PERSONNEL IN FOOD AND BEVERAGE AREA

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In the food and beverage establishment today, there are many ways of using and deploying staff.  Also, different terminology is used to describe what the staff do for the establishment.

The four key requirements for deploying staff are these: (though it may depend on the establishment and the particular service method being used.)

  1. Sound Product Knowledge.
  2. Competence in technical skills.
  3. Well-developed social skills.
  4. The ability to work as part of a team.

Food and beverage staff plays an important role in the overall customers’ meal through experience.  They must have the ability to respond to customer needs and to observe the overall concern of a restaurant.

Good food and beverage staff should, through experience, be able to anticipate the individual needs of customers and read their body language.

Customers want individual attentions; good service professional should be able to anticipate the individual needs of the customers.

 

FOOD AND BEVERAGE PERSONNEL AND THEIR FUNCTIONS

FOOD AND BEVERAGE MANAGER:

He is the overall head of the F & B department of the hotel. Depending on the size of the establishment, the food and beverage manager is either responsible for the implementation of agreed policies or for contributing to the setting of the food and beverage policies, the larger the organization the less likely the manager is to be involved in policy setting.

 

Functions/Responsibilities of Food and beverage manager

  1. Ensures that the required profit margins are achieved in each financial period.
  2. Updates and compile new wine lists according to availability of stock, current trends and customer needs.
  3. Compiles in liaison with the kitchen, menu for the various food service areas and for special occasions.
  4. Purchases all materials both food and drinks.
  5. Ensures that quality in relation to the price paid is maintained.
  6. Ensures staff training, sales promotions and the maintenance of the highest professional standard.
  7. Employs and dismiss staff.
  8. Holds regular meetings with section heads to ensure all areas are working effectively.
  9. He also oversees all the sectional heads in his department such as head chef, restaurant manager, banquet manager, etc.

 

RESTAURANT MANAGER/SUPERVISOR:

He/she has overall responsibility for the organization and administration of particular food and beverage service area.

Responsibilities of a Restaurant Manager

  1. He prepares duty rosters for the restaurant staff.
  2. He/she plans and organizes all the service activities of the restaurant such as staffing, training and promotes of team spirit.
  3. He/she also organizes daily staff briefing.
  4. He/she exercises cost control techniques for reducing breakages, spoilages and pilferages (stealing of small things in the establishment)
  5. He/she assess daily performance of the restaurant through number of cover sold, total food and beverages sales summary, plate wastage etc.
  6. He/she arranges suitable entertainment facilities.
  7. He reports to the food and beverage manager.

 

HEAD WAITER /MAITRE D’HOTE/SUPERVISOR:

He reports to the restaurant manager and the F & B manager.

Responsibilities of Head Waiter

  1. He has overall charge of the staff team.
  2. He deputizes in the absence of the restaurant manager and ensures smooth functioning of the restaurant.
  3. He sees that all the preparation duties necessary for service are efficiently carried out.
  4. He receives complaints from guests and answers them.
  5. He relieves the restaurant manager on his days off
  6. He is to communicate between the restaurant staff and the kitchen
  7. He is to do cost control and bill presentation.
  8. He is to observe the number of covers of each station and determine the number of cover per steward.

 

EVALUATION

  1. Explain two functions of a restaurant manager.
  2. State two functions of head waiter.

 

STATION HEAD WAITER (Maitre d’hotel de Rang):

In large establishment, the restaurant areas are broken down into sections. Each section with sets of tables from four to eight in numbers is referred to as a station. A station head waiter is the one in charge of a station with his own team of waiters and waitresses. A good station head waiter must have a good knowledge of food and wine and its correct service. He reports to the head waiter and restaurant manager.

 

Responsibilities of Station Head Waiter

  1. To instruct others members of staff on how to service correctly.
  2. To take the food and beverages orders (usually from the host) and carry out service at the table with the help of the chef de rang.
  3. Allocates station tables to station waiters.
  4. He checks the lying of the covers, tables and side boards.
  5. He looks after the gueridon service as it requires lots of skill.
  6. He is responsible for smooth service and also attends to all the guest complaints.

 

STATION WAITERS (Chef de range):

The Chef de range has less experience than a station head waiter.

 

Responsibilities of station waiters/waitresses

  1. They provide service to set of tables known as a station within the restaurant area.
  2. They attend briefing prior to restaurant opening.
  3. They complete mis-en-place before the restaurant opens.
  4. They set the tables with clean linen, cutleries, glasses, etc.
  5. They receive, greet and seat guests.
  6. They take customers’ orders and serve foods and drinks to them.
  7. They present the bills and receive payment correctly.

 

EVALUATION

  1. Who is a station waiter?
  2. State three functions of station head waiter.

 

JUNIOR/ASSISTANT WAITERS/WAITRESSES (Demi-chef de rang):

They do similar work with that of station waiters, but the difference is the size.

 

Responsibilities of Junior Waiters

  1. They report for briefing, well groomed.
  2. They assist waiters in setting the tables.
  3. They serve food during busy periods.
  4. They also remove the soiled dishes.

 

RECEPTION HEAD WAITER

  • He accepts bookings.
  • He keeps booking diary up to date.
  • He welcomes guests and takes them to their seats.
  • He also helps with the compilation of duty roster.

 

GENERAL EVALUATION QUESTIONS

  1. Mention four personnel in Food and Beverage establishment.
  2. State one major function of station waiter.
  3. State two requirements for deploying staff in to Food and Beverage establishment
  4. Mention four responsibilities if restaurant manager.
  5. State five rules in steaming.

 

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

  1. Which of these is required by a Food and Beverage personnel for effective services?
  2. Competence in technical skill B. Well -developed social skill C. Sound Product knowledge
  3. All of the above
  4. A good food and beverage staff should through experience be able to ____ the customers.
  5. advice B. see C. assist D. anticipate
  6. Which of these is a personnel in the food and beverage department? Chef de rang B. Bed steward C. House keeper D. Receptionist
  7. ____ has the responsibility to communicate between restaurant staff and kitchen. A. Restaurant Manager B. Head waiter C. Station head waiter D. Chef de rang
  8. ____ is responsible for checking the lying of the covers, tables and side boards. A. Station head waiter B. Station waiter C. Head waiter The manager

 

THEORY

  1. List five personnel in the Food and Beverage department.
  2. State four duties of food and beverage manager.

 

See also

STANDARD AND LOCAL MEASURING EQUIPMENT- FULLY EXPLANATION

METHODS OF COOKING – DRY HEAT, Baking, Roasting & Grilling

METHODS OF COOKING: Stewing, Frying, advantages & disadvantages

METHODS OF COOKING: Boiling, Poaching & Steaming

COOKING OF FOODS

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