Food and Beverage Service: A Comprehensive Weekly Reflection Report

This report is a detailed reflection on a student's food and beverage training program, spanning eleven weeks and covering various aspects of restaurant service and operations. The student documents their learning journey, starting with introductions to the sector and market variables, and progressing through table setup, hygiene standards, and food safety. The report highlights practical experiences such as stocktaking in the bar, making coffee and tea, serving wine, menu development, and handling customer dietary requirements. The student also details experiences as a food runner, head waiter, and learning about sales analysis, upselling techniques, and handling customer feedback and complaints. Throughout the report, the student reflects on skill development, challenges faced, and the application of learned concepts, with references to relevant academic literature. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the student's practical experience and development within the food and beverage industry.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

Table of Contents
FOOD AND BEVERAGES............................................................................................................1
Reflection....................................................................................................................................1

FOOD AND BEVERAGES
Reflection
Date: 20.09.17 Week No. 1
First week lessons are based upon with the motive to make us learn about the concept of
projects sector and its introduction. This activity has been done with the aim of knowing and
understanding each other in the better way. We got to meet Lindsay our Restaurant teacher and
our colleagues too. Lessons which are given to us are on the topic of introduction to sectors and
markets, various variables which are used in the operations of food service and the cycle which
is used for the food service. Lindsey told us about the various services which are followed by the
restaurants like they follow standards, uses health and safety guidelines etc.
We got to know about various procedures which are used to for the table lay up. It was in
accordance with the Table d’hôte & a la carte. Lindsey explained us about the various methods
by which order of customers can be correctly. It developed my knowledge about how to work in
the restaurants.
Reference list:
Swan and et.al., 2015. Clearing up the table: Food pedagogies and environmental education—
Contributions, challenges and future agendas. Australian Journal of Environmental
Education, 31(1), pp.146-164.
Date: 27.09.17 Week No. 2
For working in the restaurant it is essential to learn about the various standards which are
to be used for cooking first time in the kitchen. This is the very much challenging task to learn.
The whole group got to know about the guidelines which are to be maintained for the hygiene. It
was the first time I am working in the restaurant and it required my whole attention.
Lindsey told me about the standards which are to be followed in preventing the food from
any type of contamination. I learned that hoe to use law and management in the working style of
the restaurant. It was not proper at the first time but I have confidence that it will improve with
time. I learned that my skills and knowledge is very important to be developed to work in the
better way.
This session continued till the next topic of food safety level. In this session I got to learn
about the various concepts and issues related to the food safety. I learned about the various skills
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which the waiter should have for efficiently give service to the customers of the restaurant. By
the effective practice it will develop my skills of serving by carrying three plates at a time.
For improving the services my fellow mates became customers to do the practice. I also
got to learn about the term silver services. I learned that these are services which are provided by
following the proper procedure. This is the service of serving the food at the table of customer in
the proper manner.
Reference list:
Al Yousuf, M., Taylor, E. and Taylor, J., 2015. Developing a government strategy to meet
international standards of food safety across the hospitality industry. Worldwide
Hospitality and Tourism Themes, 7(1), pp.4-16.
Date: 11.10.17 Week No. 4
My skills and knowledge got very much developed by attending all the sessions for every
week. In this session Lindsey took us to bar to learn about how to do stock in bar. It was done to
develop our skills changing the cutlery. This activity is done to show us about the different
methods which can be used in stocktaking at the bar and preparing the list for wine.
I got to learn that what are the stocktaking which are needed to be kept in the bar. Before
starting of this session we are told about the various styles which are used to make the services
better. I also got the task of making the list of wine which are to be kept in bar for the purpose of
practice. It was not made perfect because it was my first time. But from the time I will be careful
and will not make any mistake while doing it.
Reference list:
Bakker, A. B. and Demerouti, E., 2017. Job demands–resources theory: Taking stock and
looking forward. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 22(3), p.273.
Date: 18.10.17 Week No. 5
Now it was the time for next session which means next opportunity to learn something
new. At first I was told about topic which I will learn in the whole day which was about to make
tea and coffee. I got to learn about the procedure of making various types of coffees. It was seen
by me that every customer has different taste and preferences.
I became waiter to learn about the activities in the better way. I got to learn about various
things which are to be considered while making the coffee. It was not perfect but I know it will
get better with practice and time.
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This session continued for the long time and I got to learn about the things which are to
be considered while serving the wine. I got to know that there are many types of wines which are
demanded by the customers.
This session developed my skill of using the suitable method for opening the bottle of
wine. Practical are shown to us for understanding the method in the proper way. It made us learn
what are the different styles which can be used to open the bottle of wine in the efficient way.
Reference list:
Schapira, J., Schapira, K. and Schapira, D., 2016. The Book of Coffee and Tea. St. Martin's
Griffin.
Date: 1.11.17 Week No. 7
In this session too I became the waiter. I got to learn about the various procedures which
are used while selecting the menu and making it more developed. My knowledge about the menu
increased by this session.
As a waiter I got to learn about the technique which can be used in fulfilling all the
dietary requirements. Many customers are diet conscious that's why it is needed to set the menu
which will satisfy all types of the customers.
Reference list:
Christoph, and et.al., 2017. Nutrition Facts Use by Young Adults: Predictors, Information
Sought, and Relation to Dietary Intake. The FASEB Journal, 31(1 Supplement), pp.30-1.
Date: 8.11.17 Week No. 8
This was the 8th week and I have undergone with many types of different session in the
restaurant. This time I became the food runner. I got to learn that there is the law which is related
to the licensing for the restaurant who is keeping the cocktails.
In this session as a food runner I got to know the procedure of making or serving the
cocktails. I was explained about the laws which are to be kept in mind in relation with the
cocktails. I was told that these drinks are not to be served to the person who is minor.
Reference list:
Fowler, J., 2017. The Transformation of Occupations: A Case Study of Professionalism in
Cocktail Bartending (Doctoral dissertation, West Virginia University).
Date: 15.11.17 Week No. 9
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This was the day for which I was waiting for the long time. I became the head waiter to
handle the very big event. We were expecting a very important guest who was vice chancellor
and owner of university Mr. Geller. This was the test of mu skills which I had developed by
undergoing sessions for all the weeks. This was the activity which is to show my practical
knowledge.
In this I learned to interact with the guests with proper and exact manner by forming the
proper posture. This activity will develop my skill to taste and serve the best combination of
wine.
Reference list:
Borchgrevink and et.al., 2017. Predicting wine preference: testing the premises of the vinotype
theory. International Journal of Wine Business Research, 29(3), pp.251-268.
Date: 22.11.17 Week No. 10
This session also continued for the long time. In this we were demonstrated about making
the cocktail syrups. Practical activities were held to make us know about making these syrups.
I was very happy that this session will develop my skills and knowledge about the skills.
After the demonstration we were told to make the same. I made it but it was not perfect because
it was my first time in making the cocktail syrup. I have confidence that next time I will make it
in the better way. It is very essential to make the cocktail syrup in better way to satisfy all the
customers.
Reference list:
Morgenthaler, J., 2014. The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique. Chronicle Books.
Date: 29.11.17 Week No. 11
In this session again became the waiter. In this I got to know about various things which
are related with the sales analysis. There is the relationship between revenue, profits and the cost
(Kotas, 2014). These three are interrelated with each other.
I got to learn that sales of the restaurant is compared by considering and evaluating these
three points. I was very happy that it will develop mu skill of analysing the sales.
This session continued for the long time. In between the session at some week I learned
about the various techniques which are used to promote sales. Social media is the best technique
which is used to promote the sales of the organisation.
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During the session I got to learn about the techniques which can be used for the up selling
process. This will develop my skill and knowledge in accordance with the factors which can be
used to promote the sales activities at the restaurant. It was done to make us know that promotion
is very important to attract the customers and increase the sales.
I have learned many things by the sessions which were held. On the last week of session
we were told about the techniques by which feedback and complaints can be taken from the
customers. Customers are to be treated as god. It is very much important to handle the
complaints of the consumers in better manner to make them satisfied (Lee, Wang and Trappey,
2015).
My skills of handling the complaints in effective manner got enhanced by undergoing
this session. I got very much happy to learn new things which will help me very much in my
future.
Reference list:
Kotas, R., 2014. Management accounting for hotels and restaurants. Routledge.
Lee, C. H., Wang, Y. H. and Trappey, A. J., 2015. Ontology-based reasoning for the intelligent
handling of customer complaints. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 84, pp.144-155.
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