CDACC Food & Beverage Service cheat sheet

The service sequence follows: greeting and seating → taking the order → entering the order → serving food and beverages → clearing → presenting the bill → farewell.

Standard cover layout: forks to the left, knives and spoons to the right, the dessert spoon and fork above the plate, and the side plate to the left with the butter knife placed on it.

The order of service is: ladies first, then guests, then the host; serve from the guest's right with the right hand, and clear from the right unless the style requires otherwise.

A la carte means each dish is priced and ordered separately; table d'hote is a fixed multi-course menu at a set price.

French service is silver service from a guéridon; Russian service is plated in the kitchen and presented to the guest; American service is plated and served from the right; English service is family-style, with the host carving and serving.

The table-setting rule: no more than three pieces of cutlery on each side at any one time; add the remaining pieces with the appropriate course.

The 'silent service' rule: do not reach across a guest; walk around the table, and use a tray to carry and remove items.

A cover is the space and cutlery needed for one guest; standard spacing is about 60–70 cm between cover centres.

Mise en place means 'everything in place': all equipment, linen, and condiments are prepared before service begins.

The service recovery sequence: listen without interruption → apologise sincerely → resolve the issue promptly → follow up to confirm satisfaction.

The 3 A's of complaint handling: Acknowledge, Apologise, Act.

The 'moment of truth' is any point where the guest interacts with the service provider and forms an impression.

The RATER model: Reliability, Assurance, Tangibles, Empathy, Responsiveness.

The 10-5 rule: make eye contact and smile at 10 feet, and greet the guest at 5 feet.

The service gap is the difference between guest expectation and guest perception; it is closed by managing expectations and improving delivery.

Upselling is recommending a higher-value item that meets the guest's needs; cross-selling is recommending a complementary item such as a side dish or a beverage.

A guest complaint is an opportunity to retain the guest; most unhappy guests do not complain, they simply do not return, so invite feedback.

The 'yes' attitude: avoid saying 'no' or 'I don't know'; instead say what you can do and find the answer.

The temperature danger zone is 5°C to 63°C (41°F to 145°F); bacteria multiply fastest in this range.

The two-hour/four-hour rule: food held in the danger zone for less than 2 hours may be chilled or served; 2–4 hours it must be used immediately; over 4 hours it must be discarded.

The FIFO rule: First In, First Out; older stock is used before newer stock.

The five keys to safer food (WHO): keep clean; separate raw and cooked; cook thoroughly; keep food at safe temperatures; use safe water and raw materials.

Handwashing steps: wet hands → apply soap → lather and scrub for at least 20 seconds, including under nails → rinse → dry with a disposable towel or hand dryer.

A food handler must not work with food when suffering from diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, or an infected wound on the hand.

Hot food must be held at 63°C or above; cold food at 5°C or below; reheated food must reach 75°C.

Cleaning removes visible dirt; sanitising reduces microorganisms to a safe level; both are required for food-contact surfaces.

Pests are controlled by proofing (screens, seals), eliminating harbourage, removing food and water sources, and regular inspection.

The main spirits are whisky, gin, vodka, rum, brandy, and tequila; liqueurs are sweetened spirits flavoured with fruits, herbs, or spices.

The classic cocktail families: the sour (spirit + citrus + sweetener), the highball (spirit + carbonated mixer), the martini (gin or vodka + vermouth), and the old fashioned (spirit + sugar + bitters).

Wine service order: present the bottle to the host, show the label, open and pour a small taste for the host, then serve the guests, ladies first.

White wine is served at 8–12°C, red wine at 16–18°C, and sparkling wine at 6–8°C.

Beer is served at 3–7°C; the glass should be clean and free from grease, and the pour should produce a head of about 2 cm.

Coffee is brewed at 90–96°C; the standard ratio is about 60 g of ground coffee per litre of water.

Tea is brewed with water at 70–90°C depending on the type; green tea uses cooler water than black tea.

Spirits are measured in shots; a standard shot is 25 ml or 30 ml depending on the establishment; always use a measure to control cost and alcohol content.

The responsible-service rule: refuse service to anyone who appears intoxicated or is under the legal drinking age; offer food and water, and arrange safe transport.

The menu is the foundation of the operation: it drives purchasing, staffing, equipment, and pricing decisions.

The menu-engineering matrix uses popularity (sales mix) and profitability (contribution margin) to classify items as Stars, Plowhorses, Puzzles, and Dogs.

Stars are high popularity and high profit: keep them prominent; Plowhorses are high popularity and low profit: raise price or reduce cost; Puzzles are low popularity and high profit: promote them; Dogs are low popularity and low profit: remove or re-engineer them.

The menu should be balanced in colour, texture, flavour, and cooking method, and should reflect the season and local availability.

A cycle menu repeats over a set period (e.g., 7 days) and is used in institutions such as hospitals and schools.

The menu sequence: appetiser → soup → fish → main course → dessert → beverage; each course should not repeat the main ingredient of another.

The menu should be written in clear, appealing language; avoid jargon and describe the dish accurately, including allergens.

Allergen declaration is a legal requirement in many jurisdictions; the 14 major allergens include gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soy, milk, nuts, celery, mustard, sesame, sulphites, lupin, and molluscs.

Menu pricing methods include the factor method (multiply raw food cost by a factor), the gross profit method (price = food cost / food cost percentage), and the contribution margin method.

Food cost percentage = (cost of food sold / food sales) × 100.

Cost of food sold = opening inventory + purchases − closing inventory.

Beverage cost percentage = (cost of beverage sold / beverage sales) × 100.

Gross profit = selling price − food cost; gross profit margin = (gross profit / selling price) × 100.

The menu price using the gross profit method = food cost / target food cost percentage.

The factor method: selling price = raw food cost × pricing factor, where factor = 1 / target food cost percentage.

Portion control is the single most effective control point; standardised recipes and portion scales ensure consistency and cost control.

Variance = actual cost − standard cost; a positive variance means the operation is spending more than it should.

Labour cost percentage = (labour cost / total sales) × 100; prime cost = food cost + labour cost.

Break-even point in sales = fixed costs / (1 − variable cost percentage).

The four stock-holding costs are ordering cost, holding (carrying) cost, stock-out cost, and the cost of the goods themselves.

The economic order quantity (EOQ) balances ordering and holding costs; EOQ = √(2DS/H), where D is annual demand, S is ordering cost, and H is holding cost per unit per year.

The reorder point = (average daily usage × lead time) + safety stock.

The par stock level is the minimum quantity that must be on hand to cover demand until the next delivery.

Perpetual inventory records every receipt and issue; periodic inventory counts stock at set intervals.

Stocktaking should be conducted regularly (monthly or weekly for high-value items) and discrepancies investigated.

The ABC classification: A items are high value and low volume (tight control), B items are moderate, and C items are low value and high volume (simple control).

The receiving process: check quantity against the delivery note, inspect quality and temperature, record, and store promptly.

Stock rotation follows FIFO; expired or damaged stock is removed and recorded as waste.

The communication process: sender → encoding → message → channel → decoding → receiver → feedback.

Active listening involves paying attention, not interrupting, paraphrasing, and asking clarifying questions.

Non-verbal communication includes body language, facial expression, eye contact, posture, and tone of voice; it often carries more meaning than words.

The 7 Cs of communication: clear, concise, concrete, correct, coherent, complete, and courteous.

Open questions begin with what, why, or how and encourage a full answer; closed questions invite yes/no answers.

The service sequence for order-taking: confirm the guest's choice, repeat the order back, and record it accurately.

Barriers to communication include noise, jargon, language differences, emotions, and assumptions; they are reduced by feedback and clarification.

Conflict resolution steps: stay calm, listen, acknowledge the other person's view, find common ground, and agree on action.

Team briefing (pre-service meeting) communicates the menu, specials, guest expectations, and service standards before each shift.

The hierarchy of controls: elimination → substitution → engineering controls → administrative controls → personal protective equipment (PPE).

The main causes of slips and falls in food service are wet floors, spilled food, and loose mats; use wet-floor signs and clean spills immediately.

Manual handling: keep the load close to the body, bend the knees, keep the back straight, and avoid twisting.

Knife safety: carry knives with the blade down and pointed away, cut on a stable board, and never leave knives in a sink.

Fire safety: know the location of extinguishers and exits; the PASS technique is Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep.

The three elements of fire are fuel, heat, and oxygen; removing any one extinguishes the fire.

Electrical safety: keep equipment away from water, check cords for damage, and switch off before cleaning.

Security measures include controlling access to back-of-house areas, securing cash, and reporting suspicious behaviour.

Accident reporting: record every accident in the accident book, however minor, and investigate to prevent recurrence.

The core ethical principles are honesty, integrity, fairness, respect, and accountability.

Licensing laws regulate the sale and service of alcohol; they set the legal drinking age, permitted hours, and licensing conditions.

Food safety legislation requires food businesses to register, maintain hygiene standards, and keep records such as temperature logs.

The HACCP system has seven principles: hazard analysis, critical control points, critical limits, monitoring, corrective action, verification, and record-keeping.

Allergen regulations require accurate information about the 14 major allergens to be available to guests.

Employment law covers minimum wage, working hours, health and safety, and protection from discrimination.

Consumer protection law requires accurate menu descriptions and pricing; the price charged must match the price displayed.

Confidentiality: guest information must not be disclosed without consent.

Conflict of interest: staff must not accept gifts or commissions that could influence purchasing decisions.