RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT (HM 432)

CHAPTER 1

Introduction to Food and Beverage Industry

The Hotel and Catering or Hotel and Food Service industry is now becoming widely known as the Hospitality Industry. The industry is usually defined by its output of products which satisfy demand for food, drink and accommodation.

Central to the industry is the need for operational personnel who are generally divided into food and beverage staff and rooms division staff.

Two issues come out of the identification of sectors. Firstly, some sectors are providing food and drink for profit whereas others are working within the constraints of a given budget, often called cost provision (eg welfare and industrial). Secondly, some sectors are providing services to the general public whereas others provide them for restricted groups of people.

It is useful to define these different types of market as follows:

General Market: Non-Captive: Customers have a full choice

Restricted Market: Captive: Customers have no choice, eg welfare

Semi-Captive: Customers have a choice before entering, eg marine, airline, trains, some hotels and some leisure activities. The customers could have chosen alternatives to these but, once chosen, have little choice of food and drink other than that on offer

summery of sectors in the food and beverage service industry

The main aim of food and beverage operations is to achieve customer satisfaction. In other words, to meet the customer’s needs. The needs that the customer might be seeking to satisfy are:

Physiological Economic Social Psychological Convenience

Customers may be wanting to satisfy some or all of these needs.

It is important to recognize that the specific reasons behind a customer’s choice determine the customer’s satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) rather than the food and beverage service by itself.

The customer who is not able to satisfy his/her needs will be a dissatisfied customer.

- In non-captive markets

- In semi-captive markets

- In captive markets

It is important to recognize that the customer’s needs may vary and that food and beverage operators should be aware of factors which might affect the customer’s meal experience

The service of food and beverages may be carried out in many ways depending on a number of factors:

the type of establishment the type of customer to be served the time available for the meal the turnover of custom expected the type of menu presented the cost of the meal served the site of the establishment

Five types of basic method can be identified, these are:

In order to give a clear picture of food and beverage service, the sequence of an operation needs to be examined. A particular service method, eg waiter, requires a number of tasks and duties which are undertaken during the actual service of food and beverages.

However there are other tasks and duties which contribute to the service. These may be identified using the operational sequence.

Food and Beverage Manager 1. Ensuring that the required profit margins are achieved

for each food and beverage service area in each financial period

2. Updating and compiling new wine lists according to availability of stock, current trends and customer needs;

3. For compiling, in liaison with the kitchen, menus for the various food service areas and for special occasions

4. The purchasing of all materials, both food and drink

5. Ensuring that quality in relation to the price paid is maintained

6. Determining portion size in relation to selling price

7. Departmental training and promotions, plus the maintenance of the highest professional standards

8. Employing and dismissing staff

9. Holding regular meetings with section heads to ensure all areas are working effectively, efficiently and are well co-ordinated.

Restaurant Manager/Supervisor 1. Has overall responsibility for the organization and

administration of particular food and beverage service areas

2. Sets the standards for service

3. Responsible for any staff training

4. May make out duty rotas, holiday lists, and hours on and off duty so that all the service areas run efficiently and smoothly.

Reception Head Waiter 1. Responsible for accepting any bookings and for keeping

the booking diary up-to-date.

2. He/she will reserve tables and allocate these reservations to particular stations.

3. The reception head waiter greets guests on arrival and takes them to the table and seats them.

Head waiter/Maitre d'hôtel/Supervisor 1. Has overall charge of the staff team

2. Responsible for seeing that all the duties necessary for the pre-preparation for service are efficiently carried out and that nothing is forgotten.

3. Aids the reception head waiter during the service

4. Takes some orders if the station waiter is busy.

5. Helps with the compilation of duty rotas and holiday lists.

Station head waiter/section supervisor1. Has the overall responsibility for a team of staff serving a

set number of tables, which could be anything from four to eight in number, from one sideboard. The set of tables under the station head waiter’s control is called a station.

2. Must have a good knowledge of food and wine and its correct service, and be able to instruct other members of the staff.

3. He/she will take the order (usually from the host) and carry out all the service at the table with the help of the chef de rang, who is the second in command of the station.

Station waiter/Chef de range

1. Must be able to carry out the same work as the station head waiter and relieve him/her on days off.

2. Have had less experience than the station head waiter. Both the chef de rang and the station head waiter must work together as a team to provide efficient and speedy service.

Assistant station waiter/Chef de range This person is next in seniority to the chef de rang and

assists where necessary.

Waiter/Server/Commis de range 1. Acts by instruction from the chef de rang. 2. Mainly fetches and carries, may do a little service 3. Helps to clear the tables after each course.

Trainee/Commis debarrasseur/ Apprentice 1. Just joined the food service staff, 2. keeps the sideboard well filled with equipment,3. Helps to fetch and carry items as required.

Carver/Trancheur 1. Responsible for the carving trolley and the carving of

join at the table as required.

2. Plate up each portion with the appropriate accompaniment.

Floor service staff/Chef d’etage/Floor waiterResponsible for a complete floor in an establishment or,

depending on the size of the establishment, a number of rooms or suites

Lounge staff/Chef de salle

Wine butler/Wine waiter/Sommelier

Cocktail bar staff

Buffet assisant/Buffet chef/Chef de buffet

Cashier

Counter Assistants

Table Clearers

Function Catering/Banqueting staff STAFF

Hygiene Male staff (shaven, clean hands and well trimmed,

clean nails, hair must be short and well groomed.) Female staff, (hair should be short or lied up, no

excessive make-up or jewellery.) Sneezing, coughing or blowing the nose must never

be done. A uniform (clean and well pressed), shoes polished. Footwear should be safe. Sandles, open-backed

shoes or high pointed heels are inappropriate and dangerous.)

Knowledge of food and drink The staff must have sufficient knowledge of all the

items on the menu and wine list in order to advise and offer suggestions to customers.

Furthermore they must know how to serve correctly

each dish on the menu, what its accompaniments are, the correct cover, the make-up of the dish and its appropriate garnish, and also how to serve various types of drink, in the correct glass and at the right temperature.

Punctuality If the staff are continually late on duty it shows lack

of interest in work and a lack of respect for management.

Local knowledge so they may be able to advise the guests on the

various forms of entertainment offered, the best means of transport to places of interest and so on.

Personality tactful, courteous, good humoured and of an even

temper

Attitude to customer The staff must not be servile, but anticipate the

customers needs and wishes. A careful watch should be kept on customers at all times

during the service without staring. Care should always be taken when dealing with the

difficult customers. Customers should never be argued with, but all

complaints should be referred to someone in authority in the food service area.

Memory It may help Staff in various ways in their work if they

know the likes and dislikes of customers, where they like to sit in the food service area, what are their favorite drinks and so on.

HONESTY Important to the staff in dealings with both the

customer and the management.

LOYALTY The staff’s obligations and loyalty are firstly to the

establishment in which they are employed and its management.

CONDUCT The staff’s conduct should be impeccable at all

times, especially in front of customers. The rules and regulations of an establishment must be followed, and respect shown to all senior members of staff.

SALES ABILITY To a large extent, staff reflects the image of the

establishment, so they must have a complete knowledge of all forms of food and drink and their correct service.

SENSE OF URGENCY So that the establishment has the maximum

amount of business over the service period with as high a net profit as possible, the staff must develop a sense of urgency.

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION The food and beverage service staff must see that

the guests have all they require and are completely satisfied.

COMPLAINTS Never displeasure even though at times things may

be difficult. Never argue with a customer and, if they cannot

deal with the situation, it should be referred immediately to a senior member of the team.