Chapter 5: Restaurant Menus

• Chapter 5 discusses menus
• A menu serves as a promotional sales tool, emphasizing items with high contribution margins or combining those with high costs and low costs
• Menus provide expectations and create lasting impressions and should be presented neatly to portray the image of the establishment

Functions of a Menu

• A menu proclaims and promotes the available food items
• Menus provide details on the available food, cooking methods, presentation, and prices
• Menu presents items in a logical order under course headings for easy comprehension
• A menu presents the overall image of the establishment
• Menus describe dishes appealingly, acting as a marketing tool
• Menus dictate operational needs like staff, equipment, and materials
• Menu establishes key financial viability elements: price and contribution margin
• Restaurant managers assure item availability and accurate descriptions to avoid disappointing customers
• Menus should be accurate, informative, understandable, and well-designed

Types of Menus

• À la carte is French for "according to the card" or "customer's order," containing a complete list of food served in the outlet

• Each dish in an a la carte menu is priced separately and shows the price of each dish

• Items are prepared when ordered, and the bill reflects the dishes ordered

• Stewards can upsell menu items and suggest pairings with an a la carte menu

• The waiter can suggest allow guests to mix their menu item choices and enjoy the meal

• Menus can be arranged in a la carte or semi-a la carte depending on offerings

• Semi-À la carte combines menu items, like a main dish and salad, and prices them as one

• A la carte menus include different types; Breakfast, Luncheon, Dinner, California, Ethnic, Specialty, Room Service, and Lounge menu

• à la carte breakfast menus feature omelets, waffles, pancakes, French toast, cereals, bakery goods, and beverages, each individually priced

• à la carte breakfast menus generally have reasonable food prices, but can be priced higher in high-end environments

• à la carte breakfast Menus need skilled chefs due to the need to cook to order quickly and usually will utilize the American style of service

• à la carte luncheon menus commonly include appetizers, salads, sandwiches, entrees, desserts, and beverages

• Menu items for luncheon menus include entrees with vegetables, salads, potato, or rice will be in the semi-a la carte portion of the offerings

• à la carte luncheon Menus can offer Daily specials that are in a smaller portion

• Prices of the à la carte lunch offerings vary according to the the type of food, the food operation and location

• à la carte luncheon menus require a fully equipped kitchen

• à la carte dinner menus typically offer both a la carte and semi-a la carte items

• à la carte dinner menus typically offer more appetizers and entrees compared with a luncheon menu

• à la carte dinner menus commonly use American, French, or Russian service

• California a la carte menus offer every menu item at every time of day

• Ethnic a la carte menus can be a la carte or semi a la carte and feature a specific cuisine and can be priced from moderate to high

• A specialty menu is both a la carte and semi a la carte and is one type of item

• Room service menus implement a la carte, semi a la carte, or prix fixe menu options

• Room service orders are usually taken by in room telephone

• Room service menus tend to be more expensive than the regular menu and the items offered need to maintained and served at the correct termperature

• Lounge menus can be a la carte or semi a la carte

• Lounge menus usually have limited offerings which do not take a high level of preparation expertise

• Table d'hote is French for "table of the host," (pronounced as tah-buhl-doht) having a limited and set number of menu items at a fixed price for a fixed number of courses

• Table d'hote is also called a set menu, set meal, or prix fixe

• Table d'hote menu items are often cooked in advance and in bulk, which makes the price economical and allows minimal staff

• Table d'hote menus include options such as; Banquet, Buffet, Coffee Houses, or Cyclical

• A banquet menu is set at a price and certain items can be chose from special set menu offerings

• Buffet menus have a pre determined price and list of set items for the buffet

• Coffee house menus usually offer food 12-18 hours a day in a set menu

• Menu choices in a coffee house tend to be simple such as sandwich and pasta

• Coffee Houses have simplified service styles such a plates or counter service

• Cyclical menus repeat over set period of days

Other Menu Factors

• Static menus have the same dishes throughout the year
• Fast food and diners commonly use this menu and organize items by appetizer, salad, main dish, and dessert
• Du jour, also knows as chalkboard or house specialty, is a menu that offers a particular dish each day that changes, listing seasonal items
• Du jour can be a la carte or table d'hote
• Wine Menus list low to high priced wine selections
• Wine menu provides a description of the the year, flavor, country of origin, bin #, taste profile and food item it may be paire with

Wine and Food Pairings

• White wines pair with seafood and white meat
• Herbaceous Sauvignon blanc, a Chianti, or season Beaujolais pair well with spicy seafood
• Dry Rose Light Pinot Noir or Blush Zinfandel pairs well salmon and red fish
• Red wines pair well with red meats
• Pinot Noir and lamb pair well with Cabernet Sauvignon
• Full bodied Shiraz is perfect for a game dish with heavy seasonings
• Sweet wines pair well with desserts
• Foie Gras and Sauternes pair well with pork
• Champagne goes with everything

Additional Menu Types

• Dessert menus list the outlets dessert options and are often served together with coffee, tea, or drinks

Menu Sequence

• Formal dining menus may consist of 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 17 or even 21 different courses

• Serve light courses like Sorbet with wine, beer, or liquers

• Classical French Course dinner have 12 to 17 menu items

• The usual sequence is;

• Hors d'oeuvres stimulate the appetite in small serving amounts

• Potage/Soup, consists of clear (consomme) or thick (creme, velvet, puree) soups

• Oeuf/Egg dishes which are made from eggs in boiled, poached, en Cocotte, or scrambled styles. They are not usually served at dinner

• Farinaceous/Farineaux/Pasta or Rice made from rice or pasta, Pasta can be more than 200 different varieties

• Poisson/Fish made with soft fiber to follow heavier courses

• Entrée (pronounced as an-trei) is the first small portion of meat dish in the course

• Releve/Joints is the second often is a roasted meat dish often accompanied with roast gravy

• Sorbet to clear the palette

• Roti/Roast is served with a sauce or heavy gravy along side a green salad

• Legumes/Vegetables which can be accompanied with sauce

• Salades/Salad will be served different ways depending on the menu and chef

• Buffet Froid / Cold Buffet which features small chilled meats

• Entremets/Sweets which can feature, cold/hot desserts, suflle, or creams

• Savoureux/Savory is an appetizer to stimulate and refresh palates, e.g. anchovies on toast

• Fromage/Cheese soft/hard served on a board with crackers

• Dessert/ Cut Fruits and Nuts at the end of the course

• Boissons/Beverage hot or cold drinks not counted

Considerations

• It is important for the chef to balance different flavors, ingredients, processes and cooking methods to offer great courses, or selections
• It is important to know all of the points regarding all courses
• The 6 points below are important in the planning stages and execution of making a menu for the restaurant

Selecting Dishes and Courses

• Know and understand your target demographic
• Consider the seasonal ingredients and availability in order to control the overall cost
• Adapt the food to the occasion such as a children' party or a wedding
• Account for the skill set of your staff and have the right equipment for item that require specialist services
• Balance all prices from low, middle and high, in the courses offered
• Consider all the textures, methods to create balanced flavor that is not repetitive

Menu Knowledge

• F&B staff should understand the food and process of each dish in order to help increase sales
• This includes dish names, images ,ingredients, how it cook an served, allergy notifications and price

Presenting the Menu

• Menu displays vary by venue, so understanding your outlet's rules is essential, whether already on the table or given upon arrival
• Menus is positioned to the left side of the guest to easily view
• Menus are presented open and saying the name, never leave on table. In the case of a group serve the host first, or a woman first if without a host