Tawjihi Vocational Hospitality flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Cover

One place setting for one guest at a table, including all cutlery, glassware, and napkin; used to count expected guests and calculate food and labour requirements.

Mise en place

French term meaning 'everything in its place': all ingredients are prepared, measured, and arranged before cooking or service begins, improving speed and consistency.

Mother sauces

The five base sauces in classical cuisine: béchamel, velouté, espagnole, hollandaise, and tomato. Other sauces are derived from these by adding ingredients.

Maillard reaction

Browning reaction between amino acids and sugars when food is heated above roughly 140 °C, producing colour and savoury flavour on grilled and roasted foods.

FIFO

First In, First Out stock rotation: older stock is used before newer stock, with dates labelled, to reduce spoilage and maintain food safety.

Temperature danger zone

The range from 5 °C to 63 °C in which bacteria multiply rapidly; food should be kept outside this range during storage, holding, and display.

HACCP

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point: a seven-principle system identifying food safety hazards and setting controls, limits, monitoring, corrective actions, and records.

Cross-contamination

Transfer of harmful microorganisms from raw food, hands, or equipment to ready-to-eat food; prevented by colour-coded boards, handwashing, and separate storage.

VC room status

Hotel code for a Vacant Clean room: the room is unoccupied and housekeeping has finished cleaning it, so it is ready for a new guest.

OOO room status

Out Of Order room: the room cannot be sold because of maintenance or damage; it must be removed from available inventory until repaired.

Folio

The guest's account record in the property management system, listing all charges and payments; it is settled at check-out or posted to a company account.

Night audit

An overnight front-office process that reconciles daily transactions, posts room and tax charges, balances accounts, and advances the hotel's business date.

ADR

Average Daily Rate: rooms revenue divided by rooms sold. It measures the average price achieved per occupied room for a given period.

RevPAR

Revenue Per Available Room: rooms revenue divided by rooms available, equal to ADR multiplied by occupancy percentage. It combines price and occupancy performance.

Occupancy percentage

Rooms sold divided by rooms available, multiplied by 100. It shows what share of sellable rooms was occupied during the period.

Food cost percentage

Cost of food sold divided by food sales, multiplied by 100. It is compared with the budgeted percentage to detect waste, theft, or pricing problems.

Menu engineering

Analysis classifying menu items by popularity and contribution margin into stars, plowhorses, puzzles, and dogs, guiding pricing and menu design decisions.

Break-even point

The sales volume at which total revenue equals total costs, giving zero profit; in covers it equals fixed costs divided by contribution per cover.

PASS technique

Fire extinguisher method: Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, Sweep side to side until the fire is out.

Manual handling

Safe lifting and moving of loads: keep the load close, bend the knees, keep the back straight, avoid twisting, and use team lifts for heavy items.

Safety data sheet

Document supplied with a chemical that lists its hazards, safe handling, storage, first-aid measures, and spill response; consulted before use.

Service recovery

The process of responding to a service failure: listen, apologize, take ownership, resolve the problem, and follow up to restore guest satisfaction.

Moment of truth

Any point where a guest interacts with the property or its staff; each interaction shapes the guest's overall perception of service quality.

Upselling

Recommending a higher-value product or upgrade that genuinely suits the guest's needs, explaining the benefit so the guest can make an informed choice.

Active listening

A communication technique of paraphrasing, asking clarifying questions, and confirming understanding to show the speaker they are heard and understood.

Confirmation language

Phrases that repeat back booking details such as dates, room type, and guest name, so errors are caught before the guest arrives or departs.

Three-plate carry

Service technique holding two plates in the left hand and one in the right, with the rim supported by the fingers, never stacked on the forearm.

Hospital corner

Bed-making technique folding the flat sheet at a 45-degree angle and tucking it under the mattress to create a neat, secure corner.

Shift handover

A written or verbal report at the end of a shift covering open tasks, guest issues, faults, and pending bookings for the incoming team.

Béchamel sauce

A white mother sauce made from milk thickened with a white roux, seasoned with salt, pepper, and nutmeg; base for cheese and cream sauces.

Julienne cut

A knife cut producing thin matchsticks about 3 mm wide and 40 mm long, used for vegetables in stir-fries, salads, and garnishes.

Sanitizing

Reducing microorganisms on food-contact surfaces to safe levels using heat, such as a 71 °C rinse, or an approved chemical at the labelled concentration.