Food and Beverage Operations - Case Study Example

Food and Beverage Operations Hospitality Event When planning and conducting a hospitality event, the client should be the number one focus. Everything should evolve around their needs and wants for that particular event. From the theme to the foods to the budget that they have, the customer provides the framework that is the guideline to follow. Learning about customers and what they think will insure that the event will be a success as this knowledge will help set the goals and objectives for the event. The customer will tell you if there is a theme and if a theme has been selected, the menu should be planned around the theme. Once again, knowing the customer is crucial in planning an event. After determining goals and objectives, the next priority is to plan and organize. Organising helps to keep things running smoothly and saves time and unnecessary work. There should be a system in performing the tasks and responsibilities. "Food Expo 2006" was the event that the Food and Beverage course students participated in. The expo fell under the category of Function and Event Catering. This category consists of weddings, dinner dances, social functions, business functions, working lunches, meetings, and conferences. Function catering is found in the commercial and non-commercial sectors of the catering industry. One month of planning involved working with the budget, marketing, labour utilization, etc. As the planning was being done, it was also important that there was flexibility in the planning as changes usually occur in catering events. Posters were created and displayed on the notice board as part of the marketing plan. A small contribution was collected in order to estimate the number of people who would attend and to insure that the message of the event was being circulated. A total of eighteen students met three times during that month. The students were divided into four groups with different tasks. The planning involved one of the key factors and that was to plan the menu. The most important part of the event is the meal and the meal experience is an event that starts the moment guests arrive. The menu consisted of Devilled Lamb Curry with Chopped Strawberries, Chicken Chablis, Mix Steamed Vegetables with Gravy, Thai Green Fish Curry, Boiled Rice, and Side Salad. In order to make the meal experience and the event go smoothly, much had to be done behind the scene. Since the food would be prepared in one area and the dining would take place in another area, it was important that students learned that the flow of materials (food, chairs, equipment, etc.) should be as direct as possible. If there are too many cross flows of traffic and back-tracking, then the risk of hazards increases and time is also wasted. This also affects the cost of labour (in the real business world). Carts, trolleys, and other mechanical aids that are available and/or can be accessed should be used in alleviating the human handling of materials. This should be concerned in the planning process. What is needed is determined by the types of events and the budget. The traditional method of food production was how the meal was prepared as the food was purchased raw and little dependency was placed on convenience foods. Fresh fish, lamb, and other ingredients were purchased at a nearby shop. At ten o' clock on the day of the event, everyone met at the basketball ground on the top floor. The food would be prepared in a nearby classroom and it had been cleared for that specific reason. Two gas burners, aprons, and caps were provided. Students were given instructions on how to proceed with the food preparation and cooking. Various instructions were given to each group. I.e., one group's instructions included setting the table as the food would be served at one o' clock that afternoon. Another group would prepare the Chicken Chablis. The lecturer started the camcorder in order to record the day's events and all that was taking place. The lecturer interviewed the groups and each group leader answered the interview questions as everything was taking place. This was in order to capture everything that happened for review after the day's events were over. Feedback and learning would come from reviewing what actually went on. It was discovered that morning that instead of fresh chicken that was already cut into pieces, frozen whole chickens had been purchased. This threw the planning and timing off as the chicken had to be defrosted and chopped. However, a chef was alongside to guide and direct the food preparation. Within an hour, progress was being made as the chicken and lamb was being cooked, the vegetables were chopped, the fish was cut and ready to be fried, and the salad ready to be served. Although the planning of labour utilization was done in order to keep it all efficient and most productive, unexpected things happen. The weather was not in good favour so chairs and tables had to be moved up and down the stairs twice. The purchase and use of paper plates and cups was a big mistake because they did not hold very much and guests had to be served twice. Time was ticking away and the chef had to help with the cooking. Another trip to the shop for more items had to be made because ingredients had run out. Although the scheduled time for serving the meal was 1:00 p.m., the food was actually served at 1:30 p.m. When the lecturer and students ate their meal, guests who arrived late had to serve themselves. More rice had to be cooked and the lamb curry was almost gone. The kitchen was located on the ground floor and a bathroom nearby became the place to do the washing. Hygiene and safety standards had to be followed and so it was definitely work as all had to be accomplished in a certain amount of time. Better planning would have helped make the event and tasks run quicker and more smoothly. Paying more attention whilst shopping would have prevented the purchase of frozen whole chicken instead of fresh chicken that was already cut up. This would have save lots of time. The list of ingredients should have stated "fresh cut up chicken" instead of just "chicken". Things would have run more smoothly and the fight against time would not have been so bad if there was more planning. Thinking about the tiny details that make such a big difference would have made the process go better. It was not considered that paper plates and cups would hold less and require more trips for serving as that was an inconvenience to guests but it did save time on the washing of dishes. The paper plates and cups did insure cleanliness as a new cup or plate was used each time. So the pros and cons should have been addressed during the planning process. Considering how to handle guests who wanted more than one portion and guests who arrived late should have been done in the planning process. This would allow for the making of additional food for when guests came later or wanted more food. Arrangements on who would take shifts to serve late guest whilst the lecturer and students were dining should also have been thought out in the planning process. However, there are situations and incidents that cannot be helped such as the bad weather and the washing and cooking areas being in different areas. The dining area and the kitchen and preparation area located on different floors is another thing that could not be helped. Overall, it took a serious amount of teamwork and yet everyone enjoyed themselves. After the of the day's events and task is viewed, notes and feedback should be exchanged as to what can be improved, maintained, changed, and/or kept the same. This will help to make the next event run more smoothly so that all -the staff and the guests-can truly enjoy. Food and Beverage Operations Various Food and Beverage Systems There are different types of food and beverage outlets. Some are strictly commercial outlets and operated only on a commercial basis. Others are subsidized. Another distinction is the market that is served by these outlets. Some serve the public and others serve only restricted groups. Catering as the main service (such as a restaurant that serves the public) versus catering as a secondary activity (such as a business that offers catering to schools) is another distinction. A final distinction between various foods and beverage systems is private or public ownership. These are broad categories and there are many exceptions. The commercial sector consists of restaurants and bar. Their main job is to provide food and beverages. They are highly dependent on their location, passing trade, and reputation to be profitable and successful. Public houses, a group of establishments that offer liquor, and fast food and take-aways, which focuses mainly on preparing foods and beverages at a fast rate to sell to customers, are part of the commercial sector. Clubs offer food and drink along with accommodation. Commercial catering for a restricted market includes travel catering, which deals with things that are not commonly connected to food and beverages. There are four main types of travel catering: Road catering-open twenty four hours a day which causes staffing problems, peak hour traffic lead to more vandalism and littering, catering service provides full service with waitress/waiter services, self service facilities, take-away products, and vending machines Rail catering-consists of terminal catering and in-transit catering, terminal catering offers similar services as road catering along with licensed bars. In-transit catering can offer three types of services: traditional restaurant, buffet car, and snacks/drinks delivered to customers Airline catering-consists of terminal catering and in-flight (or in-transit) catering Sea or marine catering-provisions vary based on the boat/ship, size of boat/ship, length of the trip, etc. There are also institutional and employee catering. These are contract caterers. Function and event catering is another form of food and beverage services. There are also subsidized or welfare food and beverage establishments, institutional catering, colleges and schools catering services, hospitals, and more. All of these food and beverage services must consider the menu design. The type of service that they offer (i.e. full restaurant with waiter/waitresses versus self-service and products to go) will help determine the menu design. The budget that a business or company has to work with is another factor that will affect the menu design. Clients and customers (type, occupations, levels, culture, needs and wants, etc.) provide a driving force which affects the menu design. Events (business or pleasure, large or small, casual or formal, etc.) and the purpose of the meeting or conference will play a role in how the menu should be designed. Whether the food and beverage service offers function/event catering, contracted catering, services to education institutional facilities, airline or sea (marine) catering will also be a factor in menu design. In other words, the type of menu is dependent upon the segment, or target, market of the business or service provider. The occasion, costs, food availability and culture also determine the menu design. For instance, it is important to consider a region and its culture. In the UK, heavier foods are served at lunch and lighter dishes are usually served later in the day. The United States differs as it is customary to eat bigger dinners than breakfast although the government recommends that it should be the other way around for better health and weight management. Factors can be tangible or intangible. For instance, a major intangible element of a food and beverage service is the service itself; e.g. is the waiter polite and is the atmosphere/inviting The reputation of the restaurant, the name or chain that its linked to, and the feeling of prestige or power that the food and beverage service delivers are all intangible factors. For example, if an individual dines at a restaurant where all the celebrities go or where the "in" crowd dines then he or she values the value of power, status, and feeling that it gives him or her. Something intangible is something that is incapable of being perceived by the sense of touch, as incorporeal or immaterial things and things such as power and status are cannot be touched by the hand. Therefore, they are intangible factors. There are four main factors that affect menu and recipe development. These are listed as follows: 1) Sales Mix-the sales mix has to be right in order to cover the cost of the food and/or beverages and, if desired, to make a profit. The menu and recipe development can only be successfully created and implemented if the sales mix is right. If the menu design is not appropriate or working, then perhaps one that is more straightforward and helpful should be created. By using graphics, colour, space, perhaps even lighter choices (for those who are more health conscious), arranging items by prices, etc. a menu can help guide a customer towards a menu choice. 2) Size and Form-the menu needs to be easy to read and to understand 3) Layout of the Menu-"The bigger a menu is, the more time consuming it is for customers to make their selection of food or wine". The length of the menu is very important as it if is too short the customers may be dissatisfied with the availability of choice, however a very long menu will most likely turn off the customer. 4) Nutritional Content -the content of vitamins and minerals in the foods selected can be very important to customers especially when they are conscious of their health and/or weight. This is considerably more important in the welfare sector. Flavour and taste are very important factors when picking foods that are nutritious. The recipes have to appeal to customer's senses such as sight (colour can make a meal seem more appealing and delicious) and taste (if it is nutritious but does not taste good, then it is a not a good recipe/menu selection). A Comparison of Two Restaurants: Brighton Beach Hotel Menu Versus Goa Spice of Life (Difference in Products, Flavour, Appearance, and Nutritional Value in Dishes) The Brighton Beach Hotel is a Bed & Breakfast establishment. The menu is a choice of an English, Continental, or Vegetarian breakfast. Fresh bacon and eggs are on the menu and they are ordered at the market on a weekly basis. Fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, pork sausages, orange and grapefruit juice, grapefruit segments, a variety of cereals, Heinz baked beans, along with other items that are on the menu are purchased on a weekly basis at Bookers Cash & Carry in Brighton. The cereals include selections such as corn flakes, bran flakes, and sugar puffs. Canned tomatoes are also purchased in case the fresh tomatoes run out. As the foods are fairly fresh (except for a very few items), bought in their raw (whole) form, and they are purchased on weekly, the menu selection is very appealing to the eye and palate. The foods are hot upon serving and the selection is a good variety. Breakfast is made to order and freshly prepared. The various menus styles (Continental Breakfast and Full English Breakfast) provide for a wide selection that suits most individuals' tastes. The dishes are artfully presented. The table settings are immaculate and the presentation is impeccable. The menu matches the overall theme and air of the hotel which is casual with a touch of elegance. This is due to the smaller size and individual attention given by the staff members who handle every aspect of the restaurant. It is similar to dining at home. In order to compare two restaurants, the Goa Spice of Life establishment was selected. It is unique in that it focuses on an authentic Goan cuisine which uses more coconut milk and spices. It is differs from traditional Indian cuisines as the focus is more on Portuguese dishes. The theme is specifically Goan which differs from the Brighton Beach Hotel restaurant as it does not have an overall them or cuisine but focuses on meeting the tastes of a general crowd. Goa Spice of Life specialises in a certain ethnic food. There are two chefs (one who is has worked at the well-renowned Sonargoan Pan Pacific Hotel). The chefs offer guests assistance in selecting dishes from the menu. This enhances the fine dining, cultural experience of the restaurant. Another special touch that this restaurant proudly delivers is providing special deals to students as the staff members and owners feel that impoverished students should enjoy an authentic meal and experience at their restaurant. Hence, staff possess enhance skills of knowing the culture and ethnic cuisine. This requires the theme and menu of the restaurant to truly be authentic and focus on one type of culture and food. This contrasts that of the Brighton Beach Hotel which caters to the general public with its Continental Breakfast and Full English Menu selections. The dishes are extremely fragrant and colourful as those are the characteristics of the cultural foods. The dining room is beautifully designed in the Goan theme and everything and everyone reflects the Indian theme. The menu consists of traditional Indian cuisine and the specialty Goan dishes. Names of the dishes are exotic as the taste of a different culture: Goan Peri Peri, Caldine, Goan Kokum, Balchao, Xacuti, Gaon Vindaloo, Dhai Wala, Nilgree, and Dhai Wala. Seasonal specials and take service is available. They also cater special events such as weddings and parties. In comparing the two restaurants, this one is more accommodating and customizes to meet the distinct and varying desires of customers. Unless a customer desires to try or dine on these authentic dishes, he or she would not find this restaurant appealing as it is a fine dining establishment with the focus of an exotic regions food. Although the dining is considered to be "fine dining", the selections are priced at a value price. The restaurant has a reputation of providing healthy foods with an excellent service at a value price. They also offer two money-saving options: Option 1 allows the customer to order anything on the menu as many times as they wish for one price (14.90). In keeping with the fine dining and dishes made upon demand, they do not have a buffet for this option but foods are cooked as ordered but there is no limit on the amount of time a customer wishes to order. Option 2 gives the customer a choice of two courses (main dishes) plus a serving of naan or rice for the price of 9.99. Food and Beverage Operations The Financial and Staffing Implications of a Range of Food and Beverage Systems When the term financial implications is used in the food and beverage system, this encompasses a range of financial and staff implications such as equipment costs, wages and product costs, and staff training. Financial implications also encompass the cost of staff members acquiring skills and de-skilling, job specifications, staff training, and levels of output. Generally in the food and beverage business, fixed costs such as land and premises have a tendency to be significantly higher variable costs. Variable costs are costs that change with increase production. Some examples include a cost of labor, material or overhead that changes according to the change in the volume of production units. Combined with fixed costs, variable costs make up the total cost of production. Therefore, accounting logic determines that the volume of sales to break even must typically be very high. "The bigger the volume the higher the profits but the lower the volume, the bigger the losses" is what they say in the world of business. This also applies to the food and beverage industry. Another critical area to consider is the optimal use of capacity. Optimal use of capacity is a goal that managers should try to achieve as insuring the best and most efficient use of resources leads to business success. In an attempt to reach this goal, the FBO manager has to be able to forecast demand. Demand, however, fluctuates and depends greatly on the type of customer and menu items. A high-end restaurant caters to a different clientele than a lower-end establishment. Therefore, food prices, the cost of equipment, and the cost of paying people with more skills (and perhaps education) tend to be higher for the high-end restaurant. For example, individuals dining at the Ritz-Carlton would expect an ambience befitting of celebrities, if not royalty. Hence, fixtures, fittings, and furniture would be a much higher cost upon start up. Equipment to perform and secure operations would also be more costly. Examples of equipment that an upscale establishment may require include: an onsite cold storage room, surveillance cameras, ice carving machinery, and a fully computerised inventory system. These definitely cost more than the basic startup necessities. Clients who visit high-end restaurants would also expect more elaborate and exotic dishes. Foods such as expensive wines, seafood, caviar, escargot, and organic greens influence the purchasing costs. As mentioned earlier, obviously inherent to this type of system would be highly-trained staff with specific job skills. Such skills that are needed at various high-end restaurants include: ice carving, filleting, information technology, and management. Skills training, retraining of skills, and refresher courses also contribute to the higher cost as these types of restaurants must keep abreast in order to stay with, or preferably, ahead of the competition. Also, such operations usually have huge levels of output and are designed to cater to the demands of the clientele. A huge stock of dinnerware, spacious car parks, and valet systems may be included in the output which causes the cost of running a high-end restaurant to soar. On the other hand, there are welfare systems and economy class commercial systems. A welfare system would have to cater to hospitals, schools, and nursing homes just to name a few. The economy class commercial systems include organisations that cater to customers who are on a tight budget. These customers typically expect to pay 8-10 for a three-course meal. In both cases, food prices and the cost of equipment would naturally be lower than the high-end restaurants. For instance, individuals dining at Starbucks would expect an ambiance that is comfortable yet not necessarily glamorous. Fixtures and fittings would be a large cost but not as expensive when compared other high-end commercial systems. Equipment to perform and secure operations such as one or two deep freezers and an online teller system would also be less costly. The fact that clients would expect good quality at a low price would also influence the purchasing costs. Inherent to this type of system would be skilled and unskilled staff such as cooks and servers. In the case of welfare caterers, there are often huge levels of output at the production site before the meals are delivered. In contrast, the production for Starbucks is spread over a large number of branches in the restaurant's chain. However, there is a great need to invest in a huge stock of dinnerware, large cark parks, and valet systems because in the former, the dishes are prepared offsite and then delivered to the intended customers. In the latter, meals are usually served in disposable ware so that the client can take the "meal to go" if he or she so desires. Breakfast at the Brighton Beach Hotel is served from 8:00-9:30 a.m. on weekdays and 8:30-10:00 a.m. on weekends. The job specifications are listed in this writing. Most foods on the menu are prepared fresh but a few are prepared the night before or placed in the microwave in order to save some time. The staff members who work the day shift from 7:30/8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. prepare the breakfast. The person doing the breakfast is not necessarily to be a qualified chef. However, he or she can be the receptionist/housekeeper depending on how many rooms the hotel was booked one day before. This person handles the preparation and starts half an hour early. Such preparation tasks include switching on the oven and grill, cutting the mushrooms and tomatoes, placing the beans into a jug which will go into the microwave, placing the tomatoes into the oven, and preheating the oil which will be used to cook the eggs. Muffins and croissants are warmed in the oven. The bacon and sausages are precooked in the industrial oven the day before and kept refrigerated. The housekeepers work in the dining room and do preparations such switching on the hot water appliance (for tea and coffee) and the toaster, emptying the milk, juice, grapefruit segments in the required jugs, filling the jams and butter/margarine on each table, and defrosting the breads if required. The housekeepers serve breakfast in the morning. After their duties are finished for breakfast and a fifteen-minute break, they start cleaning (stripping) the rooms as The Brighton Beach Hotel is a Bed & Breakfast establishment. The dining room can accommodate 32 people in one go with 16 tables. Table service is offered. The housekeepers take order from the customers. Tea and coffee along with whole meal and white bread are served depending on the order of the customers. As the entire hotel only consists of 27 rooms, the housekeepers do the dishes by hand. After breakfast, the kitchen is cleaned, swept, and mopped. The dining room and washing room applies the same cleaning, sweeping, and & mopping. The dining room requires the setting of tables. Actual minimum wage (5.25) is paid to the staff of the Brighton Beach Hotel restaurant. New staff members are being selected, interviewed and put on a trial basis for 1- 2 weeks. National Insurance number is a must in order to be hired. Once they have been confirmed, the new staffs are told that the hotel job is seasonal depending on how busy it is. Then phone calls are made to ask the new hires to appear for their new shift that evening. In order to compare the two restaurants once again but this time based on the financial and staffing implications, the Goa Spice of Life is unique in that it focuses on an authentic Goan cuisine which uses more coconut milk and spices. It is differs from traditional Indian cuisines as the focus is more on Portuguese dishes. The theme is specifically Goan which differs from the Brighton Beach Hotel restaurant as it does not have an overall them or cuisine but focuses on meeting the tastes of a general crowd. Goa Spice of Life specialises in a certain ethnic food. There are two chefs (one who is has worked at the well-renowned Sonargoan Pan Pacific Hotel). The chefs offer guests assistance in selecting dishes from the menu. This enhances the fine dining, cultural experience of the restaurant. Therefore, the staff members who work in the dining area do not serve as chefs or cooks. The responsibilities are more defined unlike the Brighton Beach Hotel restaurant where the staff members do the various jobs. There is more of a focus on the clientele as customer service and knowledge of the authentic cuisine requires that the staff converse with customers more. Another special touch that this restaurant proudly delivers is providing special deals to students as the staff members and owners feel that impoverished students should enjoy an authentic meal and experience at their restaurant. Hence, staff possess enhance skills of knowing the culture and ethnic cuisine. They also possess customer service skills above and beyond the typical skills that are required. Being able to assist customers in selecting authentic Goan dishes requires a knowledge of the land and foods and more public relations and customer service skills than what is required at the Brighton Beach Hotel restaurant. They also donate to a variety of charities which range from local charitable organisations to international groups. The owner and his staff are very active in the community. They provide training for students who desire to learn the fine art of creating authentic cuisine. There is never a charge for this service to students. With this attitude for helping and assisting others, it is a sure thing that the restaurant staff especially cares for its customers. Similarities that the two restaurants have are the small staff and special attention that is offered from a smaller establishment. The wages paid to staff are comparable to that of the other restaurant only in the fact that new staff members may start out at minimum wage (5.25) but wages increase as experience and skills increase. This restaurant focuses on its people-staff, customers, community, and the world. Read More