Food and Beverage Service
Food and Beverage Service tests service styles, table setting, the service sequence and complaint handling. Expect practical questions on covers, mise en place, menu types and billing.
Core rules
- Table d'hote is a fixed multi-course menu at a set price; a la carte prices each dish separately.
- Service styles include plate, silver, family, buffet and banquet. The style must suit the menu, guest type and staffing.
- Mise en place means everything in place before service: clean linen, polished cutlery, chilled water, menu cards and condiments.
- Sequence: greet and seat, present menu, take order, serve water and bread, serve courses from the right, clear from the right, present bill, thank and farewell.
- A cover is one guest place setting; covers help forecast food, staff and revenue.
Worked example: A guest orders soup, main course and dessert. Reasoning: place the soup underliner and spoon before service; serve soup from the right; clear the soup plate and underliner before the main; serve the main and check back after a few minutes; clear only when the guest has finished; then reset for dessert. Reason: each course needs correct tools and a clean cover, and clearing too early rushes the guest.
Traps
Do not reach across a guest. Do not carry glasses by the rim. Do not clear one guest's plate while others are still eating unless the house style requires it. Do not present the bill to the wrong guest or before the meal is finished.