. Confirm all bookings 13. Cross out cancellations 14. Let the customer hang up first.

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Exercise Work through the interactive program on the student share drive Topic 9. You will see photographs and video clips on taking bookings. When you feel comfortable with the information complete the test. You can also play the pokies game if you wish. See if another student is available because the game is more fun when two persons are playing.

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Topic 23: Allocate Tables To allocate tables means to determine which group of customers will be seated at which table.

Table numbers There are two methods for numbering tables: 1.

If the tables are positioned in rows: The first table in each row is numbered 11, 21, 31, etc.

The second table in each row is numbered 12, 22, 32, etc.

2.

If tables are not in rows, a snake-like way of numbering is mostly used.

Considerations for allocating tables It is understandable that all customers want to sit at a good table. The good tables are those which provide the best view, either over the scenery outside when the restaurant has windows, or over the dining room.

Usually, the earlier bookings are allocated to the good tables - first in, best table. However, you will often try to seat special guests (a regular customer or a celebrity) on a good table even though they may have made a late booking.

Tables for up to four people are usually allocated on arrival. This allows you to seat the customers on that waiter’s station who, at this moment, is least busy.

Tables for large groups are allocated in advance.

Stations A station is a section in the restaurant, i.e. a number of tables, for which one waiter is responsible.

No-shows Waiters call a group of people who do not arrive at the specified time no-shows. What should you do when customers do not show up? Can you give the table to other people?

Most restaurants wait a certain time before allocating the table to someone else, usually between 30 and 45 minutes.

Walk-ins The term walk-in is used for customers who come into your restaurant - walk in - without having made a booking beforehand.

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Topic 24: Welcome and Seat Customers When your customers enter the restaurant, the first few moments are crucial. A survey has shown that people form an opinion of the restaurant in the first 10 seconds! Do your best to give them a good first impression.

What determines the first impression?

•

The atmosphere in the dining room: Lighting, room temperature, noise level, décor, etc.

•

The appearance of the staff: Uniform, hairstyle, do they seem to be in control of their work?

•

The welcome they receive: How long do they have to wait until they are greeted and taken to their table.

Welcome and seat the customers Usually, the customers wait near the entrance for the head waiter or host to receive them.

It is important that they are acknowledged immediately. If the head waiter is busy and you are nearby, greet them in a welcoming manner and ask them to wait for a moment while you get the head waiter.

If you are experienced, seat the customers yourself. How should you do this?

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•

Ask if they have made a booking.

•

If yes, ask for the name.

•

Locate the booking in the reservation book.

•

If the restaurant has a cocktail bar, ask if they would like to take a drink in the bar before they go to the table. If not, take them to their table.

•

If the customers have not made a booking decide on a suitable table and seat them if they do not wish to take a drink in the bar first.

•

Escort the customers to their table. Walk first and make sure your customers follow.

Do not walk too quickly, especially when your guests are elderly.

•

Go to the ‘best’ chair at the table and draw it back. When the gentleman or lady stands in front of the chair push it in, gently, so that your guest can settle down comfortably.

The best chair is the one which offers the best view, either over the restaurant or, if the table is located at a window, over the scenery outside.

•

Lap the napkins when all customers have taken their seats: Pick up the napkin from the table, unfold it and move it gently across each person’s lap.

Once the customers have been seated, provide these three things as quickly as possible: •

Something to drink (apéritif – a pre-dinner drink)

•

Something to read (the menu and wine list)

•

Something to eat (bread and butter).

Note: Some restaurants also offer a complimentary starter – a small serve of food on a side plate with a fork, e.g. one oyster or a small sliver of ham, which is provided without charge. The starter should be served at the same time as bread and butter; at the beginning of the meal.

Customers have been seated at your table Go through a few crucial steps to make them feel that you are capable of providing good service.

•

Walk to the table and check if the napkins have been lapped. If not, do it now.

•

Introduce yourself. Say something like, “Good evening ladies and gentlemen, my name is John, I am your waiter for this evening”.

•

Ask if they wish to order an apéritif (pre-dinner drink), most people do.

•

Take the drink order.

You should be able to remember at least four drinks without having to write them down. For larger parties, have an order pad ready to record the drinks.

•

Hand out menus and wine list.

One menu per person and one wine list per table.

•

Explain the daily specials.

A daily special is a dish made of the freshest ingredients the chef could find on the market. As the name suggests, they are different every day and therefore not printed on the menu.

You will be expected to describe the daily specials in such a mouth-watering way that your customers will order them.

•

Order the drinks at the bar.

•

Serve bread, butter and any complimentary starters.

•

Serve the pre-dinner drinks.

After having performed these duties your customers will be ready to enjoy their evening, totally confident of your ability to look after them well.

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Key points 1. Greet guests.

6. Order drinks at bar.

2. Seat guests.

7. Hand over menus and wine list.

3. Lap napkins.

8. Explain specials

4. Introduce yourself.

9. Serve bread and butter.

5. Take drink order.

10. Serve drinks.

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Topic 25: Serve Pre-Dinner Drinks Introduction Most customers like to take a drink before their meal. A pre-dinner drink (PDD) may also be called an apéritif (French for something which stimulates the appetite).

Be ready to take the PDD order right after you have seated the customers and serve them as soon as possible Popular pre-dinner drinks A wide range of beverages is available as PDD’s. The following is a small selection of the more popular ones.

•

Glass of beer

•

Glass of wine

•

Glass of sparkling wine

•

Spirit with mixer, e.g. Scotch and coke

•

Cocktail

•

Mocktail (non-alcoholic cocktail)

•

Apera – dry, medium or sweet (formally known as Sherry)

•

Campari and soda

•

Fruit juice

•

Mineral water.

Take the order for pre-dinner drinks Be prepared to make suggestions, e.g. “Perhaps you would like to try one of our cocktails?

We have …” Be prepared to answer questions, such as “John, do you have Kahlua and milk?”

You should be able to remember the drink order of four people. For larger tables, use an order pad to write them down. You should not have to ask the customers who has ordered which drink. In the topic Take The Food Order you will learn a system that will help you to remember what each customer has ordered.

Remember!

You need to know which beverages are available in your restaurant.

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Serve pre-dinner drinks Your customers are thirsty! Take the order to bar as soon as possible and collect the drinks when they are ready and carry them on a drink tray. Approach the table carefully and watch out if someone wants to get up from their chair. Place the drink to the right hand side of the cover, just below the water glass.

When you serve drinks which come in a bottle, e.g. beer or a gin and tonic (the tonic water comes in a bottle), put the glass down first, then pour from the bottle. If there is still something left in the bottle place it behind the water glass with the label facing the guest.

Clear pre-dinner drinks Clear (remove) the glasses or bottles as soon as they are empty.

Change ashtrays In Australia, you will not need to change ashtrays when you work in a restaurant because smoking is not allowed where food is being served. However, you may be asked to serve the pre-dinner drinks in a separate area where smoking is permitted.

When should you change an ashtray? When it holds more than two cigarette butts. How should you change an ashtray?

The photographs below illustrate the correct procedure.

Cover the dirty ashtray with a clean one to prevent ash from falling out.

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Remove both ashtrays, then place the clean one on the table.

Topic 26: Present the Menus and Wine List Menus may be in the form of an expensive leather folder, a laminated sheet of paper or a blackboard on the wall.

The menu may change daily, weekly or only a few times per year (seasonally). In addition, many restaurants offer daily specials which, as the name suggests, are different every day.

A card with the daily specials may be inserted in the menu or written on a blackboard.

Selling skills Since the specials change every day the management often expects the waiters to inform the customers of these dishes. It is one of the advanced skills of a waiter to be able to explain the specials so enticingly (and without being ‘pushy’) that the customers are tempted to order them. You will learn more about selling skills in another subject.

The daily specials The following dishes may change every day: •

Soup of the day

•

Special entrée

•

Fish of the day

•

Special main course

•

Vegetables

•

Potatoes

•

Salad and salad dressing

•

Cheese

•

Special dessert

•

Pasta.

Restaurants may not change all of these dishes every day, they may run as a special for a week, month or even seasonally. It is your duty to find out, from the chef or headwaiter, which special dishes are to be offered today.

In Graduates restaurant the specials are written on a whiteboard at the passe/hotplate in the kitchen.

Note: Memorise the specials! It is more professional to explain them freely than read them from a piece of paper.

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Present the menus Take as many menus as there are people, and one wine list. Starting with a lady, hand the menu to the guests, one by one. If the menu is in a folder, open it before you hand it over.

Now is the moment to explain the specials: “Excuse me ladies and gentlemen, may I tell you our specials.” (Wait until you have their attention.) “The soup of the day is a creamy seafood soup with fresh mussels; our fish of the day is a grilled fillet of whiting in a delicate white wine sauce with spring vegetables. We also have a special entrée, namely garden fresh asparagus spears with a hollandaise sauce.”

Do not tell your guests more than they need to know at this stage because they may not be able to remember it all. For instance, do not explain the vegetables, potatoes or salad of the day; they will ask you about these if they wish.

Also, do not tell them the cheese or the special dessert of the day. The time to explain these is when you hand out the dessert menu.

Present the wine list In many restaurants it is policy to present the wine list right after the menus. This means, once you have explained the specials, present the wine list to the host. If the host is unable to accept it (e.g. because he or she is holding the menu), you can also place it on the table next to the host, saying, “Excuse me sir/madam, I will leave the wine list here for you.”

If you do not know who of your guests is the host, ask, “Excuse me, to whom may I present the wine list?” or “Ladies and gentlemen would anyone care to look at the wine list?”

Just as there are daily specials on the menu, there may also be a daily or weekly cellar master’s suggestion. This is a special bottle of wine offered for an attractive price. Explain the cellar master’s suggestion when you present the wine list.

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.

Topic 27: Serve Bread and Butter Most restaurants provide bread and butter at the beginning of the meal, and free of charge.

The bread may either be placed on the table in a bread basket or silver-served onto the side plate. The butter may be in small portion control packs and present in the bread basket or cut into attractive shapes and presented in a butter dish on an underliner with a butter knife on the RHS of the dish.

Many function venues now place butter pieces directly onto a side plate bypassing the need for a butter dish and butter knife.

Serve bread A variety of breads may be offered.

•

Plain white bread or rolls

•

Bread rolls with seeds or spices

•

French stick

•

Rye bread

•

Wholemeal bread

•

Walnut bread

•

Banana bread

•

Garlic bread

•

Herb bread

•

Onion bread.

Plain white bread or rolls are usually complementary (free of charge); special bread is charged per serve.

Serve bread in a basket The bread is kept in the kitchen, often in an oven to keep it warm. Place the bread in the basket, using spoon and fork, not your fingers.

Place the basket near the middle of the table. You may have to move a few glasses or other tableware to create space.

Silver-serve bread Instead of placing the basket on the table, keep it in your hand and silver-serve the bread on the side plates of the customers, using spoon and fork.

Return the empty basket and the S&F (spoon and fork for silver service) to the kitchen on your next trip. Do not take them to the dishwashing area, they can be used again.

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Serve butter Take another look at Topic 18 page 73 and at the photos and video clips in the interactive program on the student share drive Topic 8, learning activity 5. They show various ways of cutting and presenting butter or its alternative olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Note: Always have extra butter and bread ready because many customers will ask for a second or third serve.

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Topic 28: The Meals of the Day Introduction What did you have for breakfast today, and what do you usually eat for dinner? Most likely you will eat different food at different times of the day. In this topic you will learn what type of food is usually served at the various meal times.

Be aware that this topic reflects the eating custom in western style countries. Other cultures have different customs. For instance, in many Asian countries it is common to eat rice soup for breakfast.

Meal times Breakfast

6.30 am

-

10.30 am

Brunch

10.00 am

-

12.00 midday

Lunch

12.00 midday

-

3.00 pm

Afternoon tea

3.30 pm

-

5.00 pm

Dinner

6.00 pm

-

11.00 pm

Supper

10.00 pm

-

12.00 midnight

Breakfast The first meal of the day. A Western style breakfast may include coffee, tea, bread, egg dishes and fruit juices. You will learn more about breakfasts in the topic Serve breakfast.

Brunch The word brunch is a contraction of the words breakfast and lunch. It is mostly in the form of a Buffet and contains all items of a breakfast buffet, plus several lunch items. Hot food is offered in chafing dishes. Brunch is mainly offered on weekends.

Lunch Usually, lunch is the lighter meal (lighter than dinner), and consequently lighter foods and smaller portions are offered. The lunch menu could be a reduced version of the dinner menu.

Afternoon tea Afternoon tea is offered by some clubs, hotels and coffee shops. The menu includes a selection of sandwiches, pastries and cakes with tea and coffee.

Dinner In many countries, dinner is the main meal of the day. It is consumed after work and serves an important social purpose. Eating with members of one’s family, friends or business associates strengthens the bond of friendship and reinforces cultural values.

In contrast to lunch, people spend more time for dinner. EntrĂŠes, trendy cuisines and a more sophisticated service style are popular in the evenings. Dinner is usually more expensive than lunch.

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Supper A supper menu may be an all night service menu in a hotel, offering a range of foods such as toasted sandwiches, rolls, savouries, cheese and smallgoods.

Or it may be a limited menu offered by nightclubs or pubs, where the law states that food must be served to enable the continued service of liquor after normal hours. These menus offer small items such as pasta, pizza and sandwiches.

Fine dining rooms located near an opera house, concert hall or cinema complex may offer a supper menu of a different style. Here, the menu offers special, and often expensive, dishes such as pâtÊ de foie gras, caviar, exquisite main courses and unusual desserts.

Exercise Work through the interactive program on the student share drive Topic 3, learning activity 1.

It shows interactive photographs of the various meals of the day, including a lunch and brunch buffet. Work through the activity a few times and then do the test.

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Topic 29: Different Menu Styles Always, before you hand the menu to your customer, check if it is up-to-date, clean and well presented.

A la carte This style of menu is used in the majority of restaurants, and literally translated means ‘from the card’. The menu offers a large variety of dishes and allows the customers to choose any number of courses (usually 1-4). Each dish is individually priced and cooked when ordered.

An à la carte menu: •

Offers a large variety of dishes

•

The customers may order any number of courses

•

The dishes are prepared when ordered

•

Each dish is individually priced.

Table d’hôte Table d’hôte, literally translated means ‘table of the host’. The number of courses may vary from three to five and there is usually a choice of 2-3 dishes within each course, but this may increase to 5 or more depending on the venue.

This style of menu allows for pre-preparation of some of the dishes and quicker service. Table d’hôte menus are popular for functions (Christmas lunch, wedding, Valentine’s Day dinner, etc.) and sometimes also offered in addition to the lunch menu.

A table d'hôte menu: •

Has a set number of courses

•

Has a limited choice within each course

•

Allows pre-preparation of some of the dishes

•

Allows a set price to be charged per person.

Set menu This style of menu is mostly used at large functions. As the term suggests, all items of the meal have been pre-determined. As with most larger functions an alternative, normally vegetarian, would be available but not offered to the guests.

Some venues offer a set menu with two different main courses which are served alternatively to every second guest, i.e. A table of 10 guests will be served 5 chicken and 5 beef dishes.

This is known as a 50/50 drop. It is still a set menu as the guests are not asked for their choice.

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A set menu: •

Has a set number of courses

•

Offers no choice of dishes

•

Allows pre-preparation of all dishes

•

Allows a set price to be charged per person.

Which menu is best?

There is no absolutely correct answer to this question. It depends upon many factors including: •

What does the guest want

•

What can the kitchen/chef cope with

•

What can the front of house staff cope with.

As a very rough guideline, most good restaurants would probably ‘sell’ a Table d’Hôte menu to a booking of 15 - 20 or more guests. This would mean that their orders could be taken more quickly and the kitchen then only has to produce a limited range of dishes at the same time.

When would a restaurant/function centre change to a set menu? Again there is no hard and fast rule – common sense should prevail. Can they accommodate the time frame of the guests? If there are no restrictions what can they provide? Most venues would probably say at 120 people we can do a limited choice menu but at 150, it would have to be a set menu, but it all depends on the three factors listed above.

As a result, a compromise is reached in many venues where they serve a ‘50/50 drop’.

Usually a set first course if followed by at each table of 10 – 5 chicken dishes for the ladies and 5 beef for the men finished off with a set dessert. There is no choice, nothing is offered and the guests take what they are given or swap with someone at their table.

Cycle menu This style of menu is not commonly used by restaurants but more by airlines, trains, hospitals and ocean liners as well as long term accommodation venues such as prisons and boarding schools.

A group of menus is used on a rotating basis which is repeated after a certain number of days, usually eight or 15.

An ‘eight day cycle’ means that the menu from this week’s Monday will be repeated on next week’s Tuesday, etc. Using a number other than 7 or 14 ensures that an airline passenger who flies out this week and returns on the same day next week will be served different food.

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À la carte menu

Graduate’s Restaurant Dinner Entrée Soup of the Day Chicken and Mushroom Crépine Finely minced chicken, mushroom and herb croquette, served with a truffle butter sauce

Fremantle Sardine Fillets

A warm salad of pan fried sardines, kipfler potatoes, olives and tomatoes

Leek and Cheese Soufflé

Twice baked soufflé accompanied by a pear and walnut salad

Chermoula Marinated Prawns

Pan fried prawns, combined with a delicate herb mix, served with fragrant rice

Main Course Oven Baked Breast of Chicken

Tender breast fillet with a sweet potato puree and tomato jam

Tournedos Rossini

Pan fried fillets of beef, topped with duck liver pâté and madeira glaze

Fresh Australian Fish of the Day Your waiter will describe today’s catch

Sichuan Kangaroo

Seared kangaroo fillet with Szechuan sauce, steamed spring onion bun and bok choy

Pork with Prunes and Baby Spinach

Sautéed slices of pork, served with prunes in a cream sauce

Selected Salad All main courses are served with fresh vegetables of the day Dessert

Chocolate Whisky Fudge Delight

A rich sponge cake accompanied by vanilla bean ice-cream and butterscotch sauce

Rich Custard Slice

Rich cream custard sandwiched in puff pastry, served with raspberry coulis and pouring cream

Coconut Bavarois

A creamy coconut mousse with glass biscuits and passionfruit sauce

Chocolate Tart

A bitter chocolate tart served with espresso ice-cream and white chocolate sauce

Cheese of the Day

A selection of local and interstate cheeses served at your table from the trolley

Coffee

Filter Coffee (bottomless cup) Espresso or Cappuccino (per serve)

Ports and Liqueurs WE OFFER A FULL SELECTION OF PORTS AND LIQUEURS

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Table d’hôte menu

Graduate’s Restaurant Table d’hôte dinner menu Please choose one dish from each course

Entrée Soup of the Day Chicken and Mushroom Crépine

Finely minced chicken, mushroom and herb croquette, served with a truffle butter sauce

Fremantle Sardine Fillets

A warm salad of pan fried sardines, kipfler potatoes, olives and tomatoes

Main Course Oven Baked Breast of Chicken

Tender breast fillet with a sweet potato puree and tomato jam

Tournedos Rossini

Pan fried fillets of beef, topped with duck liver pâté and madeira glaze

Fresh Australian Fish of the Day

Your waiter will describe today’s catch

Dessert Chocolate Whisky Fudge Delight

A rich sponge cake accompanied by vanilla bean ice-cream and butterscotch sauce

Coconut Bavarois

A creamy coconut mousse with glass biscuits and passionfruit sauce

Cheese of the Day

A selection of local and interstate cheeses

Coffee served with Petits Fours

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A set menu

THAI BANQUET THAI APPETISERS TOM YAM GOONG Hot and sour prawn soup cooked with lemon grass and lime leaves GAENG KEOW WAN GOONG Prawns cooked with green curry paste and coconut milk YAM PLA MURK Cooked squid salad flavoured with lime juice and fish sauce YAM TAENG KWA Sliced cucumber salad PANGGANG UDANG Marinated prawns baked in fresh curry paste and lemon juice VIETNAMESE BEEF SALAD Cooked beef with fish sauce and watercress KAO PAD KAPRO Stir-fried rice with chicken and fresh basil leaves Exercise Work through the interactive program on the student share drive Topic 3, learning activity 2.

It shows interactive diagrams of the three main styles of menu. Work through the activity a few times, then complete the test.

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Topic 30: Menu Terminology You will have noticed by now that we are using quite a few French words in this book.

When chefs in other countries embraced French cuisine they also adopted French terminology and used it on their menus.

Currently, Italian and Asian cooking styles, are also shaping the restaurant industry in Australia. This trend is reflected in the increasing use of Italian and Asian items on the menu.

Add to this some traditional Australian ingredients (some call it Aussie bush tucker) and you get ‘fusion’ cuisine ie. East meets West.

Spelling Non-English terms are usually spelled as in the original language but often the accents are omitted. An accent is a symbol above or below a letter to indicate its pronunciation. Example: à la carte is often spelled as a la carte (notice the absence of the accent).

Words from languages which use a different writing system are not always spelled consistently in English. Example: Szechuan, a province in China, is often spelled Szechwan.

Menu terms The following selection of terms is widely used in the restaurant industry.

A good knowledge of these terms will help you with describing the dishes to your guest.

Terms for describing the degree to which red meat may be cooked Meat changes texture and taste with increasing cooking time. White meat, such as chicken, pork and veal is usually cooked all the way through (well done). Red meat like steak and lamb are often cooked only to a certain degree at the guests request. Game meats like kangaroo and venison are normally only cooked as far as medium otherwise they dry out and become tough.

When you take an order for any red meat, ask the customer to what degree they would like it cooked.

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TERM

ABBREVIATION THE MEAT

Bleu or Blue

Bl or Blue

Cooked only on the outside. The inside is hot but raw.

Rare

R

Cooked a bit longer but still raw in the middle.

Medium Rare

MR

Only a small area in the middle is still raw.

Medium

M

Still slightly red but not raw.

Medium Well

MW

Cooked almost all the way through but still pink in the middle.

Well Done

WD

Cooked all the way through. The meat is brown.

Very Well Done

VWD

Cooked a long time, dark brown and dry.

Selection of menu terms

TERM

DESCRIPTION

Accompaniment

A food item which is served with a dish e.g. mustard, tomato sauce, toast etc.

Al dente

‘To the teeth’ – pasta cooked ‘medium’, firm not soggy or crunchy.

Balsamic vinegar

Fragrant vinegar matured in oak, dark in colour.

Bisque

Puree soup made from crustaceans.

Blinis

Buckwheat pancakes, served with caviar.

Bocconcini

Fresh cheese, served as part of antipasto, similar to mozzarella.

Bombe

Mould for ice-cream, etc.

Brioche

A soft loaf or roll made from a yeast dough enriched with butter and eggs

Cajun

Cuisine that evolved in Louisiana USA, usually spicy.

Canapé

Small piece of toast or biscuit with savoury toppings, e.g. smoked salmon, cheese, pâté etc. usually served with pre-dinner drinks.

Chateaubriand

Cut of beef from the thick end of the fillet, for 2 or more persons, carved at the table and served with Béarnaise sauce.

Chorizo

Spicy Spanish sausage flavoured with red peppers and garlic

Concassé

Peeled, seeded and diced, e.g. tomatoes.

Consommé

Clear, de-fatted broth.

Coulis Cous cous

Thin puree of fruit or vegetable.

Small pellets of semolina made from ground wheat.

Darne

Cut of fish through the spine to produce a cutlet or steak.

Entrée

The dish served before the main. (In the US, entrée is the term for the main course).

Escargots

French word for snails.

Falafel

Made from chick peas, flavoured with spices, shaped into balls and served in Lebanese flat bread.

Filet mignon

A cut from the tail end of the fillet of beef, pork, lamb or veal, small round shape.

Flamber

To flame.

Foccacia

Italian bread, served with savoury toppings.

Gateau

Cake, tart (plural: Gateaux).

Laksa

Asian soup: spicy broth with noodles, bean sprouts, chicken, seafood, or vegetarian, often flavoured with coconut.

Julienne

Cut: matchstick shaped vegetables, meat etc.

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TERM

DESCRIPTION

Jus

Reduced meat juices.

Medallion

Round cut of meat; can be beef, lamb, pork or veal.

Meringue

Whipped and baked egg white.

Pâté de foie gras

Pâté of the liver of force-fed geese or ducks.

Pesto

Sauce served with pasta, made from basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, garlic and olive oil.

Petits fours

Literally translated: ‘small ovens’, small bite sized ‘cakes’ served with Coffee/Tea after the meal.

Salsa

Sauce (not cooked) of chopped vegetables, e.g. tomatoes, onions and chilli, typically served with Mexican food.

Tart

A sweet or savoury dish with a pastry base.

Exercise Learn these terms well. You will need this knowledge to answer your customers’ questions.

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Topic 31: Sequence of Courses Introduction In the past, the meals at some special functions consisted of up to 12 or even 15 courses but it is unlikely that you will work at such an event. We have included the courses of a traditional event as additional information; you do not need to memorise them.

A traditional 15 course meal FRENCH

ENGLISH

EXAMPLES

1.

Hors d'oeuvres

Hors d'oeuvres

Small portions of hot or cold savoury food, to stimulate the appetite.

2.

Potage

Soup

Clear, cream, puree; hot or cold.

3.

Oeufs

Egg dish

En cocotte, omelette, sur le plat, oeuf poché, florentine.

4.

Farineux

Farinaceous dish

Rice and pasta dishes (risotto, ravioli, spaghetti).

5.

Poisson

Fish

Whole, fillets and cutlets, poached, fried, baked, grilled.

6.

Entrée

Entrée

Small red or white meat course, offal, shellfish, pasta, vegetables.

7.

Sorbet

Sorbet

A flavoured ice designed to cleanse the palate.

8.

Relevé

Roast

Whole joint of braised meat.

9.

Rôtis

Poultry, game

Poultry (chicken, turkey) and game (pheasant, venison), roasted.

10.

Salad

Salad

Side salad or buffet.

11.

Légumes

Vegetables

Served after or with the main dish.

12.

Entremet

Sweet dish

Coupe, bavarois, pudding, pastry, soufflé, crêpe, ice-cream.

13.

Savoureux

Savouries

Scotch woodcock (scrambled eggs on toast with anchovies), devilled livers on toast, offered as a palate cleanser.

14.

Fromage

Cheese

Selection (minimum of three normally).

15.

Dessert

Dessert

Fresh fruit and nuts.

For more information on the classic sequence of courses, refer to Lillicrap D, Food and Beverage Service, 3rd edition, Page 62.

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A modern seven course meal Nowadays, it does not happen very often that a meal consists of more than three or four courses, except perhaps at special occasions like a State Banquet where a meal of up to seven courses may be served.

1. Appetiser – Named after its purpose, that is, to stimulate the appetite.

It would normally be a cold dish, smaller in size than an entrée.

2. Soup – Soups are very popular with Australian customers although more so at dinner.

During the summer months, some restaurants offer chilled soups.

3. Entrée – A hot dish, usually smaller in size than the M/C. Entrées may be served with a small accompaniment of noodles, rice or vegetables.

4. Sorbet – A small portion of water ice, often with a citrus flavour such as lemon, orange or lime and maybe topped with sparkling wine. The sorbet cleanses the palate for the main course. In some restaurants the sorbet is complementary (free of charge).

5. Main course –The culmination of the dining experience and therefore the most involved dish of the meal. It consists of three components: a) Main component: Meat or seafood. b) Farinaceous: Noodles, rice or starchy components like potatoes. c) Vegetables or salad.

6. Cheese – in this style of meal no more than three types of cheese would generally be offered accompanied by fruit, nuts and bread, crackers or lavosh.

7. Dessert – In modern menu terminology, the term dessert applies to all sweet dishes (hot or cold), as well as to fruit of any kind, when eaten at the end of the meal.

Coffee or tea – Is usually served at the end of the meal, accompanied by petits fours, but not considered as a ‘course’. Thus, a three course meal consists of three courses of food plus coffee/tea and petits fours.

Petits fours - Small bite-sized cakes, tartlets, chocolates or biscuits. They should be served at the same time as the coffee/tea. They are usually provided free of charge.

A plate of Petits Fours for 3 covers

Note: In the classical sequence of courses, cheese is served before the dessert. However in à la carte, the customers often ask to have the cheese served after the dessert.

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Examples of three course meals a.

Soup

b.

Appetiser

c.

Soup

Main course

Main course

Entrée

Dessert

Cheese

Main course

Examples of four course meals

a.

Appetiser

b.

Appetiser

c.

Soup

Soup

Entrée

Entrée

Main course

Main course

Main course

Dessert

Cheese

Fruit

Exercise Work through the interactive program on the student share drive Topic 3, learning activity 3.

It shows interactive diagrams which demonstrate the sequence of courses. Work through it a few times, and then do the test.

Now that you have completed all three learning activities of the interactive program Topic 3, you can also play the game if you wish. It is a crossword puzzle which challenges your knowledge.

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Topic 32: Take Orders for Food and Beverages When you take the order you establish what your customers want to eat or drink. It also gives you the opportunity to create a pleasant relationship with your guests. Be friendly, show a warm smile, have an open mind to unusual requests, and make sure you know the menu and wine list well.

When should you take the food order?

Observe your guests and you will notice when they are ready. They may indicate this by placing the closed menu/wine list on the table or start looking around trying to catch your attention.

When you are in doubt if your guests have decided ask them. Say, “Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, are you ready to order?”

Essential knowledge when taking orders

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•

Know the menu and wine list well.

Your customers may ask you many questions about the food and wines.

•

Know the preparation time of the dishes.

Some customers are in a hurry. You need to know which dishes can be provided quickly.

•

Know the preparation methods.

Your guests will ask if a dish is grilled, poached, or pan-fried etc.

•

Stand straight.

You are a professional. Show that you are proud of your job.

•

Speak clearly.

Make sure that elderly or overseas customers can understand you easily.

•

Be ready to make suggestions.

Many guests will ask you to recommend dishes. Recommend those dishes which are: - popular (from guests feedback or sell well) - chefs ‘Signature’ dishes – real specials or - those which are different or unique to the restaurant.

•

Use an order pad to record the order.

•

Repeat the order to each guest to make sure you have understood correctly.

•

Remove the menu from each guest right after having taken the order.

•

Double-check that you have recorded all requests.

Compare the number of dishes with the number of customers.

•

Process the order.

•

Always, number the chairs clock-wise.

You will not always be able to remember what your customers have ordered.

•

Use abbreviations.

Remember!

Your handwriting must be clear! Other people need to be able to read it as well.

Write the order on the order docket At the table, write the order on the order pad. At the sideboard; transfer it to the kitchen order docket.

Keep the order pad in your pocket or, depending on the system in your restaurant, take it to the chef who will attach it to the clipboard at the hotplate.

The kitchen order docket consists of two or three sheets of paper, named ‘copies’. The upper copy or copies is divided into sections. Write the order for each course into a section, starting from the top; i.e. write the first course in the first section, etc.

Arrange the courses If some of the customers order more courses than the other people at the table, when should you serve which course to whom?

This can be a bit tricky but there are two ‘rules’ which you can use as a guide.

1.

All main courses should be served at the same time.

2.

All first courses should be served at the same time.

All main courses should be served at the same time means: Serve all main courses at the same time, no matter what other courses the people have ordered.

Well, this was easy to understand. Now comes the difficult part.

Serve all first courses at the same time, regardless of the first courses. This means that a person who has not ordered any first courses must wait until the other guests have eaten their soups, entrées etc. A first course is that dish which the customer will eat first, be it an appetiser, soup, or entrée.

After having written the order on the docket, detach the appropriate sections and take them to the chef in the kitchen. If your customers have ordered three courses, how many sections do you take to the chef? Right, three.

Use the same method when you write the beverage order docket. It has two copies and, again, the top copy is perforated into sections. Here you write the order for drinks, wine and any other beverages except coffee and tea. Write them on the kitchen order docket.

What is the purpose of the bottom copies? Take them to the cashier. They will use them for preparing the guest’s bill.

Remember: Write the order for coffee or tea on the kitchen order docket, not the beverage order docket.

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Example of taking and processing an order •

The first diagram shows the food order for a table of four.

•

The second diagram shows the order, written on the order pad.

•

The third diagram shows the order, written on the kitchen order docket.

•

The fourth diagram shows a beverage order docket.

Food order for a table of four Soup of the day Terrine Fish of the day 3

Cheese soufflé Chicken Cordon Bleu

Pan-fried kangaroo 2

Guest No.

1 Soup of the day Smoked salmon Pork cutlet

Diagram 1

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4

Sirloin steak (MW)

The same order, written on the order pad Table No.

3

NO. OF GUESTS

4

Waiter Time

John 7:16

DESCRIBE PERSON NO.1

FIRST SECOND MAIN SIDE COURSE COURSE COURSE ORDER 1

Soup

2

Souffle

3

Soup

4

Kangaroo

Smoked salmon

DESSERT

Pork Chicken

Terrine

Fish Sirloin (MW)

5 6 7 8 Diagram 2 9 Note:

10

Not all restaurants provide their waiting staff with order pads like this one. Find out from the headwaiter what system is used in your restaurant.

Do not forget to write the table number, number of people, your name and the time when you took the order.

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The same order, written on the kitchen order docket Regency International Centre

GRADUATES Table

Persons

3 4 1 Kangaroo 1 Souffle 2 Soup

Waiter

John

3 WAITER John 1 Smoked salmon 1 Terrine

TABLE

3 WAITER John 1 Sirloin (MW) 1 Chicken 1 Fish 1 Pork

TABLE

Date

12.02.09

Time

7.16

TIME

TIME

TABLE

WAITER

TIME:

TABLE

WAITER

TIME

Diagram 3 Do not forget to write the table number, number of people, the date and time when you took the order. As you can see above, you need to repeat the table number and your name for each section of the docket.

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The kitchen order docket for a table d’hôte meal Write TD in the top right hand corner of the docket.

Regency International Centre

TD

GRADUATES Table Persons 12 10 4 Soup

Waiter John

Date Time 12.02.09 12:30

T/D

3 Antipasto 3 Tart

TABLE 12 WAITER John 3 Beef (1 x M, 2 x MR)

T/D

2 Chicken 5 Fish

TABLE 12 2 Cheese cake

WAITER John

5 Chocolate pudding 3 Cheese

TABLE

TIME

WAITER

TIME

T/D

TIME:

Diagram 4

In a table d’hôte situation always take the dessert order at the same time as the order for entrée and M/C. Remember that filter coffee is included in the table d’hôte meal.

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When should you take the wine order?

Right after you have taken the food order. If your customers are not ready to order their wine at this stage, give them more time and return after a few minutes.

Note: It is important that you serve the wine before you serve the first course. (You will learn more about wine service in the topic Serve Wine.)

Beverage order docket Write all drinks and wines (but not coffee/tea) on the beverage order docket.

Regency International Centre

Beverage Orders TABLE

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WAITER

John

1 x Campari & Soda. (long glass, no ice) 1 x Crown lager 1 x JW Red & diet coke 1 x Margarita TABLE

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WAITER

1 x B Regency Chardonnay 1 x G Regency Shiraz

TABLE

WAITER

Diagram 5

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John

Topic 33: Change Cutlery According to the Order Have you ever tried to eat soup with a fork? This would not be possible, would it?

As you know, an à la carte cover includes the cutlery for only the main course. After having taken the order, you must provide your guests with the cutlery they need. This is called setting in or changing the cutlery.

Guidelines for changing the cutlery The following guidelines describe methods which are used by most restaurants but be aware that slightly different methods are used in different restaurants.

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Do not carry the cutlery in your hand. Use a ‘cutlery plate’ to take the cutlery to the table, or remove cutlery from the table. A cutlery plate is an M/C plate covered by a folded waiter’s cloth.

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Place the cutlery for the 1st course on the outside, and that for any second course between the first course and the M/C etc. The cutlery for the M/C remains on the inside of the cover. Thus, with each course served the customers ‘work’ their way from the outside towards the inside.

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If fish cutlery is used in your restaurant, use it instead of the entrée or M/C cutlery.

Example: when your customers order fish for M/C, remove the M/C cutlery and replace it with fish cutlery.

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In an à la carte situation, set down the cutlery for cheese or dessert after you have cleared the M/C.

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Set down cutlery which is used in the right hand on the RHS (right hand side) of the cover, while standing to the right of the guest, and vice versa.

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Place cocktail forks and spoons on the RHS; the forks with the prongs in the bowls of the spoons (same with oyster forks and tea spoons).

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In some restaurants, the fork next to the M/C fork is raised higher than the M/C fork.

All other pieces should be set down level with the other cutlery. However it is done in the restaurant, keep it neat and tidy.

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Place the cutlery on both sides as close together as possible.

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Move the side plate close to the cutlery on the left.

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Discreetly re-adjust the cover if a customer uses the ‘wrong’ cutlery.

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For most dishes, you will set down two pieces of cutlery (knife and fork or spoon and fork). If a customer uses only one of these, make sure you remove the unused cutlery when you clear the plate, e.g. when a guest uses only the dessert fork to eat a cake remove the fork and the spoon when you remove the plate.

Note: Your customers pay good money to enjoy themselves and are not obliged to follow these rules. They are quite entitled to eat their entrée with the M/C cutlery if they wish.

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Topic 34: Serve Wine Take the wine order after the food order but serve the wine before the food!

The more you know about wines the easier it will be for you to make recommendations and answer your customer’s questions.

Process the order Write the order on the beverage order docket or, if your restaurant uses a computerised ordering system, enter it at the computer terminal.

Sometimes, when people order white and red wine, they will drink the white wine first. The red wine will be required to be served just before the M/C. However, it happens often that some members of the party will drink white wine while the others drink the red. Ask your customers when they wish to have which wine served.

In any case, open the bottle(s) right away even if they are needed at a later stage. This will allow the wines to ‘breath’. This means, when the cork has been removed and the wine comes in contact with the air it will develop to a greater potential. Some wines improve remarkably when they are allowed to breath for several hours.

If red wine glasses are not part of the cover, set them down before you serve any red wine.

Remember!

You must serve the wine before the food!

Wine service temperatures

Champagne & sparkling wines

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6 – 8°C

White wine

8 - 14°C

Rosé wine

8 - 14°C

Apera (sherry ) Dry

8 - 14°C

Red wine

18-20°C

All other Fortified wines

18-20°C

Store wines As a waiter you may be asked to assist in storing wine bottles.

In the wine cellar In the wine cellar, the bottles should be stored horizontally so that the wine stays in contact with the cork. This keeps the cork moist and air tight. If the cork were allowed to dry out it would let air go in which would harm the wine.

Always store the bottles with the label facing up. Some wines develop a sediment (impurities) which sinks to the lower side of the bottle. When the wine is served the label must be shown to the guest. If the bottle had to be turned to bring the label up any sediment would ‘cloud’ into the wine and end up in the glass.

In the refrigerator In most refrigerators the wines are stored vertically. Only a few days worth of stock should be kept here or the corks would dry out.

The coldest part in the refrigerator is the bottom shelf. Store the sparkling wines on the bottom shelf.

In the wine rack Red wines are stored in wine racks. These are wooden structures with sections for the various varieties. Again, store the bottles horizontally and with the labels facing up.

Equipment for wine service Waiter's friend Also called bottle opener, wine opener or corkscrew, the waiter’ friend is the tool you need for opening wine bottles. You must always have it with you.

Two pronged opener A rarely used tool for opening wines which have a very soft or brittle cork. Push the two prongs carefully down between the cork and the inner wall of the neck and, with a twisting upward movement, remove the cork.

Champagne tongs A rarely used tool for loosening the cork of a champagne bottle. Usually the corks can be removed by hand.

Tastevin A small silver bowl carried on a silver chain around the neck by the sommeliers (specialist wine waiters) in some sophisticated restaurants. The sommelier uses it to taste the wine and, only when they are satisfied will they pour a taste for the host.

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In a clockwise direction from bottom left: Champagne tongs, waiter's friend, tastevin, two-pronged opener with case.

Waiter's cloth A white cloth napkin approximately 55 x 55 cm square. You will use it for many purposes, e.g.: •

Carrying the wine bottle(s) to the table.

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Cleaning the top of the bottle of mould and other particles – use an ‘inside’ part of the cloth so that the stains are not obvious.

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Catching the drops after pouring the wine.

Wine bucket and stand A metal bucket filled with ice and water. The water makes the ice float up. This makes it easier to push the bottle into the bucket. The bucket sits on a metal stand.

Usually, the wine buckets are filled before service and positioned near the sideboards. Always place a folded waiter’s cloth on the top of the bucket.

When required, take the bucket and stand to the table and place it at the right hand side of the host.

After having opened the white wine, put the cork in the bucket so that the host can inspect it.

After the pouring, place the bottle in the bucket with the neck facing the host and the cloth draped over the bucket.

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Wine bucket on stand, with bottle and napkin

Doiley plate for red wine A doiley plate is an underliner. After having opened the wine, place the cork on the doiley plate so that the host can inspect it. After having poured the wine, place the bottle on the doiley plate with the label facing the host.

In some restaurants the waiters place a waiter’s cloth, folded into a cone, over the red wine bottle, as shown on the left of the photograph below. This process is sometimes called ‘necking’ the bottle Red wine basket The basket may be used for presenting, opening and pouring a red wine which contains sediment. (Sediment is a deposit which some wines develop when they mature in the bottle).

Not many Australian restaurants use red wine baskets because not many Australian wines contain sediment.

Red wine bottles on underliners; red wine in a basket.

Decanter A glass carafe for decanting wines which have developed sediment. The reason for decanting and the procedure will be explained later in this topic.

Funnel Sometimes used for decanting. A sieve may be built into the funnel to spread the flow of the wine, which brings it in greater contact with the air. The bent spout of the funnel guides the wine down along the wall of the decanter, omitting trickling sounds.

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Candle Used for providing light under the neck of the wine bottle to be decanted, so that the waiter can see the sediment approaching and can stop pouring before the sediment flows into the decanter.

Funnel, decanter, candle.

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Serve wine Let’s assume you have just taken the order for a bottle of white wine and a bottle of red.

1. Remove the wine list and return it to your sideboard.

2. Use a tray to place the doiley plate or coaster and the red wine glasses on the table.

3. Return the tray to the sideboard and place the wine bucket to the RHS of the host.

4. Take the waiter’s cloth from the bucket with you when you go to the bar to order and collect the wines.

5. Carry the bottles on the cloth when you return to the table.

6. Present the labels to the host and say, “Excuse me Sir/Madam, these are your …(say the names of the wines).” Wait for the host’s approval.

7. Place the red wine on the doiley plate or coaster.

8. Open the white wine: •

Cut hard against the rim/ridge below the lip of the bottle to neatly trim the foil capsule. Remove the upper part of the capsule.

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Wipe away any mould or dirt, using an inner fold of the service cloth.

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Insert the point of the corkscrew into the centre of the cork, twisting in a clockwise direction and guiding the corkscrew to ensure you drive it straight down the middle.

The corkscrew should not penetrate through the bottom of the cork or cork particles may fall into the wine.

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Fit the lever of the waiter’s friend onto the lip of the neck of the bottle.

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Using a lever action gently remove the cork. You must control it so that it comes out straight.

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When the cork is almost out, tilt it slightly to prevent it from ‘popping’ out. No popping noises should be heard.

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Remove the cork from the corkscrew and check it for missing pieces (they would be in the bottle). Do not serve the wine when the cork has a pronounced unpleasant smell.

9. Put the cork in the wine bucket.

10. Clean the top of the bottle with an inner fold of the waiter’s cloth. Look into the neck of the bottle and remove any pieces of cork that may cling to the inside with the spiral of the waiter's friend.

11. Pour a taste. That is, pour approx. 15-30 ml into the host's glass and again present the label to the rest of the table while they taste the wine.

12. On approval, pour for the other guests.

13. Return to fill the host's glass.

14. Place the bottle in the bucket with the neck pointing towards the host, and put the waiter's cloth over the bucket.

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15. Open the red wine and place it on the doiley plate or coaster with the label facing the host.

Pour the red wine when it is required – usually just before the main course.

Why should the host want to taste the wine?

To check if the wine is good: wines mature over a period of time, from 1 to 20 years or more.

During the maturation process, a slight variation in the production, or a faulty cork, may prevent the wine from reaching its full potential, or cause it to be ‘faulty’.

The customer may not refuse the wine if they do not ‘like’ it. Only if the wine is faulty are you required to replace it.

Your customer complains the wine is faulty This does not happen very often but, obviously, you need to know how to handle such a situation.

The usual procedure is to remove the bottle and any glasses which have been poured – DON’T THROW IT OUT! Replace the wine with a different bottle of the same brand, replace the glasses and repeat the opening procedure, starting with presenting the label.

Inform your supervisor as the restaurant may be able to get the supplier to refund or replace the bottle.

To what level should the glasses be filled?

White wine glasses should be filled two thirds; red wine glasses only half – depending on the size of the glass: the bigger the glass, the less of its capacity is used. In large glasses no more than 150 ml of either red or white wine should be served ie. 5 glasses per bottle.

You notice that a piece of cork has ended up in the customer’s glass This is always embarrassing because it indicates that the cork has not been extracted cleanly.

However, sometimes the cork is so brittle that it is impossible to avoid a few crumbs falling into the wine.

Make sure that you look into the bottle before you pour the taste. If any pieces cling to the inside of the neck you may be able to slide them out with the spiral of the waiter’s friend.

If a piece of cork ends up in the glass you may decide to replace the glass if only a little wine has been poured. With greater amounts poured you can not do this because you would waste wine for which the customer has to pay.

In an informal situation you can use a clean spoon to scoop the pieces out from the glass.

Always ask the customer’s permission before you do this.

In a formal situation you could decant any wine which has a very weak cork before you pour it for the customers. You need to explain to your guests why you do this.

Rosé wines Treat rosé wine like white wine. Serve it chilled and use white wine glasses.

Dessert wines Some customers like to drink a glass of Botrytis affected sweet wine with their dessert. This dessert wine is usually sold in a half sized bottle, served in dessert wine glasses (smaller than white wine glasses).

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In Australia this type of wine is sometimes called ‘a sticky, Noble One or Noble Rot’ and can range from $50 - $200 per 375 ml bottle. Some French dessert wines can be as much as $1000 per 375 ml bottle. Older classic vintages can be a lot more expensive e.g. a bottle of 1884 Chateau d’Yquem Sauternes currently sells for up to AUS$ 23,000.

Your customers order another bottle •

Same wine: Provide the host with a new glass for tasting. On approval, pour into the ‘old’ glasses and remove the glass which the host used for tasting.

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Different wine, including same wine but of different vintage: (The word vintage indicates that a wine was made from grapes which were harvested in a certain year.)

Provide new glasses for all customers and pour a taste for the host. On approval, pour into the new glasses and remove the old glasses when they are empty.

Note: In Australia, wines are opened in the hand, in many other countries in the wine bucket. Wines are never opened on the guest’s table.

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Sparkling wine service procedure Never point the bottle at a person when you open a sparkling wine. There is pressure in the bottle! If you allow the cork to fly out it might hit a person in the face and cause severe injury.

Opening procedure 1. Find the loop of the wire cage and break it outwards through the foil capsule. Some sparkling wines have a thin plastic ribbon around the neck which makes it easy to separate the top part of the foil.

2. Remove the top part of the capsule.

3. Loosen the muselet (wire cage) by untwisting the loop – prevent the cork from ‘popping out’ with the thumb of your other hand.

4. Remove the muselet.

5. Take the cork with your right hand and the bottom of the bottle with your left, using a waiter's cloth.

6. Angle the bottle to approximately forty-five degrees and start twisting the cork.

7. At the same time, twist the bottle, gently easing the cork out to avoid excessive ‘popping’.

Keep a firm grip on the cork to prevent it from flying out!

8. When pouring, follow the same procedure as for still wines, but pour slowly to prevent excessive foaming.

Decanting procedure To decant a wine means to transfer the contents of a wine bottle into a glass carafe. There are three reasons for this process – to separate the wine from its sediment, to ‘air’ the wine and last but not least, to entertain the customers.

1. Present the bottle in a red wine basket.

Carry the bottle very carefully. Do not shake it and never put it upright because this would cause the sediment to ‘cloud’ into the wine.

2. Open the wine in the basket.

You can use an up-turned side plate under the front end of the basket to prevent the wine from spilling out.

3. Pour the wine into a carafe.

When you have removed the cork, gently take the bottle out of the basket, hold the neck over the candle flame and pour into the carafe.

4. When you see the sediment approaching the neck, stop pouring and place the bottle back into the basket.

5. Serve from the decanter.

Present the label while the host tastes the wine. On approval, pour for the other guests.

6. Leave the decanter on the table and place the basket with the bottle next to the decanter.

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Is it difficult to serve wine?

We suspect that by now you may think that mastering the wine service procedure is difficult and hard to learn. In fact, it is just a logical sequence of tasks for presenting and serving the wine to your customer.

Read through this topic several times and make sure that you do the self tests. This will give you a solid foundation for learning the practical skills in class.

You will have extensive opportunity to practise these tasks and once you have worked through them a few times you will feel quite comfortable with the procedure.

Summary For serving a bottle of white wine in 15 steps 1. Take order and process it.

2. Place ice bucket at table to the RHS of the host/orderer.

3. Collect wine at bar.

4. Present label.

5. Cut foil.

6. Clean top.

7. Extract cork.

8. Check cork.

9. Clean top.

10. Pour a sample for the host/orderer 11. Present label a second time while host/orderer samples.

12. Pour guests’ glasses (ladies first, if practicable).

13. Top up host/orderer’s glass.

14. Put bottle in bucket with neck facing host.

15. Place waiter’s cloth over bucket.

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Topic 35: Collect the Food in the Kitchen Make yourself familiar with the facilities in the kitchen where you collect the food. When you start new in a job your headwaiter or team leader will introduce you to the chef and show you the relevant facilities in the kitchen and dishwashing area.

The hotplate The area in the kitchen where you collect the food for your customers is called hotplate or pass.

The hotplate is a bench top with shelves with heat lamps for keeping the food hot and a separate area for the food which is meant to be served cold.

To collect the desserts you need to go to a third area. Your headwaiter will show you these places.

Activity Take another look at the interactive photographs of a hotplate in the interactive program on the student share drive Topic 8, learning activity 7.

Always behave like a professional!

The hotplate is a busy area. Here are a few points for you to remember:

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Be quiet. Don’t chat or tell jokes.

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Never play around. If your food is not ready return to your station.

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Keep the path clear. Stand back to allow others to exit the kitchen quickly and easily.

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Don’t eat! Even if the chef gives you some food, don’t eat it then.

Put it aside and share it with your colleagues after service.

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Don’t take any food or coffee for yourself without permission from the chef or headwaiter. The only thing you may drink is water or post mix soft drink (if allowed).

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For hygienic reasons, do not comb your hair, cough or sneeze near the hotplate.

Place the food order In a large operation, the person in charge of the kitchen is called the Chef de cuisine (head chef). With the help of one or more assistants (sous chefs) they direct several cooks and kitchen hands.

In a small restaurant there may be only one chef assisted by one cook and a kitchen hand.

One of the chefs controls the hotplate or pass. This means they stand on the waiter’s side of the hotplate and directs the flow of the food. Hand your order to this chef and address all questions to them.

The chef calls out the orders to the cooks and controls the waiters when they come to pick up the dishes.

Some restaurants employ an aboyeur who specializes in organising the food-pick-up of the waiters. (French for caller – a person who calls out).

When you took the order at the table, you recorded it on your order pad. Place that order on the clipboard in the kitchen. You will need it to refresh your memory when you come to collect the food. It also allows other waiters to see what your table has ordered and help you when you are busy.

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Collect the food Once the chef has called out the dishes the cooks start preparing them.

The first course will ‘come up’ for collection as soon as it is ready. Once the food is ready you must collect it as soon as possible.

All courses after the first course must be called away by you. The cooks will have started the preparation but won’t finish the dishes until you tell the chef that you are ready for the next course.

When you are ready for the next course, say something like, “Chef, take away, main course table 6.” If you clear someone else’s table to assist them, YOU must call the next course AND tell the waiter what you have done – communicate!

Make sure that the chef has heard you, wait until they acknowledge your call or repeat it if you are not sure.

Most entrées are served on cold or warm plates so you really shouldn’t need a waiters cloth at the ready. For ALL main courses on the other hand, you will need to be ready with a cloth to pick up HOT plates when the caller tells you what to pick up and in what order.

The caller will tell you to pick up the food in the reverse order so that at the table you serve the food to the correct guest ie. No 3 =Fish, No 2 = Lamb and No 1 = Chicken then at the table you will serve Chicken, Lamb then the Fish.

How do you know that your order is ready to be collected?

After having worked in a restaurant for a while you will get a ‘feel’ for this. You will get used to the speed of the kitchen and learn to estimate how long it takes for a certain food to be prepared during busy and less busy periods.

The waiter paging system More and more restaurants have installed a paging system which notifies the waiter when they are needed in the kitchen.

The system consists of a terminal at the hotplate and a number of pagers, one for each waiter.

The pager clips to the belt and vibrates when the chef presses the waiter’s number.

How can you identify the dishes?

How do you know which dish is the chicken schnitzel and which the beef schnitzel? How do know which is the rare sirloin steak and which the medium?

You will get used to the appearance of the dishes after a short while. If you are in doubt ask the chef.

How do you know which dishes are for your table?

Often the food for several tables come up for collection at the same time.

How do you know which of the dishes are for you?

The chef places the slip from your order docket next to the plates. Make sure that you pick up only those plates which are for your table. If you are in doubt, ask the chef.

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Check the dishes A cook may have made a mistake which the chef may have overlooked. You are the last quality control agent before the customer sees the food. When you pick up the dishes check them for: •

Appearance – do the dishes look as they usually do?

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Completeness – are there any items missing, e.g. the garnish or a sprinkle of parsley?

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Are the plates clean, not chipped?

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Are the plates hot/cold for hot/cold food?

Don’t forget side orders A number of dishes are served with one or more accompaniments. For instance, roast beef is often served with horseradish; pasta dishes with parmesan cheese etc. (see topic 41 Serve accompaniments for more details.) Other items may be a side salad, an extra serve of potatoes or a sauce boat with a salad dressing.

Make sure that you do not leave the accompaniments behind. Do not rely on the chef to remind you.

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Topic 36: Carry and Clear Plates Carrying and clearing plates safely and effectively is one of the most important manual skills of a professional waiter.

Image you are the manager of a busy restaurant. You have two new waiters applying for one position. As a test, you ask them to clear the main course from a table of four. One can do it in one ‘go’, the other has to take three trips. Assuming that all other skills were equal, to whom would you offer the job? The answer is obvious, isn’t it?

This is not an easy task to learn This is not a skill which you can learn in a few days. It will give you sore fingers and muscles, and aching joints in the wrists. You must practise hard and persevere even when you think you will never be able to master it.

Remember when you tried to ride a bicycle for the first time? Quite possible you fell off a few times. But in the end you mastered the skill because you did not quit.

Here at the Regency International Centre we have not had a student who failed the course because they could not carry plates. Important is that you keep practicing. Your lecturer can show you a few exercises which will help you to strengthen your arms.

Minimum requirements You need to be able to carry at least two medium sized plates in one hand, plus one other plate in your other hand, from the kitchen to the guest in a pleasant and efficient manner, without disturbing the presentation of the dish and endangering the customers.

As a right-handed person you should carry the plates in your left hand, and vice versa.

It is difficult to learn this from a book. It will be demonstrated to you in class and you will have extensive opportunity to practise.

Activity In addition to the exercises in class, you are required to practise carrying and clearing plates at home as well.

The following points and photographs will help you to remember the procedure.

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Guideline for carrying plates 1.

You are required to carry three medium sized hot plates at the same time. (One plate in one hand, the others in the other hand.)

2.

When you carry plates, trays etc, try to anticipate sudden movements of colleagues or customers, especially when you are standing behind a chair. Make sure that the guest is aware of your presence. This will help you to avoid accidents.

3.

There are several ways to carry plates. Make up your mind how you will carry them before you pick up the first plate.

4.

Know in which order to pick up the plates. Remember – the last plate you pick up is the first plate you put down.

5.

Have a waiter's cloth ready for carrying hot plates.

6.

Use an underliner when appropriate.

How to carry two plates in one hand

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How to carry three plates in one hand (Step 1)

How to carry three plates in one hand (Step 2)

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Guidelines for clearing plates As a professional waiter you should be able to clear a table of four in one ‘go’ but since at the moment it is fashionable to use larger and larger plates it is often acceptable if it takes you two trips.

Do not forget to also remove the side plates, butter dish and S&P (salt and pepper shakers).

The most effective way of clearing the M/C involves placing all cutlery and food left-overs on the plate in your hand, and stacking all other plates on your arm.

Not shown are the salt and pepper shakers/grinders which are held in the other hand.

Use two fingers to support the weight of the stacked plates on the arm.

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Take the plates to the dishwashing area When you take the dirty plates to the dishwashing area you may not just ‘dump’ them there.

Only one or two people are responsible for washing the dishes of the whole restaurant and, in addition, cleaning the cooking utensils. They rely on you to sort out the dishes and cutlery in a certain manner.

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Remove the cutlery and put it in the ‘cutlery bucket’.

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Scrape all food left-overs into the bin.

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Stack the plates by kind. Put entrée plates on top of entrée plates, tea saucers on tea saucers, etc.

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Recycle any hygienically clean items, such as doileys, in accordance with your restaurant’s policy.

Crumb the table After you have cleared the main course, check if there are any crumbs or other debris on the tablecloth. If there are, remove them by using the crumbing plate.

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Get the crumbing plate from your sideboard.

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Use the folded cloth or table crumber to brush any crumbs onto the plate.

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Brush the crumbs onto the plate and return it to the sideboard.

Topic 37: Serve the Food to the Table Here comes the big moment. This is what the guests have been waiting for: the waiter appears with the food.

Often all conversation at the table stops and the guests admire the tastefully prepared and artfully presented dishes. The aroma is mouth-watering and the guests can’t wait to start eating.

Suddenly, one of the ladies says, “Excuse me, John, this looks like a steak but I have ordered chicken”. One of the dishes has been served to the wrong person.

This is very embarrassing. Make sure that you accurately record and process the order as it was described in the topic Take the order for food and wine.

Different service styles A number of different service styles are used in restaurants: •

Plate service

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Semi silver service

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Silver service

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French/guéridon service.

As the name suggests, plate service is when the food is on the plate. Where else could it be? It could be presented on platters and served onto the plates by the waiter at the table. This style is called silver service.

The food may even be cooked at the table by the waiter. This style is called guéridon service.

You will learn more about silver service and guéridon service in later topics.

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General service guidelines 1.

Cold food must be served cold!

2.

Hot food must be served hot!

3.

Serve the food to the right person.

4.

Do all service from the right (except silver service which you should do from the left).

5.

Serve food and beverages in a clockwise direction around the table.

6.

Use underliners where appropriate.

7.

When you set down the plate, look at the guest and say something like, “Excuse me Sir, this is your veal.”

8.

Place the plates 2 cm from the edge of the table (one finger width).

9.

When you have delivered all dishes, side dishes and accompaniments, check the beverage situation. Top up the wine and/or take the order for another bottle or other drinks.

10. Before you walk away from the table say, “Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you will enjoy your meal.”

11. Return to the table a few minutes later to check if everything is alright.

Note: In a formal situation, you should first serve the ladies, then the gentlemen and, lastly, the host.

One of your guests complains about the food In spite of all professionalism and expertise of the staff, it happens sometimes that people complain about the food. Common causes for complaints are:

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“This is not what I ordered!”

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The food is too cold/warm

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The meat is over/under cooked

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The vegetables are too hard/soft

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The sauce is too salty/bland.

What steps should you take to rectify the situation?

This depends on the type of complaint. The following points are only a short a guideline. You will learn more about handling customers’ complaints in another subject.

1.

Apologise, e.g. “I am very sorry that your steak is not to your liking.”

2.

Find out the problem, e.g. “What is wrong with it?” (“It has been cooked too much. I ordered it rare.”)

3.

Suggest a solution, e.g. “I am very sorry. I will take it back to the chef and ask him to cook another one.”

4.

Make sure that the replacement food is delivered as soon as possible.

5.

Always provide fresh cutlery with the replacement dish.

6.

Apologise again when you serve the replacement dish, e.g. “Here is your steak, Sir. The chef sends his apologies. I hope it is alright now.” Ensure you have fresh hot vegetables if the original meal had them.

7.

Return a few minutes later to check if the replacement dish is alright.

8.

Always inform your headwaiter of the complaint. They may decide to offer the guest a complimentary drink, coffee or dessert as compensation.

Accidents The worst accident that can happen is that you spill food or drinks unto a customer. This is most embarrassing and may even cause an injury. Imagine you spill a plate of hot soup over the shoulder of a lady who is wearing a sleeveless dress. This could cause severe burns.

You can avoid causing an accident by concentrating on your job. Be very careful when you approach a table and make sure that the customer is aware of you when you are standing behind their chair.

Be careful when you carry heavy beverage trays. Often they are difficult to balance. Ask another waiter to hold the tray for you while you serve the drinks, one by one, to the table.

If you spill something on a guest, apologise, fetch a clean waiter’s cloth and offer it to the guest.

Ask another waiter to help you with cleaning up the spillage and any broken plates or glasses.

You must inform the headwaiter. They should apologise as well, offer to pay for the dry cleaning of the clothes and perhaps even invite the guests to a free dinner if the accident was severe (depending on company policy).

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Topic 38: Provide Silver Service Styles of service vary from all the food being prepared and plated in the kitchen, to some of the food being partly or completely prepared at the table. The style depends on the type of establishment, the time of day and, to a certain extent, the dish. These days, most restaurants prepare the food in the kitchen and present it on plates However, there are a few expensive restaurants where the food it presented on platters on silver-served onto the plates at the table.

In even fewer establishments some of the food is prepared at the table, e.g. Crepes Suzette, a pancake dish with a fruit sauce which is flamed with brandy.

Plate service The meal is prepared and plated in the kitchen by the chef, carried to the table by the waiter and placed down from the right hand side of the guest.

Semi-Silver service In many so called silver service restaurants a kind of semi-silver service is used where the main commodity of the dish (the meat) is plated in the kitchen and only the potatoes and vegetables are silver served.

Silver service This term describes a style of service and does not necessarily mean that the cutlery or tableware is made of silver.

At formal banquets, full silver service is sometimes offered. The food is portioned and placed on platters in the kitchen and transferred by the waiting staff onto hot plates in front of the customer. Silver service is done from the guest’s left hand side and is often done in teams – one waiter serves the main component of the dish, a second the vegetables and often a third to serve the sauces etc.

French or guéridon service This is the most elaborate style of service and requires highly skilled service staff. It is expensive, more time consuming than all other service styles and aims at customers who are prepared to spend extra time and money. It is the most elegant and sophisticated way an establishment can cater for its guests.

In French service, the food is partially or wholly prepared at the table, involving a variety of guéridons. A guéridon is a piece of furniture, usually a trolley or side table, used for the preparation or service of food at the guest’s table. Flaming, carving, de-boning, mixing salads, preparing special coffees, lighting cigars (if smoking is allowed) are all part of French Service.

French service is used in some first-class restaurants and in the fine dining rooms of some hotels of international standard.

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Silver serve the food Place the food items on the plate to enhance the presentation of the dish and make it easy for the guest to eat. For example, place the meat closest to the customer to make it easier to cut.

The following guidelines are suggestions only – there are many alternatives. The figures indicate ‘o'clock position’: 6 is closest to the guest, 12 farthest away, etc.

•

The plate must be hot (for hot dishes only, of course).

•

Main commodity (meat) at 6.

•

Potatoes, rice, noodles between 9 and 12.

•

Vegetables between 12 and 3 in the middle.

•

Garnish at 12.

•

Divide the vegetables etc. equally between the guests.

•

With most entrées and desserts, the main commodity should be placed in the middle of the plate.

•

Spoon the sauce next to the meat at 7 – 8 or over it, depending on the dish.

•

Shape rice into a barrier across the plate to prevent the sauce from mixing with the vegetables.

•

Alternate colours.

•

Certain food items cling to the service cutlery e.g. mashed potatoes. In this case, use different cutlery for the different commodities.

•

All plates on the one table (of the same dish) should look alike.

•

Order of Service: 1. Main commodity (meat) 3. Vegetables

2. Potatoes (rice, noodles) 4. Sauce.

Four key points for placing the food on the plate 1.

Divide the food equally between the guests.

2.

The plates should look appetising.

3.

All plates on the one table (of the same dish) should look the same.

4.

Eating should be easy.

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Topic 39: Finger Bowls Have you tried to eat an orange with knife and fork?

It is quite common that customers use their fingers when a dish is difficult to eat with cutlery.

When you serve such a dish you need to provide a finger bowl so that your guests can clean their fingers after eating.

In most cases these dishes are either ‘on the bone’ or leave a smell on the guests’ fingers. The purpose of the finger bowl is remove the fat/oil, scent or stickiness from the fingers before the next course is served Prepare a finger bowl A finger bowl is a small bowl with warm water and a slice of lemon. Serve it on an UL (underliner) with a clean napkin and place it where your guest can reach it easily with both hands.

It would be unhygienic for your customers to share a finger bowl. Provide one for each guest.

A finger bowl with warm water, a slice of lemon and a clean napkin on an UL.

Serve a finger bowl Always serve a finger bowls with these dishes:

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•

Fresh artichoke

•

Fresh asparagus when served as an independent course and no tongs are available

•

Some poultry/fowl when served on the bone, e.g. quail (Poultry are domestic birds such as chicken. Fowl are wild birds such as pheasant.)

•

Crustaceans when served in the shell

•

Fresh fruit when served whole

•

And, whenever you observe a customer using their fingers for eating.

Topic 40: Serve Salads Salads may be served as an appetiser, entrée, or main course or as an accompaniment to the main course.

Salads are often a popular alternative to vegetables. In some restaurants, a surcharge applies when the customers request a side salad instead of the vegetables.

Service guidelines The salad may be presented on a plate or in a bowl. Currently, it is fashionable to use a bowl.

If the salad comes in a bowl, place it on an UL (underliner).

COURSE

SERVICE PROCEDURE

As an appetiser or entrée.

On an UL, with entrée knife and fork.

In a bowl.

As an appetiser or entrée.

With entrée knife and fork.

On a plate.

As a main course.

In a larger bowl, on an UL, with M/C knife and fork.

As a side salad, when presented on a plate.

With an entrée fork on the plate.

As a side salad, when served in a small bowl.

On an UL, with an entrée fork on the UL.

As a side salad, when served in a large bowl for a group.

On an UL with spoon and fork in the bowl for the guests to help themselves.

In some restaurants, crescent plates are used for side salads. Place the plate so that it touches the M/C plate at 11 o’clock.

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Topic 41: Serve Accompaniments Do you like milk and sugar with your coffee? The milk and sugar are accompaniments to the coffee.

There are also a number of dishes which are traditionally served with one or more accompaniments.

Service guidelines

ACCOMPANIMENT

HOW TO SERVE IT

Lemon

Place it on the table on a side plate, either in lemon squeezers or with a cocktail fork (no doiley).

Sauce, chutney, etc.

Place it on the table in a sauce boat with UL and dessert spoon, or silver serve onto the M/C plate.

Mustard

Place it on the table in a mustard pot with a small spoon, or silver serve from a sauce boat.

Accompaniments for cheese (nuts, dried fruit)

Serve it on the same plate as the cheese.

Water biscuits, crackers, special bread

Place it on the table on a small plate without doiley.

Special bread (garlic bread, herb bread)

Place it on the table in a basket, or silver serve onto the side plate.

Parmesan cheese

Place it on the table in a glass or china dish with a tea spoon, or silver serve onto the pasta.

Hot toast

Place it on the table in a folded napkin, on a toast rack (mainly for breakfast) or silver serve onto the side plate.

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Common accompaniments People in different countries have different eating customs and may use other accompaniments than the ones described below.

However, these dishes are always served with ‘something’ on the side. Find out from the chef or headwaiter which items are used in your restaurant.

In addition to the dishes mentioned below there may be other dishes which are served with accompaniments. Again, find out from your supervisor which these are and do not forget them when you collect these dishes in the kitchen..

Some cold items, such as mustard or ketchup, may be kept on the sideboard.

MAIN ITEM

ACCOMPANIMENT

All crumbed food

Lemon wedge.

All seafood dishes

Lemon wedge.

Artichoke, fresh, cold

Vinaigrette dressing or mayonnaise.

Artichoke, fresh, hot

Hollandaise sauce (sc.) or beurre fondue (melted butter).

Asparagus, fresh, cold

Vinaigrette or mayonnaise.

Asparagus, fresh, hot

Hollandaise sc. or beurre fondue.

Beef, roasted

Mustard, horseradish sauce (trad. Yorkshire pudding).

Chateaubriand

Béarnaise sauce.

Cheese

Water biscuits, dried fruit, nuts or assortment of breads.

Duck, roasted

Apple sauce.

Fish, poached

Hollandaise or beurre fondue.

Indian curry dishes

Mango chutney, pappadams.

Lamb, roasted

Mint sauce or mint jelly.

Minestrone soup

Parmesan cheese.

Oysters natural

3 layers of brown bread with butter, cut into triangles.

Also called tartines.

Pasta dishes

Parmesan cheese.

Pâté de foie gras

Hot toast.

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MAIN ITEM

ACCOMPANIMENT

Pork, roasted

Apple sauce.

Smoked salmon

Hot toast, horseradish sauce and freshly ground black pepper. Sometimes also capers and chopped onions or onion rings.

Seafood, cold

Mayonnaise or cocktail sauce.

Seafood, fried, crumbed

Tartare sauce.

Steak Tartare

Hot toast.

Turkey, roasted

Cranberry sauce.

Venison

Cranberry sauce.

Research Do you know all the food items mentioned in this topic? If not, look them up in the Larousse gastronomique mentioned in the introductory part of this book.

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Topic 42: Serve Desserts After having cleared and crumbed the table, get ready for serving dessert.

Serve dessert 1.

Hand out the dessert menus.

2.

Explain today’s special dessert.

Be ready to answer any questions on the desserts or cheese.

3.

Allow your guests a few minutes to make up their mind.

4.

Take the order for dessert and/or cheese.

Traditionally, cheese is served before the dessert but nowadays it does not happen very often that customers eat cheese and dessert, most people order cheese or dessert.

5.

Ask if they would like a glass or bottle of dessert wine to be served with their dessert.

6.

Take the order for coffee (in some formal restaurants it is policy to take the coffee order after the dessert has been cleared).

7.

Process the order.

8.

Serve any dessert wine.

9.

Set down the cutlery for dessert and/or cheese.

10. Serve the dessert and/or cheese.

11. Clear dessert and/or cheese.

12. Serve coffee and petits fours.

In informal restaurants and at lunch time it is common to serve the coffee while the customers are still eating their desserts.

Note: Some customers like to drink a glass of dessert wine with their dessert. Remember this is very a sweet wine, usually sold in a half bottle, 375 ml and must be served in dessert wine glasses (smaller than white wine glasses).

Refer to Topic 34 - Serving wine page 134.

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Topic 43: Serve Cheese Cheese can be served in one of three ways. The most common way is to present the cheese with fruit and water crackers on a plate. This is done by the chef and every customer is served their own plate of cheese. The cover consists of an entrée fork and an entrée knife.

A variation is to present the cheese on a platter which is placed in the centre of the table. The cover consists of an entrée knife and fork and an empty entrée plate. The chef cuts the cheese into portions and arranges the platter with fruit, nuts and crackers. Place a service spoon and fork on the platter for the customers to serve themselves.

In some restaurants, cheese is presented on a trolley and cut at the guest’s table. The advantage of this service is that the customers can see the different varieties before they place their order.

Cheese production Cheese is made mainly from milk of cows, goats or sheep. Australia produces many excellent cheeses particularly in the cooler regions of Victoria and Tasmania.

1.

Warm the milk.

2.

Add rennet and culture (bactreria).

The milk coagulates (curdles) into curd (the solid component) and whey (the liquid).

3.

Drain off the whey.

4.

Cut, press or turn the curd to drain off more whey.

5.

Shape the curd. Partial wrapping or covering may occur at this point.

6.

Salting takes place before or after step 5.

7.

The cheese then matures under controlled conditions.

Styles of cheese There are four main styles of cheese - fresh, soft, firm and hard - but not all are suitable for cutting and serving on a cheese board. Most of the fresh cheeses are not suitable because they are usually too moist and bland; most firm, soft and hard cheeses are suitable.

Fresh cheeses such as Bocconcini and Fetta are generally used in salads or cooking. They are delicate in flavour and to prevent them from de-hydrating must be kept in oil or brine (salted water). Their maturation period is only 2 – 4 weeks.

Soft cheeses like Camembert and Brie dry out quickly and need to be kept well wrapped.

Their ‘skin’ does not stop the air getting in. Their maturation time is 1 - 3 months.

Firm cheeses like Edam or Emmental have less moisture than soft cheeses and take longer to deteriorate partly due to their wax coating. Their maturation time is 3 - 6 months.

Hard cheeses like Cheddar will vary in texture depending upon their maturation time – a 9 month old will be soft and spongy almost like a firm cheese, whilst a 24 month old will be

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crumbly with a strong flavour, but not dry. Parmesan is a very hard cheese and is usually aged for at least 2½ years up to 10 years, before being ready to eat/use.

Blue cheese can be made in any style but not normally fresh, just soft to hard.

Popular cheese varieties AUSTRALIAN CHEESE

MADE IN

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

ORIGINAL VARIETY

Watsonia Young Cheddar

Western Australia

England

Cheddar

King Island Black Wax

Tasmania

England

Mature Cheddar

St. Claire Emmental

Tasmania

Switzerland

Emmental

Tasmanian Edam

Tasmania

Holland

Edam

Tasmanian Gouda

Tasmania

Holland

Gouda

Milawa Gold

Victoria

France

Port Salut

Alba Parmesan

Victoria

Italy

Parmesan

Jindi Brie

Victoria

France

Brie

Kangaroo Island Camembert

South Australia

France

Camembert

Edith’s Cheese

South Australia

France

Chèvre

Stokes Point Smoked Cheese

South Australia

England

Applewood

True Blue

Tasmania

Denmark

Blue Castello

Meridith Blue

New South Wales

France

Roquefort

Gippsland Blue

Victoria

England

Stilton

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Serve cheese from a cheese trolley The cheese board The selection of cheeses should include at least three or four varieties of the common varieties plus one exciting variety such as a goat’s cheese covered in wood ash.

Popular selections for a cheese board would include: •

A soft cheese – Camembert or Brie

•

A hard cheese – Cheddar

•

A blue vein cheese – Stilton

•

A special cheese – goat’s or sheep’s milk cheese, a smoked cheese, or one like Port Salut or Pont L’Eveque.

In some fine dining rooms the cheese trolley may have up to 12 different cheeses to be offered to the guests. Some restaurants that pride themselves on the quality of the food they serve may now have a resident ‘expert’ on hand and like a wine sommelier they use the French to call this person a ‘fromagier’.

Service procedure Remember your silver service guidelines? Cheese service follows a similar o’clock placement position on the plate.

1.

Present the cheese board to the customers and explain the varieties.

2.

Cut firmer cheeses first and blue cheeses last.

3.

Use a different knife for each type of cheese

4.

Cut off or remove all inedible rinds or wrappings.

5.

Cut regular shapes: wedges, triangles or rectangles.

6.

Arrange the cuts on the entrée plate, lightest coloured cheese at 3 to the darkest at 8, with the blue cheese at 9.

7.

Serve the crackers or bread at 9 – 12.

8.

Serve the nuts and fruit at 12 – 3.

Cheese platter If the customers ask to have a cheese platter placed in the middle of their table, cut one piece of each kind per person. That is, if there are four different kinds of cheese and there are four people, there should be 16 pieces of cheese on the platter.

Provide them with entrée and fork and an empty entrée plate, and place a service spoon and fork on the platter for the guests to help themselves.

You can find more information on cheese production in the excellent Cheese Bible mentioned in the introductory part of this book.

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Topic 44: Serve Coffee There has been a significant increase in the popularity of cafés in Australia in recent years.

Resembling the traditions of the European coffee houses, people meet with their friends to enjoy good quality coffee of a very wide range of styles and flavours.

In a restaurant, coffee is the drink with which most people end their meal, and the memory of a bad coffee will linger in their minds long after they have left. It is important that you observe the correct coffee making procedures.

When you take the order for coffee or tea, write it on the kitchen order docket right away!

Make it your policy to do this before you serve the coffee.

If you don’t write the coffee order on the docket the cashier will not know about it and the customers will not be charged. If your manager looses money due to your mistakes they will not be very happy with your performance.

Always keep the coffee area clean and tidy. If you spill milk or coffee, wipe it up right away, no matter how busy you are.

The most popular ways of drinking coffee Filter coffee In a filter coffee machine, hot water drips through the coffee grounds and produces a clean, light aromatic brew.

Espresso coffee In an espresso machine, hot water is pressed through the coffee grounds to produce a pleasantly bitter coffee. There are many different styles of espresso coffees; possibly the best known variety is cappuccino.

Plunger/cafetière

In a cylindrical glass pot filled with hot water and coffee grounds, a plunger is used to push the grains to the bottom after a few minutes of steeping. The coffee is then poured into a cup.

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Turkish coffee This coffee is prepared in a small copper or brass pot with a long handle called an Ibrik. Pulverised coffee is mixed with sugar and cold water and heated till the froth, which develops during the heating, rises to the top. This is repeated until the froth has risen and settled three times.

After the third time, the pot is left standing for 15-20 seconds to allow the coffee grounds to settle to the bottom.

The coffee is then slowly and carefully poured into a demi-tasse cup and served without spoon, milk or sugar.

Turkish coffee is thick, sweet and strong.

Iced coffee Put two scoops of vanilla ice-cream in a tall glass. Fill with cold filter coffee and top with whipped cream. Serve on an UL with parfait spoon and straw.

Iced coffee (American style) Use an extra strong, cooled-down coffee. Serve in a long glass with ice-cubes made of coffee, a straw and Parfait spoon. Sugar is optional.

Vienna coffee A cup of black filter coffee topped with whipped cream.

Instant coffee Although very convenient, instant coffee is usually of lower quality than coffee made of freshly ground beans and not normally served in restaurants. It may occasionally be used for flavouring in food or for staff to drink.

Decaffeinated coffee 97% of the caffeine has been removed during this process. Decaffeinated coffee is widely available in beans, ground and instant form and is more expensive because of this extra processing.

Flavoured coffee It is becoming increasingly popular to enjoy coffees infused with a variety of flavourings such as hazelnut, mint, chocolate or vanilla.

Liqueur coffee Is a filter coffee combined with a spirit or liqueur, topped with liquid cream and served in a glass. The best known variety is Irish coffee.

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Irish coffee Ingredients •

30 ml Irish Whiskey

•

1 – 2 tsp brown sugar

•

Hot black coffee

•

Fresh cream.

Method Pour sugar, whiskey and hot filter coffee into a heat resistant glass and stir well.

Float the cream on top by holding the spoon level with the surface of the coffee and carefully pouring the cream into the bowl of the spoon. It will float on top of the coffee when it leaves the spoon.

Serve on an underliner without a spoon.

You can use this method for all Liqueur coffees; but with sweet liqueurs do not use sugar. In some exclusive restaurants, liqueur coffees are prepared at the table on a guéridon trolley.

Filter coffee Bottom-less cup policy Some restaurants have what is called a ‘bottomless-cup’ policy when charging for filter coffee. This means a fixed price is charged per person regardless of how many cups they drink, and all refills are free of charge. This policy applies only to filter coffee, not to espresso or other coffees.

General guidelines Check these points before you start brewing the filter coffee.

1.

Is all equipment absolutely clean?

2.

Are the coffee beans/grounds fresh?

Coffee should be stored in an air-tight container, but does not need to be kept in the refrigerator or freezer as previously thought.

3.

Use only freshly ground coffee.

Grind the coffee beans just before you need them or Open coffee sachets only when required.

4.

Coarseness of the grind.

Different coffee machines need the coffee beans to be ground to different degrees of coarseness.

5.

Water quality.

Usually you have no influence on the quality of water because most machines are connected to the water-mains. If this is not the case, make sure you only use fresh, cold water.

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6.

Water temperature.

Turn on the coffee machine at least 30 minutes before needed to allow the water to heat up to the correct temperature.

7.

Use the correct amount of grounds.

If you use too little or too much, the coffee will be too weak or too strong.

8.

Serve only fresh coffee.

Most varieties of coffee may not be kept on the warming plate for longer than 10 – 20 minutes. After this time, pour out the coffee and brew a fresh pot. The coffee we use at Regency International Centre will not keep at all so only make what you need to serve immediately.

Brew filter coffee 1.

Switch the machine on 30 minutes before use.

2.

Check if all parts are clean.

3.

Place paper filter into filter basket.

4.

Pour correct amount of coffee grains into filter paper (usually one pouch).

5.

Slide filter basket into machine.

6.

Press brew button once.

The machine supplies the appropriate amount of water and stops automatically when the pot is full. This takes 2 to 3 minutes and produces 10 cups of coffee.

7.

Always run the full cycle and capacity of the machine and do not interrupt the brewing process as this will produce inconsistent strength and quality.

Remember!

•

Rinse the filter basket and use new coffee and a new filter paper every time.

•

Use consistent amounts of ground coffee.

•

Always wait for the dripping to stop before you remove the pot.

Serve filter coffee Filter coffee may be served in the cup or poured from a pot or cona into the cup at the table.

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Carry 3 cups in one hand

Viewed from above

Viewed from below

Carry 10 cups on a tray

You can carry 10 or more cups on a tray by stacking the saucers and cups. Do not place the spoons on the tray but into one of the cups because the tray is not hygienically clean. Make sure the handles of the spoons are pointing toward the centre of the tray as they can easily overbalance.

Service procedure 1.

Set down cups (on saucers with spoons).

Place them so that the handle of the cup, and the handle of the spoon, point towards the ‘4.30 o’clock’ position.

2.

Place sugar, milk and petits fours on the table.

3.

Collect your coffee from the kitchen and wrap a waiter’s cloth around the coffee pot to catch any drops.

4.

At the table, pick up the cup, saucer and spoon as one, back away slightly for safety then pour into the cups filling them to approx. 1 cm from the top.

Return the pot to the coffee area and, if there is any coffee left in it, leave it on the warming plate to keep it hot.

Some establishments use machines which mix hot water with concentrated coffee syrup. The syrup is kept in the freezer until needed.

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This machine produces unlimited amounts of coffee in a very short time. It is mainly used in banqueting departments of large hotels and function centres but also in some restaurants.

Espresso coffee An espresso is a coffee made by an espresso machine (‘espresso’ is an Italian word meaning ‘quick, fast’). Steam pressure forces hot water through dark roasted, finely ground coffee. The coffee beans are ground very finely and cannot be used in filter coffee machines.

Espresso machine, ready for service

Espresso machine, ready for service.

Always clean the steam wands immediately after use with a clean cloth

Steam wand with control knob

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The espresso machine also produces steam for heating and frothing milk known as stretching and texturing milk. It can also produce hot water which can be used for making tea.

When you need to make more than two or three portions of tea you should not use the espresso machine because the more hot water you draw out, the more cold water flows in.

This cools the machine, slows its speed and may affect the quality of the coffee.

Many busy cafés and restaurants have a hydrotherm. A hydrotherm is a machine which produces large amounts of near boiling hot water.

Be very careful when you use the water from a hydrotherm: it is almost boiling, approx 97º C. Always follow your lecturer’s instructions.

The method for making espresso coffees will be demonstrated in class, and you will have extensive opportunity to practise.

Read You can find more information on the history and production of coffee in The Book of Ingredients which is mentioned in the introductory section of this book and in Section 7 Espresso Coffees in part 2 of this book.

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POPULAR ESPRESSO COFFEES Coffee name

How to prepare

How to present

Short Black/Espresso

Small espresso cup 30 ml espresso coffee

Long Black

Large espresso cup 1/2 hot water 60 ml espresso coffee

Small saucer Demi tasse spoon Sugar No milk Large saucer Tea spoon Sugar No milk

Cappuccino

Large espresso cup 30 ml espresso coffee 1/3 textured milk 1/3 textured foam on top Chocolate sprinkle on top Large espresso cup 30 ml espresso coffee Topped with textured milk

Flat White

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Caffe Latte

Large coffee glass 30 ml espresso coffee 2/3 textured milk 5-10mm textured foam on top

Macchiato

Small coffee glass 30 ml espresso coffee Dash of textured milk on top

Large saucer Tea spoon Sugar No milk Large saucer Tea spoon Sugar No milk Large saucer Tea spoon If the glass has no handle - folded napkin Sugar No milk Small saucer Demi tasse spoon If the glass has no handle - folded napkin Sugar No milk

Topic 45: Serve Tea In quantity, tea is the most consumed beverage on Earth. Many people drink it with milk, some with lemon and some with honey.

Tea has a fascinating history, and is at the centre of festivities and elaborate ceremonies for many cultures such as the Japanese.

The infusion of tea leaves in boiled water to produce a refreshing beverage became popular during the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644).

Many flavours of tea are available today including tea leaves infused with different fruits and flowers to impart further complexity to the beverage. Herbal teas are also very popular because of their medicinal and calming qualities.

Tea production Tea is made from the leaves of a tree grown in damp tropical or subtropical regions; the tea tree would reach a height of 10m if it were not pruned to bush size. The best teas are handpicked but can be mechanically harvested similarly to grapes in wine making.

Sorting and grading of the tea leaves is done in sifting machines. The leaves are sorted into the two main grades: Leaf Teas (made of whole leaves) and Broken Teas (made of broken, ie. fragments of leaves). Leaf Teas are said to be more delicate in flavour, whereas broken teas release flavours more quickly, are stronger and darker in colour.

Teabags contain ‘off-cuts’ and dust of the leaves, most of which occur during the drying and rolling process.

The three different styles of tea All teas come from the same species of plant. After picking the leaves are withered- a process where the leaves become flaccid and lose water, before they are processed. The processing method determines the style of tea.

Green tea The leaves are steamed and dried, which destroys the leaves natural enzymes so that the leaves retain their green colour rather than turning black, then packed.

They make a green tea, pale in colour and delicate in taste.

Black tea The leaves undergo a fermentation process which turns them black.

This produces a tea which is dark amber in colour and astringent in taste.

Oolong tea Oolong is semi-fermented tea. The secret to quality oolong tea is fermentation of the outer edges of the leaves while the centre remains in tact before drying the leaves. Oolong tea has a colour and taste which is between that of green tea and black tea.

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Tea making guidelines Quality tea should be kept in an airtight container. Best results come using from porcelain or ceramic pots that are free from stains and tannins as these keep their heat longer and will not ‘taint’ the tea as a metal pot can.

1.

Heat the pots for at least 1 minute before making tea.

2.

Use the correct amount of tea: one teaspoon of tea leaves per cup plus one ‘for the pot’, or one tea bag per two cups.

3.

Use fresh water – the better the water the better the tea flavour.

If the water from the tap is not clear, odourless and tasteless, use spring water.

4.

Use water at the correct temperature: boiled water which has stopped bubbling, initially to just cover the tea leaves allowing them to swell for 20–30 seconds.

5.

Fill the pot and allow to infuse for 3-5 minutes before drinking.

Remember, larger leaves take longer to infuse than smaller leaves.

The service procedure •

Serve the tea on an underliner (UL) with a pot of hot water, milk and white sugar (the extra hot water can be used to dilute the tea if it has become too strong.) All handles should point to 4.30 o’clock position.

•

Place the tea set on the table to the right and, from the customer’s point of view, behind the tea cup.

Hot water pot

Tea pot

Sugar pot Tea spoon for sugar Underliner Milk jug

Tea set

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•

Do not pour into the cup. The customers will help themselves when the tea has reached the desired strength.

•

When tea leaves are used, provide a strainer.

•

If the customer requests lemon, place wedges in lemon squeezers and serve them on a side plate without doiley. When no lemon squeezers are available, serve lemon slices on a side plate with a small fork, e.g. an oyster fork or cocktail fork.

Tea bags A large variety of tea, including herbal and flavoured teas, is available in filter paper pouches known as tea bags. This method of packaging offers the consumer a convenient way of producing a quick cup of tea.

Glass of tea For a glass of tea, teabags are normally used. The heat-proof glass sits in a metal holder on a saucer. Serve with sugar and milk or lemon. To drink tea from a glass is popular in many overseas countries.

Iced tea Prepare a strong tea by using half the normal amount of hot water. Wait several minutes, then fill the teapot with ice cubes and stir. Fill a highball glass with ice cubes and strain the tea into the glass. Decorate with a slice of lemon and serve on a saucer with sugar, a parfait spoon and a straw. Iced tea is very popular with American customers.

Tea with lemon In many countries it is popular to drink tea with lemon.

Lemon slices on a side plate with a small fork.

Lemon wedge in a lemon squeezer on a side plate.

When serving loose tea leaves, you must supply an accompanying strainer for use by the customer. See pictures below.

Tea strainer

Tea strainer on an underplate ready for service.

Read You can find more information on the history and production of tea in The Book of Ingredients listed earlier in this publication.

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Key points for service of all hot beverages If you have a mixture of teas and coffees to serve to your guests, always make sure 1. do all mise-en-place first – cups saucers and spoons for tea and filter coffee, milk and sugar 2. make and serve your tea next as it takes time to infuse 3. make and serve espresso coffees as they take longer to make than filter coffee 4. serve filter coffee last as it should already be made and ready immediately

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Topic 46: Serve Other Hot or Cold Beverages There are a few more hot and cold beverages which you should know but these are rarely asked for in restaurants.

Cocoa The Cocoa plant, native to South America, produces pods containing 20-30 white seeds, called ‘Nibs’ or ‘Almonds’. These seeds are dried, fermented, roasted, crushed and the resulting liquid, containing about 50% cocoa fat, is the source for chocolate and cocoa.

When the liquid is partly de-fatted, moulded and cooled, it solidifies into hard blocks known as Bitter Chocolate.

Milk chocolate is produced by adding powdered or condensed milk, and flavourings such as vanilla, almonds, cinnamon etc, to the Bitter Chocolate.

Hot chocolate/cocoa Hot chocolate, also called hot cocoa, was originally made by dissolving small pieces of chocolate in hot milk. Nowadays it is mostly made from powdered chocolate.

Place two teaspoons of powder in a cup, pour a little hot milk on top, stir the powder to a smooth paste, and top up with hot milk when all the powder has dissolved.

Hot chocolate can also be made using the espresso machine to blend the powder and milk whilst heating it with the steam wand.

Serve in a cup on a saucer with a teaspoon and sugar. In some establishments cocoa is served with whipped cream.

Fresh cold lemonade Sometimes customers ask for fresh lemonade. Ask if the customer likes it with sugar. If yes: squeeze the juice of one lemon into a highball glass, sweeten with gomme syrup, add two or three ice cubes, top up with cold water, mix and serve with a straw.

Fresh hot lemonade Squeeze the juice of one lemon into a heat-proof glass, top up with hot water and serve on a saucer with teaspoon and sugar.

Cold milk Pour milk into a highball glass and serve without ice, straw, spoon or underliner.

Hot milk Heat milk, pour into a tea cup or heat-proof glass and serve on a saucer with teaspoon and sugar or honey.

Read You can find more information on cocoa in The Book of Ingredients mentioned earlier in this book.

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Topic 47: Serve Digestifs A digestif is the opposite from an apéritif. An apéritif is served at the beginning of the meal (a pre-dinner drink) and is meant to stimulate the appetite.

A digestif is served at the end of the meal (an after-dinner drink) and is meant to assist in digesting the food.

The apéritif is usually a tangy or slightly bitter beverage; the digestif may be sweet and often has a high alcohol content 40% by volume or more.

Popular digestifs •

Liqueurs

•

Brandies, Cognacs and Armangnacs

•

Fortified wines.

Activity For information on these beverages refer to the books listed under Additional Texts, Resources and References in the introductory part of this book.

Service guidelines •

Take the order for digestif once the coffee has been served.

•

Process the order and serve the digestifs like other drinks: Write the order on the beverage docket.

Place the drink on the right hand side of the guest.

Liqueur trolley If your restaurant offers a liqueur trolley, use the following method for serving digestifs.

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•

Usually there are 10 or more bottles with brandies, liqueurs, ports and other fortified wines on the trolley. Make sure that you know what they are so that you can explain them to your guests.

•

Move the trolley to the table and ask your customers if they would like a digestif.

•

If they agree, explain the beverages and ask which one they would like.

•

Use the correct glass.

•

Pour the correct amount.

Liqueurs and brandies are usually served in smaller amounts than fortified wines.

•

Use a spirit measure.

Do not pour directly from the bottle into the glass but use a spirit measure.

Most measures have two parts, one for 15 mls and one for 30 mls.

Different digestifs are poured in different amounts. Find out from your headwaiter what amount you should pour for each digestif.

•

Take note of the beverages you are serving to the table.

•

When you have completed the service move the trolley away from the table.

•

Add the digestifs to your customer’s bill.

Write the digestives on the beverage order docket or, if you use a computerised ordering system, enter it in your computer terminal.

When you enter the digestifs in the computer terminal it will print out in the bar. You must tell the bar staff this was a ‘liquor trolley-order’ and they should not pour the drinks as well.

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Topic 48: Present the Guest’s Account When you prepare the account be very careful. You must get it right. If you overcharge the customer they may think you did it on purpose and may never come back; if you undercharge, your restaurant will loose money.

Prepare the account •

Prepare the account when you think the customers have finished their meal, but do not present it before they have asked for it.

•

Before you add up the bill, check if all consumptions have been recorded.

•

Check if items from another table have been added by mistake.

•

Ask another waiter to check the bill to see if you have added up correctly.

•

Also with a computerized ordering system, check if the account is accurate before you present it.

Separate checks Sometimes customers ask for separate checks. This means that each member in the party wants to pay only for what they themselves had.

This is a very time consuming process and not many restaurant offer this service. They provide the guests with one bill for the whole table and offer paper and pen for them to work out their individual consumptions.

Remember!

The account must be correct.

Present the account Different systems apply in different establishments. In cafés and bistros it is common that the customers order and pay at the counter. In most restaurants the waiter presents the bill, takes the money or credit card to the cashier and returns the balance or charge record form for signing to the customer, using a money plate/tray or leather folder.

1.

Prepare the bill when the customers do not require anything else but:

2.

Present it only when asked for. Observe the guests if they are making moves to leave – some may assume they will receive it automatically.

3.

The total amount should not be visible to the host's guests.

4.

Do not wait near the table while the host studies the bill.

5.

Thank the host for their patronage when returning the balance.

6.

Observe the table and help with chairs when the customers get up.

7.

Assist with coats (if applicable).

8.

Thank again and wish a good day (night).

9. Accompany the guests to the door (if possible).

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Note: In some restaurants and cafĂŠs, the customers are asked to take the money to the cashier themselves.

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Topic 49: Process the Payment Nowadays, the customers have a great choice in how they want to pay their bill: cash, credit card, EFTPOS etc. As the waiter you must be familiar with these systems and be able to process the payment in any way which your establishment accepts.

Control systems Each establishment must have a functioning control system in order to: •

Enable the cashier (waiter) to prepare a correct bill

•

Produce a breakdown of sales/income

•

Provide information for adjustments/improvements

•

Provide information for costing purposes

•

Reduce wastage and pilfering.

There are several systems used in the industry.

Point of sale (POS)/computer system One of the time consuming activities of the waiting person is to take orders to the kitchen and bar.

Using a Point of Sale (POS) computer system eliminates this. The waiter enters the order in a terminal on their sideboard and the system prints the order in the kitchen or bar.

A POS system consists of: •

Computer terminals usually placed on the sideboards

•

The cash register, for the cashier

•

A main computer which stores all data and produces reports

•

Printers in the kitchen and bar.

The system is capable of producing many different kinds of reports, such as: •

Profit and loss report

•

Stock control

•

Detailed sales analysis.

How does it work?

Every waiter is issued with an identification number that must be keyed into the terminal to allow access.

Each food and beverage item is given a PLU (price look up) number. When a PLU number is entered, the computer will automatically print the item’s name and price on the docket.

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Special Functions keys Allow you to add specific information to your order (e.g. medium, well done, no ice).

If the beverage order for table 3 was processed with a POS system, the order docket would look similar to this:

TABLE: 3 John 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

2:55PM

Campari and Soda Long Glass No Ice Crown lager John Walk Red and Water Margarita

Duplicate docket system At the beginning of a shift, each waiter receives a pad of kitchen and bar order dockets that consist of two copies. The top copy is used for ordering in the kitchen or bar and the bottom copy for making out the customer's bill.

The bill is prepared and handed to the customer by the waiter in a (leather) folder or on a doiley plate. The money (and the bill) is then taken to the cashier. The waiter returns the balance to the customer.

Employee billing system Every waiter has their own float and key for entering orders in a cash register. The cash register prints a ticket for each order. The tickets are used for ordering food and beverages in the kitchen and bar.

At the end of the shift, the supervisor uses their key to produce a ‘reading’ for each waiter who then hands over the money they have received from their customers. This means that each waiter is their own cashier.

The customers do not always receive a copy of the account to take away with them. If they ask for a receipt, it has to be made using a receipt booklet.

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Guest ledger In hotels and motels, house guests may charge their meal costs to their room account.

These customers are required to acknowledge their restaurant bill by writing: •

Their name (in capital letters)

•

Their room number

•

Signing the docket.

Special client accounts Often called ‘City Ledger’, these accounts enable regular customers, who are not house guests, to dine in the restaurant without having to pay immediately. They are required to pay only once a month, after having received a summary of their consumption by mail.

A ‘city ledger’ customer acknowledges their restaurant bill by: •

Writing the name (in capital letters)

•

Writing the mailing address

•

Signing the docket.

Credit cards Credit cards are issued by a number of financial institutions. Ask your supervisor which credit cards are accepted in your restaurant.

Processing credit cards manually 1.

Check the card.

Is it valid? Cards are valid for a certain period only. The expiry date is printed on the card.

Is the card signed? Cardholders are required to sign their cards; you may refuse to accept an unsigned card.

Every institution that issues credit cards mails a booklet with the numbers of cancelled cards to the establishments. Check if the number of a card is listed in the booklet before you accept it. If the card is listed as lost or stolen, you may not honour it.

2.

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Ring for authorisation if the amount is above the floor limit.

Every establishment is given a ‘floor limit’ by the credit card company. This means that when a bill is above a certain amount, you must ring the company for approval. The credit card company provides the establishment with a phone number that is on call 24 hours a day.

On approval, you will be given an ‘authorisation number’ which you have to write on the charge record form.

3.

Make an imprint of the card.

The credit card company provides the establishment with charge record forms. There are different forms for different companies. Make sure that you use the correct form. Use the ‘swiper’ to make an imprint of the card. Check the imprint for legibility.

4.

Fill in the form.

Write the amount, the date and the authorisation number (if applicable) in the appropriate boxes. In some restaurants, the number of the guest's bill and your initials have to be recorded as well.

5.

Ask the customer to sign the form (offer a pen).

6.

Compare the signature on the form with the one on the card.

You are not expected to be an expert in comparing signatures, but they should be reasonably similar.

7.

Hand over the cardholder's copy.

Each charge record form consists of three copies. After the customer has signed, pull out the card holder’s copy, place it in the folder or on the doiley plate and hand it to the customer.

8.

Hand over the credit card!

EFTPOS Since 1984 Credit cards and EFTPOS procedures have become popular with customers as a preference to cash. Knowing how to use these machines is vital to being able to work in hotels, restaurants and bottleshops.

There is a fundamental difference between an electronic credit card facility and EFTPOS. By using the credit card facility the customer may only pay a bill; by using EFTPOS the customer may also ask for a cash pay-out like at a bank.

Most of you will probably have made an EFTPOS transaction at some time. If you are working where EFTPOS is commonly used make sure you get training in how to use the machine in your work. They are all similar yet slightly different so I won’t try explain them from the venues point of view as banks differ also in their systems.

Needless to say there are things you must do as a cashier like ‘initialsise’ ie. start up the system. You also need to know how to retrieve balances and do closing procedures, enter manual transactions and do refunds if by chance you overcharge a customer.

In most systems now, ‘settlement’ – the total of todays transactions will occur at a predetermined time and you won’t have to do it manually as used to be the case.

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Topic 50: Farewell Your Guests Well, we hope your guests have enjoyed their meal. However, your task is not over yet. You need to be nearby when your customers leave. Follow these few points to complete your guests’ dining experience.

Guidelines for bidding your guests farewell Observe your guests. When you see that they are about to get up approach the table and: 1.

Help with the chairs.

2.

Help with any coats.

3.

Thank them for their patronage.

Say something like, “Thank you ladies and gentlemen for having dined with us this evening, I hope everything was to your satisfaction.”

4.

Accompany them to the entrance and open the door (if practical).

5.

Offer a friendly greeting. Say something like, “I hope we may see you here again sometime soon.”

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Topic 51: Summary of the Service Sequence – À la Carte In this topic you will find a brief summary of the service sequence. Make sure that you know this by heart!

Work flow guide 1.

Receive and seat customers.

2.

Lap napkins.

3.

Introduce yourself and take pre-dinner drink order.

4.

Order drinks in bar.

5.

Present menus and wine list, explain specials.

6.

Serve water.

7.

Serve bread and butter.

8.

Serve pre-dinner drinks.

9.

Take food order when customers are ready. Take wine order at same time, if possible.

10. Order food in kitchen.

11. Adjust cutlery.

12. Serve wine.

13. Serve first course.

14. Top up wine.

15. Clear first course when all customers have finished.

16. Top up wine.

17. Serve M/C. 18. Top up wine.

19. Clear M/C including side plates, butter dish and S&P. 20. Crumb the table.

21. Top up wine.

22. Present dessert menus.

23. Take dessert and coffee order.

24. Take order for dessert wine and serve it (if applicable).

25. Lay cutlery for dessert 26. Order dessert in kitchen.

27. Serve dessert.

28. Top up wine (if applicable).

29. Clear dessert.

30. Serve coffee and petits fours.

31. Take order for after dinner drinks and serve them.

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32. Prepare the account.

33. Present the bill when customers ask for it.

34. Assist the customers when they leave – chairs, coats etc.

35. Thank them for their patronage.

36. If possible, accompany them to the door.

Note: If you are working in a restaurant where smoking is permitted, check and replace the ashtrays whenever necessary, especially at the start of each course.

Be aware that this list is an idealised scenario. As a waiter you will have several tables to look after and your work flow strategy must be flexible to accommodate any situation.

That is not an easy task, especially at the beginning, but you will have extensive opportunity to practise under the guidance of your lecturer.

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Topic 52: Close Down the Restaurant All the customers have left, can you go home now? No as there are still a few jobs to be done.

All areas must be cleaned thoroughly, cutlery or tables may have to be prepared for the next shift and, usually, there is a short de-briefing session before you can go home.

Coffee area •

Clean all coffee machines and work benches.

•

Check stock of coffee, tea, sugar, etc., and place an order for the next day.

•

Depending on the policy of your restaurant, you may need to restock the cupboards with polished cups, saucers and other utensils.

•

Lock away all equipment.

Bar area •

Wash, polish and put away all glasses.

•

Take out empty bottles.

•

Take out rubbish bins.

•

Check stock and place an order for the next day.

•

Discard any food items which are past its use-by date, e.g. cream, juices.

•

Depending on the policy in your restaurant, you may need to restock the refrigerators to allow the beverages to cool down for the next shift.

•

Lock up all stock and equipment.

Dining room •

Take all dirty dishes to the dish washing area.

•

Bundle the dirty linen and place it in the dirty-linen basket.

•

Depending on the policy in your restaurant you may need to polish cutlery, crockery and set the tables for the next shift.

•

It the tables do not need to be set it is usual to place the chairs on the tables. This makes it easier for the night cleaners to vacuum underneath.

In some restaurants the vacuuming has to be done by the waiters.

Provide handover for next shift •

Some restaurants have a log book for recording any unusual occurrences, such as complaints, broken-down appliances, etc.

•

Messages for the next shift may also be written in this book. Such messages could be table reservation, changes to bookings, special requests, etc.

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De-briefing session •

The headwaiter calls all staff together, sometimes including the kitchen brigade, and discusses any unusual occurrences such as complaints or mistakes.

•

Everyone has an opportunity to ask questions and is encouraged to make suggestions for how the service could be improved.

•

Sometimes, when everyone has done an exceptionally good job, the headwaiter offers a round of drinks to all.

•

If the chef has given you something to eat, now is the time to share it with the other staff.

Lock up •

Check if all windows are closed.

•

Turn off the lights, also on the toilets.

•

Lock all doors.

Now you can go home and rest, you have earned it.

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Topic 53: Serve Breakfast Do you like getting up early in the morning? As a breakfast waiter you may have to get up at 5.00 am or even earlier.

There is an advantage to this. A breakfast shift may start at 6.00 am and finish at 2.00 pm, leaving you free for the rest of the day. If you work in a tropical holiday resort you can spend all afternoon at the beach.

The two basic styles of breakfast Continental breakfast

•

beverage (coffee/tea)

•

bread or other bakery items

•

butter

•

conserves

Sometimes also cereals or a glass of fruit juice.

Full or cooked breakfast

•

fruit juice

•

cereals

•

beverage (coffee/tea)

•

bread or other bakery items

•

butter

•

conserves

•

hot dish, e.g. eggs and bacon.

Service styles À la carte

The customers make their selection from a menu, the food is served to the table by the waiting staff.

Buffet breakfast

A variety of breakfast dishes is displayed on a buffet table for the customers to serve themselves.

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Popular breakfast items Juices Pineapple, orange, tomato, grapefruit, apple, guava, prune, etc.

Cereals Cornflakes, Weet-Bix, Rice Bubbles, Nutri-Grain, muesli, porridge, etc.

Fruit Fresh seasonal fruit, poached or stewed fruit such as prunes, apricots, peaches, etc.

Beverages Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, milk, herbal tea.

Bakery items White or wholemeal bread, toast, croissants, Danish pastries, muffins, breakfast rolls, etc.

Conserves Jams, marmalade, peanut paste, Vegemite, honey.

Spreads Butter, salted/unsalted; margarine, salted/unsalted, Becel.

Hot dishes Eggs:

Boiled, scrambled, poached, fried, omelette.

Meat:

Ham, bacon, sausages, fried steak, lambs fry, grilled or fried fish, etc.

Other items:

Grilled tomatoes, creamed mushrooms, baked beans, spaghetti, hashbrown potatoes, pancakes with maple syrup, etc.

Cold items Cold meats, smallgoods, cheese.

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Buffet breakfast More and more establishments offer the first meal of the day in buffet style. Most or all food items (hot and cold) are on display. The customers help themselves and carry the plates back to their tables.

In some establishments, the customers even help themselves at a coffee/tea bar, although it is more common that the waiting staff serve the hot beverages.

The advantages of a buffet breakfast The service is faster because the food does not have to be prepared and brought from the kitchen.

Customers can see the food before they make their choice.

There is a set price per person, making it good value for money if you are hungry.

For the establishment it is more profitable because fewer staff are needed than for an a full à la carte style breakfast.

Some hotels offer a combination of buffet and á la carte menu. In addition to the items on the buffet, some dishes are prepared when ordered and served to the table.

The breakfast table set-up The cover for à la carte and buffet breakfast is the same. It consists of: •

M/C knife

•

M/C fork

•

Dessert spoon (for cereals), placed on the right

•

Side plate

•

Napkin – simple fold, placed on the side plate

•

Side knife, placed on the napkin

•

Tea cup on saucer with tea spoon, placed to the right of the dessert spoon

•

Water glass, placed on top of the M/C knife

•

Table accompaniments: –

flower vase

–

salt and pepper shakers

–

milk

–

bread/croissants

–

sugar/low calorie sweetener

–

jam/honey

–

butter.

In most establishments, all tableware is set up the night before. In the morning, the perishable items such as milk, butter, etc., are added.

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