HTM 2514 Chapter 9 Lecture 17 Outline of Last Lecture I. Plated Service OptionsII. Table SettingIII. Staffinga. Most common service positionsb. UniformsOutline of Current Lecture I. Menu a. Standardized menusb. Items on the menuc. Unique Preparation MethodsCurrent LectureI. Menua. Centerpiece of the catering function is usually the foodi. Food must look good, taste great and be affordable and profitableii. The food should distinguish you from the competitioniii. In order to be successful, caterers must have multiple event-driven menusto meet various needs and budgets of their clients b. Standardized Menus:i. Basics:1. Offer variety of food, beverages and service styles2. These can be presented to each client regardless of client’s needs3. Internally they may exist as standard menu “A” “B” “C” and “D”4. The client selects the menu with the best fit to their needs and price rangeii. Advantages of Standardized Menus:1. Simplification of inventory2. A limited menu based on the skill level of the staff and the layout of the kitchenThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.3. Predetermined costs (caterers can control food costs) and contribution to profit marginsiii. Disadvantages of Standardized Menus:1. The possible lack of creativity2. Working on a tight budget3. A predetermined profit marginiv. *Regardless of how standardized the menu is, chefs understand that certain foods work well for some events but not others 1. Food that is great for an a la carte experience in a restaurant may not work when mass producing it for a 150 person budgeta. Because of this – chef/event planner will suggest certain menu items depending upon eventc. Items on a Menu:i. Meats1. Roasts work well for large scale events due to their size2. Pan-seared and sautéed meats cook individually and do NOT hold as well for large events3. Braised meats are not popular due to the perception that they arecheapii. Fish and Shellfish1. These items are most costly and have a shorter shelf life. They do no hold well after cooking and thus are not often used for buffets unless they are thicker cuts of oily fish2. However, lobster, shrimp, etc. will work well and are usually served coldiii. Vegetables1. Green vegetables are the least stable but most popular choice of clients2. Most often, veggies are cooked in advance, often in steamers or boiled and then reheated closer to service3. Green vegetables that are good for batch cooking & reheating include asparagus, broccoli, and green beansiv. Starches1. Most starches can be used successfully in banquet operations2. Rice reheats well when placed in hotel pans, wrapped in plastic3. Pasta does not hold up well when batch cooked but baked pasta dishes are easier to execute4. Most potato dishes can be prepared and held easilyd. Creative Preparation Techniques:i. The fact that some foods will not hold up well in a banquet environment does NOT mean that the client will not ask for that menu item1. Chefs can creatively brine, dry cure, or batch cook items in order to help hold timesii. Brining – form of “wet” curing1. Usually made from salt, water, sugar and spices2. Serves to enhance flavor and keep it moist during cooking3. Fattier products will take longer to brineiii. Dry Curing – same ingredients as brine (wet cure) but WITHOUT liquid1. Works better for smaller, leaner cuts of meat2. Seafood can also use this method!iv. Batch Cooking – menu items that DON’T hold well can be cooked using this method1. More labor intensive, attention to timing is VERY important2. Much more difficult to attain for off-premise caterers due to impossible equipment