Analysis of Hospitality Operations at Alfredo's Italian Restaurant

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of hospitality operations, focusing on key aspects such as food production systems, food and beverage service methods, menu engineering, and sustainable menu planning. It begins with an introduction to the hospitality industry and its various functions, using Alfredo's Italian Restaurant as a case study. The main body delves into different types of food production systems, including cultivating, preserving, pickling, baking, and braising, as well as conventional, call order, continuous flow, centralized, cook-chill, cook-freeze, and assembly kitchen systems. The report then explores various food and beverage service methods, including table service (English, French, American/Plate, and Russian service). Finally, it examines menu engineering matrix to improve restaurant profitability and sustainable menu planning considerations to remain competitive in the market, concluding with a summary of the key findings and recommendations.

Hospitality Operations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................1
Critically analyse various types of food production system.......................................................1
Demonstrate the understanding about the various types of food and beverage service methods
.....................................................................................................................................................2
Analyse Menu Engineering Matrix to improve restaurant profitability......................................4
Critically analyse sustainable menu planning consideration to be competitive in market..........6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Hospitality is the factor tends to undertake various practices including entertainment of
guests, visitors, strangers, membership club and other prominent functions. Moreover, the
hospitality operations tends to offer different types of commodities and facilities to their visitors
and guests (Filimonau and Delysia, 2019). This industry also tends to undertake various sectors
in it like hotels, restaurants and other in terms of effectively operate its functions at both national
and international level in terms of earning effective profitability. The report is based on given
case study of Alfredo's Italian Restaurant which is run by 22 years old girl named Amanda and
offer wide variety of facilities to their potential customers in terms of retaining them. The report
tends to cover types of food production system, understanding regarding the kinds of food and
beverage service method, identify menu engineering matrix and lastly, analyse sustainable menu
planning consideration to become more competitive in market.
MAIN BODY
Critically analyse various types of food production system
Food production system tends to consider effective process that leads to involve growing,
harvesting, processing, transporting, marketing, packaging and effective consumption of food
and related items. It also tends to undertake the prominent inputs which require and effective
outputs that occur at each and every step. It is undertaken as the process of converting raw
materials into the edible food products and it is also segregated into the number of stages and
each of them is essential. For this, various types of food production system is discussed as below:
Cultivating: It is the basic food processing method which is used in terms of turning
fresh food into consumable food. For this, people believe that agriculture is developed in eleven
thousand years ago and cultivated with the help of fertile crescent. This food production types is
prominently influenced by the region and types of edible and consider cultivated crops including
wheat, barley, cereal crops, chickpeas and other vegetables (Kim, Lee and Fairhurst, 2017). In
terms of Alfredo's restaurant, they does not use this type of food production as they order raw
materials from the vegetable market in bulk and then make prominent dishes according to them
by undertaking the preferences and needs of customers.
Preserving: It tend to depict the effective food preservation that tends to slow down or
stop the spoilage of food, loss of quality and makes them edible for longer period of time. This
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process tends to include prevention from the growth and development of bacteria,
microorganisms and others. It also undertake preservation with the help of refrigeration,
freezing, vacuum packing, drying and many more. In terms of Alfredo's restaurant they tend to
use this method which is useful for them in terms of making their food preserve and prevent
them from spoilage for the long time consumption (PRYCE, 2020). They also take care that the
food items which are being obtained from the plants and animals are tends to spoil fast after the
slaughter or harvest.
Pickling: This process is majorly used by restaurants and hotels who order raw food
products in bulk as this process tends to preserve and increase the life of food with the help of
immersion of vinegar. As this process typically impact the texture of food, taste and flavour and
the food items which are being preserved with this type is pickle and other food items that are
being pickled including fruits, meats, fish, eggs and dairy (Buhalis and Leung, 2018). In relation
with Alfredo's restaurant, they tends to use this method as they order food items in bulk and it is
beneficial for them in terms of preventing food items like fish, meat, dairy products and so on.
Baking: It is the effective and prominent method of developing food products that are
developed with the help of dry heat like gas stove, microwave and oven but sometimes also done
with hot ashes or stones. It is the most common method which is used by each and every
restaurant in terms of offering delicious food item to their potential customer. For this, the most
common food item is baked is bread and it is automated by the machines in various restaurants.
In terms of Alfredo's restaurant they also use this method in terms of making delicious food and
meal that leads to satisfy the requirements and demands of customers.
Braising: This process is the combination of cooking method that tends to use both dry
and wet heat and the food item which is seared at the high temperature and finish at low
temperature and also include prominent amount of liquid that tends to add flavour. This method
is useful for meat and also referred as the pot roasting based on the additional liquid (Filimonau
and Naumova, 2020). This type is also used by Alfredo's restaurant in terms of making dishes
that include meat and fish with additional liquid like soup.
Different food production system:
Food production system is the suitable process that tends to undertake prominent process
in order to engage effective growing, processing, harvesting, marketing, packaging and suitable
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consumption of food concerning items. In regard of this, prominent factors and concerning
system is mentioned as underneath: Conventional: The prominent objective of this food production system in order to
increase the economies of scale, eliminating overall cost of customers in order to enhance
production. For this, the concerning food production system tends to effectively use
economic specialisation and global trade. In terms of Alfredo's restaurant, they
prominently focus on low cost of fossil fuel and effective manufacturing and processing
of food undertaking the suitable packaging. Moreover, it tends to prominently damage the
overall environment and cause the fertilizers run off by generating greenhouse gas and
emission from other factors. This food production system is suitably counter opposed
with alternative food system and its objective is to support local farmers and
communities. Call order: According to this production system, it tends to represent the suitable services
which are beneficial in order to offer room services by offering prominent meals other
concerning services at the hotel. It also tends to need less equipments and somehow
consider la carte in their operations. It undertake the prominent menu that tends to restrict
their offering considering the size and scope in terms of making things more convenient
which is easy to prepare. In terms of respective restaurant, they also offer these services
which are beneficial in order to provide prominent and suitable services to their potential
customers for just one call which is more convenient and easy for customers and also
enhance the overall image of company. Continuous flow: This type of food production system tends to make manufacturing
more effective and also tends to report fairly and effectively. It tends to represent the
suitable materials which are effectively consumed for prominent production of finished
communities in terms of effectively eliminating things form the raw and in-process
inventory by suitably back flushing the prominent techniques. This flow effective
undertake moving one unit at a time among each and every step for the suitable process
without any break in time, sequence and so on. Centralised: According to this food production system, producing food for the
centralised and also undertake suitable capacity that tends to undertake prominent
preparation of food at one places and after that transport it to other area in terms of being
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served. It is effectively seen under the catering environment in which food effectively
cooked off site and then served to their guests at the specific place or venue. It is also
undertaken as the commissary food production system that effectively undertake suitable
production of food in factory and also transported in order to receive from kitchen in
terms of offering services to their customers. Cook-hill: It is undertaken as the effective food production system for the catering of
food which is being prepared in advance. It depict the prominent portioned for the ready
food in the container and also tends to blast chilled in terms of preserving the goodness
and other flavours. This food production system is prominently undertaken as the
effective manufacturing and food cooking that tends to make food ready with just done
status and after that immediately chill it for the storage for future time and reheating at
the later period of time. Cook freeze: This food production system effectively referred as the effective catering
system that suitably undertake the suitable and full cooking of food which is being
followed by suitable freezing and effective storage of food in the prominent and
controlled manner undertaking the low temperature. Moreover, before and by thawing
and regeneration the suitable priority for the prominent services. It is considered as the
simple and effective cooking technique in terms of making extra food at one meal and
freeze for the future meals. It effectively represent the easy and prominent method of
freezing foods undertaking liquid foods including stews, soups and so on in terms of
freezing them in the freezer bags.
 Assembly kitchen: It is considered as the convenience food production system which is
being pre-prepared food and also tends to purchase from the suitable food processing
units and reconstituted in the premises. As this food production system is not done in
premises and also fully prepared in terms of having effective purchased, stored, heated,
served and assembled food. It is also used by hospitals and other health care institutions
and also beneficial as it effective require the minimal investment for the prominent
equipment and for the bulk of spending suitable gas, electricity and water. Along with
this, managers tends to exercise suitable portion for having effective control and no
waiters are required.
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Demonstrate the understanding about the various types of food and beverage service methods
Food and Beverage service usually undertake serving food at the table as it is the
technique which is used in terms of transferring food from serving dish to the plat of guest. Food
is being placed in platters by chef and transferred by waiter to the plate of guest. This service
tends to add effective goodwill as it is highly personalised service and offer choice for selecting
the quantity for serving food. Various methods that are used for serving food to guest are
mentioned as underneath:
Table service: As per this method, guests enters in the prominent area and take their seat,
for this, menu lists are offered to them on their table in terms of taking their order. For this, the
orders are taken by waiters and the service is done by using and covered on the table. In regard
of this, the prominent type of service that could be offered by Alfredo's restaurant and prominent
types are classified as under:
 English Service: It is considered as the host service as in this, hosts plays an important
role in terms of offering service. Here, food is being brought on platters by the waiter and
also tends to represent to host for approval. Along with this, host also make portions of
food onto the plate of guest and allow waiter to serve (Manoharan and Singal, 2017). French service: It is considered as the personalised service as food is being brought from
kitchen in salvers and directly placed on the table. For this, plates are kept near the dish
and guest need to help themselves. American/Plate service: It is considered as the pre-plated service that depicts the
effective food which is being served into the plate of guest and then brought to guest. In
this, kitchen predetermines the prominent portion for accompaniments served and the
dishes for effective balance regarding nutrition and colour.
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 Russian service: It depict the silver service for the effective foundation of French service
except that food is being portioned and carved by waiter itself in trolley for full view of
guests.
 Silver service: In this, table is set for soup, main course and sweet dish in terms of
sterling silverware. For this, food is being portioned into silver platters at the kitchen and
also placed at the sideboard with the burners at the hot plates in terms of keeping the food
warm in restaurant. For this, waiter tends to pick platter from the hot plate and represent
dish among host for approval.
Assisted/Buffet service: In this, guest tends to take entry in dining area which is useful
for them to get food according to their want and requirement as it include either buffet counter or
served partially at table by waiter. For this, eating can be done at the table, lounge and banquet
hall (Diller and et. al., 2016). For this, buffet is the self service in which food is being displayed
on table and guest take plate from the stack at the end and also request waiter behind the buffet
table to serve them. Here, waiter tends to serve few courses such as appetiser and soup at the
table.
Therefore, in terms of Alfredo's restaurant they tends to consider table service at their
place as it is useful in offering prominent and effective service to customers considering their
requirements and preferences. Along with this, in table service different types of services are
undertaken and restaurant offer all of these services as per the demand of customers or to their
important clients.
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Analyse Menu Engineering Matrix to improve restaurant profitability
Menu engineering is considered as the art and science in terms of developing menu which
is designed, positioned, priced and also maintained in terms of improving profitability of
restaurant. It is considered restaurant operator in terms of addressing those items that are under
control such as food and labour cost. Moreover, without offering the effective foundation for
profitability within the restaurant by menu engineering, managers tends to unintentionally
degrade the guest experience in terms of cutting labour on the quality of food. Along with this,
menu items tends to group within the four prominent categories which are mentioned as under:
(Source: Menu Engineering Your Way to Restaurant Profitability, 2020)
 Star: This factor relies under the high profitability and popularity as it is quite cheap to
make products and guests cannot get enough of them. For this, restaurant tends to
consider the modest price in terms of effective increment for the menu roll out and make
it effective for the bottom line regarding the fastest and high popularity and profitability
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Illustration 1: Menu Engineering Your Way to Restaurant
Profitability, 2020

of menu items (Gursoy, 2018). These are the menus that tends to keep things consistent
and promote things for better visibility. Plow horse: These menus are relies under low profitability and high popularity in terms
of selling prominent items as because of low profitability they need to reformulate menu
in terms of improving the margin. It can be achieved by increasing price range and also
tends to change prominent ingredient, portion variation and many more. These menus are
considered as the profitable version in terms of having effective profitability to boost
drinks. Puzzle: These tends to relies under low popularity and high profitability in terms of
selling more products to make money. It tends to undertake prominent repositioning of
items in menu and also incorporate them for the effective promotion in terms of
increasing sales volume (Pappas and Bregoli, 2016). It tends to undertake effective
description of item considering the order of guest as in this, it tends to offer description of
items in terms of increasing the popularity to develop higher profitability.
 Dog: These items tends to carry low profitability and popularity as in this, items on the
menu are quite costly in terms of making prominent effort. For this, item tends to take
effective increment for the profit as these menus can de-emphasize in terms of hiding
ingredients on menu (Bowie and et. al., 2016). In this, these can be identified and
prominently removed from the menu at the stipulated period of time.
Therefore, Menu engineering is considered as the one-time process and include
prominent ingredients in terms of getting expensive, food trends that tends to come and go on the
grounds and preferences of customers. In terms of Alfredo's restaurant star factor is beneficial for
them as it is helpful in terms of increasing profitability and popularity of restaurant in the
dynamic market area and making them more competent to perform and fulfil the expectations of
customers.
Critically analyse sustainable menu planning consideration to be competitive in market
Sustainable menu planning tends to reflect the decisions that are taken by company
considering the selection of effective foods and beverages that are served in restaurant. It tends to
undertake prominent choice of food and beverages that has major impact on the environmental
footprints of Alfredo's restaurant. For this, it also tends to undertake lenses by which restaurant
look for the prominent options considering local, organic, seasonal and water-wise (Kuo, Chen
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and Tseng, 2017). For this, the objective is to guide and inform the organisers for the sustainable
options in terms of motivating and selecting environment friendly options and also tends to
identify the opportunities to educate attendees for the effective benefits to make healthy and
responsible choice. In regard of this, various ways are mentioned as under:
Localise the supply chain: It depict the farm to table movement in terms of being making
waves in the restaurant industry and also represent that no signs are slowing down. In this,
Alfredo's restaurant tends to shift with the help of sourcing produce and prominent ingredients
that leads to market from the farmer and supplier in terms of purchasing local farmers
(Kandampully, Zhang and Jaakkola, 2018). It also tends to make sure that local farmers are being
supported by low transportation cost as local food is proven as the fresh as the prominent
distance among the farm to the kitchen and the fork of customer.
Update menu seasonally: It represent that Alfredo's restaurant need to update their menu
on the seasonal basis and also tends to adapt menu considering the flow of nature, purchase of
food and peak supply. Along with this, in-season produce is prominently tends to grow closer to
sell menu items and spoil it on the way of kitchen. For this, it is also suggested to the restaurant
for rewriting their menu for every season.
Reduce portion size: It represent the prominent elimination of size in terms of
considering the norms for various western countries. It is considered as the quick and easy way
to eliminate the portion size by using small area and plates. In regard of this, small area used for
menu and dish description tends to make it quite spacious for various attractive images and
quotes that can cherish the mind of customers and induces them to visit again (Min, Swanger and
Gursoy, 2016). Moreover, waiters of Alfredo's restaurant tends to serve less food and on time
look for the requirement of customer that result in satisfying the optical fantasy for the customers
and tends to make immediate saving for restaurant.
Therefore, it is effective for Alfredo's Italian restaurant to make their menu more
sustainable and cost effective that tends to save them from additional expenses and make them
competitive in the hospitality industry by enhancing their profitability and revenues.
CONCLUSION
By considering the above discussion, it is identified that each and every restaurant
prominently deals in hospitality sector and also tends to offer effective and appropriate services
to their customers and staff members like training sessions in terms of bringing changes that
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tends to develop and offer better services to their staff members. For this, different types of food
production system is identified and menu engineering matrix is introduced in terms of improving
profitability. Lastly, it also conduct effective menu planning in terms of being competitive in
market.
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