Upload
ezra-pope
View
232
Download
0
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Chapter 11
Buffets
Chapter 11 Objectives
Understand the phases of buffet events Recognize the importance of concepts
and themes Explain how to plan a buffet menu,
including a breakfast buffet Identify how price ranges are central
to planning a buffet Discuss how to meet and exceed guest
expectations
Chapter 11 Objectives
Explain the role of action stations in a buffet, including raw bars, pasta stations, and omelet stations
Explain mise en place and production for buffets
Design a buffet to be both effective and attractive
Understand how to enhance food presentation
Describe the importance of centerpieces and displays, including ice carvings
Banquet Chef Work Phases
1. The concept or theme is identified so that planning can begin.2. The menu, price, and theme are worked out together.3. The chef prepares plans for the layout and setup of the buffet lines, tables, and platters. 4. The actual production and display of the food, flows directly from the planning and preparation in the preceding stages.
Buffet Use in Foodservice Industry All facets of the foodservice industry
have found effective uses for buffets: Fast food outlets Supermarkets and delis Family or multi-unit restaurants Fine-dining establishments Corporate and institutional dining
Concepts and Themes
The season, weather, and the guests’ comfort and expectations hold together the theme
A buffet may center on: A particular meal period Special occasion Holiday Ethnic presentation
Concepts and Themes
A featured concept buffet is designed to attract guests to a restaurant
The chef chooses foods for these buffets that have wide appeal and that work to improve the operation’s bottom line
Examples: Sunday brunch Pasta buffet Seafood buffet
Menu Development for Buffets Menu development is a process aimed at
crafting a menu that satisfies the guest or client as well as makes a profit for the operator
It is the responsibility of the banquet chef to consider all aspects of the banquet: Overall theme Price range Guest’s expectations
Menu Development for Buffets First, review the concept or theme and
establish the appropriate menu selections for the buffet
Some menu items may be drawn from previous events where you already know what they cost to make and serve
New items can be used to reflect popular trends, customize a menu for a special event, or introduce a new concept or theme
The Menu
The food is generally the focal point for the guest
The successful banquet chef generates and executes menus that please guests whether they are looking for a global flare or traditional elegance
Buffet style service offers guests: Variety The freedom to choose from different categories The option of unlimited portions
Price Range
Establish the price range for any buffet at the outset of planning
The price range determines, to some extent, the number of options that can be offered as well as the specific ingredients or dishes you choose
Factors to consider: The competition’s price for comparable buffet Your guest’s expectations or special requests Any special conditions or limitations on the
menu or the service
Meeting and Exceeding Expectations From the guests’ point of view, two of the
main advantages of buffets are the variety of choices and the amount of food offered
A careful review process for every menu item identifies areas you can improve, modify, or adapt to meet all of your objectives: Great food Great service A great experience A profit
Action Stations
Foods are made, sliced, or presented to the guests’ order, as the guests watch
A good way to introduce interaction between the guests and the staff
These stations add to the overall cost of the buffet because you need a skilled person cooking and you may need extra equipment like burners or refrigeration
Yet these stations draw a higher cost
Action Stations
Examples: Raw Bar Omelet station Pasta station Carving station
Raw Bar
It is important to use only the freshest and highest quality shellfish for raw bar service
All raw shellfish must come with a tag stating the point of origin, the date of harvest, and the wholesale grower and seller
Raw Bar: Oysters
Oysters are commonly eaten raw Four species of oysters cultivated for
consumption:1. Atlantic Oyster2. Pacific Oyster3. European Flat Oyster4. Kumamoto Oyster
Raw Bar: Oysters
Flavor profiles: Warm water oysters are mild, with a
buttery flavor, and a creamy texture Cold water varieties are characteristically
briny, with a metallic flavor, and a firm, crisp texture
Raw Bar: Clams
Clams served raw on the half shell are much less common than oysters
Only varieties of hard-shell clams are served raw: Littlenecks Topnecks Cherrystones
Raw Bar: Steamed Mussels
The majority of the mussels purchased today are cultivated: Better meat to shell ratio than wild mussels More uniform in size Cleaner Less frequently have broken shells
Raw Bar: Cooked Shrimp
Head-on shrimp may be purchased to provide a dramatic display, although, unless purchased very fresh, they are generally of lesser quality
Shrimp are available as: Small Large Jumbo PUD (peeled un-deveined) PND (peeled and deveined) IQF (individually quick frozen)
Raw Bar: Steamed Crabs
Claws are generally the only part of the crab that is served
Crab claws are most often purchased cooked, either in or out of the shell
The most common crabs served on a raw bar include: King Snow Jonah Dungeness Stone Crabs
Raw Bar Safety
In order to ensure the safety of a raw bar, purchase depurated oysters, clams, and mussels
Depuration is a system that purges the shellfish of impurities and sand
The process occurs when the shellfish are placed in tanks and fresh water is pumped throughout
It is advisable to purchase cultivated oysters, clams, and mussels because they are generally cleaner and safer
Service Instructions for Raw Bar All shellfish should be scrubbed Held on ice between 35° and 40°F for
only two to three days The chef can either shuck the shellfish
and create plates to order or shuck the shellfish and place the different varieties onto a platter or ice bed where the guests can help themselves and ask the chef questions
Service Instruction for Raw Bar Popular
accompaniments: Lemons Cocktail sauce Hot sauce
(Tabasco) Vinegars Salsas Seaweed salad Mignonette sauce
Equipment: Ice Shucking knives Gloves Self-straining
displays
Omelet Station
Usually used at a weekend breakfast or brunch
Having mise en place in order is crucial
Safety considerations need to be addressed to ensure that all of the items on the omelet station remain out of the danger zone at all times
Pasta Station
May feature any number of combinations of: Sauces Types of pastas Main ingredients like poultry, beef, pork,
cured meats, or shellfish
Mise en Place and Production for Buffets After menu development, information about the
number or count to be prepared and portioning is finalized
Chefs rely upon information from previous buffets to make an educated guess on how much food to prepare
Portions for buffets are typically smaller than for à la carte service
The banquet chef organizes food production to: Maximize the quality of the food Lower the overall labor cost To cut down on food loss
Arranging Foods
An interesting and challenging aspect of cooking for a buffet is that you must make large quantities of food and then portion it into many small pieces
Clean cuts, straight edges, and precise angles show off the foods’ color, texture, and shape
The spacing between pieces and between other lines should be as regular as possible
Slicing and Sequencing
Makes it possible to create strong lines from foods that are not perfectly regular in shape and size
A grosse pièce is a large piece of the sliced item you are displaying
Tools used: Knives A steel Holding tray Plastic wrap or dampened towel
Number and Placement of Lines and Stations In a buffet, the food is on display as it
is being served to the guest During a buffet, the chef’s challenge is
to display the food: Attractively Thematically Logically Functionally
Number and Placement of Lines and Stations The number of guests directly affects the
number of lines and stations you will need
Buffet lines should be placed so that there is an adequate amount of room to walk around them
The buffet should make it easy for guests to access the food, as well as for attendants to serve guests or replenish the line
Number and Placement of Lines and Stations Lines and stations should not block
entrances, emergency exits, or other doors used by either the servers or the guests
Account for elements in the room, such as pillars or columns, to avoid placing a line or station to close to these immovable objects
Stations
Smaller stations, sometimes referred to as satellite or action stations, break up the traditional “line” for a more contemporary service style
With stations, you can: Showcase special items or cooking
demonstrations Encourage interaction between the guests and
the attendants Make traffic flow more smoothly through the
room
Table Configuration and Set up Can:
Improve access to food Make replenishing unobtrusive and
efficient Control the flow of traffic by speeding or
slowing it Maintain the appearance of a bountiful,
varied display throughout the meal
Linens
The Roman Empire is responsible for tablecloths
At Roman feasts, tablecloths were long enough to be used as napkins
Napkins were reserved as “doggy bags”
Service Pieces Most common service pieces:
Platters Steam tables Chafing dishes Bowls
Serving tools: Spoons Ladles Tongs Spatulas
Pre-plating
Advantages: For the guest, pre-
plating adds elegance and ease to a self-service line or station
For the chef, it means better control over portioning and far less waste
Disadvantages: Increase labor and
service costs Plates take up more
valuable space on the line than a platter
The wait staff will need to work harder at replenishing such a display
Garnishes
Garnishes can be used to add appeal to a dish: Visually Texturally Flavorfully
When the only purpose for a garnish is to add a shape or a color, find a better option
The Role of Design
The banquet chef’s task is to exploit the full sensory potential of every dish to create a presentation that is practical, functional, and appealing to all the senses
The Role of Design Considerations for food presentation:
Functional and practical Balance Food’s natural color Texture Cooking method/technique Food height and shape Focal point Strong, clean lines Platter’s layout (symmetrical or asymmetrical)
Arrangement of Items on a Line General guidelines:
Items are easy to see Items are easy to reach Items are easy to serve Keep foods that might drip or spill closest to
the guests Use pedestals and similar devices to lift some
platters higher Keep hot foods near a one another, likewise
group chilled foods in their own area Place sauces and condiments directly with the
foods they accompany
Centerpieces and Displays
Some traditional centerpieces and displays include: Ice sculptures Salt sculptures Tallow sculptures Floral arrangements Fruit or vegetable displays Bread display Wine display
Ice Carving and Sculptures There are two sources of ice blocks:
1. Natural ice from frozen lakes2. Commercial ice produced in icehouses
Typical blocks of ice weigh 300 pounds The ice should be:
Free of rough edges Clean Clear Free from impurities and bubbles Should not have a cloudy core, sometimes
referred to as feathered ice
Ice Carving Tools
Include: Chain saws (most common) Augers Disk sanders Drimmels Routers Drill bits Irons Gum remover or freeze spray