FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE

Jambo, 

INTRODUCTION

To work in the hospitality service industry is a duty that should willingly and automatically come from the heart and not by force. A good reason why we(Hoteliers) call our customers "Guests" instead of referring to them as "Clients" or "Consumers." 

Just like in your own house/home, when you receive visitors(family or friends), you usually give them, the best of everything in your possession ie, a warm reception, the best food and beverages and it's service, best utensils, your best beddings, conversations and the list goes on and these recurs until the time of the guests' departure. The same applies or should reflect to the daily routine of hoteliers as hosts to their guests.

Every walk in or regular guest should be warmly received without Prejudice. Prejudice comes from two Latin words - Pre(before) and Judice(judge). It refers to the negative opinion, judgment, belief or feelings we hold about individuals because of their membership in/to certain groups or categories. It also means judging someone even before you really get to know him/er. Prejudice is mostly caused by, a person's skin color, language, culture, religion, nationality, family, sex, social status, age, etc. 

Everything should be done in certain and timely way/manner, thus reflecting the type of outlet. This article will help in expounding(to some extent) on Food and Beverage Service - Etiquettes, Attributes, Techniques and General Knowledge. 

TOPICS

a). Personal Grooming and Hygiene for Food and Beverage Service Staff. 

b). Attributes of Food and Beverage Service Staff. 

c). Restaurant Service Equipment. 

d). The Cover and Table Set Up. 

e). Principles of Food and Beverage. 

f). Order of Serving. 

A). PERSONAL GROOMING AND HYGIENE FOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE STAFF

1. Staff should always be clean and a moderate deodorant is recommended, avoid strong after shaves and perfumes. 

2. Sufficient and adequate sleep, healthy eating, drinking enough water, regular exercise is essential. 

3. Hands should be cleaned regularly, even without having visited the toilet. Nails should be short and uncolored. 

4. Gents should only have a neat trimmed moustache and beard. Avoid funky belts with big buckles. 

5. Ladies should wear light make up. Earrings should only be studs or sleepers. 

6. Shoes be comfortable, clean and of neat design. 

7. Cuts, Burns and Uncoated Pimples should be well dressed. 

8. Teeth should be brushed at least twice a day(morning and evening) or immediately after every meal if possible. 

9. Do not put silverware, crockery, service clothes, etc in your pockets. 

10. Avoid the following mannerisms when you are in the presence of guests:

*Chewing gum or eating, 

*Running fingers through your hair, 

*Touching your mouth, poking your nose or ears. 

*Scratching, 

*Drawing back mucus, 

*Pocketing, 

*Positioning your waist belt, 

*Smoking, 

*Blowing your nose, 

*Toothpick in your mouth,

*Over gazing at guests or listening to their conversations 

Some mannerisms cannot be 100% avoided, but can be done at the back of house, immediately followed by a wash of hands. 

B). ATTRIBUTES OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE STAFF 

What is expected:

1. Knowledge of food and beverage

One should have sufficient knowledge of all items on the menu, preparation, service and pricing. 

2. Punctuality 

Reporting to work, time in/out in one's station should be observed. One should be in his/her station 15min before time to enable proper handing over from fellow mates, supervisor or manager. 

3. Local knowledge 

First know your establishment, then it's surroundings. Daily happenings, local attractions(positive), etc Examples - Nearest Taxis, Dry cleaners, how many minutes to the airport, etc. 

4. Personality 

Staff should be tactful, courteous, good mannered, intelligent and of even temper(slow to anger). 

5. Honesty 

Don't tell lies, speak the truth and gain trustworthiness. 

6. Loyality

Never reveal company secrets, work plans, etc. Input extra time for your employer, do not steal - it affects profits. 

7. Attitude 

Develop positive attitude to guests, look at them as being the purpose of your work or business and not as a bother. 

8. Reliability 

Be dependent and strive to work on your own with minimal or no supervision. 

9. Memory 

Good memory is an asset of a good F & B service staff. This helps identify things like particular/certain guests' dis/likes. 

10. Sales ability 

The service staff being a sales person, should have good sales ability and knowledge of all items being offered and their correct service styles. Be able to contribute to personal selling and merchandising. 

11. Conduct 

This should be impeccable and followed to the letter at all time, from first guest contact to their departure. House policies and regulations should be keenly observed. 

12. Sense of urgency 

The staff being sales persons' and in order for the establishment to penetrate maximum amount of business in a certain period with a high net profit as possible, the staff must develop a sense of urgency. 

13. Guest satisfaction 

The service staff must ensure that the guests have all they require and that they are completely satisfied before leaving the premise. 

14. Guest Complains

The staff should have a pleasant manner and show that they are courteous and keep into consideration of any guest complaints, even if it involves calling a fellow workmate of higher position than his/her's to intervene(on how to better the situation). 

15. A team player 

This is simply working hand in hand with fellow workmates, either peers, lower or higher levels in peace and harmony, without looking or gauging the size or percentage of work they are doing. Though it's good to always be neutrally sharp, because some people could/would also take advantage of your ever willing to help policy. 

C). RESTAURANT SERVICE EQUIPMENT 

They are divided into seven categories, ie (1) Linen, (2) Glassware, (3) Chinaware, (4) Silverware, (5) Furniture, (6) Accessories, (7) Bar Equipment. 

1) Linen 

These are textile material used in the restaurant, eg Tables Clothes, Guest Napkins, Wiping Clothes, Napperons, Tray Mats, Skirting Clothes, Moltons, etc

* A Napperon is used in saving laundering of the main table cloth and reduce the color monotony. 

* A Molton has three functions, (i) keeps the guest comfortable, (ii) reduces noise when one is setting the table, (iii) holds the the table cloth from sliding. 

2) Glassware 

They include: Beer Mugs, Long Tumblers, Short Tumblers, Cognac Snifters, Brandy Balloons, Red Wine, White Wine, Water Goblet, Moselle, Collins, High Ball, Champagne Flute/Tulip/Shallow, Whiskey Tumbler, Harricane, Old Fashion Whiskey Tumbler, Sherry Capita, Liqueur, Shot, Fancy(any other funky glasses mostly used in cocktails). 

3) Chinaware 

They include: Meat Plates, Entrée Plates, Soup Bowls and Saucers, Consommé Cups and Saucers, Side Plates, Dessert Plates, Tea Cups and Saucers, Sugar Dishes, Salt and Pepper Shakers, Flower Vases, etc. 

4) Silverware 

Majority of them are Cutlery eg Meat Knives/Forks, Steak Knives/Forks, Soup Spoons, Dessert Spoons/Forks/Knives, Fish Slicers/Forks, Cake Slicers, Tea Spoons, Mocca Spoons, Service Covers, Snail Forks/Knives, Oyster Forks, Lobster Scrapers/Forks, Serving Tongs, Serving Spoons, Soup Ladles, Hot Platter Plates, Chafing Dishes, etc

5) Furniture 

These are basically restaurant eg Tables, chairs, Cocktail Table/Stools, Side Boards, etc, be it of any nature(wooden, metallic or plastic). 

6) Accessories 

They include: Salt and Pepper Shakers, Toothpick Holders, Ash Trays, Service Trays, Table Numbers, Bread Buskets, Reservation Boards, Red Wine Buskets, White Wine Stands, Flower Vases, Tent Card Holders, Bill Folders, Candle Holders, etc. 

7) Bar Equipment 

They are: Tot Measures, Bar Knife, Bar Sieve, Cocktail Shaker, Cork Screw, Tin Opener, Bottle Opener, Blender, Blender, Bar Hammer, Ice Crusher, Fruit Juice Squeezer, White Wine Coolet, Ice Bucket, Tongs, Bar Spoons, Chopping Board, Wiping Clothes, Dustbins, Extention Cables, Fridges, Ice Makers, etc

Handling Restaurant Equipment

1. Linen

Should be clean, unstained, starched, ironed and not torn.

* Always face the entrance when laying the table clothes, so that you can guests walking in.

2. Glassware

Clean, wipe, steam then polish.

3. Furniture

Check for stability on stands and joints.

4. Chinaware

Clean and wipe, avoid chipped or broken items.

5. Accessories

Fill menages - Add few rice grains inside the salt shakers to minimize moisture in the salt caused by naked air exposure through the eye holes. Flowers vase should be clean, change water and replace an worn out flower with a fresh one. Always wipe soiled accessories(table Mats, menus, etc). 

6. Silverwares

Clean, wipe, dip into hot water then polish.

7. Bar equipment

Always ensure that everything is in good working condition before starting shifts. 

*it's very embarrassing when a guest sits at the bar counter, then your in and out of the bar, to either get something or assistance, in order for you to deliver his/her order.

D) THE COVER AND TABLE SET UP

The Cover 

The Cover/s is/are determined by the number of pax(guests) that are going to be set for, in a particular table and the type of food and service being offered.

The Covers are general restaurant items that are set on the table before or during the guests' stay(sit down for a meal), eg table mats, forks, knives, glasses, etc. They are to be laid symmetrically.

Forks, side plates, butter knives are to be laid on the left side of the cover, ie per guest. 

Spoons and knives to the right of the cover.

Glasses are set on the front right side of the cover.

General accessories should be placed at the center of the table, for easy reach of all guests.

The cover should not be over burdened, extra or additional items should be laid in the side board.

Different Table Set Ups

E) PRINCIPLES OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE 

1. Beverage should be served from the right side of the guest. 

2. Plated food should be served right side of the guest, except for a plated side salad. 

3. The waitstaff should not reach across the table when carrying out table service. 

4. Food from the platter plate should be served from the left side of the guest, using either a pair of service covers or a service tong. 

5. Before placing or picking any kind of item from the table, the service staff should first announce their presence to avoid accidents that may occur by unconsult movements from the guests being served. 

F) ORDER OF SERVING 

The following order of serving is applied when more than one guest is eating. One guest must have precedence before the others. So below are some guidelines for the order of serving. 

1. When a woman and a man or a couple are/is eating together, - Serve the lady first. 

2. When two couples are eating together, - Serve the lady on the host's right first, then the other lady, then the gentleman and end with the host. 

3. When three couples are eating together, the host and the hostess sit facing each other, - Serve the lady on the host's right first, then the lady on the host's left second, then the hostess, then the gentlemen and finally the host. 

4. When serving more than six people and they are all eating together, - Serve the person on host's right first and then serve all other guests in clockwise. Alternatively, serve the lady on the host's right first, then the lady on his left, then all guests, continously round from the host's right. 

5. In other situations and when it is not apparent who is the host or hostess, then the following order prevails:

(i) Old before young, 

(ii) Ladies before gentlemen, 

(iii) Children before ladies. 

but

When serving diplomats and senior government people, according to etiquette - the visiting president, minister or diplomat of either sex should be served first, the host immediately after, then the lady on the host's left, then the lady on host's host's right, then finally all other guests starting with ladies. 

CONCLUSION 

Working in hospitality, especially when your duty is tending/serving guests' tables in a fast paced environment should be a self driven calling and not by force. You should learn to leave your personal issues out of the premise's perimeter and enter into a new realm of serving with a courteous smile. If your troubles are too much of a burden and might affect your ability of delivering quality guest experience, kindly involve your immediate Supervisor or Manager to advise you on the way forward or give you a pardon. 

If at any given time you feel that guests are bothering you by requesting for your service or you are finding it hard to follow the laid down procedures, then my friend you are in wrong industry. You can try Accounts, Construction, Plumbing, Farming, etc, there no one will ask you to wipe soiled tables or pick up used wet serviettes. 

See you at the comments section. 

We are hoteliers and hospitality is our business! 

Regards...