Service Styles Classical French Most elegant and elaborate

Service Styles

Classical French ¨ Most elegant and elaborate style. ¨ More labor intensive and time consuming ¨ Teamwork is used called the Brigade system

Classical French ¨ Tableside service is used, therefore special equipment is required ¨ Preparing dishes in the dining room leaves no room for error ¨ The entire staff must work together

General rules of French service ¨ All food and beverages are served from the right, with the right hand ¨ All food is cleared from the right except bread and butter ¨ Servers always walk around the table in a clockwise direction ¨ Not all food is prepared in the kitchen ¨ Food may be prepared or plated tableside using a gueridon

General rules of French service ¨ Plates prepared in the kitchen must arrive when tableside plates are ready ¨ Plates may be presented under a dome cover, called a sous cloche ¨ Use of show plates and service plates are used ¨ Show plates are removed one the guest has ordered and replaced with service plates ¨ When napkins are used, they should not cover the logo on the plates

Advantages ¨ Very personalized ¨ Very elegant and stylized ¨ Food is prepared with finesse and flair

Disadvantages ¨ More servers are required, more labor ¨ Highly skilled servers required ¨ Costly equipment is needed ¨ Fewer seats available in the dining room ¨ Takes longer to serve the guests, therefore fewer table turns ¨ Menu prices are higher to cover the costs

The Brigade ¨ Chef de Service- dining room manager – Hires and trains staff – Ensures proper set up of the dining room – Dining room inventory – Orders supplies – Supervises reservations – Schedules – Seats guests – Customer complaints, issues

Chef de Rang ¨ Captain – Tables are positioned correctly – Equipment is ready – Greats guests – Is attentive to verbal and nonverbal communication of the guests – Prepares food tableside – Takes the orders

Commis de rang ¨ Front waiter – Responsible for service – Beverage order – Opening wine – Assisting table maintenance – Flatware

Commis De Suite ¨ Back Waiter – brings all food from the back to the service area – Presents platters – Coordinates orders with the chef

Commis Debarrasseur ¨ Busser – Bread, butter, water – Clearing table – Resetting table *note- in most European countries, bread is served upon request

Sommelier ¨ Wine Steward – Selling and serving wines – Helping guests chose wine – Wine inventory – Pricing wines

Tableside Preparation ¨Assembling ¨Saucing or garnishing ¨Sauteing, Flambeing ¨Carving, Deboning

Wagon Service ¨ Carving Station ¨ Less skill required than French Service ¨ Illusion of being more elaborate ¨ Helpful in selling specials

Russian service ¨ Formal banquets, Elegant restaurants ¨ All food is completely prepared and portioned ¨ Servers have a clean towel draped over their left forearm ¨ Beverages and empty plates are placed to the right of the guest ¨ Counterclockwise

Russian Service ¨ Serving Sets are used, never two of the same utensil ¨ Served with the right hand from the left of the guest

Family Style ¨ Placed in the center of the table ¨ Appropriate serving utensil placed to the side of the dish ¨ Guests serve themselves, and pass the food

Advantages of Family Service ¨ Cost effective ¨ Sense of good value ¨ Helps maintain informal atmosphere

Disadvantages ¨ Lacks service ¨ No expertise in plate presentation ¨ Portion control is minimized ¨ A lot of waste

Butler Service ¨ Server carries the hors d’oeuvre tray and presents the guest with a napkin ¨ Napkins fanned in a spiral and held in the right hand ¨ Appropriate toothpicks and frills ¨ Tray jacks and stands must be provided