GUERIDON SERVICE

Introduction:
The definition of the term gueridon is a movable service or trolley from
which food can be carved, filtered, flambéed or prepared and served.
In other words, it is a movable side board which has sufficient
equipment for the immediate operation in hand; however it should
also carry essential equipment in case of emergency for e.g. crockery,
cutlery, and service gears.

The origin of guéridon service itself is hard to trace. It includes carving

salad preparation, pre-preparation of fresh fruit and so on. The cost of
the dishes being priced individually and the average cost of the meal
being therefore higher than a table d’hote meal. Another reason for
higher cost with an a’la carte type of meal is that it demands a skilled
personnel who is trained and specialised. It provides visual appeal
to the customer.

HISTORY:
It is difficult to pinpoint the origin of Gueridon and Flambé
service. “A Gueridon” was a piece of furniture that was found in
French homes, similar to what we might call a sideboard. This would
be positioned in the dining room of a home and would hold most of
the equipment used at the table, i.e. crockery, cutlery, glassware etc.
Gueridon service was originally known as ‘Russian Service’ and
involved serving large joints of meat, poultry, game and fish. This food
would be displayed on a sideboard or side table, then carved or
portioned by service staff allowing guest to have as much or little as
they wished. During the nineteenth century Gueridon service became
more popular especially in the more up-market establishments. By the
turn of the century Gueridon was an established part of fine dining.
Flambé dishes first become popular in the Edwardian Era
i.e. the first claimed flambé dish was crêpes Suzette which
was invented by Henri Charpentier working as a commis at
the café de Paris in Monte Carlo (1894) in honor of the
Prince of Wales girlfriend named Suzette.
Dating back to the Edwardian era, Gueridon (pronounced girradon) is a
Specially designed service trolley from which food may be carved,
filleted, flambéed, or prepared and silver served to the guest.
Gueridon service is distinguished by the fact that the food is cooked or
completed tableside in front of the guests. The service is quite formal
and very elegant.
The food is brought from the kitchen on heavy silver platters or
chargers and placed on a tableside cart called a ‘gueridon’. The food is
prepared on the gueridon, which has a small burner for sautéing and
tabletop space for finishing the food. Some familiar items prepared in
this manner are
• Pepper Steak
• Salads
• Flambéed desserts.
Once the food is prepared, it is served to the guests on heated
plates from the gueridon.
POINTS TO BE KEPT IN MIND WHILE DOING GUÉRIDON SERVICE:

• Guéridon service is job of the chef who is

also responsible for doing the service.
• The guéridon should be kept in one position
for the service for the complete course.
• The trolley should never be kept near the
service door as it is may be obstruction to
the waiter.
• When more covers are being served only
the main dish should be served from the
guéridon. Potatoes, sauces, vegetables
should be served in normal manner.
 • Service spoon and fork are not used as in
the silver service but held with spoon in one
hand and fork in the other.
• The filling or carving should not be done on
silver dish but on the carving board or hot
joint plate.
• Dirty plates should always be cleared from
the guéridon trolley.

POINTS TO BE OBSERVED IN FLAMING:

• It is important not to allow the flaming liquid to become
diluted. It is further vital to ignite quickly on the addition
of liquors.
• The flame should be ignited by touching the liquor to
the lamp flame and never with a match stick.
• Once flambéing is in progress stirring promotes the
blaze and basting is therefore more effective and
spectacular.
• Sugar sprinkled into the flame in sweet dishes helps
change the flame color.
• Flames should be extinguished by smothering with a lid
• It should be kept in mind that flaming does not aid in heating.

SPIRITS AND LIQUEURS FOR FLAMBE:

The most important commodity for flambé work naturally is
the spirit or alcohol used to make the flame. Spirits really
make the flame and it is the liqueurs that impart the flavor.
Brandy and Rum are the two most used spirits in this work.
Whiskey is sometimes used too.
When cooking fruits, it is always best to use a fruit flavored liqueur.
ADVANTAGES OF GUÉRIDON SERVICE:
• Creates atmosphere of sophistication & soignée.
• Provides entertainment.
• Provokes demand due to impulse buying.
• Ensures food service at requisite temperature as dishes can be
Prepared a la minute.
• Ensures freshness & quality of ingredients. Novelty of flaming,
Aroma, attraction of cooking smells, caramelizing sugars. All these
Attract the attention of the customers.
• Personalized form of service hence flatters customers by focusing
Attention on their table. Encourages guest interaction & participation.
Where possible the dish can be customized.
• Motivates staff, stimulates creativity & innovation.
Enhances job satisfaction, improves gratuities.
• Ensures high standards of cleanliness & hygiene.
• Can be a unique selling proposition if the competition is yet
to catch on.
• High level of customer satisfaction. The dishes are
prepared, carved, or flambéed in the guest's presence.
• Good merchandising device. Guest will be tempted to
order for dishes that are served from the trolley.
• Wail staff can exhibit their culinary, carving, and service
skills. The wait staff has an opportunity to impress the
guests by demonstrating its cooking, flambéing, carving,
and skills to them. It also gives them good job satisfaction.
• High average spending power (high revenue/cover). The
revenue generated will be more as the dishes served from
the trolley are always expensive.
LIMITATIONS OF GUÉRIDON SERVICE:
• Extravagant use of space, labor & equipment.
• High capital investment due to use of highly specialized equipment.
• High training costs.
• Efficiency of operation is limited to experience, knowledge & skill
Levels of staff.
• High food costs. Commodity control and costing is difficult.
• Can disturb other guests who may resent intrusion.
• Accident hazard due to live flaming, obstruction to traffic in aisles.
• Slow service: the time taken to extend the service from the trolley is
more.
• Low seat turnover: number of times a seat is sold during the operation
Hours will be low as the service takes more time.
• Expensive style of service: as it requires more service area and highly
skilled staff.
• Cooking in the service area may leave odor.

SPECIAL EQUIPMENTS USED IN GUERIDON SERVICE:

• Gueridon Trolley:
Gueridon trolleys have now acquired special significance in the
restaurant world. They come in different sizes. Actually a Gueridon
is a modified side table on wheels. It should be of the same height as
that of the tables of the restaurant. It normally has a built in picnic
type butane gas lamp from which effective Flambé work and
Gueridon cookery could be achieved. It should have under leaf
shelves for stocking cutlery and other dishes for keeping wine and
liqueur bottles.
 • Flare lamps:
These are an essential item of equipment for guéridon service and
are used in re-heating, cooking and flambéing dishes. The
maintenance of the flare lamps is very important and should be
carried out very carefully, ensuring each part is fitted together
correctly, that it is fitted to the correct level with methylated spirit
and then the wick is of sufficient length to give adequate heat where
in use.
The flare lamp should be cleaned regularly with the aid of plate
powder. Regular timing of the wick is essential to avoid methylated
spirit fumes baking out and spoiling the aroma of the food. The lamps
are usually 20-25 cm high with a grid of diameter 15-20 cm. In a
purpose built the same working height all along the trolley tap. This is
much safe for the waiter as he/she works since there is less chance of
accidents. The lamps here are generally color gas.
• Chafing Dish:
The true chafing dish is rarely seen now days. This was deeper, had a
lid and was made to fit into an own individual heating unit. It is a
container holding hot water on which food container is kept to retain
the temperature of the food.
• Suzette pans:
The shallower pans which are used today are called Suzette pans.
They resemble frying pans in shape and size and have a diameter of
23-30 cm with or without a lip. The lip is usually found on the left
hand side. The pans are generally made of silver plated copper as
this gives an even distribution of heat. It is used for flambéing and
cooking. It is advisable to use separate pans for flambéing and
cooking.
• Hot plates:
The hot plates main function is to keep food hot before it is served to
the guest. They are always positioned on the side board and the
guéridon they come in a vast range of sizes and may be heated by
gas, electricity or methylated spirits and there are even infrared
One’s available. The majority of hotplates in present day use are
 heated by methylated spirit and therefore, as with the flare lamps care
should be taken in cleaning filing and trimming the wicks in both
hotplates and flare lamps should be long enough and adequate for the
service.
• Gas Stove:
Many establishments prefer gas stove over flare lamp as it has
advantage over flare lamp. Trimming of wicks and filling up the
reservoir with fuel are not necessary for a trolley having gas stove. The
gas control knob is near the burner at a convenient position for a
waiter to control the flame. The burner head should be cleaned with
pin to ensure free flow of gas.
• Steak pans:
These are of the same type as that Crepe suzette pans except the
shape. Steak pans are oval in shape and come in different sizes to
suit different requirements. The construction is the same as that
of Suzette pans.
• Carving Board:
Carving of meat and poultry should be carried out on a carving
board and for each category of meat and poultry, a separate
carving board should be used. After use, it should be thoroughly
washed.
Care and maintenance of equipment:
These are many reasons why all equipment should be maintained
on a regular basis. Primarily, it is because of Hygiene and
presentation in front of the client and legal suspects of the food
Hygiene Regulation, 1970; the Food Act 1984; the Food safety Act
1990, and the Food and Drug act.
Work performance: Efficiency of performance is lost and possibly as
a result loss of custom and therefore revenue.
Work safety: The legal aspects of the health and safety at work
1974 would apply here as well as applicable insurance acts.
To ensure the above takes place a daily inspection and cleaning Rota
As schedule. This work should then be carried out by the
Food service/personnel during the normal mis-en-place period and
under the supervision of a senior member at the team of brigade.
CHECK LIST:
Gas lamps:
• Check that all moving arts move freely.
• Ensure both the jet and burner are free from dirt.
• Clean by appropriate method – silver plate powder but remember
do not even immerse in water.
• Ensure at all times there is no heated equipment or naked flames
near the lamp.
Spirit lamps:
• Check the amount of methylated spirit.
• See that the air hole is free.
• Trim the wick and check it for length.
• Clean of any excessive dirt and spent matches.
• Ensure all moving parts move freely.
• Clean by the appropriate method but remember do not immerse in
water.
• Any decoration of equipment should be checked carefully and if
Necessary cleaned with a toothbrush.

Mise-en-place for Guéridon:

In many establishments where guéridon service is carried out, the
basic layout is standardized. This is to ensure that the required
standards of service are met and that safety is a prime consideration
of all the service staff. There are many designs of guéridon available
on the market today, but an example of a basic format for the lay-up
for the top of the guéridon is shown in Figure. Where necessary, the
top and under shelf of the guéridon should be covered with a folded table
cloth. This, of course depends on the nature of guéridon itself and its
general appearance for convenience of working the cutlery and flatware
layout be similar to that of the side board. This saves time and speed up
the service from right to left. The mise en place includes:
• Service spoon and forks
• Carving Board
• Spare napkin and Spare cloths
• Sauce Ladle
• Extra Service Plate
• Plate for dirty cutlery
• Sweet spoon and forks
• Soup, tea and Coffee spoons
• Fish knife and fork, special equipment including a soup and sauce
ladle
• Joint and side knife
The hot plates or table heaters are generally placed on the left hand
side on the top of the guéridon. This heater may be gas, electricity or
methylated spirit. If it is a heater the coffee saucer should be placed
under the burners, also on the top there should be a carving board,
knife for carving and filtering. A selection of basic accompaniments
such as oil and vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, English and French
mustard and caster sugar should be available. Underneath will be
stacked with service plates and platters, side plate and some joint
plates, for dirty tableware there should be a bin for collection. When
an operation is being carried out, there should be some silver, cutlery
and doilies is useful for a presentation of sauces and other
accompaniments.
Certain qualities and attributes are expected of a waiter in carrying
out this forms of service. It is as well to bear the following in mind at
this stage.
Taking the order:
• It has to be remember first and foremost that you are a sales
person. You must sell the dishes, which will involve you in work
at the table. Suggest to the customs, item on the menu, this
focusing attention in dishes. You may wish to sell. Use the
carving trolley and sweet trolley as visual selling lid.
• You must always have a good knowledge of the menu so as to
give good discipline to the guest of the dishes available.
• Recognition of the host is an important factor.
• Stand to left of the host, each guest should have one yourself for
reference purposes.
• Do not positioning yourself too close to guest as this may cause
embarrassment?
• Size up your host and guest according to age’s dues and nature
of the party. This should then give you some indication as to the
type of dishes on may suggest.
• Take all order through the host. Try to ascertain the length of
time available for the meal as this could determine the type of
dishes sold. Warn customer of waiting times.
Basic accompaniments:
• Oil & vinegar.
• Worcestershire sauce.
• English & French mustard.
• Caster sugar.

Carving:
Carving is the joint skill task only rated by continuous practice
following are the point kept in mind while carving:
• Sharp knife is used to carve a joint because a blunt knife may
damage certain important issue.
• Meat is carved across the grain with the exception of saddle of
mutton which are sometime cut at right angel to the ribs.
 • The carving fork must be holding the joint firmly as multiple
pierced damages the mind.
Equipment used in carving:
• Carving knife should be 10-12 inch long and 2.5 cm wide.
• For ham: long, thick, flexible carving knife is used.
Method for carving:
Carving of all hot food must be performed quickly so that no heat is
allowed to escape.
• Beef and ham: Their slices are cut.
• Lamb, mutton, pork, and veal tongue is carved, double thickness of
Beef and ham.
• Boiled beef and pressed meat is most thickening than roast.
• Saddle of lamb: Carved in long thick slices.
• Shoulder of lamb: It is cut from top to bottom and again from bottom
to top because the cut has an occurred bone formation which heat
Meat, tucked between the bones.
• Cold ham: Carved bones from top to bottom in thin slices.
• Whole chicken: Carved in six portions.
• Duckling: Carved in six portions, two leg, two wing and two breast.
• Turkey: Four cuts, guest is supposed to order breast and supreme.
• Salmon: Fillet and then sliced into 4/1 inch slices.

Carving trolley function:

• Function of carving trolley is to act an aid selling.
• The chefs should act as salesman and suggest right joint to right guest.
• The carving is visual treat hence great care should be taken while doing
it.
• Carving trolley is heated by 2 methyl ethylated gas.
• Container in which the carving board rest contain hot water.

Presentation of Trolley:
• The carver must always ensure that the carving trolley is
correctly laid up before it is taken to a table.
• Where in use the carving trolley must be presented in between the
customer and chef who ensures that the customer can see every
 Operation performed and appreciates skill performed.
• It should be position in such a way that the lid is drawn from trolley
towards the waiter and safety wall is positioned on the side away from
the waiter.

Method of serving a dish at the table:

• First present the dish to the customer then return to the
guéridon.
• Place on the side of the trolley with the food for service standing
on the hot plate.
• The food for service is then carved if necessary and is placed on
the plate of the guest.
• Unlike silver service, when the spoon and form are used together
In one hand, guéridon service requires that the spoon and fork
are used one in each hand.
• The vegetables and potatoes are then placed on to the plate by
the waiter while the plates are still on the guéridon. The sauces
are placed on to the plates by the waiter and plate is then placed
in front of the guest.
• It should be noted that, when there are more than two person at
one table, the main dish is served as describe, but the vegetable
and potato dishes are as for normal silver service and will kept
hot in readiness for service on the hot plates on the waiter side
board.
• During this operation it will be the commis or dibarrasreurs’s
function to keep the guéridon clear of dirty dishes and
equipment.
Sequence of Service:
• Presentation of all dishes for all courses is very important both
before the actual service commence and in placing the meal
upon the plate, especially when filtering and carving.
• Hors d’oeuvres or substitutes: These are served in the normal
way except for specialty dishes such as pâté de foegras, which
may have to be cut into slices.
• Soup: Always served from the guéridon whether in individual
 soup tureens or in larger soup tureens requiring a ladle with all
accompaniments.
• Fish: Filleted where necessary and served from guéridon.
• Meat: Carved where necessary and served from the guéridon.
• Potatoes and vegetables: Served as previously mentioned
together with sauce and accompaniment.
• Sweet: Served from the guéridon in a flambé type dish or from
the cold sweet trolley with all accompaniment.
• Savory: Served from guéridon.
• Coffee: Normal silver service unless specialty coffees are
required.

Types of trolleys:
There are many types of trolleys used in the restaurants practicing
gueridon service. The design, equipment required, and layout of the
trolley depends on its function. The design of a flambé' trolley is
different from liqueur trolley. A wide range of trolleys is available
with different quality of structural material and design to suit the
need and pocket of the proprietor. The various types of trolleys are:
• Hors d'oeuvre varies trolley.
• Carving trolley.
• Flambé trolley.
• Cheese trolley.
• Salad trolley.
• Liqueur trolley.
• Food preparation trolley.
• Sweet trolley.
Hors d'oeuvre Varies Trolley
It displays 10 to 12 varieties of appetizers. The containers holding
appetizers are placed over ice. The trolley is designed in such a way
that it has provision for holding ice and containers. It has adequate
cold half plates, necessary service gear to transfer the hors d'oeuvre
selected by the guest on the cold half plate, and the appropriate
accompanying sauces. The plated food is served to the guest from
his/her right-hand side.
Carving trolley
This trolley is the elaborate of all. However, it is seldom
found in India because the concept of roast joints of meat is
not popular in India, and other than in buffet styles of
service. The trolley is usually silver plated with a large dome
like cover. This cover slides under the trolley

Flambé Trolley
This trolley is perhaps the most glamorous in that it helps
to produce the best show man ship in the restaurant. It
consists of a cupboard area for storing a gas cylinder, a
recess area for storing foods/ liquor and top with cooking
equipment that the flat surface can be used to hold and
carve the meat. This surface is usually heated by spirit to
keep the joint hot. There are usually two deep recesses to
hold gravy and sauce, while the bottom shelf
accommodates plates for service.
Cheese Trolley
It has a variety of cheeses, cheese board and cheese
knife for cutting the cheese, and appropriate
accompaniments for cheese. Cheese selected by guest is
portioned and plated on the gueridon trolley, and then
served to the guest.

Salad Trolley
It has half plates and bowls, under plates,
containers with prepared ingredients, Salad
dressing and seasoning that are required to prepare
the salads. Salad dressings may either be prepared
on the trolley in the presence of the guest or in the
kitchen. Most restaurants make the dressings in the
kitchen, and is carried out on the trolley in the
restaurant.
 Liqueur Trolley
It has assorted glasses measure ice bucket, spirit and
liqueur bottles, carafes, etc. It may also have cigars cigar
cutter and a lighter.

Food Preparation Trolley

These have a gas burner and flare lamp which is fixed on the trolley to
the level of the top surface. Carving trolley has carving board which is placed
over chafing dish during carving to retain the heat of the meat. A trolley may
have single or a double burner. One burner is used for keeping the food hot
while the other is used for cooking.
 Sweet Trolley
A Trolley on which desserts are brought to the table so
that guests can choose from them. Few of the desserts are also prepared in
front of the guest.

Successful and Safe Gueridon Work:

• Mise en place: Talk with the kitchen to ensure all mise en place
(Preparation of ingredients) for each gueridon menu item is complete.
• Equipment:
▪ Make sure all the equipment are clean and ready for
service.
▪ Make sure Gueridon/Trolley and all equipment is
stable. Check level of lamp before cooking.
▪ Don’t refill gueridon lamps whilst hot.
▪ Pan handles should not stick out over edge of trolley
or table.
▪ Space tables/sideboard/restaurant decor and displays
for easy (and safe) movement of trolleys/table around
the restaurant.
▪ Push; never pull a trolley (you can’t see where you are
going).
• Knives:
▪ Use the right knife for the right job.
▪ Always use sharp knives.
▪ Never cut on silver or stainless steel platter; use a
 cutting board or plate.
▪ Carry knives with point to the floor.
▪ Position knives safely on Gueridon when not in use.
• Flaming and Service:
▪ When flaming spirits or liqueurs always pour into the pan from
a port glass/heat resistant glass.
▪ Pouring directly from a bottle is not recommended as the bottle
might explode.
▪ Use service cloths to protect your hands from heat
E.g. Plates, pan handles.
▪ Don’t flambé beneath a heat sensor or fire sprinkler.
▪ Clean up spills immediately.
▪ Work as a team (of at least two)
• Personal:
▪ Hair should be kept tied back (hair gel, hair spray is very
flammable).
▪ Wear long sleeved cotton/woolen clothing (less flammable
Than synthetic).
▪ Wear bow tie – not a standard tie (which could catch alight).
▪ Avoid inhaling cooking fumes (e.g. vinegar/lemon juice reduction).
▪ Cold liquids into hot pans cause splatters and spits.
• Customer Safety:
▪ Position Gueridon a safe distance from customers.
▪ Be aware that butter and oil can burn and splatter customers.
▪ Warn customers when about to flame.

APPEARANCE AND HYGIENE

More than anything else service and cooking at the Gueridon depends
upon the personality and appearance of the waiter or station head
waiter who performs the service. Good manners pleasant speech,
Smart appearance and scrupulous grooming and cleanliness are basic
Needs and should be given emphasis before all the technical skills to
follow. An underlying factor which gives appeal to the Gueridon work
is that it can be strong confidence builder. Everything going on at the
dish or everything that is to be served can be seen at very close
quarters.
All this confidence can be destroyed if the person giving the service
has untrimmed nails, soiled shirt cuffs spotted jacket and so on.
Unthinkingly brushing back hair with hands and then returning to
serve can produce an adverse reaction from the guest. Personal
hygiene assumes paramount importance when service is given so near
a guest.

RECIPES
1. CREPES SUZETTE
(For 2 portions)
• 04 Pancakes
• 50gm Butter
• Juice and zest of two oranges
• 50gm Caster sugar
• ½ measure Cointreau (or any orange liqueur)
• 1 measure brandy
PROCEDURE
• Place butter and sugar into pan allow to caramelize.
• Add juice and stir into good sauce with Liqueur. Add the pancakes
and fold into quarters turning frequently.
• Add zest of orange and finally the brandy.
• Tilt the pan and flame it.
• Turn each pancake in the flame and serve.
 2. BANANA AU RHUM
(For 2 portions)
• Firm ripe banana – 2 nos.
• 50gm Butter
• 50gm caster sugar
• 1 measure rum

PROCEDURE
• Melt butter and add caster sugar, let it caramelize to form
a sauce.
• Put the Banana in the pan sprinkle caster sugar on it.
• Add the rum and flame it by tilting the pan.
• Serve with the flame.

3. STEAK DIANE
(For 1 portion)

• Fillet steak flattened

• Finely chopped onion
• Red wine
• Worcestershire sauce
• Teaspoon hot mustard
• ½ cup cream
• Cognac

PROCEDURE

• Season steak.
• Place nob of butter in pan and fry steak briskly, turning over once.
• Remove to plate.
• Add onion to pan and cook gently.
• Add dash of sauce and mustard.(French and English mustard)
• Return meat to pan and flame with brandy.
• Finish with cream and serve.