Introduction to food & beverage service

The food and beverages are served to guests through different outlets.
Each of the service outlets has a specific style of service. Based on these the outlets may be classified as under:-
Restaurants Generally the restaurants undertake table service to guests. A restaurant is an outlet that has provision for dispensing food and beverages to its customers. They may exist separately or may be a part of another business. They may be covered under license for dispensing alcoholic beverages or may be totally devoid of service of alcoholic beverages. They vary in styles and standard of service, size and layout, ambiance, types of dishes they serve, quality of service equipment, forms of entertainment, and the price it quotes on its menu and beverage list, depending on which they may be classified as under:
Popular Catering Establishments: The objective of the popular catering establishment is to provide a quick and economical meal in a clean and standardized dinning room. The type of menu can vary
from ordinary to specialty ones. The economical price is maintained through type of service, quality of crockery and cutlery, humble ambiance, and less spacious seating layout.
Fine Dinning Restaurants: These restaurants stand apart from the rest with their classical presentation in every form - the dishes on the menu, the beverage list, the ambiance, the quality of crockery and cutlery, the service, the types of entertainment, etc. The prices are generally high and the guests are strictly admitted inside the premises according to the establishment’s dress code.
Multi cuisine Restaurant: This is a type of restaurant where food from different countries and region are provided. Generally these restaurants opens in shift – for lunch & dinner, and the types of
service is informal. The decor and the ambiance tend to be lavish and gorgeous.
Specialty Restaurants: The Specialty Restaurants are those that specialists on certain type of preparations – like Tandoori Items, Burgers, Sandwiches, Sea Foods, Vegetarian, etc.
Ethnic Restaurants: Ethnic Restaurants specializes on service of food & beverages of a particular region.
Themed Restaurants: These restaurants have the ambiance describing the name of the restaurant, or a particular occasion.These restaurants basically hold certain event dinning or food festival nights. The garden cafe, however, is also a typically themed restaurant.
Coffee Shop: A Coffee Shop has following features:
a) It is opened for 24-hours.
b) It is located in such a place in the hotel which is easily accessible both by the external guests and the in-house guest.
c) The service is fast and plated service is usually followed.
d) Usually it is a licensed premise.
e) Cutleries are less expensive and multi-purpose.
f) The menus vary according to the time of the day- viz. breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, supper, early morning breakfast, etc.
g) The prices on the dishes are moderate.
h) Serves wholesome menus.
i) Ambience is cheerful but informal.
j) In order to break the monotony the Coffee Shop should undergo regular changes in menus, layout,ambience, décor, etc., because the outlet is frequented by regular guests.
Grill Room: The Grill Room is a restaurant that is uniquely different from the rest. It is a large hall portioned by a glass wall where one side is the restaurant and the other side is the kitchen. The kitchen is practically in full view of the guest which can be seen through the glass portioned wall. The guest can see how and what is to be cooked for him. In fact he can also order the particular cut or choose the particular whole carcass which is to be cooked for him.
Discotheque: This is an outlet where people go to enjoy themselves. Popular snacks and alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages are the items on the menu dispensed through self service. The enjoyment is provided through recoded music which is played by a person known as Disk Jockey (DJ) and a large dance floor where the people dance according to the tunes and beats. The ambience of the discotheque is very different as it provides psychedelic lighting, superior quality sound system, etc., from other entertaining outlets. It is aided by a bar where efficient bartenders adept in juggling dispense popular mocktails and cocktails. The service is self help service. The dress code is less formal and in some occasions like in an ethnic or particular themed night the guests are requested to wear such clothes that would suit the occasion.
Night Club: By the name itself it is implied that the night club opens at night. The normal operational period for a night club being between 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The dress code is strictly formal and is often

specified. The ambience defines its elite-ness and so is its elaborate service. The crockery, cutlery, the wine list, the menu are of premium standard and are highly priced. There is a live band or crooner on the stand who will provide the audio entertainment, often playing according to customers’ request. A well polished floor beckons the guests to dance, and often live shows like cabaret or ethnic dances are performed by professional performers.
The other restaurant types can be
Bars & Pubs Strictly speaking, a bar is a place where alcoholic & non alcoholic beverages are served. Some snacks are also available with drinks. They vary in ambience and set-up. It usually consist of a dispense counter with high stools surrounding it and provision for seating
away from the counter with low tables and chairs. The pubs are fairly new in India. It originates from England where beer was generally served. However, now all alcoholic beverages are also served and live music is the added entertainment provided in these bars.
The bars can also exist in conjunction with a restaurant when they are termed as resto-bar.
Other forms of Outlets These includes
Banquet Hall:A Banquet Hall consists of a large hall which can be partitioned to ones requirement or may consist of a cluster of halls, coming under sales outlet of F&B Operations. According to the requirement and expected number of guests that would be attending the occasion,
these halls are let out to clients who intend to hold private parties - marriage function, marriage anniversary or birthday celebration, company seminars, their product exhibitions, or yearly or annual general meetings, etc. These halls are also utilized to provide state level welcome to dignitaries, and/or their representatives from other countries where the service is required to be highly organized and formal.
Room Service:This department is responsible for the provision of food & beverage service in the hotel rooms. The menus, like the coffee shop, will vary according to the time of the day, viz. different menu for lunch, dinner, brunch, afternoon tea and breakfast, etc, but the price may be usually higher for the cost of additional labour and equipments. In addition to the service in the rooms, the Room Service Department is also responsible for placement of F&B Amenities- fresh fruit basket, cookies & chocolate tray, dry fruits and nuts, soft bar & liquor bar for use by the guests in regular guest rooms or VIP rooms.
Fast Food: The fast food catering is predominantly influenced by American lifestyle food products. The service of food & beverages in these outlets are at a faster pace than in an a la cart restaurant. The menu is compiled with special emphasis on the speed of preparation and service. To make the service financially effective it is essential to have a large turnover of customers. The investment is rather high due to deployment of specialized and expensive equipments and
involvement of high labour cost.
Cafeteria: The cafeteria is an outlet that is based on self-help counter service. The control and sales is maintained by cashier, who is stationed at the entrance of the premises, through sale of coupons and tokens against the dishes that the diners would require to purchase which are displayed on a menu board behind the cashier seat or at the end of the counter, after the customer has chosen his dishes the same is calculated by the cashier. The diners would choose the food and beverages that are displayed at the counter and are dispensed by the counter hands against the receipt of tokens /coupons. Segmented trays and cutleries are kept at the counter for the diners to help themselves.
The clearance of the soiled dishes are done as per the house custom, i.e., clearance at some places are done by the diners themselves by stacking them at the wash-up or in some places the clearance is done by the staff.
Food Halls & Food Court: These outlets have taken over the traditional cafeterias. The operation
being similar, such catering establishment has a space which is segmented, each segment offering variety of dishes of a same commodity. Guests select the items and the service staffs are
responsible for clearing the dinning hall area.
Ice cream Parlour & Milk Bar: This outlet offers a variety of ice creams ranging from plain to
sundaes. Flavoured milk shakes and cold milk are also a part of the menu. Such outlets are usually found near a hub of restaurants or in a dense market area.
Snack Bar:The snack bar has developed from a humble coffee shop idea. It meets the modern demand for quick inexpensive service at a very affordable price. Speed of service with realization of revenue is the essence of the secret of a successful snack bar. The outlet may be located in a market, college or office complex, etc.
Take- Away: This is a kind of food joint where the food is kept ready to serve. The diners are allowed to take away the food on payment of the price. The packaging and presentation of the food is very important in these outlets.
Drive In: This is a kind of outlet where the person sitting in the car can choose and pick the item and then drive away after making the payment.
Home Delivery: It is the type of outlet where the food can be ordered as per the diners’ required timings and the same can be delivered at his desired place of delivery.
Out Door Catering: This form of catering is very closely linked to catering in banquet halls by its characteristics that it too involves catering of a large number of people on the same menu. But unlike catering in banquet halls which are held in the halls only the outdoor catering venue is decided by the organizer/s. Therefore outdoor catering may be defined as catering to a large number of people at a venue of their choice. The invitees are catered as per menu selected by the organizers from a series of set menus at different levels of prices, each priced according to the food items provided. Hotels, restaurants and catering contractors meet these demands. Such catering is in marriage, parties and conventions.
Catering in Transport Sectors The Railway Catering
Introduction &Its Necessity,
In the mid 19th century, the railways began its network in India with an operation that was to grow the length and breadth of the vast subcontinent. With travel made easier, people journeyed from one part of the country to another. This subsequently gave rise to the need for the provision for food & drink en-route.The Early Forms Of Operation At most of the larger stations, catering to big cities, refreshment rooms were established. The trains would halt at appropriate length of time so that the passengers could obtain a simple meal. The passengers who could not afford to pay the prices of these refreshment rooms would buy food from the numerous vendors at the station platform. Railway companies, for most part of the country had one rest room for each region. They even went to extent of setting up hotels attached to the stations so that the passengers who are changing from one region to another could spent the night before or after in relative comfort. The luxury of sleeper cars and restaurant cars were much later developments.
The Outsourcing Of The Catering Facility
In early years of 20th century, it was decided nationally to outsource the catering requirements to private companies and hotels with a sound catering background so that the traveler could be more professionally served during the often long and arduous journey. In the event in 1910, the Spencers, who had a very large network all over India were the first to cater nationally on contract basis. The
Spencers had about 180 refreshment rooms all over the country. The size of the restaurant, the staff, and the menu were restructured to meet the demand of the people passing through the particular area. Menus that were offered in these refreshment rooms were quite elaborate and reflected British taste rather than being local. Catering was considered as an amenity rather than being a business proposition. Spencers got almost all the raw materials supplied by various companies free of cost.
After independence, Spencers was considered as a foreign company and therefore lost its contract.
The Present Scenario
The present railway catering is managed departmentally i.e., the Indian Railways and also through licensed contractors. The catering facility is available at thousands of railway stations today. The in-transit catering is also carried out by the licensed contractors. With the 100 & 1000 traveling by train everyday throughout the country, the turnover is enormous. A few years back, ITDC (India
Tourism Development Corporation) was appointed as consultant for improvement of railway catering. In the process a new type of service of meals developed where aluminum foil accessories were introduced in some major routes. The food is cooked in base kitchen near the major stations and kept in hot cases in pantry cars.
The railway also owns today Railway Hotels at Ranchi and Puri, and Yatri-Niwas at New Delhi and Howrah.
The Airline Catering
Introduction Unlike any other transportation industry – railways or cruise liners, the air transport has to carry prepared food on board as there are no facilities available on board in any airlines for cooking. Most airlines plan & design flight catering establishments or kitchen to meet their own requirement. An aviation catering has become more sophisticated with the introduction of the vast Boeings and modern aircrafts with ample space where hot appetizing meals are served to passengers and hence it has become necessary to employ smart, efficient and highly skilled personnel- air hostess and flight pursers or such establishment.
The Method of Airline Catering\Operation The catering in an aircraft is a part of the in-flight services. The services rendered by the cabin crew on behalf of the airlines, including the service of food & beverage are called in-flight services. Depending upon the timing of flight and the class of the passengers the service comprises of service of meals and beverages as well. Special care is taken while planning of the meals as the passengers are often subject to jet lags. Therefore the food should not only be appetizing but also healthy as well.
The meal is often classified as
a) Breakfast: Being the first meal of the day.
b) Brunch: Being a meal which served in the late hours of the morning and at the same time too early for lunch.
c) Lunch: Being a meal served during noon.
d) Dinner: Being a meal served in the late evening.
e) Supper: Being a light meal taken very late at night.
f) Minor Meals: Being Continental Breakfast, Snacks, Morning Refreshment & Afternoon Tea.
g) Major Meals: Comprises of Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch, Dinner & Supper
These meals are coded and the cabin crews have to decode it.
Meal Code
Breakfast HBR (Heavy Breakfast)/ CBR(Continental Breakfast) Lunch LCH Dinner DNR Snacks SNX (Snacks)/ HSNX(Hot Snacks)
The Service of Special Meals
Since the meals cannot be cooked onboard, therefore, it becomes necessary to know the number of passengers to be served on a certain flight. This also facilitate in ascertaining the special meal requirements of the passengers. As an airline caterer one must bear in mind that the people around the world may be ethnically or by religious prohibitions or by medical advice are bound by certain dos and don’ts while they partake food.
The special meals (SPML) will be catered in the following procedure:
1) These special meals are supplied on request, which should be ordered through the airlines sales office 24 hours in advance prior to departure or while buying the air ticket.
2) This will be communicated to the cabin crew with the details pertaining to the passenger viz., name, special meals requested and sectors involved by the catering staff.
3) There will be no menu cards for special meals.
4) The special meals served will have “SPECIAL MEAL” stickers displayed on the tin foil cover of the meal. These stickers are heat resistant and do not get spoilt upon heating.
5) The cabin crew will identify the passenger/s through a list called Passenger Identification List (PIL) who had opted for special meal and inform them about the availability of the same
6) The SPML meals will be served according to normal service procedures and not prior to meal service.
The Special Meals that are usually served on board comprises of the following:
1. Vegetarian Meal: These will comprise of any food items devoid of fish, meat or egg dishes. There can be two varieties
a) Western vegetarian Meal
b) Indian vegetarian Meal
2. Jain Meal: It’s a strict vegetarian meal with no root vegetables (e.g. onion, ginger, potatoes) too.
3. Muslim Meal: The Muslims are non-vegetarian but the animals that will be slaughtered should be halal, i.e., slaughtered according to Islamic rights.
4. Kosher Meals: The slaughter of animals and cooking of meats and animals according to the Jewish Kosher code which is supervised and certified by a Rabbi (Jewish Priest) is called Kosher. The Kosher meals are packed in trays with a symbol that signifies the meal to be Kosher. The Kosher meals do not permit the service of dairy products with meat dishes, shellfish is never permitted, and meals are to be stored separately on board.
5. Salt Free: For patients who has been advised by the doctor to have such diet- especially heart patients, & patients with high blood sugar or pressure.
6. Diabetic Meals: The type of food can be vegetarian & non-vegetarian as well. Diet would comprise of sugar-free low fat meat and non starchy vegetables.
7. Vegan: Vegetarians are those who do not eat any meat, fish or poultry. Vegans, in addition do not use or consume other animal products or bye products such as eggs, diary products, honey etc. Their meal would include plenty of leafy greens, whole grain products, nuts, seeds and legumes.
The service Food is prepared in the flight kitchen of the concerned passengerairlines, which is
dispensed in individual compartmented container trays, which are rapidly cooled by subjecting them in near freezing cold air blast, covered with foils, labeled containing information such as vegetarian, non-vegetarian, flight number, date of flight, etc. and are put into deep freezers to be lifted in portable freezer units on the appointed date. The number of passengers in each flight and the class
they are availing can be ascertained in advance and the meals can be prepared in an early date, accordingly. Nowadays a new concept of catering meals on board has emerged with airlines like the Emirates which are promoting live cooking of meals in front of the passengers in certain classes. This type of meals are being termed as Sky Chef, allowing the passengers in choosing their meals from the menu card whish is being in turn prepared in trolley in front of them.
The History of Airline Catering In India
In 1946 the private commercial air lines started and which raised the necessity to provide Food & Beverage Service requirements to the passengers. Initially food was provided in boxes, repacked as majority of the airports lacked the facility of in-flight catering services. At that time catering in international flights depended on airport restaurants or hotels situated in nearby cities to cater to their requirements. Eventually the airlines industry was nationalized and two separate corporations
were found, viz., Indian Airlines for domestic travel and Air India for international routes. The number of airlines increased giving rise in increase of number of flights and so also the number of people availing air-travel. This gave rise to the demand of catering to the passengers. In order to cope with the huge demand, a number of flight kitchens were\opened by some leading chain hotels in many commercial cities. Air India opened a subsidiary company known as Hotel Corporation of
India, (HCI), in view to operate flight kitchens known as Chefair. Present Scenario Nowadays with the development of technology, most of the airline meals after they have been prepared and dished in compartmented trays are blast frozen in blast freezer units to prevent the loss of flavour and as well as the action of bacteria. They are transported in portable freezer units until required. They are lifted in aircrafts as per requirement. Each aircraft is equipped with modern heating arrangement operated in microwave technology. Food required to be heated are served hot are heated in such equipments, loaded in trolley and are served to passengers. Depending upon the types of class the quality of service wares will vary. For First Class china ware is used whereas for the Economy Class the service wares are of plastic.
The Catering in Shipping Lines Introduction Catering on board ship is vastly different to shore catering. It may be appreciated that the conditions are entirely different. Provision for food and drink are to be procured before the ship sets for sail. The quantities to be purchased are to be worked out in advance to last for several days till the ship reaches the next port.
The Staffing & The Organisation Set-up
Most of the lines appoint what is termed as a ‘catering superintendent’ or Superintendent Purser to be in-charge of all the catering afloat. He has an assistant and an agent ashore who will represent him. This agent is known as Victualing Agent. The other chief members of staff aboard are the Purser, Chief Steward and the Head Chef. They all work together to ensure the smooth and efficient running of the catering services on board ship. The service of a large passenger ship may be compared to that of a first class hotel ashore and that on a cargo vessel to an industrial canteen
operation. In the same way the Catering Superintendent may be compared to the Director of the hotel ashore; the Purser as the ‘Hotel Manager; the Chief Steward as the ‘Restaurant Manager;’ and the Chef as the overall charge of the kitchens.
The Operation of The Services
The type catering, i.e. the type of menus and the service will vary between passenger service, cargo vessels, and ships carrying mainly cargo and a small number of passengers. The competitions between the steam ships lie in two aspects – service and speed. The passenger liners vary in size from a tonnage of 1,500 up to 70 to 80, 000.
The type of catering operations depends greatly on the following factors:
 Length of the trip.
 Type of passenger- first class, cabin or tourist.
 Cost
 Facilities available.
The Procurement of Raw Materials and their Storage: A stores department is responsible for purchase of raw materials and such a duty is distributed between two to three full time duty officers
depending upon the size of the concerned passenger liner. The majority of the materials are taken from the home port, but it is also a practice to purchase materials at reasonable price from any port of call. All alcoholic beverages are purchased on bond from bonded warehouses at ports. All stores taken on board are either placed in storerooms or cold rooms which are maintained by refrigeration machineries. The food materials stored in the latter must be kept at regulated temperature required for that perishable commodity to ensure that when it is required for use it is in perfect condition. Great care is taken on hygiene as this can create health hazard for both crews and passengers and regular inspections are carried on by the Purser who is the overall charge whilst the ship is afloat.
The Facilities & the Amenities Provided: The ocean going passenger liners are like floating hotels with great considerations being given to heating, lighting, ventilation, space allocation, equipment furnishing, and the general comfort of the passenger. Many amenities are provided like library, ball rooms, swimming pool, tennis courts, billiard rooms, laundries, shopping
arcades, duty free shops, etc.
The Catering Service :The ocean going passenger liners are controlled from shore by the Catering Superintendent who issues instructions and directs from his office desk, deciding policies and issuing directives. The kitchen on board is known as galleys. The equipments are usually fuelled on electricity or oil. The menus offered are equivalents, if not better than, those found in first class establishment ashore. Highly skilled staffs are employed for this reason they are organized into
recognized teams or groups who work together in groups. The food service areas have the restaurant managers, commis de rang, and wine butlers. The service made is full silver service and may have
also carving trolley, sweet trolley, salad trolley, central cold buffets in use. Apart from the restaurants there may be also supplementary food service areas like smoke rooms, saloons, lounges, and private cabins. The alcoholic beverages that are dispensed from the bars are issued from bonded warehouses whose keys are maintained by both the Customs and Excise Officer and also by the Victualising Agent. Outside ‘3 mile’ limit alcoholic beverages are sold at duty free prices.
The cost the passenger pays for food on board ship is generally inclusive with the fare, and according to ‘class’ an allowance per head per day is made for catering purposes. All beverages and other purchases are paid at the time of ‘sale.’ The service is generally given by the male waiters though waitresses are also being appointed. The celebrations of passengers’ birthdays or 
anniversaries are planned with great thoughts and in details. This is return pays for the goodwill of the shipping liner and is a means of advertising of the shipping liners attracting more and more passengers or passages abroad.
Conclusion From the above one can easily make out that the ship catering demands equal importance and commands same quality and initiative, Organisation and administration, to control staff from Catering Superintendent, Purser, Chief Steward, the Chef from their equals in a first class restaurants. There are obviously great differences between large ocean liners and those small passenger liners that travel short distances and with limited number of passengers that can be compared with a first class establishment to an industrial catering organisation. But whatever may be the size of the liner or the ship, the objective of the ship catering is to provide every facility possible and everything that would create efficient service for the passenger.