Attributes of a waiter : Departmental Organisation and Staffing

 

The restaurant staff is the front-line staff expected to manage, serve and satisfy clients walking in for food and beverage dining experience at a price. The restaurant staff should be extremely well groomed projecting high standards of hygiene, sanitation, professionalism and style while handling clients.
With combination of soft skills (verbal and non verbal) the F&B staff is expected to meet with all customer needs starting from taking order for choice of food and beverages, to serving them with joy, clearing the table and settling the bill to taking improvement feedback and seeing off them.

The etiquette that a waiter exhibits in a restaurant should comprise the following:

1. Receiving guest promptly with warm smile and wishing them.
2. Announce your name and welcome them with the name of the F&B outlet.
3. Call guest by name if regular to the outlet.
4. Offer assistance.
5. Be polite and courteous through the conversation.
6. Walk the guest to the table and help the ladies seat first.
7. Provide extra cushions or special chairs for children.
8. When speaking to a guest do not interrupt him/her if he/she is speaking to another guest.
9. Do not overhear conversations.
10. Avoid mannerisms such as touching hair, scratching, nose picking, etc.
11. Stand straight and at all times.
12. Gentle bow at the time of service is permissible.
13. Never slouch or lean.
14. Remember the preference of guest such as the favorite dish and remind them that you know; ascertain whether he/ she would like to order it again.
15. Be attentive to guest call and attend enthusiastically.
16. Offer to light a cigarette for a guest.
17. Avoid arguments with guest or staff in the restaurant.
18. Always carry pen in the pocket.
19. Desist chewing gums, beetle leafs (paan) or smoking.
20. Never talk with colleagues unnecessarily or group around the sideboard.
21. Avoid soliciting for tips.

SEVEN MOTHER SAUCES

 

THE SEVEN MOTHER SAUCES

Sauces are liquids, creams, or semi-solid foods that add flavor and moisture to food. They also used to make food look more appealing. Sauces come in a variety of colors and are either cold or hot. There are over 50 different kinds of sauces used in cooking. However, the culinary arts refers to certain sauces as “mother sauces.” These mother sauces can be served as they are, or they can be used as a starting point for secondary sauces.

French cuisine often uses mother sauces. Any cook who wants to enhance their cooking skills and improve the flavor of their food should master these 7 mother sauces.

1. Béchamel

Also known as white sauce, béchamel consists of milk thickened with equal parts of flour and butter. This butter and flour combination is known as a roux. French historians believe that Marquis Louis de Béchamel, the chief Steward of King Louis XIV’s household, invented béchamel. He supposedly came up with this white sauce when trying to improve the taste of dried cod. Besides fish, béchamel sauce is used in macaroni cheese, vegetable bakes, and chicken pot pie.

2. Mayonnaise Sauce

Mayonnaise consists of oil, egg yolk, and vinegar or lemon juice. A French chef invented this cold emulsified sauce in 1756. Mayonnaise is thick and creamy and used in a variety of dishes including pasta salads, deviled eggs, and coleslaw. Many people put this creamy white sauce on their sandwiches and others use it as a dipping sauce.

3. Velouté

Known as a dairy-free version of béchamel, velouté is a French word meaning velvet. Velouté is a light stock that comes from the unroasted bones of chicken, fish, or veal. The thin sauce gets thickened with a roux. Commonly served on poultry or seafood dishes, velouté is also a favorite sauce for Swedish meatballs.

4. Espagnole

Also known as brown sauce, Espagnole is made from a brown stock. Brown roux, mirepoix, and tomato puree are often added to this rich, full-bodied sauce. Because of its strong taste, Espagnole is rarely used directly on food. Instead, this mother sauce is used to make a variety of other sauces including lyonnaise sauce, mushroom sauce, and bercy sauce.

5. Demi-Glace

While demi-glace sauce is derived from Espagnole, it is still considered a mother sauce. The sauce is a combination of Espagnole and either beef or chicken stock. This sauce goes especially well with roasted meats and can be added to soups, stews, and stir-fry to boost the flavor.

6. Tomato

When made as a mother sauce, tomato sauce is nothing like you would expect. While there are tomatoes in it, the primary ingredients are salt pork and roux. Other ingredients include carrots, celery, garlic, and veal or chicken stock. The key to making this sauce is to simmer it until it thickens. Tomato sauce tastes delicious on pasta and breaded chicken.

7. Hollandaise

Made with egg yolks and clarified butter, hollandaise sauce is often used as a topping. Hollandaise is a French word that means, “Dutch style,” which reflects the importance of butter in Dutch cooking. Most popular on eggs benedict, hollandaise is also used on salmon, chicken breasts, broccoli, and asparagus.

 

Sandwich

INTRODUCTION

Sandwiches are one of the most varied types of food prepared worldwide. They are usually one or two slice of bread, spread with a filling of meat, chicken, fish, cheese or vegetables etc. Bread may be toasted or fresh, a numerous variety of shapes with an almost endless assortment of filling. The service of sandwiches varies with the purpose for which it is used.

Wafers, chiffonade (shredded) lettuce, watercress, juliennes of cabbage or carrots are the accompaniments of sandwiches. White bread, brown breads, French loaf and bread rolls or boat shaped breads are used to prepare sandwiches.

Types of Sandwich

A. SIMPLE SANDWICH

B. OPEN SANDWICH

EXAMPLES OF SANDWICHES:

1. Sandwich Cake: – These look like ice layered cakes and for these, round bread loaves are used. They are sliced in two or three round slices, soft icing containing butter, cheese etc. It is cut into wedges like cakes.
2. Loaf: – To make a loaf sandwich, the loaf bread is sliced lengthwise, filled and iced in layers. It is sliced across the bread and served.
3. Pinwheel: – To make a pinwheel sandwich, the bread is sliced lengthwise. Butter and soft filling spread evenly, which is of a color to contrast with the bread.
4. Ribbon: They are prepared by using two colour breads. Two slices of brown bread and one of white or vice versa. The sandwiches are made with three slices and two different colored filling are used. They are cut into thin strips and served.
5. Double Decker: As the name denotes, there are three slices used and one first slice, the filling placed on top, and then on next slice, butter is placed on top. On the third slice, lettuce, tomato and cucumber are placed on top and served.
6. Bookmaker: this is buttered roll or French bread is spread with French mustard and a grilled steak in between.
7. Broadway: Two layers of toast with smoked salmon, shredded lettuce, sliced hardboiled egg are used to make this sandwich. It is served with mayonnaise.
8. Tea Sandwich: Thin slices of bread are used with any fillings cut into triangles and crust removed.
9. Grilled Sandwich: To prepare this sandwich, two slices of bread are used with fillings, grilled on salamander or griller and then served. They are served hot.
10. Canapés: These are savory tidbits of food. They could be served hot or cold.
11. Zakuski: They are like canapés and are made with classical fillings for e.g toast covered with smoked fish and aspic jelly.

 

PARTS OF SANDWICH:

1. BASE: the base is used in sandwiches are bread, loafs etc.
2. Spreads: Spreads are the greasy and flavored butter or and emulsifying agents are used such as mayonnaise or hollandaise sauce.
3. Fillings: fillings like vegetables, meat chunks or fruits may be used to give a distinct flavor to the sandwiches.
4. Dressings: There are many types of dressing which may be used in the preparation of sandwiches but the basics are mayonnaise, tomato sauce, hollandaise or vinaigrette dressing. The dressing is mixed with the fillings and also may be served as an accompaniment with the dishes