Restaurant and Food Service Management Series

The setting

THE COPPER KETTLE has added dishes for years and removed almost none. Several of them sell rarely and need ingredients used nowhere else on the menu, which the kitchen orders and often throws away.

Your role

You are to assume the role of a management associate at THE COPPER KETTLE.

Your task

THE COPPER KETTLE is a well-established family restaurant. Over the years, the owner has added new dishes whenever a supplier offered something interesting or a regular made a request, but has almost never removed anything.

The menu is now long, several dishes are ordered only occasionally, and some of them rely on ingredients used nowhere else, which often spoil before they can be used. The kitchen is stretched during busy services, and the owner has started to wonder whether the menu is helping or hurting.

The owner (judge) wants you to recommend what the menu becomes. Discuss the types of table service the restaurant offers and what the menu has to support, identify the types of food service the kitchen is set up for, discuss the types of inventory a long menu forces the kitchen to hold, analyse the trends in food habits and preferences that should shape what stays, and explain the concept of production as it applies to a kitchen running too many dishes.

Performance indicators

• Discuss types of table service.
• Identify types of food service in different segments of the culinary and foodservice operations industry.
• Discuss types of inventory.
• Analyze trends in food habits/preferences.
• Explain the concept of production.

The judge will ask

1. 1.How would you decide which dishes to cut?
2. 2.What do you tell the regulars who order them?

The setting

A restaurant's tables turn far more slowly on a Saturday evening than the room needs them to. Guests linger long after paying, the waiting area is full, and rushing anybody would ruin exactly what the restaurant is known for.

Your role

You are to assume the role of a management associate.

Your task

A popular neighbourhood restaurant is known for its relaxed atmosphere and has a loyal following. On Saturday evenings, it is fully booked, and a line of walk-in guests forms at the door.

Many seated guests linger long after they have paid, chatting over coffee, while others wait. The manager wants to seat more guests on busy nights, but knows that making diners feel rushed would undermine exactly what makes the restaurant popular.

The restaurant manager (judge) wants you to recommend what changes. Explain how service standards should be maintained during peaks in demand, explain how staff should anticipate unspoken guest needs so a table moves without being pushed, identify the strategies you would use to manage the guest experience across the evening, explain the importance of meeting and exceeding expectations while doing it, and explain the concept of production in the kitchen that sits behind the timing.

Performance indicators

• Maintain service standards during peaks in demand.
• Anticipate unspoken customer needs.
• Identify strategies to manage customer experience during peaks in demand.
• Explain the importance of meeting and exceeding customer/guest expectations.
• Explain the concept of production.

The judge will ask

1. 1.How do you speed up a table without the guest feeling pushed?
2. 2.What would you change about the first ten minutes of a meal?

The setting

THE OLD FORGE's produce supplier has raised its prices sharply. A cheaper alternative delivers far less often, and the kitchen has nowhere to store several days of produce.

Your role

You are to assume the role of a management associate at THE OLD FORGE.

Your task

THE OLD FORGE is a farm-to-table restaurant that prides itself on fresh local produce delivered every morning. Its long-standing produce supplier has just announced a significant price increase.

A cheaper supplier is available, but it delivers only a few times a week rather than daily. THE OLD FORGE's kitchen has limited cold storage, and the head chef is worried that produce held for several days would not meet the standard the restaurant is known for.

The head chef (judge) wants you to recommend what happens. Describe the types of purchase order the change would involve, discuss the types of inventory the kitchen would have to hold, explain how you would evaluate the vendors' goods and services against one another, describe the factors influencing a make-or-buy decision here, and evaluate the trends affecting food presentation that less frequent delivery would put at risk.

Performance indicators

• Describe types of purchase orders.
• Discuss types of inventory.
• Evaluate vendors' goods and services.
• Describe factors influencing make-or-buy decisions.
• Evaluate trends affecting food presentation.

The judge will ask

1. 1.Would you switch suppliers? What is the deciding factor?
2. 2.What would have to change in the kitchen to make it work?

The setting

One server at BRAMBLEWOOD has regulars who book only when she works. She is also routinely late, and openly dismissive of the newer staff, several of whom have started asking not to be rostered with her.

Your role

You are to assume the role of a management associate at BRAMBLEWOOD.

Your task

BRAMBLEWOOD is an upscale restaurant where one experienced server has built a loyal following. Regular guests ask to be seated in her section, and some only book on nights she is working.

She is also frequently late for her shifts and openly dismissive toward newer members of staff, several of whom have asked not to be rostered alongside her. The general manager values what she brings to the restaurant but is concerned about the effect on the rest of the team.

The general manager (judge) wants you to recommend what happens. Explain how she builds and maintains relationships with guests and what that is worth, explain the importance of meeting and exceeding guest expectations that she plainly understands, explain the nature of guest recovery the rest of the team is left performing, identify the strategies you would use to manage the guest experience consistently, and explain the key factors in building a clientele that does not belong to one person.

Performance indicators

• Build and maintain relationships with customers.
• Explain the importance of meeting and exceeding customer/guest expectations.
• Explain the nature of guest recovery.
• Identify strategies to manage customer experience during peaks in demand.
• Explain key factors in building a clientele.

The judge will ask

1. 1.What conversation do you have with her this week?
2. 2.What is the cost of keeping her exactly as she is?