THE DINING ROOM LAYOUT - Italiano-online · Web viewTHE DINING ROOM LAYOUT Customer Expectations Depending on the hotels wherein they are, hotel restaurants offer a wide variety of

THE DINING ROOM LAYOUT

Customer ExpectationsDepending on the hotels wherein they are, hotel restaurants offer a wide variety of interior design and service standard. The main aspects which conjure up a positive or negative image in hotel guests or outside customers are the size and shape of the dining room, the décor and interior design, the table and seating arrangement, the furniture and fittings, the comfort, the colour scheme, the lighting arrangement, the type of atmosphere (whether formal or informal) one feels, the type of clientele, the quality of service, the attitude of the staff, and the quality of the product being presented.In luxury hotels restaurants the expected atmosphere is very formal, the interior design is made to be very comfortable, the quality of service is excellent, the clientele of an upper socio-economic market segment. Luxurious surroundings generally suggest gourmet food. The picture above shows a large dining room decorated in the grand style with sparkling chandeliers, beautiful ornate mirrors,

The Dining Room Layout

a fine plasterwork ceiling and gilded pillars. This room is used principally for wedding receptions, dinner and cocktail parties.Other hotel restaurants create an informal relaxed atmosphere with an interior standard design and customers with different needs and expectations. There is a wide range of restaurant styles because the dining room of an establishment is the feature which most likely varies with the type of food and service. Thus a speciality restaurant features a design around a motif which usually indicates the type of food being served: think of the different environments represented by a carvery restaurant, a sald bar, a seafood operation, etc.

FRONT AND BACK AREAS A restaurant plan is arranged around two main areas: the front of the house, that is the area that is visible to the public, and the back of the house which is reserved to the staff. The front of the house comprises the dining room, waiting areas and bar lounges. The back of the house includes such service areas as the kitchen, the store rooms, the office. Store rooms include:

dry store room where foods that are boxed, tinned, or in sacks are stored. Tea, coffee, chocolate, sugar, fruit juices, preserves, biscuits, etc. are stored here.

refrigerator room containing such perishable foods as meat, poultry, fish, fruit and vegetables.


linen room where tablecloths, napkins, place mats, aprons, waiters’ cloths, table skirting, table covers, glass towels, bread baskets, menu holders, etc. are kept clean and ready to use.

silver room which contains complete stoks of silverware, chinaware, glassware, cutlery, ice buckets, coolers, bowls, trays, etc.

wash-up room, that is, a service area equipped with dishwasher and drying appliances used by the staff to wash glasses, pots and pans, cutlery, plates, cups and saucers, etc.


FURNISHINGSThe dining room of a typical hotel restaurant is furnished with tables, chairs and storage furniture for trays and tableware. There may be also a counter for serving hors d'oeuvres, shellfish, juice or salads. It may be used for the service of soup and sandwiches, or beverages and desserts.

The picture on the left shows a liqueur trolley and a sideboard on the right end side. Tables are generally designed to handle the typical mix of parties, ranging from the single diner to groups of ten or more with the majority being "deuces", "fours", and "sixes". Usually a large number of deuces for the pairs and singles are provided as well as tables for four and fewer tables for larger groups. Very large groups are easily accommodated by

pushing together more tables. Thus the layout of the dining room may change to meet the needs which may arise. A partition arrangement may be used to extend or restrict the surface of the dining room taking care to provide ease in seating and in moving around the tables. A minimum comfortable social distance for privacy should be maintained. Enough space for the staff to work safely and effectively is crucial, too. More informal restaurants consider booth seating. A booth is a seating arrangement made up of a tablebetween two benches that face each other. Booth seating offers the customer more privacy but limits movability for cleaning and has no flexibility in changing the dining room layout.


EQUIPMENT Many restaurants also allot space for sideboards or serving stands. Special shelves may be provided for other dining room needs. It is essential to have at hand such items as tableware, china items, water and wine glasses, cups and saucers for tea and coffee, coffeepot, hot water burners, ice, linen for setting the tables, butter plates and a range of condiments comprising mustard, sauce, syrups, sugar, vinegar and oil, relish, salt, etc. A full range of trays are used as well: hors-d’oeuvre trolley, liqueur trolley, cheese trolley, dessert trolley. Meal tray trolleys are generally used in self-service restaurants.Good, wooden chairs, in a style consistent with the tables and room decor, must be comfortable and permit the average customer to fit under the table. Tables and chairs should be not only ergonomically designed, but also look attractive and enhance the general look of the establishment.

GlasswareThere is a wide variety of different types and sizes of glassware. The shape of the glass is important as it enhances the appearance of the table. Certain drinks to be fully appreciated require and should be served in particular glasses. Cocktail glasses are every bit as important as the ingredients, the taste and the garnishes. Thus Highball is used mainly for long drinks with ice; Old Fashioned for spirits with ice, short unstrained drinks or fruit juices; the Elgin glass for sherry; the flute glass is fit for Champagne as it minimizes the escape of carbonic gas and allows bubbles to rise in a continuous stream. The Brandy balloon fits the palm of the hand so that the alcohol may be warmed to release its full bouquet. Wine glasses should be plain and clear so as to enable the diner to see the colour and brilliance of his wine. They also should be provided with a stem to prevent that the heat of the diner’s hand may affect the wine taste.


Bar glasses

Beer glasses


Fidenza Collection of Wine Glasses


China ItemsThe design and pattern of china must combine with the general décor of the establishment. As high-quality bone china for normal day-to-day use is very expensive and only very few high-rated hotels can afford, crockery items which are found in most hotels are good quality earthenware which is machine washed, crack resistant and less liable to stain. In consideration of their cost, crockery items are designed to be multi-purpose: thus, bowls may be fit for cereal and sweet or plates sized for use with fish or sweet.


Cutlery

Cutlery is essentially referred to knives, forks and spoons. Hotel cutlery is made up of two basic materials, that is, silver plated and stainless steel. The former, also called silverware, looks better but requires more time to be cleaned, the latter is less expensive. Solid silver cutlery is used in most exceptional circumstances.The main cutlery items include soup spoon, dessert spoon, joint fork and knife, fish fork and knife, side knife for spreading butter, dessert fork and knife, tea and coffee spoon, ice-cream spoon, oyster fork. Other tableware items used in the dining room are asparagus tongs, pastry fork, lobster pick, nut crackers, grape scissors, snail tongs, snail dish, snail fork, cheese knife, sugar tongs

1 soup spoon 2 dessert spoon 3 joint fork 4 joint knife 5 dessert fork 6 dessert knife 7 side knife 8 fish fork 9 fish knife 10 ice-crem spoon 11 tea spoon 12 coffee spoon


Restaurant Staff

The staff organisation, their number, roles and responsibilities vary according to the type and category of hotel or restaurant. In small operations staff members combine more responsibilities and carry out more duties. What is one person’s job in a small hotel is divided between several in large hotel groups. Exclusive top-class restaurants operating stand alone have an internal organisation resembling the F&B dept. of a luxury hotel. Like the other catering facilities (kitchens, storerooms, bars, banqueting and floor service) operating in four-, five-star or luxury hotels, restaurants fall under the supervision of the F&B Department as well. Their running is entrusted to the restaurant manager who is responsible for the standard of performance provided by the staff.The restaurant staff within a large hotel includes the Restaurant Manager, the waiting staff (the Maître d’, the waiters, the Sommelier), the Reception Head Waiter or a receptionist. The Restaurant Manager is responsible to the F&B Manager for the organisation and administration of the restaurant. He collaborates with the F&B Manager, analyses costs and revenue of the operation, handles public relations, carries on staff training, makes purchases and designs the menu in collaboration with the kitchen head chef. The Reception Head Waiter takes table reservations, keeps the booking diary up-to-date and allocates reservations to particular stations. He greets guests on their entering, checks to see if they have a reservation and takes them to their table. If they are without a reservation, he checks the booking diary to see whether and where a table is available for chance guests. He may ask guests waiting for their table if they would like an aperitif in the reception area.The waiting staff consists of the Maître d’ and waiters or waitresses. The Maître d’ is responsible for the overall service provided in the dining room. He welcomes and seats customers, takes their orders and assists them with their selection, and thanks them when they leave.. He is a professional in his field. As well as knowing every item on the menu and wine list, he is gifted with interpersonal skills, masters two or three foreign languages and has a considerable job experience. His most important job is to supervise the work of


all personnel in the dining room so that everything runs smoothly and in accordance with the standard of the restaurant. He also assigns stations, that is a set number of tables (from 4 to 8) to serve from one sideboard. The station staff includes a station head waiter, a station waiter and a commis waiter. The station head waiter is responsible for the standard of service provided by the station staff. He has a lot of experience and knows all items on the menu. He must be able to control and motivate the station staff. Like the Maître d’, he also takes the customers’ orders and carries them out in collaboration with the station waiter. Although less experienced, the station waiter (or chef de rang) carries out the same work as the head waiter, replacing him when off duty. He is also responsible for laying up his own sideboard and station. Commis waiters (or commis de rang) remove dirty dishes when the guests have finished eating and are responsible for resetting the tables. They check each bus station to make sure that there is a sufficient supply of condiments (salt, pepper, sugar, sauces, and ketchup), china, linen, glassware and silverware ready on the sideboard. During the meal service, they also fill the water glasses, bring bread and butter to the tables, empty the ashtrays and put everything in order after the customers have left. The Sommelier (or wine butler) is responsible for the service of all alcoholic drinks during the meals. The role of a good sommelier is to make the customer’s meal more enjoyable by offering advice on matching food and wine but respecting the customer’s tastes. He has tasted the wines on the list and formed his opinions as to the different wine styles (colour and sweetness) and types (light, sparkling, fortified). A good sommelier must be flexible, have a great deal of tact and the ability to read the customer: he should never embarrass guests by recommending a wine beyond their means.


Customer CareIn addition to the main tasks shown above, staff are expected to comply with responsibilities regarding customer care and to maintain a high standard of personal hygiene and performance. Waiting staff, in particular, should pay more attention to hands, fingernails, hair and uniform. When a customer first steps into a restaurant the image he builds up includes everything around him. He soon feels how warm he is welcomed, whether he is given full attention or not and to what extent waiters are helpful, polite and caring. Caring for customers requires diplomacy, patience and understanding. Customers are delighted when greeted by name. Their behaviour however may become emotional and rude when they perceive they are not given the

concern, time and attention they expect. In such circumstances self-control by the waiter is of primary importance.

Language NotesTo take on / to lay off staff = assumere / licenziare personaleto staff (=to provide with staff) a restaurant = fornire un ristorante di personalea fully staffed restaurant = un ristorante col personale di servizio al completoWe need 2 staff = abbiamo bisogno di due persone di servizioThe restaurant is staffed by 20 people = il ristorante ha 20 persone di servizio

Practice

1. Answer these questions:

1. Say how the staff of a five-star hotel restaurant are organised2. Say about the role of the staff operating in a small stand-alone restaurant3. Which hotel facilities does the F&B Manager supervise?4. What is the role of the restaurant manager?5. Who takes table reservations?6. What is a the booking diary?7. What are the main tasks of the Maître d’?8. Which staff does a serving station include?9. What is the head waiter responsible for?10. Name some of the things a commis waiter does


2. Which staff members perform the following tasks? Insert the correct name.

1. He offers rolls, melba toast and butter _____________________________

2. He takes guests to their table _____________________________

3. He allocates waiters to the stations _____________________________

4. He checks that tables are laid correctly _____________________________

5. He shows round the liqueur trolley _____________________________

6. He welcomes guests on entering _____________________________

7. He keeps the reservation diary up to date _____________________________

8. He takes orders _____________________________

9. He hands the wine list _____________________________

10. He clears the table _____________________________

11. He surveys staff performance _____________________________

12. He analyses sales reports _____________________________

13. He schedules duty rotas _____________________________

14. He serves dishes at tables _____________________________

15. He takes care of sideboard supplies _____________________________

3. Give the Italian equivalents:

1. We have to take on additional staff2. There is a shortage of qualified staff3. We have taken on a station waiter4. There is a redundancy of 5 floor staff5. We are fully staffed at the moment6. Staff training is the Manager’s task7. This is the staff loliday list8. We need a receptionist to keep the booking diary9. The sideboard is filled with equipment10. Cleaning tasks are performed by commis waiters

SEAT TURNOVEROne of the most important considerations is the seat turnover which depends on the length of time the average customer occupies a place at a table. It varies according to the kind of restaurant. In a self-service cafeteria or fast food establishment, the interior design does not invite customers to linger over their meals and the seat turnover may last a few minutes. In a luxury restaurant the seat turnover may reach two hours since customers feel more comfortable in an environment which attracts their interest through such elements as pictures, floral displays, the tempo of service, the temperature of the restaurant. The professional competence and the attitude of the staff play a vital role to encourage customers to stay in the restaurant to increase their average spend.


ADDITIONAL FACILITIESSome further services should be provided as they are considered indispensable to maintain the standard of the restaurant. They include cloakroom facilities (somewhere to leave in coats and bags safely), the availability of a telephone for customer use, a separate bar area for pre- and after-meal drinks, a waiting area for chance customers waiting for a free table, and the availability of an off-street parking lot.Other points of interest which are part of the interior design are represented by the lighting arrangements, the colour scheme, pictures, floral displays, air conditioning. It is the blend and the balance of these aspects together with the type of menu, the type of service, the dress and attitude of the staff which make the image of the establishment.

TABLE SETTINGTable setting is the arrangement of plates, silverware, and glassware on a table. Depending on its size, a table may contain one or more covers, that is places for customers with plates, cutlery and glasses ready set out. Thus a six-cover table is a table set out for six diners. Depending on the type of menu and the quality of service offered, a cover may be distinguished into an à la carte cover and a table d’hôte cover.

The à la carte cover requires that the cutlery for the meal is laid before each course is served. A classical cover for hors d’oeuvre would be as follows: 1.a large cover plate -with a folded napkin laid on it-is placed in the centre; 2.a fish knife is placed to the right of the cover plate and a fish fork on the other side (the fish knife and fork may

be replaced with a a joint knife and fork); 3.a side plate with a side knife on it placed to the left of the cover plate; 5.wine and water glass placed to the top of the soup spoon. This setting is implemented by salt and pepper, table number, vase of flowers, menu, breadsticks and/or breadrolls, and so on.


The table d’hôte cover considers that cutlery should be arranged, so that each course is catered for. A cover plate, with a napkin folded and placed on it, is placed in the centre. A side plate with a small knife is laid to the left of the cover plate. A joint knife, a fish knife and a soup spoon are laid in this order towards the farthest right of the cover plate, whereas the joint fork and the fish fork are placed in between the cover

plate to the side plate. The cover is then completed adding cruets, ashtray, butter dish, table number, vase of flowers and a jug of fresh water.This type of setting is used either for lunch or for dinner. A table d’hôte setting limits the above items in accordance with the menu items.


Laying the table

A well-laid six-cover round table


1. Write the names of the items on the table:

1 ______________ 2 ______________ 3 ______________ 4 ______________

5 ______________ 6 ______________ 7 ______________ 8 ______________

9 ______________ 10 _____________ 11 _____________ 12 _____________

13 _____________ 14 _____________ 15 _____________ 16 _____________

2. What is the function of these items? Make sentences combining suitable items from the table below:

A fish knife holding wineA wine glass sprinkling fishA napkin cutting lipsA spoon is boning saltA fish fork for knowing cheeseA salt shaker are assigning soupA cheese knife adorning menu itemsA menu card drinking a table placeA menu holder drying the tableFlowers pepperA pepper shakerA place card


Language Notes

business turnover the volume of sales of goods or services

china / chinaware cups, saucers, plates, butter dish, sauce boat, tea pot, coffee pot, flower vase

cloakroom room where people can leave coats, hats, umbrellas, etc., when going into a restaurant, theatre, opera house, etc.

cover place for a customer at a restaurant table, with the cutlery and glasses ready set out.

cover charge charge for cutlery, glasses, napkin, bread and butter in addition to the charge for food.

deuces tables that seat two customers.

fast food 1.food that can be prepared, served and eaten quickly, such as hamburgers, hot dogs, pizzas. 2.snack bar or restaurant offering fast food.

glassware articles made of glass, especially drinking glasses, finger bowls, water jugs, oil and vinegar containers (cruet stand), etc.

seat turnover the relation between the number of people served in one meal period and the number of seats available in the dining room.

self-service restaurant

restaurant (such as a cafeteria) where guests take a tray and help themselves to food.

servery a counter in the restaurant or a place close to the restaurant where waiters pick up dishes ready to be taken to the guests’ tables.

sideboard serving stand in a restaurant where extra table linen, glassware, china, and silverware are stored.

silverware cutlery and other articles made of silver plate such as dishes, menu holder, champagne bucket, ice bucket, sugar tongs, ice tongs, lemon press, toast rack.

station a set number of tables (from 4 to 8) which station waiters serve from one sideboard.

station waiter a waiter who serves a set number of tables in a restaurant.

table service restaurant service in which customers are seated at tables where food is served by waiters.

tablelinen tablecloths, napkins

tableware objects used on the table at meals, such as plates, glasses, cutlery (knives, forks, spoons).


USEFUL VERBS

to set a table apparecchiare un tavoloto clear a table sgombrare, liberare un tavoloto welcome the guests accogliere gli ospitito seat the guests fare accomodare gli ospitito take an order prendere un ordineto remove a cover togliere un copertoto add a cover aggiungere un copertoto explain menu items spiegare voci del menuto supervise the staff work ispezionare il lavoro del personaleto pour water versare dell'acquato hand the menu porgere il menuto charge a price praticare un prezzoto operate a restaurant gestire un ristoranteto arrange reservations provvedere alle prenotazionito display dessert items esporre articoli da dessertto arrange the tables disporre i tavolito be responsible for essere responsabile di

USEFUL PHRASEOLOGY

Please arrange some tables so as to seat twelve guests.

Disponi dei tavoli in modo da accomodare dodici ospiti.

We charge affordable and competitive prices.

Noi pratichiamo prezzi abbordabili e competitivi.

Would you mind clearing and resetting table number five?

Ti dispiacerebbe pulire e riapparecchiare il tavolo numero cinque?

Will you add a cover to that table on the corner?

Vuoi aggiungere un coperto a quel tavolo all'angolo?

That guest is still waiting for you to take his order.

Quell'ospite sta ancora aspettando che tu prenda il suo ordine.

Waite, please, would you mind explaining this dish to me?

Cameriere, Le dispiace, per piacere, di spiegarmi questo piatto?

Mr Cooper is responsible for the work of the waiters he supervises.

Il signor Cooper è responsabile del lavoro dei camerieri che egli sorveglia.

Hand me the menu, please. I'd like to order some fish.

Passami il menu, per piacere. Gradirei ordinare del pesce.


PRACTICE

1. Fill in the blanks with the proper terms from the list

serving stand, condiments, deuce, dirty dishes, informal, maître d', reset, restaurant, staff, station

1. A family-type .......................... attracts more guests.2. Our restaurant is more ............................. .3. Please remove ................................. from the tables.4. Cups and saucers are kept at the .............................. .5. Your ........................... includes these five tables.6. The waiting ............................ is composed of waiters and waitresses7. The ................................ manages the waiting staff.8. A ................................. is a table for two people.9. Salt and pepper are ................................... .10. I have to ............................ this table quickly because there are customers waiting.

2. Answer these questions

1. What aspects contribute to creating the image of a restaurant?2. What is the turnover in a restaurant?3. What does it depend on?4. What size are restaurant tables?5. What personnel are found in the dining room?6. What are the duties of the headwaiter?7. What is the use of a serving stand?8. What are the duties of bussers?9. What additional facilities should a restaurant have?10. What is a cloakroom?

3. Delete what you think inappropriate

1. The headwaiter is (responsible / not responsible) for the work of the waiting staff2. A waiter is (expected / not expected) to explain dishes on the menu3. A cover (comprises / does not comprise) the eating utensils set for each diner4. A high-class restaurant has (utilitarian / exclusive) furnishings5. The rate of turnover of a self-service restaurant is (very high / very low)6. A cafeteria is a (crowded / little attended) restaurant7. The arrangement of tables in a restaurant (never changes / may change)8. The attitude of the waiting staff (is a merchandising factor / is ignored by guests)


4. What are these items made of? Put a cross (x) in the appropriate column or columns.

silver glass china cloth plastic paperashtraycoffee jugcupegg cupfinger bowlforkglassice bucketmenumenu holdermugnapkinnut crackersplatesaucerserving dishshakertumblerwater jug

5. Use the words in the box to complete this passage

becoming, tip, fifteen, gratuity, luxury, expansion, background, well-trained, discretion

The rapid ............................ of the restaurant business has meant that there are no longer enough .........................., experienced waiters and waitresses to meet the demand. Those who do have a good ................................, special skills, and personality can expect to make a good living. One of the inducements for ......................... a waiter or waitress is the extra income from tips. In some countries the ......................... is added to the bill as a ten or ...................... percent service charge but in the United States the tip is usually at the ............................... of the customer. It may vary from ten to twenty percent of the check, with the higher figure not uncommon in ........................restaurants; the term ............................. is occasionally used to mean tip


6. Insert the following staff members into the right column:

cook, dishwasher, waiter, busser, steward, barman, maître d’, receptionist, Manager, cashier, waitress, commis waiter.

FRONT OF THE HOUSE BACK OF THE HOUSE

................................................................

................................................................

................................................................

................................................................

................................................................

................................................................

................................................................

................................................................

Documents

THE DINING ROOM LAYOUT - Italiano-online · Web viewTHE DINING ROOM LAYOUT Customer Expectations Depending on the hotels wherein they are, hotel restaurants offer a wide variety of