Conference and Banquet Management: Ergonomic Considerations Report

This report provides a comprehensive overview of conference and banquet management, encompassing various aspects crucial for successful event planning. It begins by exploring different food production systems and beverage service styles suitable for conferences and banquets, including moist-heat, dry cooking, conventional, traditional, and cook-chill methods, along with table, self-service, and buffet styles. The report then delves into factors to consider when organizing offsite events, such as budgeting, food and beverage planning, venue selection, and resource availability. Key menu planning considerations are also discussed, emphasizing customer preferences, health considerations, pricing strategies, staff skills, and budgetary constraints, using the Watergate Bay Hotel as a case study. Additionally, the report examines ergonomic considerations, highlighting the role of computer-aided design packages and the importance of environmental quality in enhancing the overall conference or banquet experience. The report concludes with a list of references used in the analysis.

Conference and banquet
management

3.1. The suitability of a range of food production systems and
styles, beverage service styles for a given conference or
banquet.
• There are various food production system that can be used by
company in accordance to the menu they have chosen for it
conference (Shen, 2015). Some food production system
available are:
• Moist-heat method: In this procedure food is cooked in
contact with steam. Common example of this method is;
boiling, broiling, stewing, pot roasting, simmering, etc.
• Dry cooking method: Food is cooked with direct contact of
hot air with food. In this cooking process food is been fried, or
promotes caramelisation of surface products. Example; deep
frying, shallow or stir frying or grilling of food items.

• Conventional method: In this process food is produced and
made in using some kinds of chemicals which give higher
yields to the maker.
• Traditional method: It refers to making of food in a traditional
way by using traditional recipes and techniques.
• Cook-chill production method: It is a simple yet controlled
techniques used to making of advance food options. In which
food is cooked rapidly and then chilled afterwards for a
controlled temperatures.

• There are many types of food and beverage styles are available
such as:
• Table Services: in this form of services customers enter the
dining area and places it orders. It includes following types of
services that are:
• Russian Services: Server serves the food from left side of the
customer. Yet it is similar to French Services.

• English services: In this sought of system active participation
of host is there, waiter serves the food or he waits for the guest
to do so. It is the most common form of services.
• American or plate services: It is followed generally at place
where food services required to be fast. In this system food is
served in predetermined portion from kitchen itself.
• French Services: It is used in fine dining restaurants. These
services are very personalised and private form of services.
• Self Service: in these services guest has to serve itself and take
there foods to it personal tables. Here there is no role of waiter.
• Buffet services: Guest takes there plates and moved to food
court area, they can serve itself or asked the person over there
to serve them.

3.2. Factors to be consider when organising an off-
site conference or banquet.
• Budget: It is important to planned the budget after deciding
the venue. Budget should take into consideration various
factors like, rent of the venue, food and beverages expense,
staffing needs, etc. It would help to track the expense which
will be incurred.
• Food and Beverages: It should be carefully seen that what
type of food and beverages are been asked by the client and
accordingly plan through it. As, conference would be
organised outside it should be seen that whether there is
permission to take liquor or alcohol to that place and what are
the laws of land in relation to drinks.

• Location/ Venue: They are among key factor of planning any
off site event. The location should be easily accessible by the
person who are attending the particular function. Further, it
should be nearer to basic transportation system and have
ample parking space.
• Presence of Resources: The venue should poses required
amount of resources like table, chairs, proper lighting and
sound system, etc. It should be checked in advance about them
and if there is lack of any such resources then should be
arranged beforehand.

3.3. The key menu planning considerations for
conference and banqueting events.
• Menu is among the most important factor in conference and
banquet industry, it is important to design menu of hotel
business properly. If the menu is not able to serve the needs
and demands of customers then it would generate loss for
company (McCabe, 2012). Key menu planning consideration
for conference and banqueting events are:
• It should be according to what customers want, why they eat
out, when they eat, etc. these factors should be taken into
consideration before deciding about menu. Customers are key
asset and they should be served well.

• Menu should consider some health issues like, diabetics, heart
problems, etc. It must be diversed to serve the needs of health
conscious people.
• The pricing of dishes should be done effectively taking into
consideration of what target group hotel is serving.
• Once menu is decided and the staff present over there is not
able to make the dishes mentioned in a menu then it would be
a big loss to hotel. So, before deciding menu skills of
employees must be seen.
• The premises of the hotel should serve the demands and needs
of menu.
• Budget of company is a key factor that decide that whether a
particular dish can be included in a menu or not.

• The following menu planning is been considered by the
Watergate Bay Hotel:
• It serves theWang, 2012 best quality of food to it customers
which has many bold, exotic flavours.
• Menu of the hotel is budget friendly and it attracts maximum
number of customers to avail the services.
• It has included many kinds of cuisine in there menu that serves
large number of diverse group in UK.
• Also, companies prime location make it easy access to the
ingredients required for dishes. This helps it to serve food on
time to it customers.

• The financial objectives of company is:
• Profit: The changes in menu has increase the expectation and
it would be expected to generate 25% of profit in next 10
months.
• Private Funding: To meet the demands of menu hotel has
decided to take bank loans from local bank operators in UK.

4.1.The Ergonomic considerations for a conference
or banquet.
• Computer-aided design packages: This system helps to
reduce the problem of manual drafting, which helps in
achieving speed, provides greater accuracy to perform
assigned task and further the end result is always satisfied.
• Quality of the environment: The better quality plays an
essential role as it provide hotel with a competitive advantage
in terms of cost and profits. Also, quality is important in this
industry because if company serves according to quality
standards then visitors will also reward hotel with referrals to
other and loyalty in terms of visits.