About the menu. Eating your words...
How is it conceivably possible for waitstaff not to know their menu? Why don’t they know about the wines they serve? Why?
We entice and woo the guest first, with the written words of the menu. The menu is simply an ice-breaker. The right, satisfying words, if spoken by a passionate server, romance and guide the guest like an experienced lover to their final destination... the order.
When the menu doesn’t speak louder than words, (it shouldn't!) and a guest queries a server pertaining to the origin of the food they wish to order... OR... portion size (weight), ingredients, alternative sides, cooking method or duration of preparation and exceptions then waitstaff have an ethical obligation to be knowledgeable about the origins of the food and drink they are serving. Its defining features and organic characteristics. Waitstaff need to know this stuff! If management hasn’t already provided this information... then find it out on your own by ASKING QUESTIONS from the Executive chef or whoever is in charge of the kitchen. FIND IT OUT BEFORE you set one foot into the front of the house.
Guests have every right to query a server about menu items and options. There is an intrinsic distinction between two very important words, those being, “Ignorance” and “Stupid”. Karlonia.com defines this difference purrrrrfectly!!!!
“Ignorance is not knowing. Stupidity is knowing and doing it anyway.” In other words, ignorance has to do with a simple lack of knowledge or education, but stupidity results when a person already possesses the necessary knowledge, yet continues to engage in behavior that is patently illogical." Example: Ignorance is sticking a pair of scissors in an electrical socket, stupidity is doing it again after you’ve been zapped.
Last week I dined at a renowned steak house in Tampa that featured “Grass-Fed Meat” on their entree menu. I asked our server... “How does one distinguish Grass-fed meat?” The question hit him like a ton of bricks and he scampered off to the kitchen, returning with the following response. “No one knows the answer to that question?”
The answer to my question is: “Grass-fed beef is like wine, very “terroir” driven. It can be exceptional or terrible depending on breed, grasses, whether it is straight green grass or if they are eating dried hay or silage in a feed pen.
Grass-fed beef, will usually be leaner with a much deeper red hue. It will have a thinner fat cap which is sometimes yellowish in color depending on the grasses. It will definitely have more assertive protein flavor with a clean not buttery finish, even the fat itself will leave a less saturated finish in the mouth and there won’t be greasiness on the plate or palate as it cools because there is more unsaturated fat.
It can be downright horrible to eat if the finished grasses or hay is not correct and has a tendency to have an “off” flavor. South American Herefords graze on lush green pampas grass for two years in a climate that is conducive for grass feeding and finishing.”
If your establishment sells beef, then your servers need to know what’s what; Kobe beef: premium Hereford beef: Berkshire (Kurobuta) & Duroc pork: lamb: game birds: game meats: fresh sausages and specialty cured and smoked meats. For more information check out Preferred Meats.
If your establishment sells spirits ~ learn about them. Management can arrange for the vendors to provide on site orientations to the crew at no charge to the house.
Menu and product knowledge ~ Waitstaff must know all the components backwards and forwards including the proper responses to standard questions. Especially with seafood, since the gulf Deepwater BP Oil Spill crisis has prompted heighten customer awareness.
Use an invaluable work tool by going to Chefs-Resources.com. There is a lot more on this site that can help beef up your BOH/FOH. Photocopy the information and distribute it to the crew. They need to be well oriented with the menu, since that is what a food establishment is selling, or they blow an opportunity to serve the guest informatively.
There is nothing nicer than a server who knows their menu... well!
This information can be utilized for DAILY ramp up meetings. They are posted for your unlimited use and convenience. Write to us about what specific barrier you may be encountering and we will make recommendations in forthcoming postings, or email you directly.
An Extra Special Feature ~ Hands-On Bread Science
It gives me tremendous pleasure to introduce to you the birth of a new “incredible” blogger, ‘Baking With Mark’. Besides being a wonderful baker, he is a dear friend. I ask you to visit his wonderful blog and take a peek for yourself.... can you smell the fresh baked pizza? ... delicious!!!
Sourdough Pizza
Why Sourdough Pizza? In all honesty because it’s marvelous! Mark bakes a lot of pizza and this recipe tastes the best.
This recipe isn’t the best if you like a very thin pizza, unless of course you make pocket bread with it and slice it open then make your pizza on the opened halves, which is delicious anyway.
In the last photos you can see one of the pizzas that was done that way. The pizzas in these photos were baked for children, and they loved the taste of this Sourdough Pizza.
About the Sourdough he uses…
Mark, created a previous article for making the Levain/Sourdough starter that’s used in this recipe:
http://bakingwithmark.posterous.com/your-own-sourdough-project
He created an article using that same Sourdough for Soft Kid friendly loafs:
http://bakingwithmark.posterous.com/soft-delicious-kid-friendly-sourdough-loafs
Wishing you all lots and lots of good Sourdough Pizza!!! Add it to your menu why don't you, and don't forget to let Mark know how much you liked it. That would be nice!
Hugs,
Pen
(c) 2010 ptsaldari.posterous.com : PTsaldari Group Inc. | The Art of Serving Well | Serve Me Well Inc. All rights reserved. This article originally appeared on ptsaldari.posterous.com blog authored by PTsaldari. This article may be shared and reprinted as long as this entire copyright message accompanies it. Email: ptsaldari@gmail.com
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