Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Chapter 1 The Principles of Remarkable Service

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Learning Objectives Define hospitality and service. Combine hospitality and service skills for remarkable service. List and define the personal qualities of a remarkable server.

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. What Does the Word Hospitality Mean to a Professional Server? Hospitality: the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers, with liberality and goodwill. Servers should possess innate skills: – Making eye contact – Adapting easily to a guest’s needs People skills are critical to providing good hospitality.

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. What Does the Word Service Mean to a Professional Server? In the foodservice industry, service most typically means: the manner of presenting a meal to a guest. Other meanings for a server: – Group of dishes composing a given part of a meal. – Utensils necessary to serve a part of a meal. – Ensemble of items on a table. Service includes the actions performed to create feelings and emotions for the guest.

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Hospitality Intangibles, like attitudes and behaviors. Depends on feelings and impressions. Service Tangible aspects of preparing a meal for a guest. Depends on actions. Combining Hospitality and Service Skills for Remarkable Service Combining the intangibles and tangibles creates a seamless experience for a guest. There are nine foundation principles of remarkable service.

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. A positive environment is beneficial to guests and staff. It is important to keep a positive attitude, despite challenging requests, attitudes, and situations. Observe basic etiquette to create a comfortable environment. – The more formal the dining room, the more elaborate the etiquette. – When the meal is over, a thank you and thoughtful farewell are essential. Combining Hospitality and Service Skills for Remarkable Service (cont’d) Remarkable Service Creates a Positive Environment

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Guests come back to a restaurant because they like the food and its service. Consistent delivery of high-quality food and service will bring repeat business. Reliability is the foundation for a strong reputation. Combining Hospitality and Service Skills for Remarkable Service (cont’d) Remarkable Service Is Consistent

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Efficiency allows for more work to be done with less effort. A lack of efficiency can affect the comfort level of guests. Never enter or leave the dining room with empty hands. Proper mise en place and a cooperative attitude increase efficiency and make a server’s job easier to perform. – This sends a signal to the guests that they are in good hands. Combining Hospitality and Service Skills for Remarkable Service (cont’d) Remarkable Service Is Efficient

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. From first point of contact to the delivery of the check, be aware of the needs of your guests. Provide the right items or service to your guest before they are needed. – Have tables ready and set for guests before they arrive. – Refill glasses or cups before they are empty. – Set down the proper flatware for each dish before the guest needs it. – Bring cream and sugar before pouring hot coffee. – Have the check ready to present before the guests requests it. Combining Hospitality and Service Skills for Remarkable Service (cont’d) Remarkable Servers Anticipate the Guests’ Needs

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. The heart of restaurant service is communication. Transmit just the right amount of information exactly when it is needed. Listening is just as important as speaking. Adapt communication styles to the situation and the guest. Use quick and effective jargon with kitchen and FOH staff. Visual communication, like uniforms and menus, are also useful to guests and staff. Combining Hospitality and Service Skills for Remarkable Service (cont’d) Remarkable Service Requires Effective Communication

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Servers must be knowledgeable about the menu they are serving to guests. You should be able to: – Pronounce the names of each dish and describe it. – Describe portion sizes. – Describe special flavors in the dish. – Identify any potential allergens. – Point out house specialties. – Be aware of options- i.e. What can be left off the dish. Combining Hospitality and Service Skills for Remarkable Service (cont’d) Remarkable Service Comes from Knowledgeable Servers

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. You may need to bend standard service rules in the interest of the guests’ experience. Example: – Your restaurant typically serves bread once the order is taken, but a guest asks for it when they first sit down. – In these situations, consider what you would like if the roles of server and guest were reversed. – What are some other situations? Combining Hospitality and Service Skills for Remarkable Service (cont’d) Remarkable Service Is Adaptable

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. A good reputation grows from trust and confidence that guests feel. – Menu items are accurately described. – Food is cooked properly. – Glassware and china were properly washed. Guests with food allergies depend on you to know what is in each dish. Take care to be professional when engaging with other servers in front of guests. Combining Hospitality and Service Skills for Remarkable Service (cont’d) Remarkable Service Promotes Trust and Confidence

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Determine what guests want and go above and beyond that. Repeat customers will expect the same level of service each time they visit, but service should always be better than their last visit. The best service is constantly improving service. Combining Hospitality and Service Skills for Remarkable Service (cont’d) Remarkable Service Exceeds Expectations

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Personal Qualities of the Professional Server In addition to a proficiency in serving skills, a professional server must be caring. Every task is carried out for one reason: to make the guest’s stay as pleasant as possible. A professional server must have certain qualities: both physical (professional appearance and good hygiene) and behavioral.

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Personal Qualities of the Professional Server (cont’d) Professional Server Welcoming PoliteProficient Dependable HonestPreparedLoyal