RECIPE FOR SUCCESS INGREDIENT CARDS
Ingredient 4: Ideas
Question:
Ideas on how to lower labour and food costs?
Answer:
A buffet table service offers several advantages to restaurant catering businesses. For example, a buffet table service requires the least amount of labor, both kitchen and service.
In other words, a buffet table service presents a somewhat different approach. Firstly, is the fact that it is presented to the guest visually rather than in printed form. Secondly, the guests do not select which items to consume by reading, the guest selects the buffet food by viewing the actual buffet food itself.
Visual Appeal
The visual appeal of any buffet table serves the same purpose and descriptive terminology on the printed menu – to sell. Most importantly, If the products look good and the overall merchandising effect is artistically done the buffet will be welcomed by the customer. The old adage “It looks good, therefore, it will taste good” couldn’t be truer. Moreover, to properly merchandise a buffet, three elements are required: fresh food, attractive garnishing, and creative supporting display material.
Garnishment
Garnishing on a buffet table goes beyond simply adding a lot of colorful food to a plate to enhance its presentation. While this is certainly important and must be used, buffet garnishment also includes decorative pieces. For example, whole hams, turkeys and fish are often used to enhance a table. One or two of these pieces, properly placed and displayed, will add to the overall color and excitement of the buffet presentation.
Supporting Display Material
Supporting display material is a miscellaneous category and includes all non-edible display pieces that are used to enhance the buffet table. First and foremost among these is ice carvings. Over the years these have become a traditional part of buffets. Often used as a centerpiece, they are one of the binding factors that tie the theme of the party and the buffet together. In addition to being used as display pieces, ice carvings can also become serving dishes, typically to serve shrimp from a bowl carved out of ice.
Other non-edible displays include flowers, ferns, greens, and leaves. These can be used to add color to the table. Most importantly, remember that these should not be used on the platters of food, nor should they touch the platters. Only edible food should be on the platters. All non-edible goods are for table color enhancement only.
Line movement and zoning
The speed at which the line moves is certainly critical to the success of any buffet. Nothing puts the damper on a gala event quicker than having to stand in a slow-moving line. To avoid this problem the buffet table or tables should be zoned.
A zone is a section that serves 50 people. Each zone should be identical and contain the same selection and assortment as every other zone. So, if you are serving 200 guests, there would be four zones. In extremely large buffets, zones can be set for 100 guests. For the service of 1,000 people, it would be easier to set up 10 large zones rather than 20 smaller ones.
Zoning is most predominant in banquet buffets where a large number of patrons are arriving at about the same time. In restaurants where the guests are arriving over a longer period, the number of zones would be determined by the number of seats in the restaurant and the estimated groupings, in terms of number of the arrivals
Writing the menu
Several factors need to be taken into consideration when deciding what food items should be placed on a buffet table. Firstly, of course, is profit. Secondly, while not as important as profit but still warranting consideration, which is the demographics of the customer.
In addition to demographics, there is another consideration that must be accounted for in planning buffets. When booking banquet buffets, the theme of the group must be taken into consideration by choosing products that reinforce that theme. In addition to the menu, supporting display material should also carry out the theme of that function. In restaurants where buffets are an everyday occurrence, the theme and decor of the establishment should be reflected in the buffet items. If the restaurant is generic in nature, then the buffet is open to a wide assortment of menu choices. Even in this situation, however, it is a wise idea to change items from time to time to arouse the customer’s curiosity. People love theme parties. Feature a Friday seafood buffet, etc…
One final consideration on buffet menus. Make sure that the items selected complement each other as far as taste and flavour are concerned. For instance, contrast should be exploited in the areas of texture, shape and size. Contrast is particularly important in cooking methods and color. A well-planned buffet table set up with many vivid, contrasting colors will whet the appetite of even the most discerning diner.
Hors D’oeuvre Buffets
A different style of a buffet, the hors d’oeuvre buffet, is used primarily for cocktail parties, although in some cases it is used for appetizer service prior to a banquet. Consequently, the food menu should be drawn up entirely of ‘finger food’, that is, food items that do not require utensils.
Also, the buffet tables should be scattered throughout the room. In other words, several tables rather than one with a line effect should be used. This arrangement encourages people to move about and socialize rather than standing in line, filling a plate and sitting down.
Each table should be categorised differently. For example, one buffet table could have fruit and cheeses, other canapés, one or more with hot hors d’oeuvre and still another could have seafood and so on. The other factors regarding buffets remain the same.
A busy restaurant catering operation can increase its flexibility by applying a buffet table style of service to one large function while simultaneously serving other restaurant customers and/or another party.
Method:
For a low investment:
- User-friendly eGuide – How to Setup a Profitable Buffet
- eventbrite.com Online Workshop: Restaurant & Cafe Entrepreneurs: ‘Open for Business’ for Hospitality Owners (8 evenings Tues and Thursday or 4 Saturdays)
Free
- eventbrite.com Webinar: Restaurant & Cafe Entrepreneurs: Hospitality Business Startup (1 evening: Introduction)
- Monthly ‘Recipe for Success’ Newsletter
- BLOG Articles
- FAQs
RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
4 Ingredients:
Business – keep within the law
Marketing – increase sales, make more profit
Operations – controls to save time and money
Ideas – keep your customers coming back
Method:
