Celina Chan

World Learning
April 2015

Meal Project Analysis

Menu Development:
Theme: Toast to Spring Dinner ft. Mocktails & Heavy Hors doeuvres
Budget: $700
Menu:
Calamari
Bacon and Scallops
Swedish Meatballs
Eggplant Canaps
Smoked Salmon Canaps
Bruschetta
Raspberry Brie Filo Stars
Petit Fours

Watermelon Mint Mojito

Strawberry Daiquiri
Pina Colada
Champagne
Sparkling Sangria

Production:
Forecasting:
-25 people (students & administrators)
-Predicted: 10-12 pcs per person about 250-300pcs
Total: 263 pcs
Food

Portions

Calamari

48

Cost per
portion
$0.21

Bacon &
Scallops
Swedish
Meatball
s
Bruschet
ta
Eggplant
Canapes
Smoked
salmon
canapes
Raspberr
y Brie
Filo
stars
Petit
Four

38

$1.11

38

$0.09

38

$0.32

25

$0.14

38

$0.21

38

$1.25

36

$1.00

Mocktails

Portions

Watermelo
n Mint
Mojito
Sparkling
Sangria
Pina
Colada

to serve 20

Cost per
portion
$0.49

to serve 20

$0.25

to serve 25

$0.38

Champagn
e
Strawberry
Daiquiri

to serve 30

$0.10

to serve 20

$0.20

Mocktail

Recipe

Directions

Nutrient
Analysis
Per 1 serving:
(~8oz)
Calories: 128
kcal
Carb: 34g
Sugar: 33.7g
Fat: <1g
Protein: <1g

Watermelon
Mint Mojito

Portions 20:
15 cups watermelon
1/2 cup + 4Tbsp Sugar
5 cups Ice cubes
3 Liters Ginger ale
1 cup Mint Leaves
12 Limes

Sparkling
Sangria

Portions 20:
7 sliced Apples
32 oz sliced
strawberries
10 sliced oranges
2 liters Grape Juice
2 Liters Ginger ale

-Blend watermelon,
ice, and sugar into
blender. Set aside
-Pour into glass: half
watermelon mixture
and half ginger ale,
2 lime wedges, and
a few mint leaves.
Garnish with lime
wedge and mint leaf.
-Slice apples,
strawberries, and
oranges. Place in
large punch bowl
with grape juice. Set
aside to let soak.
-Before service, pour
in giner ale.

Pina Colada

Portions 25:
5 cups Ice cubes
30 oz crushed
pineapple
20 oz. pineapple juice
30 oz coconut milk

-Blend together all

ingredients.
-Serve with
pineapple triangle
for garnish

Per 1 serving:
(~8oz)
Calories: 91kcal
Carb: 6.8g
Sugar: 5g
Fat: 7.2g
Protein: 1g

Champagne

Portions 30:
2L ginger ale
1.5L pineapple juice
2L white grape juice

-Mix all ingredients

together
-(optional) Garnish
with 1-2 frozen
raspberries in glass

Per 1 serving:
(~8oz)
Calories: 84 kcal
Carb: 20g
Sugar: 18g
Fat: 0g
Protein: 0g

Strawberry
Daiquiri

Portions 20:
24 large strawberries
5 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups lime juice
1Liter Sprite
8 cups ice

-Blend all
ingredients together.
-Garnish with lime
wedge on rim of
glass

Per 1 serving:
(~8oz)
Calories:
231kcal
Carb: 60g
Sugar: 57g

Per 1 serving:
(~8oz)
Calories: 158
kcal
Carb: 40g
Sugar: 34g
Fat: <1g
Protein: 1g

Fat: <1g
Protein: <1g
Item's to "See attached":
-Invoices
-Prep and Planning sheets
-Pictures from Event -Customer Satisfaction Surveys
-Nutrient Analysis
-Recipes
-Pre and Post production sheets
Service Diagram:

Calamari
Eggplant
Bacon & Scallops

Meatballs

Salmon

Dirty dishes

Highbo
ys
Highbo
ys

THE
BAR

Champagne,
Petit Fours,
Rasp brie,
Sangria
Highbo
ys

Highbo
ys

Highbo
ys

Water,
Bruschetta

Dirty dishes

Leftovers:
Tomatoes- used for salad bar or deli
Cucumbers- used for salad bar
Eggplant- Ratatouille, or added to pasta
Pineapple, watermelon, strawberries- cut up for breakfast fruit, smoothies,
strawberry soup
Dill, Mint, Scallions, limes, basil- used for garnish
Petite Fours- put out for dessert
Crushed pineapple topping- used for pineapple pound cake dessert
Employees:
Melissa- Manager
Craig- Head Chef
Tracey- Cashier
Mary- Cashier
Bryer- Dish washer
Food
Calamari

Employe
e Work
CraigFried
Calamari

Equipme
nt used
Fryer

Mocktail
s
Waterme
lon Mint
Mojito

Bacon &
Scallops

Craigbaked

Oven

Sparklin
g
Sangria

Swedish
Meatball
s

CraigBaked

Oven

Pina
Colada

Bruschet
ta

Celinaprepped
and built
Craigbaked
crostini
Celinaprepped
and built

Cutting
board,
knife

Champa
gne

Grill,
cutting
board,

Strawber
ry
Daiquiri

Eggplant
Canaps

Employe
e Work
Celinaprepped
and
blended
Celinaprepped
and
assemble
d
Celinaprepped
and
blended
CelinaPrepped
and
Assemble
d

Equipmen
t used
Cutting
board,
knife,
blender
Cutting
board,
knife

Celinaprepped
and

Cutting
board,
knife,

Cutting
board,
knife,
blender
N/A

Other:
Room Set up:
-Melissa, Tracey,
Celina
Dishes/Clean
up:
-Melissa, Mary,
Bryer,Tracey,
Celina
Bartender:
Tracey

knife
Smoked
salmon
canaps

Raspberr
y Brie
Filo
stars

Craigmade
salmon
mousse
and built
Celinaprepped
Celinaprepped
and built

Final Food Cost:

Sysco order: $238.74
Black river: $194.26
Hannaford: $16.00

assemble
d

blender

Food
processer
, cutting
board,
knife

Oven,
cutting
board,
knife

$449

Total Cost:
Food: $449
BBJ (linen): $76.87
Highboy Rental: $53.00
Labor: $85
----------------------------Total: $663.87
Marketing: *See attached marketing material (invitations, signs, signup
sheet),sandwich board, bar menu, dcor pics and room pics.
Advertisement:
-Signs were posted in the dining room to advertise the meal
-Invitations were handed out to students at the cash register & dining tables
-Announcement made at meal times
-Emails sent to 5 administrators
-Sign-up sheet available at cashier
Decorations:
-Gold table cloths on highboys w/ black napkin square center fake candles
and marbles in center
-Pink Champagne lamour table runners
-Bar: sample drinks, bar menu, champagne napkin folded
-Music: Jazz music played through speakers
-Champagne glasses, water glasses, and margarita glasses arranges in tiers
Final Report:
During my first/second week at World Learning, Melissa and I sat down to
discuss ideas for my meal project. After brainstorming, we came up with the idea to
throw a special dinner for 20-25 students and serve mocktails and heavy horderves.
The atmosphere would be fancy and the students could dress up in semi-formal

attire. Throughout the rest of the second week I finalized the drink and food menu,
linen/dcor, and created invitations for the event. Then, I worked with Melissa, Craig
(the head chef), and Miller (supervisor/chef), to get ideas on how to serve the
horderves, and placement of food orders. During meal times the cashier and I
advertised my event to the students. The sign-up sheet was also at the cashiers
station. On the day before the event I created a task list and prepped a lot of the
ingredients to get ready for the meal. The chefs like to get almost everything done
the day before so I made sure to plan ahead. Also, because my meal overlapped
with their usual dinner time, I knew that I would have limited help from others
because they needed to cook the regular dinner as well. On the day of the meal
project I came in and prepped the rest of my food. In the afternoon, Melissa, Tracey,
and I set up the event room. Just before service we finished off all the food and
brought it up to the room. The students arrived at 6:30pm and stayed until about
7:15pm. Afterwards, Tracey, Bryer, Mary, and Melissa helped me clean up.
What went well: I think the food production and timing of everything went
really well. I did not feel rushed or behind because I had done most of the
preparation beforehand. I was also very satisfied with the menu because it provided
vegetarian, gluten free, and vegan options for those who wanted it, as well as
meaty options for others. Another positive was working with the staff. They were
all willing to help and shared many ideas/strategies with me for potential options in
dcor. I was glad that they were just as excited for my event as I was. Tracey was
also very helpful because she volunteered to stay late and help bartend. Another
aspect that went well was how flexible we all were. There were some last minute
changes with the sign-up sheet, event room change, and staffing issues (3 sick
employees), but in the end everything still flowed smoothly.
Thoughts for improvement:
The advertisement and marketing of this meal was the most stressful part,
and the area which could have been improved. During the week that I advertised
my meal, most of the students were on spring break. We got a full sign-up sheet
filled out but it didnt seem like many of the students remembered they had signed
up. Then, when we made the reminder announcement, the students who had signed
up were away on a field trip that day. The following week, the rest of the students
came back from spring break and many wanted to attend but couldnt because the
sign-up sheet was already full. The students who returned from their field trip
realized that they could not make the event so they crossed themselves off the list.
This left me with empty spots to fill. I made an announcement at lunch time on the
day of the meal as a reminder, and to let people know that we had extra spots.
Eventually, we did have a full signup sheet but I still did not feel confident about
whether or not students were going to attend. The hour before the dinner some of
the students who had signed up for my meal were showing up at the regular dining
dinner which they were not supposed to do (my meal counted as their meal swipe
for the night. This was communicated to them multiple times). In the end, about 23
students showed up to the dinner which was close to the turn out we were
expecting. Looking back, I could have done a better job marketing my event. I
should have waited and not rushed to get the sign-up sheet filled in the first week
when half the students were away. Also, I could have done a better job explaining
my event. I think some of the students were unclear initially about what it was, if it
counted as a meal swipe, attire, etc.

Recommendations for future interns:

It was helpful to talk with Melissa and Craig regarding the menu. They have
good insight into what is feasible and how certain foods can be prepared. Craig was
helpful because he knew what the students liked and disliked. Melissa helped with
the linen ordering and she also showed me pictures of how the horderves were put
together in the past. For future meal projects at this site, I would want to let the
intern know that the students have very specific food preferences. A lot of them are
gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, halal, and/or meat lovers! They can be quite picky so
make sure that there is food provided which can meet most of those needs. I
noticed that the students also tend to change their foods preferences often
(sometimes gluten free or vegetarian), and have strong opinions about their
choices. This is important to keep in mind because it wont be possible to please
absolutely everyone, but it is possible to make the meal exciting and new for them
to try.
Final thoughts:
Overall, I thought the meal went well. I received great verbal feedback, as
well as positive notes on the comment cards. The students seemed to enjoy the
special dinner and I had a great time planning it as well. It was awesome to see all
the pieces of my event come together. I have definitely found a new appreciation
for chefs, managers, and all other food service staff for all their hard work behind
the scenes.