MODULE II

STYLES OF CATERING OPERATIONS

(Week 2 and 3)

Welcome to Module 2. At the end of this module, you should be able to:
 Discuss customer profile, style of concept, facilities, cuisine and menu;
 Present and off-premise catering organizational guideline.
 Identify private rooms in restaurant operations, hotel facilities, and independent catering facilities.
 Summarize the ways in which catering services have been incorporated into food service operational
styles.
 Describe the organization and responsibilities of food and beverage operation and;
 Provide operators with techniques and method for expanding the profit-making potentials of the
business.

LESSON 1 – FULL SERVICE RESTAURANT

In this lesson, you should be able to discuss customer profile, style or discuss customer profile, style of
concept, staffing, physical layout, cuisine and menu.

Activity
Direction: State your answer in a paragraph form.
1. Situation: You are planning to open a full-service restaurant. What do you think are the factors to be
considered first? What are your first moves?

Analysis
Direction: State your answer in a paragraph form.
1. What are the things to be considered before opening a full-service restaurant? Write your answer on a
separate sheet of paper.

Abstraction:
Full-service restaurants have the opportunity to offer a variety of catering services to their customers.
Before any decision is made to offer these services, however, there are important factors should be considered:
1. Location
2. Customer profile
3. Style or concept
4. Facilities
5. Cuisine and Menu

LOCATION
The proximity of the restaurant to office complexes and centralized business areas will help to establish
whether its catering service will be focused on business or social marketing efforts. Businesses in the twenty-first
century are spread from urban centers to suburban locations in office parks. Central urban locations offer a
concentrated market for both office delivery and take-out. A significant factor in developing the market for
business catering is that service is generally required during the business week, leaving weekend periods free to
service social business. In addition, locations such as museums, concert halls, and historical sites offer interesting
venues to catered functions for both local businesses and conventions.
Both urban and suburban restaurants can successfully develop social catering business. Suburban
locations are generally more appropriate for social catering to private homes, clubs, churches, and other facilities.
Delivery to urban locations can pose security and logistical problems, creating additional costs for transportation
and service labor.
 Population density also affects the volume of anticipated catering business. Restaurants situated in rural
areas with low population density cannot expect immediate high volumes of catering business. Areas of high-
density population yield a variety of catering opportunities that steadily increase in volume through referrals and
reputation.
The location of the physical restaurant building plays a role in the type of catering services to be offered.
Storage facilities, expansion possibilities, and access to major transportation routes are factors important to
catering service production.

CUSTOMER PROFILE
Restaurants have the advantage of a built-in customer pool to whom they can market in-house and off-
premise catering services. In addition, the attraction of being associated with a restaurant’s reputation will help to
expand the possible market to include new business and social clients. The market profile should classify
customers as business or social catering clients, designated by income bracket. In addition the range of activities
for which each customer pool will need catering services should be researched as thoroughly as possible. This will
help in developing package programs along with potential menu programs and accompanying pricing concepts.

STYLE OR CONCEPT
The style, concept, and/or theme of the restaurant should be taken into consideration when planning
potential catering services. Off-premise catering services do not necessarily have to blend with the facilities
offered by the restaurant. On-premise catering services should, however, be designed to function within the
restaurant facilities.

FACILITIES
Restaurants facilities are a major factor in providing on-premise catering. The ratio of catering functions to
restaurant services that can be handled at a given time is dependent on the size and flexibility of the physical
plant. Small private parties are often incorporated into the general dining room setting. Large parties must,
however, be given facilities that are separated from the general public. Many restaurants that offer in-house
catering schedule large parties, such as weddings, anniversaries, luncheons, and dinners, on days and times when
the restaurant is not otherwise open.
Storage and refrigeration facilities determine the amount of food products available at any given time.
The cost of waste from food spoilage due to lack of refrigeration and freezer space could dilute the profit from
additional catering business.

CUISINE AND MENU

The primary cuisine and menu offerings of a restaurant constitute one of the most important
considerations in a catering. Profitable and effective purchasing for catering functions requires that the
ingredients for menu items be the same or similar to those on the restaurant menu. This allows the purchasing
agent to place orders for maximum volume pricing and quality.

Application. Discuss the following: Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.
1. Location
2. Customer profile
3. Style or concept
4. Facilities
5. Cuisine and Menu

Reminder: 1. Answer the asked questions at home

2. Write your answer on a yellow pad.
LESSON 2 – AN OFF-PREMISE CATERING ORGANIZATIONAL GUIDELINE, PRIVATE ROOMS
IN RESTAURANT OPERATIONS, HOTEL FACILITIES, AND INDEPENDENT CATERING
FACILITIES

In this lesson, you should be able to:

 Identify off-premise catering from on-premise catering.
 Describe private rooms in restaurant operations, hotel facilities, and independent catering facilities.

Activity
Direction: State your answer in a paragraph form.
1. Compare and contrast off-premise catering from on-premise catering.
2. Describe private rooms in restaurant operations, hotel facilities, and independent catering facilities.

Analysis.
Direction: State your answer in a paragraph form.
1. What are the difficulties in an off-premise catering? Explain.

Abstraction

What Is Off Premise Catering?

Off premise catering is typically what people think of when they host an event and bring food in from
somewhere else. If you work with a caterer who will be bringing prepared food to your venue, the caterer cooks
and prepares food in their own kitchen, then plate, cover, and transport the food to your location.
Examples of production facilities include, but are not limited to, hotel, restaurant, and club kitchens. In
most cases there is no existing kitchen facility at the location where the food is served.

What Is On Premise Catering?

Often a more popular option due to price point and coordinating the event, on premise catering involves
catering done within the kitchen and food preparation areas of a venue. Typically, this means the food for your
event is prepared and served on site.
On premise catering can be a great option for events that may have more elaborate meals. Examples of
this may include weddings where there may be multiple courses and a dessert option that calls for more fresh
foods rather than food that is prepared and then brought to the location (such as in off premise catering).

PRIVATE ROOMS IN RESTAURANT OPERATIONS, HOTEL FACILITIES, AND INDEPENDENT CATERING FACILITIES
Catering operations, as either a stand-alone facility or as part of a larger hospitality-related business, exist
in a wide variety of formats, or styles. Most common are those that are readily identifiable as private rooms in
restaurant operations, hotel facilities, and independent catering facilities. The increased demand by the
international public for private function space outside of their own homes and businesses has led the catering
segment of the foodservice sector of the hospitality industry to be a leader in the continued growth of both
facilities and revenue.

Application
Direction. Answer the following:
1. Describe fully what is an off-premise catering? Cite some instances or difficulties that maybe encountered
in an off-premise catering.
2. What are private rooms in restaurant operation, hotel facilities, and independent catering facilities?
Describe.

Reminder: 1. Answer the asked questions at home

2. Write your answer on a yellow pad.
 LESSON 3 – WAYS IN WHICH CATERING SERVICES HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO
FOOD SERVICE OPERATIONAL STYLES
In this lesson, you are expected to summarize or identify the ways in which Catering Services have been
incorporated into Food Service Operational Styles.

Activity
1. Enumerate the different Food-Service Styles. Explain.

Analysis
1. If you are the caterer, what specific food service style would you prefer? Why? Explain.

Abstraction
1. Full-service restaurants - Full-service restaurants have the opportunity to offer a variety of catering
services to their customers.
2. Hotel food and beverage facilities - The hotel food and beverage department provides food-related guest
services throughout a hotel, conference, or resort property.
3. Catering halls - A catering hall is a facility dedicated to private parties with an on-site production kitchen
and staff. These facilities can offer a wide range of both in-house and off-premise catering services.
4. Independent caterers - Independent caterers are private businesses offering catering services to the
general public. These businesses operate with or without permanent facilities of their own in which to
hold functions.
5. Private clubs - Private clubs offer a self-contained facility that operates both full-service dining rooms and
private function space along with a variety of food and beverage outlets. Private clubs are generally
dependent on their membership for both dining room and catering business. Functioning as non-profit
organizations, clubs are, in many areas, prohibited by law from accepting or soliciting business from non-
members. If such is the case private clubs may, however, cater functions that are sponsored by members
and attended by non-members, allowing them to service both social and business activities.
6. Contract feeding - Contract feeding companies provide institutions such as hospitals and schools, as well
as businesses, with in-house meal programs designed to meet specific needs. Food production and service
is contracted for long-term periods with designated budget restrictions
7. Charcuteries and delicatessens - Charcuteries are food stores that offer take-out foodservice along with
gourmet food products. In some cases a small seating area will be offered for eat-in customers. When
customers want something beyond fast food for a take-home meal, they turn to establishments that can
provide meals that they would like to have prepared for themselves. This type of foodservice operation
usually specializes in a regional or national cuisine. Menu items range from salads and sandwiches to fully
prepared meals.

The opportunities for foodservice operations to offer catering services are many and varied. Catering
management in the 2000s will continue to expand in both volume and diversity as the demand for ready-to-serve
pre-prepared foods increases. The ability of a foodservice operation to successfully offer catering services will be
affected by a variety of factors. Location, customer profile, facilities, and menu offerings, along with style or
concept, are some of the factors that must be considered before deciding which catering services to offer.
Application
Direction: Identify the following food-service style by describing each briefly.
1. Catering halls
2. Full-service restaurant
3. Hotel food and beverage facilities
4. Charcuteries and delicatessens
5. Contract feeding
6. Independent caterers
7. Private clubs

Reminder: 1. Answer the asked questions at home

2. Write your answer on a yellow pad.

LESSON 4 – THE ORGANIZATION AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF FOOD AND BEVERAGES

OPERATION

In this lesson, you should be able to describe the:

1. Structure of Food and Beverage services Department
2. Food and Beverage Ancillary Department
3. Food and Beverage Staff Attitudes and Competencies
4. Product cycle in Food and Beverage services.
5. How to maintain Food and Beverage standards.
6. Managing buffets, banquets, and catered events.

Activity
Let us try! Describe the following product purchasing cycle in your own understanding.
1. Structure of Food and Beverage services Department
2. Food and Beverage Ancillary Department
3. Food and Beverage Staff Attitudes and Competencies
4. Product cycle in Food and Beverage services.
5. How to maintain Food and Beverage standards.
6. Managing buffets, banquets, and catered events.

Analysis
If you were the purchaser of a product, what do you think is your responsibilities?

Abstraction
The food and beverage service is part of the service-oriented hospitality sector. It can be a part of a large
hotel or tourism business and it can also be run as an independent business. The members of the F&B Services
team are required to perform a wide range of tasks which include preparation for service, greeting the guests,
taking their orders, settling the bills, and performing various other tasks after the guests leave.

Structure of F&B Services Department

 The F&B Services personnel are responsible to create the exact experience the guests wish for. The
department consists of the following positions −
1. Food & Beverage Service Manager
The Food & Beverage Service Manager is responsible for –
• Ensuring profit margins are achieved in each financial period from each department of F&B service.
• Planning menus for various service areas in liaison with kitchen.
• Purchasing material and equipment for F&B Services department.
2. Assistant Food & Beverage Service Manager
The Assistant Food & Beverage Service Manager is aware of and is tuned to all the work the F&B Services
Manager performs and carries out the same in the absence of his superior.
3. Restaurant Manager
The Restaurant Manager looks after the overall functioning of a restaurant. The responsibility of this staff
member include −
• Managing the functions in the dining room
• Ordering material
• Stock-taking or inventory checking.
• Supervising, training, grooming, and evaluating the subordinates
• Preparing reports of staff and sales
• Managing budgets
• Handling daily sales and coordinating with cashiers
4. Room Service Manager
The Room Service Manager is responsible for −
• Selecting, training, encouraging, and evaluating all junior employees
• Ensuring that cultural values and core standards of F&B department/establishment are met
• Controlling labor expenses through staffing, budgeting, and scheduling
• Handling guest complaints
• Providing special requests
5. Banquet Manager
The Banquet Manager is responsible for −
• Setting service standard for banquets
• Forecasting and allocating budgets for various types of events such as conferences, meetings, etc.
• Achieving food and beverage sales
• Controlling chinaware, cutlery, glassware, linen, and equipment
• Handling decorations and guest complaints
• Providing special requests
• Purchasing required stock by following appropriate requisition procedures
• Following up each function by receiving guest feedback and submitting it to F&B Manager
• Participating in departmental meetings
• Planning and pricing menu
• Training, grooming, and development of staff underneath
6. Bar Manager
The Bar Manager is responsible for −
• Forecasting the daily flow of customers
• Allocating right number of staff according to customer influx
• Managing and monitoring bar inventory from store to bar
• Tracking all types of drink sales
• Allocating cleaning and tendering tasks
7. Food Safety Supervisor (FSS)
A Food Safety Supervisor is a person who is trained to recognize and prevent risks associated with food
handling in an F&B Services business. He holds an FSS certificate that needs to be no more than five years old. He
is required in an F&B Services business so that he can train and supervise other staff about safe practices of
handling food.
F&B Ancillary Departments
Food and Beverage department relies upon the support of the following departments –
1. Kitchen Stewarding
The Kitchen Stewarding department strives to ensure cleanliness, preparedness, and orderliness in the
commercial kitchen so that the kitchen staff can work efficiently. It also ensures that all the tools and utensils
required for a specific meal or cooking task are cleaned properly and are ready to go. The kitchen steward is a
working link between the F&B Services and the commercial kitchen.
2. Dishwashing
The Dishwashing department is responsible for providing clean and dry supply of glassware, chinaware, and
cutlery for bar, banquet, lounge, and restaurant service.
3. Laundry
The F&B department is highly reliable on laundry department or outsourced laundry services for timely supply of
dry-cleaned and wrinkleless linen.

F&B Staff Attitudes and Competencies

Each member of the F&B department hierarchy needs to have the following traits and skills –
1. Knowledge
Awareness of one’s responsibilities and roles, appropriate knowledge of food items, food and beverage pairing,
etiquettes, and service styles is a great way to build confidence while serving the guests.
2. Appearance
It creates the first impression on the guests. The F&B staff members must maintain personal hygiene, cleanliness,
and professional appearance while being on duty.
3. Attentiveness
Attentiveness is paying sincere attention to details, memorizing the guests’ needs and fulfilling them timely with
as much perfection as one can put in.
4. Body Language
The F&B Services staff needs to conduct themselves with very positive, energetic, and friendly gestures.
5. Effective Communication
It is very vital when it comes to talking with co-workers and guests. Clear and correct manner of communication
using right language and tone can make the service workflow smooth. It can bring truly enhanced experience to
the guests.
6. Punctuality
The F&B Services staff needs to know the value of time while serving the guests. Sincere time-keeping and sense
of urgency helps to keep the service workflow smooth.
7. Honesty and Integrity
These two core values in any well-brought-up person are important for serving the guests in hospitality sector.

Food and Beverage Services – Operations

Food and Beverage Service operations involve a multitude of activities which engage the staff right from
purchasing raw material, preparing food and beverage, keeping the inventory of material, maintaining service
quality continuously, managing various catered events, and most importantly, analyzing the business outcomes to
decide future policies.

Product Cycle in F&B Service

The purchasing department in F&B Services is responsible for purchasing, storing, and issuing the supply
of raw food items, canned/bottled beverages, and equipment. The following is a typical product purchasing cycle
–
 The purchasing department works with accounts department to keep the information on allocated budget
and balance budget.
The following factors influence purchasing −
• Size of F&B Organization
• Location of F&B Organization
• Availability and Size of Storage Space
• Organization Budget and Policies
• Availability of the commodity due to season
Purchasing Product
The purchaser is responsible for purchasing a product. He studies the market, and analyzes and selects suppliers,
wholesalers, and the contemporary market prices. He then liaisons with suppliers and wholesalers to get good
material at fair price and purchases the required commodities by following appropriate purchase procedures.
Receiving the Product
The receiver receives the products from the suppliers. He checks the product for right quality and quantity. He
deals with the delivery personnel from the supplier’s end and signs on the related receipts.
Storing and Issuing the Product
The store men carry out the task of storing received supply and issuing it to respective departments. They update
the stock database, and manage old and new material in the stock. They also keep record of stock to the latest
date.
Preparing and Presenting an F&B Product
This includes preparation of various food items and fresh beverages. The cooks prepare various foods and the bar
tenders prepare cold beverages such as mocktails and cocktails. They also make the dish most presentable by
arranging food on platter and decorating it in an attractive manner. The beverages are also decorated by using
fruit slices, decorating the glasses, sippers, and stirrers.
Consuming the F&B Product
This part is played by the guests. At the service end, the respective staff takes inventory of the consumed and
balanced stock of food and beverages and keeps it updated to latest figures.

Maintaining Food and Beverage Standards

It is very vital for an F&B Services organization or an F&B department in a large hotel to keep their
standards of food and beverage high. If the quality of food and beverage along with the best service is what the
guests liked, then the chances of the guests coming repeatedly and singing praises of what they received are high.
1. Food and Beverage Standards
Any food and beverage service business has a great responsibility of serving hygienic, safe, clean, and
fresh food. The customers also rightfully question if the food or beverage they consume at the F&B Services outlet
is healthy, safe, and fresh.
 For ensuring food safety, a system named Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) in Europe
works to identify Critical Control Points (CCP) for the presence of physical, chemical, and bacterial hazards to food.
HACCP has set guidelines and principles on producing healthy and safe food. It also enables food and beverage
businesses to adhere to consistent safety and quality of food production.
In India, Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSA) works towards setting standards for safe and
hygienic food. In USA, Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is responsible for the safety of meat, poultry, and
processed egg products. Also, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for virtually all other foods.

Managing Buffets, Banquets, and Catered Events

Before planning and executing buffets, banquets, or catered events, the respective managers and
supervisors need to consider the following factors –
1. Type of Event
It can be formal such as seminars, meetings, or conference, or informal such as a wedding reception, birthday
party, employee outing, and alike.
2. Involvement of Various Persons
The participants such as decorating staff, planning staff such as managers, serving staff, supervising staff, whole
sellers, and the guests.
3. Event Requirements
It is important to know the date and time of event, the number of expected guests, dance floor, audio or projector
systems, or any special requirement demanded by the guests before planning the event.
4. Decors
It includes flowers, table arrangement, center-pieces, candles, artificial fountains/waterfalls, decorative art pieces,
plants and pots; for both formal and informal occasions with the involvement of décor artists. The display pieces
may be carved, baked, or assembled; made of edible or non-edible substances according to the laid standards.
The decoration needs to go in pair with the theme of the banquet, buffet, or some event.
5. Menu
According to the time of event, it can include starters, salads, breads, main courses (meats, poultry, or sea food),
desserts (fruits, pastries, or frozen desserts), beverages, accompaniments, and garnishes according to the
establishment standards. It must be hygienic, in-line with the occasion, and meeting the F&B Services
establishment standards.
6. Serving Equipment
Depending upon the requirement of guests and serving style, it can include silverware, platters, table linens, and
other required serving equipment. It also includes size and shape of tables and chairs.
7. Serving Norms
According to establishment norms, serving right food at right temperature, replenishing food platters timely,
keeping the overall display neat and attractive, storing food and managing beverage consumption after service,
cleaning buffet or banquet area, restoring plates, cutlery, Guerion trollies, and glassware after completion of
service.

Reminder: 1. Answer the asked questions at home

2. Write your answer on a yellow pad.
 LESSON 5 – TECHNIQUES AND METHODS FOR EXPANDING THE PROFIT-MAKING
POTENTIAL OF THE BUSINESS

In this lesson you should be able to acquire techniques and methods for expanding the profit-making
potentials of the catering business.

Activity
Enumerate some equipment or facilities needed to avoid spoilage of foods.

Analysis
How can you avoid cost of waste from food spoilage that could dilute the profit from additional catering
business?

Abstraction
Storage and refrigeration facilities determine the amount of food products available at any given time.
The cost of waste from food spoilage due to lack of refrigeration and freezer space could dilute the profit from
additional catering business.

Take-out service is the most profitable way for restaurants and catering services to increase revenues
without increasing costs. Because take-out service does not require extra seating, it generally will not require an
operation to expand its facilities beyond accommodating takeout customers with a pickup and waiting area.
Kitchen production can plan and schedule to handle large increases in volume for short time periods. In addition,
take-out does not require the additional expenses incurred by table service for glassware, linens, flowers, menus,
and entertainment. Disposable dishes, plastic flatware, and a carrying container are the basic requirements for
take-out service. Successful take-out service does, however, require planning to assure that customers receive
menu items in satisfactory condition.

Of the food service areas, catering affords the possibility for the greatest profit, in addition to providing
much-needed cash flow during periods when room sales are slow.

Application
1. What are the techniques used in order to avoid cost of waste from food spoilage?
2. Can you give techniques and methods for expanding the profit-making potentials of your food business?

Congratulations! You have just finished module 2. In the next module, you will learn about Catering
Business Development.