7 - Serving Guest

Serving Guest Service & Bar Theory

Basic technical skills • Handling glassware

Basic technical skills • Carrying stack plates

Basic technical skills • Carrying plate

Service rules • Gums chewing and smoking during working hours are forbidden.

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Service rules • All utensils should be handled carefully and silently, and orders should be called calmly, so that even in your busiest time, the atmosphere will not become hectic.

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Service rules • Collisions with colleagues are easily avoided if you obey the following two rules: – Never stop abruptly. – In restaurant, as in the road (in Europe) there is right-hand traffic. Always keep to the right.

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Service rules • Always move forward, never backward. You will soon learn that service is much easier this way. Moreover, you will appear more graceful and elegant. • Wasted motions mean more work, and they are a sign of inattentiveness. Always think about what you are doing and plan ahead – make every move count.

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Service rules • If you need a service napkin, carry it, neatly folded, over your left forearm. • During service the right and left hands have distinct functions. The left hand carries while the right hand works.

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Service rules • Flatware, glasses, cups and the likes are always carried on a tray, never in your hands. • For safety and to prevent clattering, this tray should always be covered with a paper or cloth napkin.

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Service rules • When bringing platters to the side table or guest table, always carry them with both hands. The hand towel should be draped lengthwise over the cloche so you can hold the platter on both ends. • Serving bowls and sauceboats are always placed on a small plate with a paper doily.

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Service rules • All tables should be fully set before the service. Crockery and cutlery are spotless; table clothes are clean, well pressed and hole free. Cutlery should be aligned as per set up standard. Ménage is kept clean and full.

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Service rules • All food and beverage is served and removed from the customer’s right. However, sauce, dressing, mustard and items served from platters are served from the left. Never reach across or in front of a customer. • All drinks are carried with trays and served on cocktail napkin or coaster. Next >>>

Service rules • If your order is not ready (in the kitchen or bar) DO NOT WAIT there. Return in a few minutes. • Treat all colleagues with respect and appreciation • Unless you are picking up orders in the kitchen or bar, you should at all times stand by your station, facing your customers and ready to serve. Next >>>

Service rules • You should not talk ingroups with other employees. This looks VERY unprofessional. • You should stand erect and alert at your station. You should always be alert of your customer’s needs. Next >>>

Service rules • You should not become too familiar with the customers. You should not call them simply by their first names. • Never seat a customer at an unset or dirty table. Ask them to wait while the table is being set up.

Checklist for service • • • • • •

Greet and seat the guests Open the napkins Offer plain or ice water Take pre-dinner drink orders Serve the bread and butter Offer the menu, suggest specials and inform the guests of variations to the menu • Take the food order up to and including the main course Brown, G. & Hepner, K. (2004). The Waiter’s Handbook (3rd ed.). Pearson Education. p. 52

Checklist for service • Offer the wine list • Transfer the food order to the kitchen, copy to the cashier, waiter maintaining base copy • Take the wine list • Serve the wine • Adjusting the cutleries or changing the covers, up to and including the main course Brown, G. & Hepner, K. (2004). The Waiter’s Handbook (3rd ed.). Pearson Education. pp. 52-53

Checklist for service • Serve the first course (appetizer) • Clear up the first course • Top up wines and open fresh bottles as ordered • Serve additional courses • Clear the additional courses • Serve the main course • Enquire (after the guests have had the opportunity to taste the food) whether the meals are satisfactory Brown, G. & Hepner, K. (2004). The Waiter’s Handbook (3rd ed.). Pearson Education. p.53

Checklist for service • Clear the main course • Clear the side plates and butter dishes • Check and , if necessary, change ashtray • Crumbing down • Offer the wine list for selection of dessert wines • Offer the menu for dessert Brown, G. & Hepner, K. (2004). The Waiter’s Handbook (3rd ed.). Pearson Education. p.53

Checklist for service • Take dessert (or cheese) order • Transfer the dessert order to the pastry, copy to the cashier, waiter maintaining base copy • Adjusting the cutleries or changing the covers for dessert • Serve the dessert wines or other beverages selected • Serve the dessert • Take the order for coffee or tea Brown, G. & Hepner, K. (2004). The Waiter’s Handbook (3rd ed.). Pearson Education. p.53

Checklist for service • • • • •

Take the after-dinner drinks order Serve the after-dinner drinks Serve the coffee or tea Prepares the guest’s account Present the guest’s account when it is requested • Accept payment and tender change • Farewell the guests Brown, G. & Hepner, K. (2004). The Waiter’s Handbook (3rd ed.). Pearson Education. pp.53-54

Service sequence •

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All service at the table should flow from the host. The host or hostess is the person who pays the bill & who organizes & orders all the food for his/ her guests Where there is a host, he is served last with the woman on his right served first & then all women in a clockwise direction from the host; and then all men are served in a clockwise direction from the host.

Puckeridge, J. & Howard, P. (1993). The professional waiter, (1st ed.). p.85

Service technique •

This technique is used when working at a side table or a buffet. When serving with both hands, hold the spoon in the right hand and the fork in the left hand.

Service technique •

Meat is always placed at the lower part of the plate

Arranging food on plate >>>>>>>>

Service technique •

Sauces are served separately at a sauceboat, or they are served to the left of the meat or fish.

Arranging food on plate >>>>>>>

Service technique •

When a dish is cooked in a sauce the sauce is served over the meat.

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Flavored butter, such as maitre d’hôtel butter or herb butter, are placed directly on the meat.

Arranging food on plate >>>>>

Service technique •

Side dishes are arranged to achieve color harmony.

Arranging food on plate >>>>

Service technique •

A piece of cake or pie should be served with the point facing toward the guest.

Arranging food on plate >>>

Service technique •

Plates with a logo or other graphic decoration should be arranged on 12 o'clock when placed in front of the guest.

Arranging food on plate >>

Service technique •

Plates should never appear overloaded; the rim must always be free of food and without drips.

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Hot food is always served on hot plates; cold food on cold plates

End of this meeting