French Classical Menu:

A menu represents the range of food and beverage items offered in a restaurant. When the menu is
represented on a card, it is referred to as menu card. Great pains are taken compiling the menu card
which should not be attractive but informative. In restaurant basically two types of menu are
available, a-la-carte and table-de-hote.
The French classical menu consists of 12 courses but in some organization follows 17 courses. They are
as follows.

Twelve courses of French Classical Menu Seventeen courses of French Classical Menu
Hors-d’-oeuvres (Appetizer) Hors-d’-oeuvre (Appetizer)
Potage (Soup) Potage (Soup)
Poisson (Fish) Oeufs (egg)
Entrée (First Course Of Meat Item) Farineaux (Rice & Pasta)
Releve’ (Big Meat Item) Poisson (Fish)
Sorbet (Rest Course) Entrée (First Course Of Meat Item)
Roti (Roasted meat items) Releve’ (Big Meat Item)
Legumes (vegetable) Sorbet (Rest Course)
Entremets (Sweet Course) Roti (Roasted meat items)
Savoureaux (savory item) Legumes (vegetable)
Dessert (Fruit item) Salades (salad)
Café (coffee) Buffet froid (cold buffet)
Entremets (Sweet Course)
Savoureaux (savory item)
Fromage (Cheese)
Dessert (Fruit item)
Café (coffee)

Hors-d’-oeuvres (Appetizer)
Traditionally the Hors-d’-oeuvres are the selection of salad, fish, and meat. The Hors-d’-oeuvres are
generally served in cold fish plate along with fish knife and fish fork. Hors-d’-oeuvres are classified
into two categories.
1) General Hors-d’-oeuvres
General Hors-d’-oeuvres: Different varieties of salad and canapés comes under General Hors-
d’-oeuvres.

Salad: salad can be plain or compound. Example of plain salad includes fish or meat salad,
potato salad, beet root salad, red cabbage salad, cauliflower salad.
Compound salad includes for example Russian salad, Andalouse salad etc.
Salads are taken in half plate along with fish fork or small fork.
Canapés: These are slices of bread with crust removed, cut into small variety of shapes
toasted or fried in oil or butter and then garnished. Garnishes include smoked salmon,
prawns, cheese, tomato, egg, salami and others various meats.
 Classical Hors-d’-oeuvres:
This following item comes under this category.

Caviar:

Roe of sturgeon fish. Approximately 30gm of caviar is served per portion. The caviar jar /tin
are surrounded with crushed ice in a container. Accompaniment includes hot breakfast toast, butter,
segments of lemon, chopped shallots, chopped egg yolk & white. Cover will be cold half plate along
with caviar knife or side knife, which will be placed on the right hand side of the cover.

Melon: There are various types of melon.

Cantaloupe:

It has rough rigid skin with green lines. It is soft and color is yellow.

Honeydew:

It has a firm, shiny, wrinkled skin with sweet pulp.

Watermelon:
It has red sweet pulp and black seeds. Melons are cut into small portions and served ice cold, on a
cold half plate along with dessert spoon and fork. Melons are served with Castor sugar and ground
ginger.

Fruit juice:
usually served in juice glass or in hi-ball glass. Here we can serve the different varieties of juice such as
Tomato, orange, mango, Pineapple etc. when we are serving juice to the guest, on that time we
should provide castor sugar as accompaniments of juice. One tea spoon is places on table, to aid
mixing. Tomato juice are served with Worcestershire sauce.

Oyster:
Cold oysters are usually served in cold half plate on the bed of crushed ice. An oyster fork is usually
offered but in the absence of oyster fork, a small dessert fork can also be placed on table. Oysters are
usually eaten by holding the cell in one hand and fork in the other hand.

The finger bowl and extra serviette should be offered because oysters are taken by hand.
Accompaniments of oyster include half a lemon, oyster cruet (cayenne pepper, pepper mill, chilly
vinegar and tobacco sauce), Brown bread and butter.

Potted shrimps:

Served in fish plate along with fish knife & fish fork. Accompaniments include hot
unbuttered breakfast toast and lemon. Pealed shrimps are cooked in butter and garnished with
lettuce leave.
Smoked Salmon:

Served in fish plate along with fish knife & fish fork. Accompaniments include half lemon wedge,
brown bread, butter, chopped onion etc.

Snail (escargots):

Snail tongs are placed on the left and snail fork on the right. They are served with bread, butter,
lemon etc.

Sea food cocktail:

They are served in champagne saucer glass and saucer can be used as under liner. During the time of
service we should provide tea spoon and fish fork. Accompaniments include brown bread, butter,
lemon wedge etc.

Potage (soup):

This is the second course of French Classical menu. Soup is liquid, nutritious food made of
meat, sea food, vegetable, cereals, poultry etc. Soups are classified under two categories.
 SOUP
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Thin Soup Thick Soup

Consommé Puree
Broth Cream
Chowder
Bisque
Veloute

Thin Soup

Consommé It is a richly flavored clear soup. The base is stock of beef; mutton or chicken to which raw,
lean mince meat is added along with finely diced or chopped carrots, onions, celery seasoning and egg
whites. It is brought to boil and simmered. The protein in the egg white and meat, coagulate and bind
most of the cloudy material. The soup is strained through a muslin cloth.
Consommé is served in double handled consume cup along with under liner & dessert spoon.
Examples of Consommé

Consommé cereals, Consommé Julienne, Consommé egg drop, Consommé royal.

Broth: Broth is a cloudy soup which contains a mixture of vegetables, meat, chicken, etc.

Thick Soup

1) Purée Soup: These are pulp of vegetable, like carrot, peas, spinach, tomatoes, potatoes etc.
Examples are Tomato soup, pea soup etc.

2) Veloute: This is prepared by a blend of blond roux and white stock with a few base vegetables
for flavoring.

3) Cream Soup: These are blend of Béchamel sauce with the purees of vegetable, meat etc. Milk
may be added to dilute and give an even consistency.
Example: cream of tomato soup, cream of mushroom soup, Cream of asparagus soup. These
soups are taken with bread roll /bread stick & butter.

4) Chowder: These are heavy thick soup of America. Their bases are Tomato or milk with sea food
, onion, potatoes, bacon , various seasoning for flavor etc.
 5) Bisque: It is a thick, creamy, highly-seasoned soup of French origin. It can be
Made from lobster, crab, shrimp or crayfish.
Tips for the service of soup
1. Garnishing must be small, light and easily eatable.
2. Light soups should precede heavy dishes.
3. Heavy soups must come in small portions.
4. Hot soups must be served very hot, and cold soups chilled.
5. Clear soups must enable you to see the bottom of the soup bowl.
6. Soup accompaniments are toasts, breadsticks, cheese croutons, etc. These must be hot and crisp.
7. Soup is served in soup bowl along with an under liner and soup spoon.

Oeufs (egg): This is the third course of French classical menu. Different varieties of omelette, boiled egg,
poached egg, fried eggs are served in this course. Omelets, poached eggs are served in half plate along
with small knife and fork and boiled eggs are served in egg cups.
Omelette espagnole- flat Omelette with onions, peppers and tomato.
Omelette fines herbes- Savory Omelette
Oeufs en cocotte a la crème- egg cooked in its own dish in a Bain Marie
& garnished with cream.

Oeuf poche Florentine- poached egg on a bed of spinach, coated with a

Cheese sauce.

Farineaux (PASTA AND RICE DISHES): This is the fourth course French classical menu. Pasta means
dough & is originated from Italy. Different types of pastas are available in the market. Such as Spaghetti,
Fettuccini, macaroni. Penne, Rigatoni etc.

Spaghetti

Spaghetti Napolitano- spaghetti in a tomato and garlic flavored sauce.

Spaghetti bolognaise- spaghetti blended with minced lean beef in a rich brown sauce.

Poisson (Fish): This is the fifth course of French classical menu. In this course the fish items are served.
The fish may be fried, poached or grilled. Fish is served in either fish plate or half plate along with fish
knife and fish fork.
The method of cooking and type of fish used may vary. Few methods are as follow:

Poached: Salmon, Turbot, and Trout etc.

Cooked meuniere: (Sautéed Fish with Butter, Lemon & Parsley) sole, trout, salmon
Fried: whitebait, sole

Some examples are:

Sole meuniere- sole shallow fried in butter
Sole Colbert- sole flour, egg and bread crumbed (pane) and deep-fried; the fillets are rolled back of the
backbone in preparations.
Grilled fish with lemon butter sauce.
Poisson poached Hollandaise.
Fried fish
Fillet de Poisson Duglere. (Duglere is a type of sauce made of butter, minced onion, flour, tomato,
lemon juice, two table spoon white wine, milk, salt, pepper etc)

ENTRÉE :( First meat course) This is the sixth course of French classical menu. Entree is generally small
well garnished dishes which come from kitchen. They are usually accompanied with rich sauce and
gravy. In this course foods are served in half plate along with small knife and fork.
Examples of entrée are:

Poulet sauté chasseur- sauté chicken in a rich brown sauce flavored with tomato and mushroom.
Supreme de volaille (poultry) a la king- breast and wing of chicken cooked under a cover in oven.
Emincee de volaille a la king- Minced chicken with Savory rice.

Steak Diane- minute steak shallow fried and flavored with onion and mushroom; sauce finished with red
wine or cream.
Fillet/rump steak grille- fillet/rump steak grilled and garnished with tomato, mushroom, watercress and
straw potato.
Chautebriand- double fillet steak grilled
Vol-au-vent: it is a small hollow case of puff pastry. Vol-au-vents can accommodate various fillings, such
as mushrooms, prawns, fruit, or cheese.

RELEVE: (main meat course) this is the seventh course of French classical menu. Releve are normally
larger than entrees and take the form of butchers’ joints, which have to be carved. These joints are
either poeled or roasted. A sauce or roast gravy and potatoes and green vegetables are always served
with this course.
The main dish may consist of any of the following items: saddle of mutton,
Baron of beef, boned sirloin, braised ham. This course is served in full plate along with large knife and
fork.
Examples are:
Contrefilet de boeuf roti a l’anglaise: boned and roasted sirloin of beef.
Cuissot de porc roti, puree de pommes: roast leg of pork with apple sauce.
Carre d’agneau roti: roast best end of lamb.

Sorbet: (rest course) this is the eighth course of French classical menu. This is actually the rest course.
After serving fish and meat, this course is been served.
Normally in this course a glass of iced chilled water flavored with few drops of champagne or brandy can
be served. This course is normally served in water goblet along with an under liner. Cigar or cigarette
can also be served in this course. Normally this course contains 10-15 minutes.

ROTI (Roasted meat item) this course signifies poultry, and game birds such as chicken, duck, turkey etc.
This is the nineth course of French classical menu. These roasted items are accompanied with different
types of sauces (apple sauce, cranberry sauce), herbs (sage), onion stuffing, nicely chopped salad, roast
gravy, brown bread and butter etc. This course is always served in full plate along with large knife and
fork.
Legumes (vegetable) in this course the dressed or cooked vegetables such as Asparagus, Broccoli,
Cauliflower, green peas, mushroom, spinach are served with Hollandaise or Mayonnaise sauce. . For
vegetable we have to provide small knife and fork. For asparagus no cutlery is used because asparagus is
taken by hand and that is why finger bowl needs to be provided to clean hands.
Examples are:
Puree de pommes- creamed potatoes
Pommes persille- boiled potatoes, coated with melted butter and sprinkled with chopped parsley.
Pommes au four- baked jacket potato
Petits pois au beurre- peas tossed in butter.
Epinards en branches- leaf spinach
Champignons grille- grilled mushrooms
Choufleur morney- cauliflower with cheese sauce
Celeries braises- braised celery
Asperges en branche, sauce hollandaise- asparagus accompanied by an egg- and butter based sauce.
Haricots verts au beurre- French beans tossed in butter.

Salades(salad) a dish of raw or cold cooked foods, usually dressed and seasoned, served as an Hors-d’-
oeuvres or side dish.
Example of salads is:

Salade francaise: lettuce, tomato, egg and vinaigrette dressing.

Salade vert: lettuce, watercress, cucumber and green pepper.

Buffet froid (cold buffet) the examples of cold buffet is as follows

Juice, shrimp cocktail, cold slaw
Cold consommé
Egg mayonnaise
Chicken salad
Smoked venison
Iced chilled water with few drops of champagne
Gateaux, caramel Custard

Entremets (Sweet Course) in these course different types of cold and sweet items such as pudding,
mousse, soufflé, ice creams are served. They are normally served in half plate along with dessert spoon
and fork. In case of ice cream, it is served in ice cream cup along with under liner and ice cream spoon.
Parfait ice cream is served in parfait glass, with under liner and parfait spoon.
THE EXAMPLES ARE:
Crepe Suzette: pancakes in a rich fresh orange juice and grand Marnier (It is made from a blend of true
cognacs and distilled essence of bitter orange.) - flavored sauce and flamed with brandy.
Ananas flambé au kirsch: pineapple flamed with a cherry-flavored liqueur.
Variety of cold sweets presented from the cold platter, trolley, such as Gateaux, or ice-cream sweets.

Savoureaux (savory item) before dessert a savory is provided to change the sweetness of tongue.
Savoureaux may be of three types.

a) Fish savory: Example Tuna on toast, served in half plate along with fish knife and fish fork.
b) Meat savory: Example chicken liver on toast, served in half plate along with small knife and fork.
c) Cheese savory: Cheese is generally served in half plate along with cheese knife. A cheese platter
which contains a different varieties of cheese, are presented in front of the guest and the guest
picks up the cheese as per his choice. Cheese is served with cream cracker biscuit and celery
sticks.

Fromage (Cheese) all types of cheese may be offered together with the appropriate accompaniments.
The ideal cheese board should combine hard, semi-hard, soft or cream, blue and fresh cheese.

Examples:
Name of cheese Type Place of origin

Cheddar hard England

Red Cheshire hard Holland

Brie soft France

Gorgonzola blue Italy

Demi-sel soft France

Gouda hard Holland

Ricotta fresh Italy

Dessert (Fruits) in this course fresh fruits is served in fruit basket along with fruit fork. Cut fruits can be
served in half plate; otherwise the fruits are normally served in fruit basket. During the time of serving
fruit basket, one serviette and two finger bowls, one containing lukewarm water and containing cold
water should be provided to the guest. The bowl containing lukewarm water is provided to wash hand
and cold water is provided to wash the fruits.

Café (coffee) this is the last course of French classical menu. After dinner a strong black coffee is served
in demitasse cup.