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After reading this chapter, you should be able to:• Identify and describe the all major service styles.• Identify and define FOH and BOH positions as they
relate to service.• Identify and explain the uses of various service wares.• Compare and contrast the difference between Classical
Dining, American Fine Dining, and Casual Dining Service.
• Explain and apply the procedures of greeting and seating customers in a full-service restaurant.
• Food service is much more than the serving of food. It may represent:– An insult to someone’s religion.– An important celebration or business transaction.– The only rest time of their day.– Something they were looking forward to for a long time.
• Some of the stations of the classical brigade:– Chef du Cuisine: the Head Chef; in charge of the kitchen– Sous Chef: second in charge of the kitchen– Saucier: in charge of sautéed items and soups, sauces– Poissonier: in charge of seafood dishes– Grillardin: in charge of grilled dishes– Friturier: in charge of fried– Rotisseur: in charge of roasted items, mostly meats– Entremetier: in charge of warm vegetables– Garde-Manger: in charge of cold food and salads– Patissier: in charge of pastries
• As kitchens progressed and less food was prepared from scratch, the many of the positions were combined.
• Typical positions present in fine-dining FOH:– Sommelier (chef de vin)– Dining Room Manager (maître d’hotel /maître d’)– Head Waiter (chef de sale)– Captain (chef d’étage)– Front Waiter (chef de rang) – Back Waiter (demi-chef de rang or commis de rang or
• Place Settings– Every establishment has its own variation.– Each claims to be the correct interpretation. – Variations come from a blend of:• Etiquette books • Regions • Time periods• Necessity• Practicality
• Casual Place Setting– Use: casual dining to upscale casual dining– Courses included: bread and water, salad, main meal, coffee– Left of plate: salad fork, dinner fork– Right of plate: dinner spoon, dinner knife– Top left: bread and butter plate (B&B)– Top right: water glass– Optional: salad fork, B&B, butter knife on B&B, table
covering, which may be glass over cloth, paper, linen, or matted– Variations:
• Flatware may be wrapped in napkin or ring. • Fork(s) can be on top of napkin and/or higher-quality
• Formal Place Setting– Use: upscale dining establishments, 3 Stars/Diamonds– Courses included: bread and water, soup, salad, appetizer, entree,
dessert– Left of plate: appetizer fork, salad fork, dinner fork, dessert fork– Right of plate: dinner knife, salad knife, dinner spoon, soup spoon,
teaspoon– Top left of plate: B&B– Top right of plate: water glass, red wine glass, white wine glass– Optional: Plate may not be present. Contemporary interpretations may
disregard many rules. Symmetry and space allowance may also take precedence in arrangement.
– Variations: Flatware may be set with each course.– Rules: Linen tablecloths, no disposable cloths, flatware set in order of
use from the outside working inward, knives turned inward toward plate.
• Dinner service is the term used to describe service of food.• Typical pattern of a sit-down dinner service is:
1. Greet the guests. 2. Seat the guests. 3. Take the drink orders. 4. Serve the drinks. 5. Take the dinner orders. 6. Serve the dinner orders.7. Clear the dinners.8. Wrap any leftovers.9. Present the bill.
• American Service– Alias: Full-service, sit-down service, plated service– Formality: Medium to high– Dynamics: Food is plated in the kitchen and brought out to the customers
• Buffet– Alias: Smorgasbord– Formality: Low to medium– Dynamics: Food is displayed on long tables. Guests pick up their own
plate and choose their food. Can be assisted or unassisted. • Butler Service
– Alias: Passed– Formality: High– Dynamics: The same as Russian service, except that guests help
themselves from the platter. They use the platter utensils. The guests may be standing, as in a reception, or seated at a table.
• Counter Service– Alias: Limited service– Formality: High– Dynamics: Typical in fast-food settings, ordered, prepared in the kitchen,
served at the counter. Other variations involve customers making choices as their orders are made in an assembly line, such as at Subway or Chipotle. Also, some will finish in the kitchen and bring it to your table.
• Cafeteria Service– Formality: Low– Dynamics: Guests choose particular items from a display or buffet and then are
charged accordingly at the register. May also be one set price, as in college dining halls.
– Skill: Low • Dim Sum Service
– Formality: Medium– Dynamics: Many different carts are wheeled to your table periodically or
platters are brought to your table; you choose what you would like. There is typically a system of stamping a card or the like for billing purposes.
• English Service– Other names: Family style (similar)– Formality: High– Dynamics: Resembles gathering of families. All fully-cooked in the kitchen. Mimics
home-style cooking. Platters from the kitchen are brought to the head of the table or the host for inspection then set on table or passed. Typically in a private room instead of a main dining room. Variations—leaving salad in middle of table. Guests pass it around the table, or the captain serves around the table.
• French Service– Other names: Tableside service– Formality: High– Dynamics: Tableside preparation of food in front of customer. Crepes, or bananas Foster
is common in Americanized versions.– Skill: High
• Russian Service– Other names: Platter service– Formality: High– Dynamics: Food is prepared in the kitchen and served on platters instead of plates. Plates
are set and desired portions are served from the platters with fork-over-spoon manipulation. Platter held in left and spoon/fork with right.
• Computers are now ubiquitous – Map or Google Street view. – Can look at other customers’ ratings. – Customer profiles.– Reservations can be made online. – Orders may be taken on a wireless system or input into
a computer at a server station. – Orders are routed to the appropriate stations.– Secure payments are accepted. – Redundancy and reliability are built into the system.
• Common in dining• Complimentary desert • Can lose meaning when done incorrectly. • Special drinks, sparklers, hats, and even rose petals. • Considerations– Make it fitting to the level of service you provide.– Make it easy to tolerate for the others in the restaurant.– Make it appropriate for the level of attention that the
• Serving Children– Let the parents serve the children. – Give the parents an out, • offering food to go or an area where they can walk
with the child until the child is calm.– Remember that you are a stranger. – Follow the lead of the parents. – Don’t place the children in high chairs. – Place lids on cups when possible, and do not add ice.– Remove knives, flames, and anything else from the
reach of the child.– Check the floor when you present the check.
1. List and briefly describe three reasons why BOH and FOH employees might argue.
2. Outline the primary differences between French and Russian service.
3. How many more courses might a classical European fine-dining meal have than an Americanized version?
4. What are some of the most popular service styles at weddings?5. What is the French equivalent of the term dining room manager?6. In your opinion, what is the most common service style in the
United States?7. Should food be served from the left or right?8. Who was Escoffier, and what was his impact on food service?9. Why do you think that buffets are considered to be less formal?10. What is the purpose of table numbers?