CHAPTER III: PHASES OF FOOD SERVICE

A. MENU PLANNINGMenu is considered as the focal point in all the components of food service. Since menu is the highlight of a food business, the planning and/or developing process of the food listed should be deliberately planned.

There are two points of view in planning a menu. First is the point of view of the management and the second is from the point of view of the customers.

1. From the point of view of the managementa. Achievement of organizational goalsb. Market Considerationsc. Physical and equipment availabled. Personnel skillse. Budget

2. From the point of view of the customersa. Nutritional requirementb. Food Varietiesc. Food habits, preferences, religion, age, incomed. Palatability/ acceptability of foodse. Reasonability of price

B. FORECASTINGOnce the menu has been made, a forecast of demand is made. The production unit will then estimate the amount of food needed. Some food establishments make a forecast 3 to 6 months in advance to allow time for bidding and to make proper arrangement to have the food on hand when needed. Others, like hospitals collect menus from patients one day in advance and use this for forecast tally shortly before production. There are some restaurants make forecast 2-3 days in advance. A few operations do make forecast but keep enough supplies on hand to meet the demand. Food service establishments that depend on walk-in business may have difficulty in forecasting. Circumstances can cause a sudden drop or increase in walk-ins. Special promotions affect patronage. Long- range forecasting should depend on long-term trends. The general economic and financial situations should also be considered.

1. Advantages of Forecastinga. Reduces Costsb. Maximize suppliesc. Leads to better- quality food

C. PURCHASINGThe next step after you forecast the needs in your menu is purchasing. In buying method basically varies on the type of market and kind of operation. There are two major types of buying or purchasing method.

1. Two Types of Purchasinga. Informal Buying or Open Market Method- this involves oral negotiation and is

usually used when the amount involved is not large, and speed and simplicity are desired.

b. Formal Buying Methods – usually involves large contracts for commodities to be purchased for long periods of time and is usually written than oral.

In purchasing, it is important to set quality and quantity determinants. In determining the items needed to purchase the buyer should first check the menu, know the image of the establishment wants to project, occasion when the items are needed, and the available storage area in the kitchen. A marketer should know how to determine the quantity of the items needed to purchase. This would help the business in reducing food cost, or food wastage. In quantity as a factor in purchasing food, we need to consider the number of people to be served, the portion size based on yield test, and familiarity with weight and sizes of various products.

Chapter III: Phases of Food Service 12 | P a g e

Specifications are also important. These are standards set by the buyer to ensure that quality is being met in each item needed to purchase. Specifications are the statement of the buyer’s preferred quality of an item. Below are list of basic steps involved in writing specifications.

2. Writing Specificationsa. Determine the quality factors needs to produce the desired productb. Based on the menu, set the quality standards such as particular grade, degree of

freshness and others. Information can be generated by conducting the following special tests:

i. Raw Food Test- determines the best count, weight, or product qualityii. Canned Food Test- checks the yield and cost of different canned or

processed foodsiii. Butchering Test- cutting test for meat, fish, and poultry. This will help in

determining portion cost after waste, trims, and by- products are eliminated. Portion size and appearance are also judged.

iv. Cooking Test- the final portion cost as served. The product is taken as purchased, given pre-preparation treatment, cooked, and judged for portion size and appearance and other quality factors.

c. Write down specifications based on quality factors. The most common information written down are:

i. Name of itemii. Quantity of the item considering the establishment quality factors

iii. Grade or brand wantediv. Size of items or number of items per package

3. Tips in Buying Selected Food Itemsa. Meat

i. Buy only wholesome productsii. Buy graded products

iii. Learn to identify the carcass origin of the retail cutsb. Poultry

i. Compare prices of whole against cut-up chicken. It is ally cheaper to buy whole than specific cut-up portions

ii. Lean to bone ratio is better and bigger birds than smaller ones.iii. Looks for signs of discoloration along the armpits and necksiv. Brands may be better to buy

c. Fishi. Full, clear eyes

ii. Bright skiniii. Tight scalesiv. Bright red gillsv. Firm and elastic flesh

vi. Does not dent when pressedvii. Fresh smell inside and at the gills

viii. Stiff bodyd. Vegetables

i. Select those that have no defects, with good color and appear crispyii. Right degree of maturity

iii. Look for signs of decay iv. Buy those that are in seasonv. Compare cost of fresh vegetable to canned or frozen ones

vi. Check cans for rust, dents, bulges, leaksvii. Buy clean, firm packages of frozen products from clean cabinets

viii. Buy according to intended useix. Read nutrition information on the label

e. Fruitsi. Choose those with skin or peels that have the proper texture, color

Chapter III: Phases of Food Service 13 | P a g e

ii. Citrus fruits and pineapple that feel heavy in relation to their size are juicy

iii. Select fruits of good color, and aroma to assure ripeness.f. Rice and Corn

i. In selecting rice, the following factors are considered: 1) variety 2)quality of milling 3) color in relation to variety 4) size of kernel 5)moisture content (should not exceed 14%) 6) wholesomeness (free from unpleasant odor, and insect infestation) 7) cleanliness (free form particles such as stones, seeds of weeds, dust, etc..)

D. RECEIVING- is the process of ensuring that what has been purchased is the same with the quality and quantity (specifications stated) with what has been delivered.

1. The SOP’s in Receiving are:a. Count or weigh each itemb. Check the quality against specificationsc. Date all deliveries with permanent markerd. Spot check case goods it ensure accuracye. Prepare a credit memorandum of invoice if goods are short shipped or if quality

are not acceptable.f. Store all items in proper storage areag. Send all invoices and credit memoranda to the accounting department for

payment2. Upon receiving foods are distributed to 3 places:

a. Freezerb. Dry Storeroomc. For Kitchen Production (items that are sent directly into kitchen are referred as

direct issues or direct purchases)E. STORAGE

Effective handling and storing of foods could prevent wastage and deterioration of the items purchased. A well planned storeroom is characterize by storage conditions favorable to products being stored and facilitate the ordering and distribution of food.

1. Types of Storagea. Dry- usually holds canned goods, flour, cereals (e.g., rice), spices, sugar, and oil.

Perishable foods include include potatoes and tubers, onions, garlic, fruits and some vegetables. Non Food products may also be stored such as paper goods, reserved supply of dishes and utensils, linen, towels, etc. A good dry storage is well lighted and ventilated, dry and cool.

i. Free from insects, and rodents, clean, orderly, and well managedii. Temperature is maintained at 10oC- 24oC, with a minimum of 7 oC and a

maximum of 38 oC.iii. Bottom shelving levels should be at least 10” off the floor for adequate

ventilation and freedom from contaminants, soil, and water.iv. All shelving should be at least 2” from the wall to provide for adequate

ventilation, air circulation in the back, temperature control, eliminate odor transfer, moisture and chances for food deterioration.

v. Shipments should be inspected for rodents and vermin’s infestation vigilance and constant effort required.

vi. Cartons should be stacked in such a way as to prevent space where mice and rats could nest.

vii. Linens should be stored in metal cabinet drawers or other protected areas away from dust and insects.

b. Refrigerated- foods that require refrigeration include flesh (meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, some fruits, eggs, and dairy foods) and processed (vegetables or fruit salads, custards, gravies, sauces, perishable condiments, cooked foods especially meat, foods prepared in advance, and carry over foods). Refrigerated

Chapter III: Phases of Food Service 14 | P a g e

storage may either be walked-in (have more permanent storage than reach-in) or reach-in (usually placed near the work center).

i. Space needed depends on the number of meals served, type of service, merchandizing practices, the food itself, and delivery schedule.

ii. Sanitation is essential to prevent deterioration, spoilage, or contamination, and to reduce chances of food loss.

iii. Air circulationTo ensure adequate air circulation follows these: Leave adequate space in-between products, do not overcrowd

items; Leave the shelves free, do not cover them with paper (reach-in) Store product away from walls and off the floor (walk-in)

iv. Temperature The most perishable fruits and should be stored in the coldest

area, near the bottom or coil. A thermometer should be placed in the warmest area and

continually monitored. Avoid unnecessary door opening; schedule entries and

withdrawing of food.v. Placement

Locate the storage area close to delivery and where needed Refrigerator drains discharge in properly trapped sink or drain

through an air gap Free standing refrigerator should be placed at least 6” away

from the wall to allow cleaning and to give good air circulation Refrigerator should be placed away cooking units

vi. General Practices and Procedures Inspect deliveries before they are placed for storage Put food in storage as quickly as possible Refrigerator should be used for perishable foods only Removed outside covering as these may be soiled or contain

harmful bacteria. Processed food and carry- over should be kept covered to

prevent (1) drying and transfer of odor, and (2) prevent contamination from things dropping into them.

Cooked food should be properly cooled before refrigeration. Hot food also raises the temperature and may cause other foods in the refrigerator to spoil. To hasten cooling, place it in a container filled with cold water or crushed ice while continually stirring.

Foods with strong odor should be stored in tight containers.

c. Frozen Storagei. Keep frozen foods at 18 oC or less. The lower the temperature and the

less variation, the betterii. Cook thawed foods promptly. Ground meat or moist meat provide an

ideal place for spoilage organisms to developiii. Never refreeze foods that been thawed; nutritive value, flavor and

appearance suffer if thawed food is frozeniv. Receive frozen items that are frozen when delivered. Inspect packages

and all products to be frozen should be properly wrapped.v. Foods should not be kept indefinitely. Stored foods gradually lose flavor,

texture and color.

2. Storage Tips with regards to controlling costa. Use classification system in storing goodb. Label the goods with date received and the weight as well as the costc. Look all storage areas (dry and cold)

Chapter III: Phases of Food Service 15 | P a g e

d. Allow only authorized persons to enter the dry storeroom as well as cold storage (walk-in)

e. Only one person should be held accountable for storage and issuance of foods.f. Only one person should be held accountable for storage and issuance of foodsg. Practice FIFO (first in first out) principleh. Post a time schedule on the door of storage areas for issuing i. Update all stock cards or bin cards or perpetual inventory cardsj. Determine par stock levels of goods in the storage areas.k. Document all issuances with a requisition and issue slip. The requisition should

be signed by the one issuing and the person receiving.

3. Storage Tips with regards to sanitation and safetya. Follow FIFO ruleb. Keep potentially hazardous foods out of the danger zone 45o- 140 oF)c. Store food away from chemical, toilet, insecticides etc.d. Keep all goods in clean, undamaged wrappers or packagese. Keep storage areas cleanf. Maintain proper storage temperature for refrigerator, freezer, chiller, and dry

storeroom. Refrigerator- 40 oF Chiller- 26o- 32 oF Freezer-0 oF or lower

g. Refrain from storing foods directly on the floor.

F. ISSUING STORED FOODIssuing is the controlled process of giving out food from the storage to a place wherein they can be prepared (Kotschevar, 1979). A good issuing process involves the following steps:

1. Issuing hours should be maintained according to a strict schedule2. Personnel withdrawing items from storage should know in advance the items and

amount to withdraw3. Issuing is planned event and should be carried out in orderly fashion

a. Lock storage when there is no attendantb. Only certain individuals should have keys to storagec. Tag merchandise- follow FIFO principled. Proper requisitioning- requisition form should contain the date, name of items

issues, the price and the signature of the person receiving the item

G. ACTUAL FOOD PRODUCTIONProduction (Preparation and Cooking) - it is food operation that is responsible for the changing food from the market into finished menu items to be served to customers. It is considered as the heart of the food service industry (Mizer and Porter, 1978)

1. For objectives of productiona. To conserve nutrientsb. To make the food digestablec. To enhance the flavord. To free it from microorganisms

2. Three (3) variables that have to be controlled in production:a. Food Cost Control- food cost is defined as the costs of the raw materials that

are purchased for productionb. Standardized Recipe- refers to a particular standard-of-use of certain metrics in

cooking - Standard sizes, time, temperature, amount, etc. Abiding by this rule creates uniformity in kitchen produce, whether or not it is tangible or intangible.

c. Quantifying Recipe

Chapter III: Phases of Food Service 16 | P a g e