Archive for August, 2009
Restaurant Service Procedure: So Similar to Naval Ship Service Procedure
Posted by: | Commentsby Richard Saporito
This concept occurred to me after a restaurant service consulting session with the owner of a catering operation. His restaurant was in perfect order, incredibly neat and clean, better than I have seen in quite awhile.
In conversation, when I learned he was in the Navy for 4 years, it dawned on me that restaurant service procedure is very similar to naval ship service procedure– without the danger elements that exist on a ship, of course.
- Image via Wikipedia
For example, on a ship, there are tight, crammed spaces that crew members have to quickly and orderly work through [same as in a restaurant]. It is very important that the crew keeps the ship safe and sanitary [same as in a restaurant]. Being on the frontline, the crew must have the ability to respectfully give orders and take orders [same as in a restaurant].
In a restaurant, the waiter takes beverage and food orders from the customers, and sends these orders to the bar and kitchen. The waiter may also give orders to the busboys, runners, and even the host to help coordinate dining room service. [And vice versa]. At times, the waiter may have to receive orders or instructions from other staff and management. In this case, the waiter must be listening attentively because it may be concerning the customer’s needs.
The crew on a naval ship must be in excellent physical condition [as waiters must be] to perform the heavy duties necessary to keep the ship afloat – somewhat similar to the heavy duties required for keeping a restaurant afloat. More importantly, there is a mindset that all tasks are performed while keeping the ship and crew members in mind as a unit. In other words, “playing as a team.” or “service for the good of the ship” [same as in a restaurant].
Even the phrases used by a ship’s crew while moving amongst the tight spaces and each other are the exact same as the phrases used in a restaurant such as: “coming thru”, “behind you,” “make a path.” Use of these phrases will prevent accidents.
There is also the story that it’s bad luck to whistle on a ship which is the same as in a restaurant kitchen. On a ship, the human whistle can get confused with the ship’s whistle which sounds out important messages to the crew at different times of the day.
The more you think about the similarities between restaurant service procedure and naval ship service procedure, the more concepts you can discover!
Click here to improve restaurant service reputation and increase sales immediately:
How to Improve Dining Room Service
About the Author:
Richard Saporito is the Founder of Topserve Restaurant Consulting, author of "How To Improve Dining Room Service." If you'd like to improve your restaurants' reputation and increase sales, contact Richard today for a Free Initial Restaurant Consultation by calling (888) 276-4808 or visiting his Contact Page.
How To Buy Maine Lobster Wholesale For A Restaurant Or Party
Posted by: | CommentsIf you own a restaurant or are having a large family get together, serving lobsters for dinner isn’t as expensive as you think. While a fancy restaurant might charge 30-40 dollars a plate, you can order live Maine lobster for as little at 6 or 7 dollars a pound!
- Image by Jeremy Brooks via Flickr
The first step is finding a distributor. The Maine lobster industry is regulated by the state and remains for the most part family owned and operated. This is a good thing! While most large corporate distributors wouldn’t waste their time dealing with a small order, a family run lobster pound will most likely bend over backwards to obtain your business.
You can easily find a good lobster distributor using a search engine such as Yahoo or Google. I would use keywords such as “wholesale lobster” or “wholesale live lobster”. This will return a myriad of results, some better than others. Look for a lobster distributor who welcomes small orders. Many places will have a page devoted to wholesale inquires. Just submit an email and leave your name and number, along with how much lobster you want to order. Someone should return you email and give you price quote.
When you get the price quote, make sure it is broken down by pounds of lobster and shipping cost. Shipping can be rather expensive, so don’t be shocked if it is several hundred dollars.
Most distributors give two options for shipping. FedEx/UPS or Air Freight. FedEx/UPS is great because it is delivered right to your front door even on the weekend. This convenience comes at a cost, shipping 100 pounds overnight through FedEx will cost you over 200 dollars. FedEx should be used when your total weight is low, or you are unable to use air freight.
The second option, Air Freight, is much less expensive, but also less convenient. The lobster distributor will pack up your lobster and drive them to a local airport. The lobsters will be placed on an airplane and flown to an airport close to you. Most often you will be required to pick up the lobsters at the airport. Air freight will cost you between 50 and 75 cents per pound. So to ship 100 pounds may only cost 50-75 dollars, much less then if you used FedEx or UPS.
Your lobsters will arrive in a large box packed with ice packs and special pads to hold in ocean water. Lobster should be placed in refrigeration with the box open to the air. You should plan to have your lobster delivered on the day you wish to serve them.
About the Author: Ian Reardon owns Sagamore Lobster. Sagamore Lobster has been selling lobster wholesale for over 30 years
Food Service: The Mover Of The Culinary Arts
Posted by: | CommentsThe Food Service Of The Present Age
There are a few restaurants nowadays that can really sweep you off your feet from merely displaying their exquisite style in food serving. Years ago, food serving was an art that was practiced like a ritual. This is because, for one, people were so deeply religious that even the preparation of the food was a cause of celebration and joy. Two, people used to have all the time in the world that even the preparation of food was made into a beautiful ritual of blessing.
Of all the people in the known world, the Japanese has managed, up to now, to maintain rituals that they have observed all throughout their life, of which include preparation and serving of food and drinks. In fact, they have this so-called tea ceremony for special events like weddings or funerals, with teas served in little cups. Most of Japanese food preparations and rituals are meant as an offering to their master, teacher, deity or God. In some other parts of the world, like in Africa, for example, there still exist more radical rituals such as dancing or the banging of congo drums to exalt their God. The food were said to be a gift from their God and they are dancing out of joy for the blessing.
Such rituals of food service are colorful memories of tradition that is slowly being forgotten. Notwithstanding the lost tradition of food serving, some people still do understand the importance of proper food serving. Read More→
