THE MENU, MENU KNOWLEDGE

AND ACCOMPANIMENTS
 CONTENT
• Importance of Menu
• Discuss the Origin of Menu
• What is Menu and its functions?
• Types and Categories of Menus
• Classic Menu Sequence
You are a foodservice manager. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the
following: appetizers, entrees, desserts, daily specials, ethnic cuisine, fine or casual dining,
pricing psychology, trends, cut food costs, reduce your staff, dietary guidelines, government
regulations, sustainability, special diets, food delivery, marketing, equipment, customer
demand?
Each of the above words probably brought quite a few different thoughts to mind. One word,
however, affects—and is affected by—every term on the list: THE MENU.
The importance of the menu to a foodservice operation cannot be emphasized too often or too
much. The menu is also called “the driver” of a foodservice operation. This descriptive term
indicates that every part of a foodservice operation is affected by the menu and stresses how
the menu is a managerial tool for controlling many aspects of a foodservice operation. As you
learn more about menus and menu planning, keep in mind menus from your favorite
restaurants or your recent meals in other types of foodservice operations.
 MENU
• In a restaurant, the menu is a list of food and beverages offered to customers
and the prices. A menu may be à la carte – which presents a list of options
from which customers choose – or table d'hôte, in which case a pre-
established sequence of courses is offered. Menus may be printed on paper
sheets provided to the diners, put on a large poster or display board inside
the establishment, displayed outside the restaurant, or put on a digital
screen. Since the late 1990s, some restaurants have put their menus online.
• Menus are also often a feature of very formal meals other than in restaurants,
for example at weddings. In the 19th and 20th centuries printed menus were
often used for society dinner-parties in homes; indeed this was their original
use in Europe.
 MENU
• Menus, as lists of prepared foods, have been discovered dating back to the
Song dynasty in China.[1] In the larger cities of the time, merchants found a way
to cater to busy customers who had little time or energy to prepare an evening
meal. The variation in Chinese cuisine from different regions led caterers to
create a list or menu for their patrons.
• The word "menu", like much of the terminology of cuisine, is French in origin. It
ultimately derives from Latin "minutus", something made small; in French, it
came to be applied to a detailed list or résumé of any kind. The original menus
that offered consumers choices were prepared on a small chalkboard, in French
a carte; so foods chosen from a bill of fare are described as "à la carte",
"according to the board".
 MENU
• The earliest European menus, several of which survive from 1751 onwards, appear to
have been for the relatively intimate and informal soupers intimes ("intimate suppers")
given by King Louis XV of France at the Château de Choisy for between 31 and 36 guests.
Several seem to have been placed on the table, listing four courses, each with several
dishes, plus dessert.[2]
• During the second half of the 18th century, and especially after the French Revolution in
1789, they spread to restaurants. Before then, eating establishments or tables d'hôte
served dishes chosen by the chef or proprietors. Customers ate what the house was
serving that day, as in contemporary banquets or buffets, and meals were served from a
common table. The establishment of restaurants and restaurant menus allowed customers
to choose from a list of unseen dishes, which were produced to order according to the
customer's selection. A table d'hôte establishment charged its customers a fixed price; the
menu allowed customers to spend as much or as little money as they chose. [3]
 MENU
• It is believed that the term “Menu“ first originated in 1541 when “Duke
Henry of Brunswick” was seen referring to a sheet of paper during a feast. And
this was the first time when the menu word is used for a hotel in history. In
French, Menu means “In a minute detail” and in English, it is also termed a Bill
of Fare.
• The size of the card gradually became smaller, which made it possible to have
more copies placed on the tables. Even today in formal banquets, every invitee
gets a copy of the menu.
• Every Food industry, whether operating for commercial or welfare purposes, large
or small, uses a menu. There are many types of menus, it depends upon all
managerial and operational activities of the food and beverage operations.
 WHAT IS THE FUNCTION OF MENU
1. Basis for Operations
• The menu forms the basis for all activities that are carried out in the restaurant and
in the food and beverage departments as a whole. Activities such as
equipment purchases, ingredients purchases, staff recruitment, production
processes, organizing service areas, pricing, interior design, service procedure,
and so on.
2. Communication Device
• A menu communicates to the guests the dishes available for sale, along with
pieces and short descriptions of each item. It also informs whether the dishes are
spicy or non spicy, vegetarian or nonvegetarian, the tax percentage, waiting time,
and so on.
 WHAT IS THE FUNCTION OF MENU
3. Effective Sales Tool
• The menu is primarily a sales tool. In F&B outlets and casual dining restaurants, they are
presented attractively in bright colors on display boards with pictures that motivate
people to buy. Menu card describes dishes in an appetizing way, making it easy for
customers to select dishes, help locate dishes they are looking for by printing pictures,
promote the chef’s special dishes, happy hours, and so on.
4. Image Builder
• The font style, design, color, quality of the card, variety of dishes on offer, presentation
style, and so on, speak about the profile of the restaurant. One can assess the quality of
the staff in production and service areas, the kind of equipment used, the infrastructure
of the restaurant, customer profile, and so on, by going through the menu.
MENU
 TYPES AND CATEGORIES OF MENU
Menus can be categorized in a variety of different ways and there are different types of
menus, which are often associated with particular types of foodservice operations. A
classic way to categorize menus is by how often they repeat.
• Static menus are those that basically stay the same every day and are most typically
used in quick service to upscale casual restaurants. These types of menus may be
presented on a menu board or in some type of printed format, sometimes laminated so it
is easily cleaned, that is handed to the customer. Typical sections of a lunch or dinner
static menu include appetizers, salads, entrees (often further divided), sides, desserts and
beverages. Choices may be limited, as they are in some quick service, such as
McDonalds or Five Guys, and quick casual restaurants, such as Panera and Chipotle, or
choices may be extensive requiring a menu that resembles a small book, such as the
Cheesecake Factory.
 TYPES AND CATEGORIES OF MENU
• Cycle menus are most often used in non-commercial foodservice operations that serve
the same group of customers every day, such as corporate dining (business and industry),
healthcare, schools, and long-term care or CCRCs. A cycle menu follows a particular
pattern designed to meet the needs of the operations customers and repeats on a regular
basis. The length of the cycle should be set with the customer in mind. For instance, a
hospital can typically use a shorter cycle menu, perhaps five to seven days, for patients,
since most do not stay in the facility for many days. However, a foodservice operation in
a continuing care retirement community may need a cycle as long as six weeks since
customers may be eating in the CCRC dining room on a daily basis. Cycle menus are
often planned seasonally so an operation might have a spring, summer, and fall/winter
cycle.
 TYPES AND CATEGORIES OF MENU
• Daily (or single-use) menus change on a daily basis or may be planned
for a special event with a one-time use. Daily menus are often used in fine
dining or for foodservice operations that feature locally sourced products,
which are available in the market on a given day. Alice Water’s Chez
Panisse restaurant uses a daily menu to highlight seasonal and locally
available foods with a “farm to table” approach. Single-use menus are
planned for catered events like banquets or parties, and are also used in
many operations for “daily specials.”
 TYPES AND CATEGORIES OF MENU
Menus can also be categorized in a variety of other ways including any of the
following:
• Function of the menu – such as a tasting menu, catering, hotel room service, dessert, wine or drinks
• Meal/Time Period – such as breakfast, lunch, happy hour, or dinner
• Style of service – such as American, French (table side cooking), or Russian (platter service)
• Pricing styles – such as a la carte (each item is individually priced), table d’hôte (a selection of complete
meals offered at set prices), prix fixe (one price for the entire menu), and most commonly seen in U.S.
restaurants, a combination of pricing styles to best cater to the target customer of the operation.
• Amount of selection – selective (customer has many choices typical of a family or casual restaurant),
non-selective (no choice as with many tasting menus, hospital special diet menus, or sit-down banquets),
or limited or semi-selective (typical of small operations, fine dining or themed restaurants)
 CLASSIC MENU SEQUENCE
1. Hors d oeuvre/
• Are of spicy in nature in order to Appetizer
stimulate the appetite for the dishes
that are to follow in the course.
• In recent years, hors d’oeuvres
have gained popularity, and now
appear on most of the menus in
modest eating places.
• Served from a rotating trolley or a
tray a small amount of each variety
being placed on the plate to
make up a portion.
 CLASSIC MENU SEQUENCE

Examples Of Salads: Beet root,

Potato Salad, Fish Caviar : Roe of
Hors d Mayonnaise, Russian sturgeon fish
oeuvres are : Salad

Shellfish cocktail : Melon Frappe : Chilled Melon

Prawns or shrimps on
Salmon Fume : Smoked Salmon
a bed of shredded
lettuce covered with Pate Maison : Goose or chicken
tomato flavored liver, cooked , sieved and well
mayonnaise. seasoned.
HORS D’ OEUVRES
 CLASSIC MENU SEQUENCE
2. Potage / Soup
• Soup also act as an appetizer
for the further courses to
come. Soups like clear
soup(consommé) and the
other a thick soup (crème,
veloute, puree) are served
during this course. Although it
must be noted that the clear
soup is always placed first on
the menu.
POTAGE / SOUP
 CLASSIC MENU SEQUENCE
3 - Oeuf / Egg

• Oeufs are the dishes made from egg.

There are many styles of cooking
and preparation of eggs such as
boiled, poached or scrambled. The
omelets is the most popular item.
Oeuf / Egg
 CLASSIC MENU SEQUENCE
4. Farinaceous / Farineaux /
Pasta or Rice

• This is Italy's contribution to the

courses of the menu. It includes
different kinds of rice and pasta.
Pasta dishes are spaghetti, lasagna
and gnocchi.
 CLASSIC MENU SEQUENCE
5 - Poisson / Fish

• Poisson are the dishes made from

fish. Fish, being soft-fibred, prepares
the palate for the heavier meats that
follow. Ideal fish for dinner menu
compilation are: Sole, Salmon,
Halibut, Escallops, etc. Rarely seen on
a menu for the evening meal are:
Cod, Bass, Haddock, Brill, Hake, and
Plaice.
 CLASSIC MENU SEQUENCE

• The First in the meat course Entrées 6. Entrée / Entrée /

Main Dish
are generally small, well garnished
dishes which come from the kitchen
ready for service. They are always
accompanied by very rich gravy or
sauce when releve follow entrée
then potatoes and vegetables are
not served with the latter; if,
however a releve does not follow the
entrée they would be served with
the dish.
 CLASSIC MENU SEQUENCE

7. Sorbet / Sorbet
• Because of the length of the French
classical menu, this course is
considered to be the rest between
courses . It counteracts the previous
dishes, and rejuvenates the appetite
for those that are to follow. It is water
and crushed ice slush flavoured as a
rule with champagne and served in a
glass.
 CLASSIC MENU SEQUENCE

8. Releve / Joints
• This is the main meat course on
the menu, Releves are normally
larger than entrees and take the
form of butcher’s joints which
have to be carved. These joints
are normally roasted. A sauce or
a roast gravy with potatoes and
green vegetables are always
served with this course.
9. Roti / Roast
At this stage the balance of the courses is gradually returning from heavy to light.
Roast always contain roast of game or poultry: - chicken, turkey, duck, pheasant,
quail. Each dish is accompanied by its own particular sauce and gravy, with a green
salad served separately on a crescent shaped dish.

Example of Roti:
Roast chicken
Braised duck
Roast quail

10 - Legumes / Vegetables
We now have a vegetable dish served only with its accompanying sauce. These are
vegetable dishes that can be served separately as an individual course or may be
included along - with the entrée, relevé or roast courses.
Examples of Legumes:
Pommes au four: - baked jacket potato
Champignons grilles : - grilled mushrooms
Choufleur mornay: - cauliflower with a cheese sauce.
Haricots verts au beurre: - French beans tossed in butter
11. Salades / Salad
Various types of salads which are served during this course.
Examples of salades are:
Salade francaise : - lettuce, tomato, egg, & vinaigrette
dressings.
Salade vert: - Lettuce, watercress, cucumber and green pepper.

12. Buffet Froid / Cold Buffet

In this course Chilled meat(small) pieces are served.
Examples of cold buffet items are:
Poulet roti : - Roast chicken
Ham in Parsley Aspic (Jambon Persillé)
Caneton Roti: - Roast Duck
Mayonnaise d hommard: - lobster mayonnaise
13 - Entremets / Sweets
Entremets on a menu refers to desserts. This could include hot or cold
sweets, gateaux, soufflés or ice-cream.
Examples of Entrements:
Crepe suzette : - pancakes in a rich fresh orange juice and flamed with
brandy.
Ananas Flambes au kirsch: - Pineapple flamed with cherry flavoured liquor.
Peche Melba: - Vanilla Ice cream topped with a peach coated with a
raspberry jam sauce and decorated with cream.
Bombes : - various Ice cream sweets.
14 - Savoureux / Savory
A dish of pungent taste, such as anchovies on toast orpickled fruit. They
are seved hot on toast or as savoury soufflé.Welsh rarebit, Scotch
woodcock, Canape diane are some of the examples.
Welsh rarebit: - Cheese sauce Flavoured with ale on toast gratinated.
Canape Daine :- Chicken livers rolled in bacon and grilled, placed on a
warm toast.
Champignons sur croute: - mushrooms on toast.
15. Fromage / Cheese
Fromage is an alternative to the outdated savoury course, and may be
served before or after the sweet course. It is usually served with butter,
crackers and occasionally celery. Gouda, Camembert and Cheddar are
some examples of cheese. All type of cheese may be offered together with
appropriate accompaniments, the ideal cheese board will combine hard,
semi-hard, soft or cream, blue and fresh cheese.
16. Dessert / Cut Fruits & Nuts
Dessert is a course that typically comes at the end of a meal. All forms of
fresh fruit and nuts may be served in this course. Common desserts
include cakes, cookies, fruits, pastries and candies.
All forms of Fresh Fruits Platter
All forms of Dry Fruits nuts may be served accompanied by castor sugar
and salt
17. Boissons / Beverage
All types of hot or cold beverage,Tea,Coffee etc. are served. Always
remember that while compiling menus beverages are not counted as a
course.
Examples are:
Coffee: Cafetiere, Iced, Filter, Speciality, Decaffeinated.
Tea: Indian, Ceylon, Earl Grey, Darjeeling, Orange Pekoe
 Modern menu sequence
With the modern, contemporary menu sequence, a few courses are lost on the way. However,
we can call it a menu sequence when at least 2 courses are served.
I will now show you what a modern menu sequence can look like:
•1st course: soup / starter
•2nd course: main course
•3rd course: dessert / cheese
•Coffee / digestif

Of course, you can also serve a sorbet here in between. If you are hosting a small but fine
dinner privately, I would definitely do it. It just makes a difference, and it is quick to prepare.
One rule to follow as well is that you always go from cold to warm food.
Have fun creating the perfect dinner!
And don’t forget, YOU (and your guests) have to love it! So even if you want to serve pizza as
a little snack, that’s absolutely fine!