The Guest  The guest is always the focus of our considerations, actions, plans and improvements. He or she must be satisfied by fulfilling his/her quench for a good meal and pampered.  Following new trends and just providing the customer’s culinary needs isn’t enough. Today’s guest seek variety, change and relaxation in order to escape from everyday dullness and stress.  A business is successful when guests recognize its accomplishments, are pleased, return and become regular guest.

Reflections on hospitality,changes in guest requirements  Nowadays it has become considerably more difficult to evaluate guests. Contrary to the past, they dress more casually, and gender, age and buying power are no longer classification criteria.  In the present state of our gastronomy it is important to recognize their needs and expectations and not only satisfy but exceed them.  Customer’s needs shift constantly and vary from person to person. They are determined by age, social status, lifestyle, education and experiences in travel, trends, the influence of advertising and other social changes.

Market Segments  The starting point is to think in terms of market segments. The time when you could offer every guest, everything, anytime, is over.  It is expected that our guests’ demands will become even more specific in the future.  They will be determined by time, location, pricing and consumer trends.

Emerging Trends  More pleasure  Increase in quality awareness  Change of attitude toward pricing  Increase in take-out and home-delivered foods  Back to basics- return to traditional, regional cuisine is a trend  New nutritional trends  More concern for the environment, sustainability, and health

Menu Structure Sequence of a classic menu 1AppetizerHors-d’oeuvre froid 2Souppotage 3Warm appetizerHors-d’oeuvre chaud 4Fish, crustaceans and seafood Poisson, crustace ˊ s, mollusques 5Main dish, main course Grosse-pie`ce, releve ˊ 6Warm intermediate dish Entre ˊ e claude 7Cold intermediate dish Entre ˊ e froide 8SherbetSorbet 9Roast, salad, vegetables Ro ̂ ti, salade, le ˊ gumes 10Warm sweet dishEntremets chaud 11Cold sweet dishEntremets froid 12Dessert 13SavorySavoury

Sequence of a modern menu 1Cold appetizer 2Soup 3Warm appetizer 4Fish, crustaceans and seafood 5Sherbet 6Main course 7cheese 8Dessert

Menu sequence fundamentals  Never offer all the courses of a classic menu. Today’s menus are based on modern nutritional concepts and are no longer as extensive.  Daily menus usually consists of three to four courses.  Banquet and special menus generally consist of four to six courses.  The main course of a smaller menu can be fish, a warm or cold intermediate dish, a roast or meat dish, and includes the side dishes, salad and vegetables.  Coffee is not considered part of the menu, but is always served at the end of any menu or sequence of dishes.

The basics of composing a menu remain the same in all cases  The menu should maintain the classic sequence.  The menu must be nutritionally sound and correspond to modern nutritional findings. It must contain the right combination of foods in an appetizing manner.  Dishes should be chosen according to the time of the year, and include fresh seasonal vegetables, fruit, fish and meats.  The courses should be varied, and repetitive ingredients, presentation should be avoided.  The menu should respond to your guest’s demands and nationality, the kind of event, and the age group

 Available kitchen facilities are an important factor. Space, storage, cooling facilities, equipment and machinery, and the number and qualifications of employees all need to be considered.  The chef should evaluate pricing and profitability, whether to use ready-made ( convenience food), and sales potential.

Starting a menu  When planning a menu, start by choosing the main course and then follow with the remainder of the courses.  Today, when designing a menu, executive chefs often set their own criteria: two or three cold or warm appetizers (seasonal) precede the main dish.  Sometimes certain main ingredients can be found in almost all the courses as a theme or seasonal.

 In menu with many dishes, a sherbet is often offered before the main course. Sherbets can also be served as desserts.  The last course of a menu is the dessert, but in extensive formal dinners and banquets, a distinction is made between a dessert and an after-dinner dish such as cheese, fresh fruit, compôtes, ice. cream or nuts.  In countries like Italy, Spain, France and Portugal, cheese follows the main course, whereas in Great Britain cheese is not offered until after dessert.