Chapter 11

Buffets

Chapter 11 Objectives

Understand the phases of buffet events Recognize the importance of concepts

and themes Explain how to plan a buffet menu,

including a breakfast buffet Identify how price ranges are central

to planning a buffet Discuss how to meet and exceed guest

expectations

Chapter 11 Objectives

Explain the role of action stations in a buffet, including raw bars, pasta stations, and omelet stations

Explain mise en place and production for buffets

Design a buffet to be both effective and attractive

Understand how to enhance food presentation

Describe the importance of centerpieces and displays, including ice carvings

Banquet Chef Work Phases

1. The concept or theme is identified so that planning can begin.2. The menu, price, and theme are worked out together.3. The chef prepares plans for the layout and setup of the buffet lines, tables, and platters. 4. The actual production and display of the food, flows directly from the planning and preparation in the preceding stages.

Buffet Use in Foodservice Industry All facets of the foodservice industry

have found effective uses for buffets: Fast food outlets Supermarkets and delis Family or multi-unit restaurants Fine-dining establishments Corporate and institutional dining

Concepts and Themes

The season, weather, and the guests’ comfort and expectations hold together the theme

A buffet may center on: A particular meal period Special occasion Holiday Ethnic presentation

Concepts and Themes

A featured concept buffet is designed to attract guests to a restaurant

The chef chooses foods for these buffets that have wide appeal and that work to improve the operation’s bottom line

Examples: Sunday brunch Pasta buffet Seafood buffet

Menu Development for Buffets Menu development is a process aimed at

crafting a menu that satisfies the guest or client as well as makes a profit for the operator

It is the responsibility of the banquet chef to consider all aspects of the banquet: Overall theme Price range Guest’s expectations

Menu Development for Buffets First, review the concept or theme and

establish the appropriate menu selections for the buffet

Some menu items may be drawn from previous events where you already know what they cost to make and serve

New items can be used to reflect popular trends, customize a menu for a special event, or introduce a new concept or theme

The Menu

The food is generally the focal point for the guest

The successful banquet chef generates and executes menus that please guests whether they are looking for a global flare or traditional elegance

Buffet style service offers guests: Variety The freedom to choose from different categories The option of unlimited portions

Price Range

Establish the price range for any buffet at the outset of planning

The price range determines, to some extent, the number of options that can be offered as well as the specific ingredients or dishes you choose

Factors to consider: The competition’s price for comparable buffet Your guest’s expectations or special requests Any special conditions or limitations on the

menu or the service

Meeting and Exceeding Expectations From the guests’ point of view, two of the

main advantages of buffets are the variety of choices and the amount of food offered

A careful review process for every menu item identifies areas you can improve, modify, or adapt to meet all of your objectives: Great food Great service A great experience A profit

Action Stations

Foods are made, sliced, or presented to the guests’ order, as the guests watch

A good way to introduce interaction between the guests and the staff

These stations add to the overall cost of the buffet because you need a skilled person cooking and you may need extra equipment like burners or refrigeration

Yet these stations draw a higher cost

Action Stations

Examples: Raw Bar Omelet station Pasta station Carving station

Raw Bar

It is important to use only the freshest and highest quality shellfish for raw bar service

All raw shellfish must come with a tag stating the point of origin, the date of harvest, and the wholesale grower and seller

Raw Bar: Oysters

Oysters are commonly eaten raw Four species of oysters cultivated for

consumption:1. Atlantic Oyster2. Pacific Oyster3. European Flat Oyster4. Kumamoto Oyster

Raw Bar: Oysters

Flavor profiles: Warm water oysters are mild, with a

buttery flavor, and a creamy texture Cold water varieties are characteristically

briny, with a metallic flavor, and a firm, crisp texture

Raw Bar: Clams

Clams served raw on the half shell are much less common than oysters

Only varieties of hard-shell clams are served raw: Littlenecks Topnecks Cherrystones

Raw Bar: Steamed Mussels

The majority of the mussels purchased today are cultivated: Better meat to shell ratio than wild mussels More uniform in size Cleaner Less frequently have broken shells

Raw Bar: Cooked Shrimp

Head-on shrimp may be purchased to provide a dramatic display, although, unless purchased very fresh, they are generally of lesser quality

Shrimp are available as: Small Large Jumbo PUD (peeled un-deveined) PND (peeled and deveined) IQF (individually quick frozen)

Raw Bar: Steamed Crabs

Claws are generally the only part of the crab that is served

Crab claws are most often purchased cooked, either in or out of the shell

The most common crabs served on a raw bar include: King Snow Jonah Dungeness Stone Crabs

Raw Bar Safety

In order to ensure the safety of a raw bar, purchase depurated oysters, clams, and mussels

Depuration is a system that purges the shellfish of impurities and sand

The process occurs when the shellfish are placed in tanks and fresh water is pumped throughout

It is advisable to purchase cultivated oysters, clams, and mussels because they are generally cleaner and safer

Service Instructions for Raw Bar All shellfish should be scrubbed Held on ice between 35° and 40°F for

only two to three days The chef can either shuck the shellfish

and create plates to order or shuck the shellfish and place the different varieties onto a platter or ice bed where the guests can help themselves and ask the chef questions

Service Instruction for Raw Bar Popular

accompaniments: Lemons Cocktail sauce Hot sauce

(Tabasco) Vinegars Salsas Seaweed salad Mignonette sauce

Equipment: Ice Shucking knives Gloves Self-straining

displays

Omelet Station

Usually used at a weekend breakfast or brunch

Having mise en place in order is crucial

Safety considerations need to be addressed to ensure that all of the items on the omelet station remain out of the danger zone at all times

Pasta Station

May feature any number of combinations of: Sauces Types of pastas Main ingredients like poultry, beef, pork,

cured meats, or shellfish

Mise en Place and Production for Buffets After menu development, information about the

number or count to be prepared and portioning is finalized

Chefs rely upon information from previous buffets to make an educated guess on how much food to prepare

Portions for buffets are typically smaller than for à la carte service

The banquet chef organizes food production to: Maximize the quality of the food Lower the overall labor cost To cut down on food loss

Arranging Foods

An interesting and challenging aspect of cooking for a buffet is that you must make large quantities of food and then portion it into many small pieces

Clean cuts, straight edges, and precise angles show off the foods’ color, texture, and shape

The spacing between pieces and between other lines should be as regular as possible

Slicing and Sequencing

Makes it possible to create strong lines from foods that are not perfectly regular in shape and size

A grosse pièce is a large piece of the sliced item you are displaying

Tools used: Knives A steel Holding tray Plastic wrap or dampened towel

Number and Placement of Lines and Stations In a buffet, the food is on display as it

is being served to the guest During a buffet, the chef’s challenge is

to display the food: Attractively Thematically Logically Functionally

Number and Placement of Lines and Stations The number of guests directly affects the

number of lines and stations you will need

Buffet lines should be placed so that there is an adequate amount of room to walk around them

The buffet should make it easy for guests to access the food, as well as for attendants to serve guests or replenish the line

Number and Placement of Lines and Stations Lines and stations should not block

entrances, emergency exits, or other doors used by either the servers or the guests

Account for elements in the room, such as pillars or columns, to avoid placing a line or station to close to these immovable objects

Stations

Smaller stations, sometimes referred to as satellite or action stations, break up the traditional “line” for a more contemporary service style

With stations, you can: Showcase special items or cooking

demonstrations Encourage interaction between the guests and

the attendants Make traffic flow more smoothly through the

room

Table Configuration and Set up Can:

Improve access to food Make replenishing unobtrusive and

efficient Control the flow of traffic by speeding or

slowing it Maintain the appearance of a bountiful,

varied display throughout the meal

Linens

The Roman Empire is responsible for tablecloths

At Roman feasts, tablecloths were long enough to be used as napkins

Napkins were reserved as “doggy bags”

Service Pieces Most common service pieces:

Platters Steam tables Chafing dishes Bowls

Serving tools: Spoons Ladles Tongs Spatulas

Pre-plating

Advantages: For the guest, pre-

plating adds elegance and ease to a self-service line or station

For the chef, it means better control over portioning and far less waste

Disadvantages: Increase labor and

service costs Plates take up more

valuable space on the line than a platter

The wait staff will need to work harder at replenishing such a display

Garnishes

Garnishes can be used to add appeal to a dish: Visually Texturally Flavorfully

When the only purpose for a garnish is to add a shape or a color, find a better option

The Role of Design

The banquet chef’s task is to exploit the full sensory potential of every dish to create a presentation that is practical, functional, and appealing to all the senses

The Role of Design Considerations for food presentation:

Functional and practical Balance Food’s natural color Texture Cooking method/technique Food height and shape Focal point Strong, clean lines Platter’s layout (symmetrical or asymmetrical)

Arrangement of Items on a Line General guidelines:

Items are easy to see Items are easy to reach Items are easy to serve Keep foods that might drip or spill closest to

the guests Use pedestals and similar devices to lift some

platters higher Keep hot foods near a one another, likewise

group chilled foods in their own area Place sauces and condiments directly with the

foods they accompany

Centerpieces and Displays

Some traditional centerpieces and displays include: Ice sculptures Salt sculptures Tallow sculptures Floral arrangements Fruit or vegetable displays Bread display Wine display

Ice Carving and Sculptures There are two sources of ice blocks:

1. Natural ice from frozen lakes2. Commercial ice produced in icehouses

Typical blocks of ice weigh 300 pounds The ice should be:

Free of rough edges Clean Clear Free from impurities and bubbles Should not have a cloudy core, sometimes

referred to as feathered ice

Ice Carving Tools

Include: Chain saws (most common) Augers Disk sanders Drimmels Routers Drill bits Irons Gum remover or freeze spray