MENU FORMAT

In many cases, especially in restaurants, serving haute
cuisine, the part or table d'hote menu is beautifully handwritten to
emphasize the traditional character of the restaurant. In less fancy
restaurants, a modern variant that is similar but simpler is often
used: the blackboard, on which are written recommendations
concerning the day's specialties.
In general, however, the table d'hote or a part menu, which
changes daily or cyclically, is prepared in-house (on a typewriter or
computer) and duplicated as necessary. A separate menu listing the
daily specials might also be prepared. In many restaurants the table
d'hotel or a part menu and the daily specials contain only a fraction
of what is offered. Often an a la carte menu, from which the guests
can select from an array of dishes that are always available, is also
provided. If an a la carte menu is offered, the other menus are
inserted in or clipped to its folder. The daily menus may also be
placed at every seat, but in most establishments they are offered by
the service staff along with the regular a la carte menu.

My YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtEmIqoo7SW9iqEG1nM1s6w

TYPES OF MENU

A'LA CARTE MENU

TABLE D'HOTE MENU

TYPES OF MENU

Table D'hôte
Table d'hôte is a French phrase which literally means "host's
table". It is used to indicate a fixed menu where multi-course meals
with limited choices are charged at a fixed price. Such a menu may
also be called prix fixe ("fixed price"). It usually includes three or five
courses meal available at a fixed price. It is also referred to as a
fixed menu. Because the menu is set, the cutlery on the table may
also already be set for all of the courses, with the first course cutlery
on the outside, working in towards the plate as the courses progress.
In olden days, when the inns or dining establishments
offering a limited choice in the menu was not preferred by the
guests, they started offering an a la carte menu for guests to select
the type of food they wanted to eat.
Fixed menus or table d'hote menus are still used in various
forms such as buffet menus, conference packages and on special
occasions. A table d'hote menu comprises a complete meal at a
predetermined price. It is sometimes printed on a menu card or as in
the case of banquets, it is agreed upon by the host of the party. A
banquet style of fixed menu has more elaborate choices ranging
from the soup to the dessert. For the banquets, the hosts invariably
fixes or selects the menu in consultation with the hotel staff in
advance.
Most of the banquet food served in India is normally of Indian
food. For this, a printed format offering a choice of vegetarian and
non-vegetarian dishes is prepared, from which the guests make their
choice. Western style fixed menus normally provide the choice of a
starter or soup, a main course, and finally a dessert. In each course


there could be a choice of dishes to suit the tastes of individual
guests.
Table d'hote menus should be well planned and balanced. As
the guest is not given a chance to plan his own meal, the meal
should be interesting, without any similarity in the colour and taste of
the courses as well as being palatable, delicious and well presented.
If the main course is heavy, then the first course should be
lighter, and act as an appetite stimulant for the courses to follow.
Dishes that are heavy and hard to digest should be avoided. The
colour, varieties of ingredients used, and the garnishes should, if
possible, be different for each course.


Fixed menus are prevalent in transport catering which include
air, rail, and sea passengers. The guests have a variety of fixed or
table d'hote menus, with virtually no choice offered to the
passengers (except the first class air passengers). Cruise liners may
have elaborate fixed menus with multiple choices built into each
course.

TYPES OF MENU

In a restaurant, there are two different types of menus which
are differentiated by the manner in which they are served and priced.
A menu may be a la carte or table d'hôte.


A La Carte Menu
An “A La Carte Menu”, is a multiple choice menu, with each
dish priced separately. If a guest wishes to place an order, an a la
carte is offered, from which one can choose the items one wants to
eat.
Traditionally, the original menus that offered consumers
choices were prepared on a small chalkboard, a la carte in French;
so foods chosen from a bill of fare are described as à la carte,
"according to the board."
In an a la carte menu all items are cooked to order including
the sauces that are made with wine, cream or mustard. Depending
on the dish chosen by the guest, the cooking time will vary. It is
necessary to inform the guests about the time the preparation might
take. An extensive a la carte menu is impressive but involves a huge
amount of mise-en-place.

MENU

In a restaurant, a menu is the list of dishes to be served or
available for a diner to select from. The items that are available for
the diner to choose from are broken down into various categories,
depending on the time of day or the event.
The compilation of a menu is the most important part of a
caterer's work. It is regarded as an art, acquired only through
experience and study. The menu is a link between the guest and the
establishment, hence it should be carefully planned by the
establishment's professionals, namely the executive chef, the food
and beverage manager and the food and beverage controller.
The word menu dates back to 1718, but the custom of
making such a list is much older. In earlier times, the escriteau (bill of
fare) or menu of ceremonial meals was displayed on the wall
loadable with the kitchen staff to follow the order in which the dishes
were to be served. It is said that in olden times, menus were like a
large dictionary with sections covering a variety of dishes. As time
progressed the lengthy single copy menu became s m aller but
increased in number allowing a number of copies placed in table
increased. Depending on the establishment and the occasion, the
menu may be plain or artistic in its presentation.

POINTS TO REMEMBER WHILE LAYING A TABLE

1) The table on which a tablecloth is to be spread, should be
first covered with a baize base cloth, for the following
reasons:
a. To protect the diner's wrists and elbows from the
table's sharp edges.
b. To keep the tablecloth firmly in place.
c. To protect the surface of the table and prevent the
rattling of crockery and cutlery.
d. To absorb moisture in case liquid spills on the table.
2) Based on the size of the table, appropriate linen should be
used. The central fold of the tablecloth should be in the
middle of the table and all the four edges should just brush
the seats of the chairs. Soiled or torn linen should not be
used. Three types of tablecloths namely cotton, linen and
damask are used. Of these, damask is the best.
3) If a bud vase is used as a central decorative piece, it should
not be very large or tall as that obstructs the view of guests
sitting opposite each other. Heavily scented flowers should
be avoided, as they affect the flavour of the food.
4) Each cover should be well-balanced. (A cover is the space
required on a table for laying cutlery, crockery, glassware and
linen for one person to partake of a meal).
5) Only the required cutlery, crockery and glassware should be
placed on the table. On a normal dining table, the space
required for one cover is 60 cm x 38 cm. The cover on the
opposite side should be exactly similar, so as to give a wellbalanced
look.
6) Cutlery should always be laid from the inside to the outside of
the cover, since the order of sequence in which they are to be
used is always from outside to inside.
7) Knives and soup spoons should be placed on the right-hand
side of a cover, while forks should be placed on the left-hand
side. Dessert spoons and forks should be placed on top of
the cover. The side knife should be placed on a quarter plate
and kept on the left side of the cover. The cutting edge of all
knives should face to the left.
8) Water tumbler should be kept to the right of the cover, at the
tip of the large knife.
9) Napkins should be placed in the centre of the cover, in
between the cutlery. Normally during a dinner session,
napkins are arranged in empty water tumblers.

10) Cruet sets, a butter dish, an ashtray, meal accompaniments
and a bud vase should be placed in between the covers at
the centre of the table.
11) Crockery and cutlery should be spotlessly clean and the
glassware well polished.
12) Chipped or cracked equipment should not be used. The
hotel's monogram should be visible to the guest.
13) All cutlery and crockery should be placed about an inch from
the edge of the table so that they are not accidentally tipped
over.

My YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtEmIqoo7SW9iqEG1nM1s6w

TABLE SETTING

Table setting refers to the way to set a table with tableware -
such as eating utensils and dishware - for serving and eating. The
arrangement for a single diner is called a place setting. The
arrangement varies across various cultures. The rules for laying a
table are not rigid. They are followed to facilitate dining and making
the table neat. The basic rules for laying the tables are given below:
1) Table Linens: Table linen has to be laid properly. A white
cloth is preferred but not mandatory. The only rule is to make
sure that linen patterns and china patterns don't clash.
2) Chargers: Chargers or dinner plates should be placed on the
table first. Chargers are decorative elements that are placed
underneath plates to add color or texture to the table. Each
plate should be set in the center of the place setting and each
place setting on the table should be set equidistant. The rest
of the components used to set a formal table will be set with
the dinner plate in mind. If a charger is used, soup and melon
bowls will be placed on top. The charger will generally be
removed just before the main course.

3) Napkins: Linen napkins should be folded elegantly and
placed in the center of the dinner plate.

4) Silverware: Silverware is to be placed in order of use. In other
words, the diner will start at the end and work his way in. The
first course will use silverware farthest from the dinner plate,
while the last course will utilize the silverware closest. Place
all silverware an inch from the table's edge.
5) Knives: Set knives on the table to the right of the dinner plate.
Technically, one should only use a knife if one is cutting
meat; however, up to three knives can be placed on the table,
in order of use. Blades should face inside, towards the table
setting.
6) Forks: Forks are to be set to the left of the dinner plate in
order of use. In most cases, there are three: one each for
seafood, the main course and the salad. When dining
formally, salads are generally served at the end of the meal.
7) Spoons: Spoons are set to the right of the knives in order of
use. If there is a melon course, this spoon will be set closest
to the plate with the soup spoon on the end. If there is a
dessert spoon, this will be set above the plate. Coffee spoons
are set on the saucer when it's time for dessert.
8) Glasses: Glasses are set above the plate to the right in order
of use. From left to right: Water glass, red wine glass, white
wine glass, champagne flute (if ordered).
9) Dessert: Dessert plates and coffee / tea cups will be set out
after dinner. If a fork is to be used with dessert, this will be

placed on the dessert plate. A dessert spoon should have
already been set above the dinner plate. Coffee spoons
should be placed on the saucer. Coffee / tea mugs aren't
used for a formal dinner.