Food Service Preparation (Mise-en-place)
TABLE D'HOTE
Table d’hote is a simple complete meal, it is listed as a full-course meal and offers appetizer, soup, main course and dessert .
The definition of table d’hote menu is covered by the following points:
- The menu has a fixed number of courses
- There is a choice within each course
- The selling price of the menu is fixed
- The dishes provided will all be ready at the same time
Below are the cutleries used to place-setting normally in restaurant dining room in readiness for service of either luncheon or dinner. It would consist of the following:
- Serviette/napkin
- Soup spoon
- Appetizer knife
- Appetizer fork
- Table knife
- Table fork
- Dessert spoon
- Dessert fork
- Bread & Butter plate
- Side knife
- Water goblet
- Tumbler
- Dinner plate
The various items of cutlery are set so that the cutlery used for the first course is outermost, and the remaining cutlery is set in order which it will be used, working inwards from the outside.
A'LA CARTE
An a la carte menu feature offers a variety of dishes individually priced. The guest then select the dishes they would like from the menu given.
The basic of ala carte cover is that the cover usually set when the guests have a wide choice and its also provides the basic equipment needed for the meal and the term a la carte may be translated as ‘from the card’.
This type of menu may be defined by the following points:
- It gives a full list of all the dishes that may be prepared by the establishment
- Each dish is priced separately
- A certain waiting time has to be allowed for each dish to be sent to the guest.
- Each dish is cooked according to order
This kind of place-setting is normally laid out in a good class restaurant and dining room in readiness for service of either luncheon or dinner and consists of the following:
- Serviette/napkin
- Table knife
- Table fork
- Side plate
- Side knife
- Water goblet
BUFFET
Buffet is a meal consisting of a number of dishes set out so that guests can select what they want for themselves.
In buffet service, the food, hot or cold is presented attractively on a separate table away from the guests and they have to come to the table to select what they desire.
There are three types of buffet setting:
- finger buffet
- fork buffet
- sit down buffet
The mise-en-place for buffet setting is the same and the waiter or waitresses had to set up the table for buffet line and the centerpiece according to the concept and the theme of the dining room or restaurant.
Below are the lists of the place-setting normally laid in a restaurant and dining room in readiness for service of either luncheon or dinner:
- Serviette/napkin
- Table knife
- Table fork
- Side plate
- Side knife
- Water goblet
Example of Table Setting
