Food Service Styles

• What is your favorite restaurant of all time?

• What makes it your favorite?

• How is the service?

• What are the roles of the waitresses and waiters?

5 Major Styles of Table Service

• French

• Russian

• American

• Buffet

• Family Style

Dining Room Brigade(Brigade de Service)

A ss is tan t S erver(C om m is d e S u ite )

P rin c ip a l S erver(C om m is d e R an g e)

B u s P erson(C om m is D eb arrasseu r)

Tab le C ap ta in(C h e f d e R an g e)

W in e S tew ard(S om m elie r)

D in in g R oom M an ag er(M a itre d 'H o te l)

French Service

• Basis of evolution of all other styles• Most detailed of styles• Purest form-6 person dining room brigade• Seating

– maitre d’hotel selects station and assigns guests to table-can designate guest status

• Menu Presentation– principal server presents menu, takes preliminary beverage

order (cocktail)– table captain takes food orders

French Service, con’d

• Wine selection– wine steward offers wine list, offers suggestions for

appropriate wine choices

– wines may be purchased by glass or bottle

• Table Service– 8 courses served: appetizer, soup, fish, intermezzo

sorbet (clear palate), meat, salad, dessert, cheese

– principal server and bus person responsible for all table clearing and resetting

French Service, con’d

• Table-Side Cooking– traditional in French service for salad, some

entrees and flambeed desserts– principal waiter works from geridon (roll cart)

with a rechaud small open flame heating unit

Russian Service

• Generally used for banquets that involve table seating for 6-12 guests

• All food fully prepared in kitchen and arranged on serving dishes

• Servers bring food to table and distribute by portion to guests

• Entrees are placed on platters

American Service

• Most prevalent in American restaurants

• Dramatically reduces number of servers

• All food cooked and plated in kitchen

• Stainless steel covers used to keep food warm in banquet service

• Minimizes serving equipment and cleanup

• Food portions tightly controlled, aiding profitability

What restaurants have you been to that serves “American” Style?

Buffet Service

• Variety of food items set on tables

• Guests help themselves

• Many are “all-you-can-eat”• Some offer carving stations and service staff to

assist guests

• Elaborate decorations add visual appeal and reinforce cuisine or theme

• Informal-guests pick up flatware; Formal-place settings at table; wait staff-beverages

What restaurants serve buffet style in Lincoln?

Family Style Service

• Often called English service

• All food brought to table on platters or in bowls

• Guests pass the dishes and serve themselves with serving utensils

• Increases possibility of spread of disease– Why?

Where have you had family service dining?

Sequence of Service

1. Welcome guest 9. Serve salad

2. Seat guest 10. Clear salad

3. Present menu 11. Serve entree

4. Beverage order 12. Clear entree

5. Menu Order 13. Offer dessert menu

6. Serve bread, butter 14. Serve after dinnerbeverages

7. Serve appetizer 15. Clear dessert

8. Clear appetizer 16. Present check

Rules for Table Service

• Serve food with left hand from guest’s left

• Beverages - right hand from guest’s right

• Position plates attractively, entrée in front of guest

• Clear dishes-right hand, guest’s right

Optional Service Rules

• Dessert service– for visual impact, serving tray or dessert cart– soft desserts, already dished– desserts on carts or trays are pre-portioned and

on plate

• Salad service– if separate course, set in front of guest– if served with another course, place to left

The Serving Profession

• Servers among most important staff members--------Why?

• Poorly trained servers-low sales, no-return• Satisfaction in gratification of helping people enjoy

themselves• Demanding on time and energy

– 6-7 days per week– 12-14 hour days sometimes required– often working when friends are “off”

Think about your favorite restaurant….

1. Out of the five dining styles we talked about, which is the closest to your favorite restaurant?

2. What characteristics of your restaurant make you believe it is a ________ dining service?

3. In your own words, describe buffet dining service.

4. In your own words, summarize French service.

5. In your own words, describe family style dining.