PART A Answers Check it out from Test Book............
Part B
Ans 1: Buffet breakfast is very popular in large hotels today, served mainly in the coffee shop.
The buffet breakfast as comparatively new development in breakfast service in India offers most of the dishes in an American breakfast along with Indian breakfast options. Some of the dishes like the eggs, sausages etc are mostly served to add value. The spread is extensive with a large choice of dishes usually segregated into different sections like the juice dispensers, the cereal dispensers, the bread section, the hot beverages area etc.
Advantages: This adds eye appeal and helps to spread the guests. Many hotels offer the buffet breakfast complimentary with the room tariff – this encourages the guest to come down to the coffee shop for their breakfast thereby reducing the rush in the room service.
Ans 2: Functions of a control system: A good control system is put in place essentially to check areas where selling of food and beverage takes places.
A good control system essentially should be simple for the staff to operate and there should be enough points of counter check so that, errors may be nullified and highlighted by departments like controls, accounts etc.
The following are the main functions of a good control system:
1. Controls should begin from where the raw materials enter the establishment ie., purchases and storing.
2. The system should ensure minimum pilferage at all stages of food-purchasing- receiving-storing-issuing-preparation-selling.
Ans 3: Room service is an integral part of the modern food and beverage service operations in hotels. Luxury hotels offer all day meals through, in room dining services with a dedicated work force working in shifts.
Room service is a captive service and its revenue is dependent on occupancy levels. Also it is staff intensive and involves high overhead costs. Invariably therefore, hotels charge extra for in room service.
However, early morning tea remains a domain of room service operations. Similarly invalid guests, elderly guests and long staying guests often prefer room service over restaurant service. Hence, room service can never actually be wished away although it is staff intensive and not as much a profit centre as compared to other F&B outlets like restaurants, bar or banquets.
Ans 4: Banquets are arranged of a comparatively large gathering of guest usually a minimum of 15 persons
Conferences, symposiums, conclaves, birthday parties, cocktail parties held in exclusive halls are all examples of banquet functions
The success of a banquet is largely dependent on planning the event.
Types of Banquets:
(i) Highly formal functions: In this type step by step itinerary is prepared listing events to occur eg., functions in honor of visiting head of states called STATE BANQUETS, ANNUAL GENERAL BODY MEETINGS etc.
(ii) Semi-formal functions: Conferences, Exhibitions, Seminars, Conclaves etc., where the function is conducted on formal lines followed mostly by a get together dinner or lunch which is informal.
Ans 5: A pantry is located between the restaurant and the kitchen. A pantry is actually a back-of-the-house area that has to be organized, supervised and stocked appropriately for smooth functioning of the restaurant.
A good pantry should have the following features: (any four to be mentioned)
1. There should be two service doors connecting the restaurant boldy marked IN and OUT. The doors should have a metal kicking base to withstand wear and tear.
2. A large box for collecting soiled linen should be placed adjacent to the door from where staff enter the pantry from the restaurant.
3. Large cupboards and working area for wiping and storing equipments should be provided.
4. Adjacent the entry into the pantry from the restaurant should be the dirties landing area leading to the dishwash.
5. The hot plate should be placed centrally not too far from either the restaurant or kitchen.
6. Separate garbage bins for wet and dry waste are to be provided.
Part C
Ans 1: Breakfast varies greatly from one country to another, one region to other. In India, for instance although the European dishes are becoming popular, yet a distinct set of breakfast dishes are found and essential to form a complete breakfast. Hotels in India offer a fixed choice of Indian breakfast items in the menu.
The Indian Breakfast variations found in hotels can be broadly classified into:
Eg. The north Indian breakfast consists of :
(a)A seasonal fresh fruit juice / seasonal fresh fruit / Lassi, a curd based drink served sweet, salted or spiced.
(b)Stuffed Parathas served with butter and pickle, Poori bhaji, Poha- a beaten rice preparation etc. Masala Tea- a readymade tea with added milk and spices.
Ans 2: American breakfast: It is a moderately heavy breakfast and along with continental breakfast, the most popular fixed breakfast choice offered by hotels today. A typical American breakfast offers:
(a) A choice of fresh or canned juices. Eg: orange, pineapple, grapefruits, sweet lime, watermelon, mango (canned), apple (canned), and tomato (canned) .
(b) A choice of breakfast cereals. Eg: cornflakes, wheat-flakes, muesli served with hot or cold milk or porridge.
(c) Eggs to order.
(Boiled / Poached / Omlette/Fried, scrambled served with toast and butter).
(d) Tea/Coffee.
Ans 3: Refer Page no 16
Ans 4: Centralized Room Service: This operation involves all orders being prepared by a centralized Kitchen and is sent to appropriate floors through a Service Elevator.
Decentralized Room Service: These are found in very large hotels where it is felt that a single kitchen cannot cater to all rooms. Each floor or a set of floors have separate pantries to service food and beverage orders to these floor / floors. The service lands to be faster.
Ans 5: (a) The success of banqueting is largely dependent on planning and organization of the events. Banquet briefing is an essential feature where all staff members are informed about the types of function, seating plan, menu, layout of hall, service timings, etc.
(b) The details of the menu, seating, arrangements etc., are communicated to all concerned departments as well as the banquet staff usually 72 hours in advance.
(c) Function rooms are so planned to have easy access to the Kitchen.
(d) All cutlery, glassware, flatware, crockery and hollow ware should be kept shining before guest arrival. All stations like food counters, cocktail bar, dais, podium, PA system A/V arrangement should all be checked, air conditioning to be switched on and ambient temperature maintained well before the guest arrival.
Ans 6: Fork Buffet: A fork buffet is a meal which can be eaten standing with a plate in one hand and a fork in the other. These are most suited to modern conference halls where space is a restraint. Fork buffets is ideally suited for service formal banquets and are today the most popularly used buffets especially for the day conferences.
Finger Buffet: As the name suggests finger buffets are the most informal type of buffet. They are most suited to guests who are standing, dancing or mingling with one another. Generally snacks are served on a finger buffet. Food offered can be eaten without cutlery. Mostly foods presented are bit size.
Ans 7: Functions of a Still room:
The main function of the still room is provision of food and beverages required during service which are not catered by the kitchen, larder or bakery. It also provides light food items at the time when the main kitchen is closed eg. at night, early morning breakfast requests. Orders of tea, coffee, juice, sandwich, toast, preserves, rolls,
butter, hot milk, hot water, canapés, boiled eggs, porridge etc are also catered to from the still room.
Ans 8: Crockery should be washed promptly, food should not dry on them.
· Scrape off sticky food particles before sending them into wash (manual or mechanized)
· Stack similar crockery before loading or washing this reduces breakages
· Keep the floor area near the wash dry. This reduces slips and falls.
· Ensure a soft water source for the cleaning. This makes soap more effective.
· The correct temperature of wash should be 65⁰C – 70⁰C for initial wash and 82⁰C – 88⁰C for final rinse.
· Detergent concentration and contact time with detergent with the articles should be according to manufacturers recommendations.
· Glasses should not come into contact with one another while wet in the wash cycle, they chip and crack.
· Use glass sterilizing detergent and not ordinary detergent for a glass wash.
· For hand wash use warm water not too hot.
Ans 9: Special Checks: F&B operations being an unpredictable and dynamic, there occur certain instances when special checks need to be written out. Some of these are as under:
1. Accident Check: These are made out when some accident occurs, like a dish gets dropped, the food would need to be replaced without any extra charge to the guest. A special check needs to be completed, headed “Accident” showing the number of portions to be replaced. The check is counter signed by the supervisor or manager.
2. Duplicate Check: In such situations when a check for some reason gets misplaced, the customer cannot be kept waiting, another check is made with the work duplicate inked boldly on top. In case the first check is found subsequently, only one is debited to the customer. The Head Waiter or Manager’s signature is essential to prevent dishonest use.
Ans10:Disaster management can be defined as planned steps taken to minimize the effects of a disaster, and to be able to proceed to business continuity stage. According to the Federal Emergency Management (FEMA), disaster management is defined as “the managerial function charged with creating the framework within which communities reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with disasters.”
General Preparedness:
1) Total chaos all around
2) Lack of utilities – which we have always taken for granted
3) No relief and rescue teams for a long time
4) Lack of medical facilities
Part D
Ans 1: Buffet: The term buffet can be used widely with regards to food service. At one end it could mean a type of service for dispensing sandwiches and other finger food whereas most often the term buffet indicates an elaborate mean of many courses laid out on a counter for guests to help themselves. The buffet could have a selection of hot and cold dishes. The food may sometimes be served by waiters in case of formal buffets. Usually buffets are the most common form of service in banquets and can cater to a large gathering of guests in a relatively small period of time.
Buffets use chafing dishes with heating facility to keep the food warm, cold food are presented in platters, bowls etc. and refrigerated well in advance, they may even be presented on a bed of crushed ice.
Food is presented on different elevated levels to give eye appeal. Buffets allow the chefs and the service staff to experiment and showcase their presentation skills.
Types of Buffet:
(a). Display Buffets: Usually set up in large restaurants they are meant to catch the guests’ eye. A large flower arrangement, vegetable and butter carvings, cakes and pastries, cold desserts and salads may all be presented on display buffets.
(b). Breakfast Buffets: They are usually laid in the coffee shop to offer guests a large choice of dishes to choose from. The breakfast offers international and national choice of dishes and often has some dishes being prepared “live”.
(c). Full Buffets: A full buffet is a display of food laid for lunch or dinner. Guests have tables and chairs. The tables are fully laid with cutlery, glassware and china. The buffet is decorated, well garnished and demonstrates the skill of the chef.
Ans 2: Refer page 49
