Food and beverage service is about serving the customers when they are hungry.
However, F&B
outlets offer a typical variety of food depending on customers demand, type of operation,
location, etc.
The most important meals of the day are:
1. Early morning tea[EMT]
Most often these orders are placed with the room service and it consists of a choice of tea and
coffee served with cookies or biscuits. Service is expected to be fast and the timing of this meal
is from 4.am to 6.am in the morning.
2. Breakfast
Elevenses, High tea, and Supper are considered the subsidiary meals of the day. Whereas Lunch
and Dinner are the two main meals. Although light(lite), the smaller meals fulfill nutritional
requirements of and when required if properly planned,
divide the day into even food breaks. Breakfast is considered as one of the most important meal
nutritionally. It is commonly
served through the room service or coffee shop. Modern hotels offer complimentary breakfast on
a buffet in the coffee shop to avoid the rush in choice of a quick last meal early in the morning.
Breakfast is extensive yet it offers to be fast as the guest has his daily routine to take-up and
complaints can easily come if not managed properly. 7 am to 10.30 am is the normal breakfast
time.
3. Brunch or elevenses:
The word ‘brunch’ comes from a combination of lunch and breakfast. It refers to a heavy meal
eaten around 11 am by guests who wishes to skip lunch or those who hate missed breakfast.
Today brunch has become very popular in coffee shops and multi-cuisine restaurants, especially
marketed extensively on these days. Brunch consists of all breakfast items such as juices, cereals,
eggs and special dishes like baked beans and toast, sausages, hamburgers, fresh fruits, along with
some lunch choices like noodles, pasta with sauces, Indian breakfast options with a large choice
of tea, coffee, cocoa etc,.
Elevenses are the British version of American brunch. However it is lighter in nature, had around
11am, usually offered in coffee shop and contains tea, coffee, cookies, cakes and breakfast rolls
like muffins, donuts, Danish pastries, tarts and tartlets.
4.Lunch and Dinner:
These are main meals of the day. All F&B outlets cater to these meals. The variety of service
differs from buffet and pre-plated in coffee shops, silver service in multi-cuisine restaurants.
They hate seperate courses to offer like starters, soups, main course, accompaniments, deserts
and beverages. Menu offer choice as well as some niche items around which the popularity of
the establishment centers. Usual meal timing for lunch is 12.30pm to 2.45pm and dinner 7.30pm
10.45pm.
5. Afternoon tea:
Normally served around 4pm in the coffee shop or in lounges to provide an informal atmosphere.
It has a large choice of tea, tisans, coffee with cookies, pastries, canopys, cocktails, sandwiches
to offer. Usually these meals are restricted to the in-house guests.
6. High tea:
A heavier meal served between 5.30pm to 6.45pm. It is centred around children and offers
juices, milkshakes, ice-cream, shakes, sandwiches, cutlets, french fries and Indian options like
batura, dosa, pavbhaji alongside with a variety of non-alcoholic beverages.
7. Supper and mid-night snacks:
Both these meals are not popular in Indian food habits, though it is fast picking up with younger
generation. Supper are traditionally a household meal served in coffee shops and restaurants
located near theatres. It offers limited dishes at high prices. Dishes like spaghetti bolognnise,
beef strognoff, grilled mushrooms, steaks, pulav with chicken butter masala and a variety of
salads and deserts may be offered. Suppers are served between 11.30pm to 1.30am. Midnight
snacks are limited to finger chips, fish fingers, sandwiches, canopys and such small easily
prepared dishes along with tea, milkshakes, aerated drinks which can be served by a limited staff
brigade throughout the night.
Breakfast
In hotels one would usually find a Continental
( comprises of light meal ), originated in Europe, as they
have a heavy mid day meal. On the other hand English
Breakfast is a heavy one with a more elaborate, wide
range of both cooked and fresh food.
Breakfast can be served either in the rooms for the in-
house guests or in the coffee shops.
Continental Breakfast
Comprises of Juices ( Fresh or canned ), served in a pony
tumbler with an under-liner and a tea spoon,
accompaniment for juices is caster sugar, for tomato
juices it is W.sauce.
Toast can be white/brown/multigrain either
plain/grilled/toasted and is served in toast racks and not
in bread basket as it would make it soggy,
accompaniments could be jam, jelly, marmalades in
monkey bowls or preserve pots.
Rolls like Brioche, Croissants, Danish Pastry, Muffin,
Doughnuts can be served in bread basket.
Tea or Coffee, served all separately-cream or milk,
Tea/Coffee Liquor, sugar ( White/Demerara/No calorie-
Equal ), served in tea cups with saucer and tea spoon.
Some other terms related with Continental Breakfast:
Café Complet - Continental Breakfast with Coffee as a
Beverage.
Thé Complet - Continental Breakfast with Tea as a
Beverage.
Café Simple or Thé Simple – Coffee or Tea with nothing
to eat.
Cover for Continental Breakfast-
1. Side plate and side knife
2. Sugar Basins
3. Napkin
4. Tea/Coffee Cup and saucer and tea spoon.
5. Butter dish, preserves.
Full or English Breakfast
Comprises of Juices ( Fresh or canned ), served in a pony
tumbler with an under-liner and a tea spoon,
accompaniment for juices is caster sugar, for tomato
juices it is W.sauce.
Stewed Fruit, stewed prunes, apples, figs, plums etc with
whipped cream.
Fresh Fruit, like grapefruit, apples, pineapple, etc cut into
dices or papaya cut into boats.
Cornflakes available in wide variety like wheatflakes, rice
crispies, chocos, muesli, honeyflakes that is served with
hot or cold milk or Oatmeal which is a regular porridge
with hot milk and caster sugar.
A choice of fish dishes like Steamed fillet, fried fillet ( sole
), salmon, Fish Cakes.
A choice of eggs to order with accompaniments, like
plain/masala/mushroom….omelettes, boiled eggs,
poached, Spanish Omelette among others served in egg
cups.
Meats, in the form of Bacon, Ham, Sausage,
accopmpanied with grilled tomatoes, hash
brown/mashed/fried/boiled potatoes,
Vegetarian section includes baked beans on toast or
grilled mushroom on toast.
Toast can be white/brown/multigrain either
plain/grilled/toasted and is served in toast racks and not
in bread basket as it would make it soggy,
accompaniments could be jam, jelly, marmalades in
monkey bowls or preserve pots.
Rolls like Brioche, Croissants, Danish Pastry, Muffin,
Doughnuts can be served in bread basket.
Waffles, Pancakes, blueberry pancakes, wholemeal
pancakes, can also be served with honey and maple
syrup.
Cover for English Breakfast.
1. Joint knife and Fork
2. Sweet spoon and Fork
3. Fish Knife and Fork
4. Side Plate and side knife
5. Napkin.
American Breakfast
Juices ( Canned/Fresh)
Cereal Course
Eggs to Order
Tea/Coffee.
Floor Services Breakfasts
One of the main services in the hotel for the in-house
guests done by the floor waiters, here trays and the
trolleys are used, they are laid with cutlery and china in
the previous night in the floor pantry, as in the morning
one has to serve to a good number of rooms in the hotel
and at this moment of time the guest require fast and
efficient service.
Floor breakfast are ordered the previous night or given
as standing order. Usually trays are used for single orders
and trolleys for two persons.
Afternoon Tea & High Tea Service
The old English tradition of taking afternoon tea at 4
o’clock is slowly dying out and in its place is the trend
towards tea and pastries only, with the venue also
changing from the hotel lounge to coffee shops, cafés
and food courts. With the advent of all-day dining
menus, the traditional division of mealtimes is also
changing. Types of afternoon teas Afternoon tea is
served in many establishments and in a variety of forms.
Afternoon tea may be classified into two main types: 1
Full afternoon tea as served in a first-class hotel or
restaurant. 2 High tea as served in a popular price
restaurant, department store or café. Full afternoon tea
The menu for a full afternoon tea usually consists of
some or all of the items listed in Figure 8.4. These are
generally served in the order in which they are listed.
Note that beverages are served first.
Afternoon tea service
Cover for full afternoon tea The following cover will
normally be laid for a full afternoon tea: ●◗ napkin ◗●
slop basin and tea strainer ●◗ side plate with side or tea
knife ◗● butter dish and butter knife with butter ●◗
pastry fork and alternatives ●◗ teacup and saucer and a
teaspoon ◗● preserve dish on an underplate ●◗ jug of
cold milk and/or side plate with a preserve spoon, or
side with lemon slices (depending on plate with small
individual the tea taken) preserve pots ●◗ teapot and
hot water jug stands or ◗● table number. underplates ●◗
sugar basin and tongs or individual packets of sugar (and
alternatives)
Figure 8.4 Full afternoon tea menu
Note: The beverage, jug of cold milk, preserve dish and
butter dish are only brought to the table when the
customers are seated, and are not part of the mise-en-
place.
Full Afternoon Tea Menu
Variety of teas, tisanes and coffees
Assorted Afternoon Tea Sandwiches:
Smoked Salmon, Cucumber, Tomato, Sardine, Egg,
Gentleman’s Relish
Brown and White Bread and Butter Fruit Bread and
Butter
Hot Buttered Toast or Toasted Teacake or Crumpets
Warmed Scones (with butter or whipped or clotted
cream)
Raspberry or Strawberry Jams
Gâteaux and Pastries
262 The service of breakfast and afternoon tea Chapter 8
High tea A high tea may be available in addition to the
full afternoon tea. It is usually in a modified à la carte
form and the menu will offer, in addition to the normal
full afternoon tea menu, such items as grills, toasted
snacks, fish and meat dishes, salads, cold sweets and
ices. The meat dishes normally consist in the main of pies
and pastries, whereas the fish dishes are usually fried or
grilled. The following accompaniments (proprietary
sauces) may be offered with high tea: ●◗ tomato ketchup
◗● vinegar ●◗ brown sauce (e.g. ‘HP’) ◗● mustards. ●◗
Worcestershire sauce
Figure 8.5 Example of cover for full afternoon tea after
the order has been taken
Figure 8.6 Example of an afternoon tea stand
263Afternoon tea service
Cover for high tea The cover for high tea may include: ●◗
napkin ◗● slop basin and tea strainer ●◗ joint knife and
fork ◗● sugar basin and tongs or ●◗ side plate and side
knife individual packets of sugar ●◗ cruet: salt, pepper,
mustard ◗● butter dish and butter knife ●◗ teacup,
saucer and teaspoon and with butter and alternatives
mustard spoon ◗● preserve dish on an underplate ●◗ jug
of cold milk and/or side plate with a preserve spoon or
side with lemon slices (depending on plate with small
individual the tea taken) preserve pots ●◗ teapot and
hot water jug stands or ◗● table number. underplates
Note: As for the full afternoon tea cover, the jug of cold
milk, butter dish and the preserve dish are not part of the
mise-en-place and should only be brought to the table
when the customers are seated. Any other items of
tableware that may be required are brought to the table
as for the à la carte service.
Order of service for afternoon tea (table service) The
general order of service for afternoon tea is: 1 beverages
2 hot snacks – bread and butter (sometimes salads)* 3
sandwiches 4 assorted bread items with butter and
alternatives and preserves 5 hot toasted items 6 scones,
with butter or cream and preserves 7 cakes and pastries.
*High tea only
Figure 8.7 Example of cover for high tea
264 The service of breakfast and afternoon tea Chapter 8
For the service of a high tea 1 The beverage should again
be served first, followed by the hot snack ordered, which
is often accompanied by bread and butter. When this has
been consumed and cleared, the service then follows
that of a full afternoon tea. 2 Order taking is usually
carried out using the duplicate checking method. 3 The
sandwiches may be dressed on silver flats and are set out
on the buffet prior to service. Alternatively, sandwiches
are pre-plated with a predetermined selection and then
served to the customer at the table as required. 4 Toast,
teacakes and crumpets are often served in a soup plate
or welled dish with a silver cover on an underplate. An
alternative to this is the use of a muffin dish, which is a
covered silver dish with an inner lining and hot water in
the lower part of the container. When serving hot
buttered toast for afternoon tea, the crusts from three
sides only are removed and the toast is then cut into
fingers with part of the crust remaining attached to each
finger – this makes it easier for the customer to hold the
toast when eating it. 5 The scones and assorted buttered
breads are often dressed on dish papers on flats and are
also set out on the buffet or brought from the still room
as required. 6 Preserves are served either in individual
pots or in preserve dishes, both of which are often
served on a doily on an underplate with a preserve
spoon. 7 Gâteaux and pastries can be presented on cake
boards, which are placed on plates or on round silver
flats or salvers. An alternative to this is the use of a
pastry trolley. 8 Ice creams and other sweet dishes are
becoming more popular now and are usually served last.
Reception or buffet tea A reception or buffet tea is
offered for special functions and private parties only,
and, as the name implies, the food and beverage are
served from a buffet table and not at individual tables.
The foods that will be available might be a selection from
either the full afternoon tea or the high tea menus. The
buffet should be set up in a prominent position in the
room, making sure that there is ample space for display
and presentation and for the customers to make their
choice. The buffet should have easy access to the
stillroom and wash-up so that replenishment of the
buffet and the clearing of used tableware may be carried
out without disturbing the customers. When setting up
the buffet it is necessary to ensure there is ample space
for customer circulation and that a number of occasional
tables and chairs are placed round the room. These
occasional tables may be covered with clean, well-
starched linen cloths, and have a small vase of flowers
and an ashtray on them (depending on the smoking
policy of the establishment). Setting up the buffet The
afternoon tea tableware, crockery and napkins should be
laid along the front of the buffet in groups with the
teacups, saucers and teaspoons concentrated in one or
more tea service points as required. Sugar bowls may be
placed on the buffet or on the occasional tables that are
spread round the room. The tea may be served from
urns, which should be kept hot, or pump-dispense
insulated jugs, at the separate tea service points along
the buffet. Fresh milk should be available in milk jugs.
Non-dairy creamers and a range of Note: Afternoon tea
may also be served in the lounge (see Section 9.3, p.273).
265Afternoon tea service
sugars (sometimes in packets) may also be offered.
Tisanes in packets together with hot water and slices of
lemon might also be available. A raised floral centrepiece
can be the focal point around which the dishes of food
are placed. Cake stands may also be used for
presentation and display purposes. Service During the
reception some of the staff must be positioned behind
the buffet for the service and replenishment of the
dishes of food and beverages. Other members of staff
should circulate the room with the food and to clear
away the dirty cups and plates. As the dishes on the
buffet become depleted, they should be quickly
replenished or cleared away so that the buffet looks neat
and tidy at all times.
