Food and Beverage Operations: Managing a UK College Event

This report provides a detailed overview of food and beverage operations management, focusing on planning and executing a successful lunch event for a UK college. It discusses various food production and service systems, including traditional methods, cook-freeze, sous-vide, centralized cooking, and cook-chill, along with different service styles like table service, self-service, and silver service. The report also examines factors affecting menu and recipe selection, such as customer preferences, operational size, nutritional considerations, and ingredient availability. Furthermore, it compares staffing and cost implications for different systems, emphasizing the importance of skilled labor and cost management in ensuring a successful event. The document highlights key considerations for food and beverage departments, including budgeting, health and safety, and customer satisfaction, while presenting a comprehensive approach to food and beverage operations within the hospitality industry. Desklib offers a wide range of study resources, including past papers and solved assignments, to support students in their academic endeavors.

Food and Beverage Operations
Management

Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...........................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................3
BACKGROUND.......................................................................................................................................4
MAIN CONTENT.....................................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................................................19
RECOMMENDATIONS..........................................................................................................................20
REFERENCES........................................................................................................................................21
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The food and beverages operation is a diversified business comprising of many factors that
aim towards a successful and quality delivery of the services as a part of the hospitality
industry. Food and beverages operation management act as planning and organising for
successfully delivering the service as per the demand of the customers via accurately
arranging the food by deciding menu and recipes and optimising the services with skilled
and trained staff (Lu and Kandampully, 2016). Also the decision regarding the food system
to opt while delivering the food services at an event is the keen decision taken in the Food
and beverages operation management.
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INTRODUCTION
Hospitality industry comprises of a diversified business operating for providing the quality
services to the customers. Hotels, catering and restaurants are keen to part of the
hospitality sector, making the tourist and public serve with a variety of food and beverages
to fulfil the demand and specific needs and wants of the customers. This essay comprises of
the details regarding the food and beverages operational management with discussing
various food and service system. The essay focuses is on the techniques, approaches and
various methods of cooking and factors influencing and considered while developing and
planning for the menu and recipes (Lu and Kandampully, 2016). Furthermore to understand
the factors and operational management in the food and beverages sector a food event is
planned in context to organising an outing event i.e. lunch by the students of a college in the
UK. For this, a menu is being prepared for successfully organising and conducting the event
in consideration of the budget allocated. The basic food preparation process is being
explained in the below diagram for effectively operating the event (Jahanshani, et al. 2014).
[Source:
https://www.tutorialspoint.com/food_and_beverage_services/food_and_beverage_service
s_cycle.htm]
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BACKGROUND
This includes planning and preparation of foods and beverages for the particular hospitality
lunch event organized in a college of UK for student’s graduation ceremony. This essay
comprises and focuses on the arranging of the food and beverages with assessing the
factors impacting the event say in regards to the costing, budgeting etc. The food and
beverage operations also consist of various types of factors related with the hospitality
event such as; budget, health & safety, customers' satisfaction, etc (Cousins, et al. 2014).
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MAIN CONTENT
FOOD AND BEVERAGE PRODUCTION AND SERVICE SYSTEM
 CHARACTERISTICS OF FOOD PRODUCTION AND FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICES
SYSTEM
There is a variety and wide range of foodstuff consumed and procured by the people and
the hospitality sector serve these individuals as per their demand to carter their needs and
wants. The different food styles and production system has their own specific characteristics
that feature the techniques and methods of cooking and preparing the food (Davis, et al.
2013). The major parts of the food production system are input-process-output. The crucial
characteristics of food and beverages production and service system are as follows.
Food production methods/system and their characteristics
 Traditional or conventional method: this characterised as one of the most
used and approached food system say in the households and kitchens of large
hotels. Under this, the food is prepared onsite and served instantly to the
people. The food is processed under this with fresh vegetables and food
supplies for serving a quality and warm dishes such as in restaurants, live food
counter or in parties and events.
 Cook-freeze method: this method characterises with the cooking technique of
freezing the food after preparing the food. In this, the food is preserved at
minus temperature say -200C for keeping the food fresh and serves it later on
as per the demand. Example serving in bars, cafes and ice cream parlours.
 Sous-vide method: features of this technique is that it applies the method of
vacuum to add flavours in the food or dish prepared at a temperature, below
the boiling point of 1000C. It is a slow and time-consuming technique in which
air sealed plastic bag is used for giving a tenderness and softness to the
vegetables and other food items in the dish. Example serving in the
restaurants and Michelin star restaurants etc. focusing on high and premium
customers.
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 Centralised cooking method: under this, the food is characterised by in-time
preparation and delivery of the food and dish prepared with minimal wastage.
The method implies an in time production, assembly and distribution of food
by assembling them to a central location comprise of mega or large kitchens.
Example serving for aeroplanes, railways and in hospitals i.e. serving a large
public.
 Cook-chill method: in this, the food is prepared with a rapid chilling technique
and storing the food prepared at lower temperature i.e. freezing point for
maintaining its pasteurization level while serving it freshly after reheating the
dish. Such as using blast chillier and cryogenic methods (using gases like
nitrogen) for storing the food or dish prepared and keep it fresh for say 5-6
days.
Service system of food & beverage
The major categories of service system of food and beverage are as follows:
 Table Service: Guests are served at a table with the help of waiters to serve
the specific orders or demand of the customers at their respective table. Its
major characteristics are that the menu and prices of the dishes are
predetermined and mostly fixed; the meal is prepared fresh as per the order
with the pre-procured ingredients and methods.
 Self Service: also known as buffet or counter system in which a large number
of people and customers are served and administered with an attractive style
of displaying the food. This food service is characterised by a less skilled staff
and delay in service and also not have any sit-down system or specific sitting
arrangements.
 A la carte: this is a French style serving in which the guest places or decides
the food items to be ordered and then the food is proportioned to the guest.
The food is prepared or cooked frequently as per the demand and order of
dishes. It is an expensive and time-consuming service system.
 Silver/Russian service: this is featured with a custom-made service by preparing
food in special utensils and serving them in hot sliver containers. Majorly a
Russian style of serving says in the form of banqueting and various fine dining
events and parties. This involves a high cost in terms of waiters and servers and
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other skilled staff for providing customised food with a tremendous art of
presenting the food.
 Family service: this is featured as English serving i.e. serving as a host says for
a party, function etc. in which the active role is played by the host to serve the
invited guest say, friends, family members etc. Under this, all cost is bear by
the host and the prepared food is placed in dishes and supplied by the server
through a central table with special attention while providing services to the
guest and customers.
 Gueridon service: its literal meaning is ‘trolley’, in which the food served and
reached to the customers via a table, displaying all the preparation of food
with all the dishes and food items as per their order. It’s an expensive service
which needed skilled staff with regular updation and innovation in the recipes.
 Specialized Service: also known as tray service or room delivery service under
which the food or meal ordered is served by the staff or waiter at the location
of the customer. In this, the waiters and servers required special and skilled
qualifications and should have acquainted with specialist food services.
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 FACTORS AFFECTING RECIPES AND MENUS FOR SPECIFIC SYSTEM
A menu planning and selection of recipes are to be featured with various factors that
affect the preparation and vastly impact the procedure and system of the food and
service planning. For example, the major features that have to be considered while
planning for the menu and preparing the recipes are; taste and preferences of the
person with the desired needs and want, flavours and likings of the consumers etc. All
this have to be focused on the other elements like quality, nutrition's, facilities etc. as
external factors that hinder the recipes and menu planning. The major factors affecting
the recipes and menu are as follows (Cluss, et al. 2014):
o Customer preferences and perception: to fulfil all the demands and focusing
on the need of the consumers will positively impact the menu and recipe
preparation.
o Size of operation: the menu is to be prepared with diagnosing the number of
people to be served and selection of recipes is to be made accordingly for
fulfilling their demand. Thus the evaluation of size will provide a basic idea and
knowledge of the menu and recipe.
o Nutritional level: determines the quality contents and health factors while
preparing the meal and considering the allergies and other complications on
the menu decision
o Appearances and flavours: the basic criteria to judge a dish is its components
are its colour and taste provide a sense of appeal to the customers and this is
an influential factor for menu and recipes.
o Quality and superiority standards: the food components used in the
preparation of a meal with maintaining quality affects the menu and recipes.
o Availability of ingredients: proper management and inventorying the food
and food supplements impact the recipes as its hampers the taste and making
the process of the meal and diligently affects the menu.
o The spending power of guest: menu costing and expensive recipe serving and
hinders the purchasing capacity of various customers.
(Cluss, et al. 2014)
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 COMPARISON OF STAFFING AND COST IMPLICATIONS FOR DIFFERENT SYSTEMS
To hire a correct number of workers and to minimize the cost of an event are the imperative
decisions that are taken by the team members of food and beverage department for the
summer food festival. The team has to manage several types of costs that are associated
with the food and beverage department like; Budgeted cost, Actual Cost, Fixed Cost, etc.
The factors on which the organization structure of the kitchen relies are as follows (Piernas,
et al. 2015):
 The requirement for the food
 Kind of recipes and menus
 Needs for the different equipment’s
 Space and size of the cooking area
Some of the key factors like staffing and costing affect the different food system and service
with impacting its success as well. The foremost requirement for a successful service
delivery is the availability of the labours which may include skilled and knowledgeable staff,
experienced or a trained staff. The factors guiding the staffing implications in the different
system are as follows (Ananev, 2013):
• System skill: skills and knowledge needed such as garnishing the meal or dishes,
appearances and decoration of dish, handling the customers and guests etc.
• Job specifications: while employing the staff the details of the job and tasks to be
done should be explained briefly considering all the factors and norms.
• Training: giving guidance to the workers and staff will ensure the proper implication
of the services and better treatment to the customers.
• De-skilling: eliminating the unwanted labourers and replacing them with the
technologies that are to be operated by semi-skilled or unskilled workers.
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The costing factors that are applicable while creating the menu and influence the different
system used in organizing the event and which has an impact on the system are as follows
(Dopson and Hayes, 2015):
• makes the uses of equipment within the convenience of the staff
• training for staff within the norms attracts costing but provides skills and knowledge
to the staff
• the products and materials used approach to cost form the suppliers
For the summer food festival organized by the students, the different types of chefs that are
hired for the preparation of food and beverage are as follows:
 Vegetable Chef: key responsibilities of this type of chef are to serve hot meals,
vegetables or starch etc.
 Pantry Chef: taking care of making salads and appetizers, and handling the
storage and inventories of the food supplements and required food items
 Trawl Chef: this seeks initiative of the chefs to probe and haunt for lacked
items and serve them to the tables with respect to sustaining and handling the
work effectively.
 Relief Chef: this prepares all types of dishes and meals provided to the end
consumers or customers with a variety of soups, starches, veggies etc.
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 SUITABILITY OF SYSTEM FOR PARTICULAR FOOD AND BEVERAGE OUTLETS
For the particular types of foods and beverages outlets, many different types of services
can be used by the students in the food festival. These services are as follows (Davis, et
al. 2013):
 Plate Service: This type of service could be utilized in the food festival due to its
good portion of control with quality services to the customers.
 Buffet Service: also known as counter service, in this the requirement of staff is
comparatively low and thus it is an economical method.
 Special Service: This type of food service requires high-quality special foods and
beverages for the guests of the food festival.
 Family service: it is an informal way of service such as pubs, less demand for
kitchen services and the thus less skilled staff is required.
 A la Carte Service: in this, the menu changes rarely and the prices are
individualised to earn a higher profit.
(Cousins, et al. 2014)
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