Imporove Restaurant Service: Dining Room Staff Scheduling Tips
by Richard Saporito
Restaurant service staff scheduling is crucial and closely tied to excellent restaurant customer service.
In every way, a balance must be achieved by matching the dining room service labor needs to forecasted business, and I’d like to offer 2 concepts that can improve restaurant dining room service immensely.
The first concept is the “on call waiter” who can be scheduled for any shift necessary. The “on call waiter” function is to call the restaurant about 1/2 - 1 hr. before the work shift commences food service to see if he/she is needed to come in and work that particular shift.
The “on call” function is useful in many ways as in the case of outdoor dining where business literally depends on the weather. If the weather is right for outdoor seating, the “on call waiter” will be asked to come in to work. If it’s raining, then the “on call waiter” will not be needed, though the phone call to the restaurant should still be made. Basically, if the staff is sufficient for that restaurant shift, then the “on call waiter” will not be needed.
Another useful function for the “on call waiter” is when there is an extremely important event scheduled, and there can be positively no staff shortages for that event. Simply by communicating properly and timely over the telephone, the dining room will be covered saving the service staff time and the restaurant wasted payroll.
This system is flexible, and should be used with common sense, not haphazardly. Depending on the situation, there can even be more than one “on call waiter” for a shift, and by the same token, you may not even use an “on call waiter” for many of the work shifts. Every restaurant must figure out what system works best for them, and make the adjustment.
The second restaurant service staff scheduling concept is the “maintenance runner” which works best when there is more than one food runner working per shift.
Once again, this concept will prove how proper staff scheduling is directly tied to improving dining room service.
In a small restaurant, there may be only one food runner needed for the shift taking food from the kitchen areas to the dining areas. He/she is responsible for keeping those dining areas and floor areas clean, since it is be part of the sidework.
If this sidework doesn’t get done, it is obvious where the blame lies. (Technically it’s everyone’s job to keep the restaurant clean, but it’s ultimately the food runner’s job to keep the service/ kitchen areas, waiter food prep areas, and floor areas clean.)
Now, on the other hand, a large restaurant that uses 3 runners per shift is definitely bringing a higher volume of food from the kitchen areas to the dining areas. So, things will get a bit messier because of the added food traffic. To compound the problem, with more than one runner, things will get confusing as to whose responsibility it is to keep the above restaurant areas clean.
The simple solution to this headache lies within the restaurant service staff scheduling. Simply put “maintenance runner” on a pre-designated schedule spot, and rotate fairly. For easy labeling on the schedule, a simple MR abbreviation next to the name or shift— and it’s good to go for each needed shift.
The “maintenance runner” will ultimately be responsible for the sweep up and wipe-up jobs-especially before and after each shift. Cleanliness, especially floors, will also lessen the risk of bodily injury such as slippage from an unclean floor.
These simple dining room service scheduling tips will help ensure that the restaurant is properly staffed while maintaining safety and sanitation.
Richard Saporito is the founder of Topserve Restaurant Consulting. He has over 30 years of restaurant service experience in many profitable New York City establishments. Discover how to improve your restaurant’s service by visiting: http://www.howtoimprovediningroomservice.com/
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What Is Use To Make Soup
by Jason Swanson
The making of the stock that is used in soup is the most important of the soup-making processes; in fact, these two things–soup and stock–may be regarded, in many instances, as one and the same. The housewife will do well, therefore, to keep in mind that whenever reference is made to the making of soup usually stock making is also involved and meant. Before the actual soup-making processes are taken up, however, the nature of the ingredients required should be well understood; for this reason, suitable meats and vegetables, which are the principal ingredients in soups, are first discussed.
MEAT USED FOR SOUP MAKING.–With the exception of pork, almost every kind of meat, including beef, veal, mutton, lamb, game, and poultry, is used for soup making. Occasionally, ham is employed, but most other forms of pork are seldom used to any extent. When soup stock is made from these meats, they may be cooked separately, or, as a combination is often an improvement over a single variety, several kinds may be combined. For instance, mutton used alone makes a very strongly flavored soup, so that it is usually advisable to combine this kind of meat with another meat that has a less distinctive flavor. On the other hand, veal alone does not have sufficient flavor, so it must be combined with lamb, game, fowl, or some other well-flavored meat.
Certain cuts of meats are preferred to others in the making of soups, because of the difference in their texture. The tender cuts, which are the expensive ones, should not be used for soups, as they do not produce enough flavor. The tough cuts, which come from the muscles that the animal uses constantly and that therefore grow hard and tough, are usually cheaper, but they are more suitable, because they contain the material that makes the best soup. The pieces best adapted to soup making are the shins, the shanks, the lower part of the round, the neck, the flank, the shoulder, the tail, and the brisket. Although beef is obtained from the cow, the same cuts come from practically the same places in other animals. Stock made from one of these cuts will be improved if a small amount of the fat of the meat is cooked with it; but to avoid soup that is too greasy, any excess fat that remains after cooking should be carefully removed. The marrow of the shin bone is the best fat for soup making.
If soup is to be made from fish, a white variety should be selected. The head and trimmings may be utilized, but these alone are not sufficient, because soup requires some solid pieces of meat. The same is true of meat bones; they are valuable only when they are used with meat, an equal proportion of bone and meat being required for the best stock.
VEGETABLES USED FOR SOUP MAKING.–In soup making, the housewife has also a large number of vegetables from which to select, for any vegetable that has a decided flavor may be used. Among those from which soups can be made successfully are cabbage, cauliflower, asparagus, corn, onions, turnips, carrots, parsnips, tomatoes, beans, peas, lentils, salsify, potatoes, spinach, celery, mushrooms, okra, and even sweet potatoes. These vegetables are used for two purposes: to provide flavoring and to form part of the soup itself as well as to furnish flavor. When they are used simply for flavoring, they are cooked until their flavor is obtained and then removed from the stock. When they are to form part of the soup, as well as to impart flavor, they are left in the soup in small pieces or made into a puree and eaten with the soup.
Attention, too, must be given to the condition of the vegetables that are used in soup. The fresh vegetables that are used should be in perfect condition. They should have no decayed places that might taint or discolor the soups, and they should be as crisp and solid as possible. If they are somewhat withered or faded, they can be freshened by allowing them to stand in cold water for a short time. When dried vegetables are to be used for soup making, they should first be soaked well in cold water and then, before being added to the stock, either partly cooked or entirely cooked and made into a puree.
To learn about pumpkin facts and pumpkin plants, visit the Fruits And Vegetables website.
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Getting Appliances For Your Kitchen
by Justin Skinner
The modern kitchen would not be complete without a refrigerator, an oven, a microwave, and a coffee maker. As fixtures in one of the most important rooms in the house, these appliances are on the forefront of the battle for greater convenience and lower energy costs. Here is a look at a few of the technological makeovers which can help you save both time and money.
“Smart” Refrigerators
Has this ever happened to you? On your way home from work, you stop at the supermarket for groceries. While picking up food for dinner, you can’t remember whether there’s a steak in the freezer or if you still have enough butter for the mashed potatoes. Instead of placing a call to your significant other, let your refrigerator check the inventory for you.
Using a cell phone, it is possible to remotely access an up-to-the-minute list of the contents of the “smart” refrigerator via an Internet connection. LG Electronic’s Internet Refrigerator is capable of alerting its user when a product has expired. The potential for this technology is enormous, but the limited availability of online grocery services has slowed its spread. Manufacturers hope to eventually develop a system by which refrigerators will not just keep tabs on the food inside, but will make lists of what is needed and automatically place an order with online grocers.
One drawback of the current technology is the effort that goes into keeping your refrigerator’s records up-to-date. As the refrigerator is stocked, the product names and expiration dates must be logged manually. When an item is removed from the refrigerator, the data must be entered as well. The convenience of knowing what’s in your refrigerator at any time may be outweighed by the inconvenience of keeping such meticulous records.
Another popular focus for the newly-developed technology involves reducing energy costs. For instance, the Fisher and Paykell Active Smart Refrigerator offers multiple energy-conserving features which, when combined, contribute to the overall efficiency of the product. The Active Smart electronic intelligence and multiple sensors monitor the internal temperature while a Variable Capacity Compressor ensures the refrigerator runs at its peak.
Energy-efficiency is particularly important when it comes to refrigerators because they are the only kitchen appliances that run 24-hours per day. By purchasing ecologically-friendly technology you’ll reduce your electricity bills and keep more money in your wallet.
Convenient Coffee Makers
A recent development in coffee consumption is the vacuum brewing system, as highlighted by the Clear Electric Santos coffee maker by Bodum. The machine promises to brew six to twelve cups of strong coffee within eight minutes using an easy-to-clean filtration system. This is an ideal appliance for people who love a full-bodied cup of joe.
The days of boiling whole pots of water just to have a single cup of coffee are over. The one cup coffee maker can brew your favorite gourmet tea or coffee in less than a minute, eliminating the need to prepare a whole pot. For people on-the-go, these fast brewing machines are a welcome addition to the home or workplace.
The single cup coffee maker is also a great energy saver. In the time it might take to heat up one pot of regular coffee or to drive over to Starbucks, a one cup coffee maker by Keurig can brew several differently flavored hot drinks in 40 seconds each. Another perk of this machine is the variety of drinks it can produce. Keurig provides customers with over 70 different coffee or tea “K-Cups” from which to choose. K-Cups are easy-to-insert dispensers, which fit neatly into the coffee company’s machine with little effort and no clean-up.
Multifunctional Ovens
Forget slaving over a hot stove for hours just to get dinner on the table. Thanks to new ovens with automatic time and temperature controls dinner can practically make itself. Want a meal to be ready by the time you get home? Simply place your favorite dish in the oven and let the appliance do the rest.
The Intelligent Oven by TMIO refrigerates food until the user activates the cooking function. The oven’s Internet connectivity allows you to control this feature remotely with your cell phone or computer. Meals are not only delicious, but perfectly timed for your convenience. Additional advances have made the product safer and more energy-efficient, making it both user- and environmentally-friendly.
For real fast food, look for appliances such as the Sharp High Speed Convection/Microwave Oven. A 5-pound roasted chicken would take up to 140 minutes or more in a standard oven but, with the new high-speed ovens, the same meal can be ready within 28 minutes. By using a mix of super-heated circulating air and microwave energy, meals cook up to 80 percent faster.
In a step that brings to mind scenes from a work of science-fiction, General Electric is among the companies developing ovens which respond to voice commands and recognize over 200 regional accents. Rather than pushing a pre-set button, key phrases would activate the already programmed cooking times and temperatures. Such technology may not be a long way off, but its price tag may prove to be beyond the reach of many consumers.
High-tech Microwaves
Trying to find quick and easy recipes? Put down the cookbook. You can easily download hundreds of recipes directly from your microwave with the push of a button.
Using the LG Lifestyle MG-5682NL microwave oven, you can download recipes or other cooking information from the company’s web site. Sharp also sells a microwave that downloads cooking instructions for various meals, then automatically programs the time and power settings required to zap your meal to perfection. In a slight variation on the theme, a new microwave by Samsung is programmed to read cooking directions by scanning product bar codes with a special sensor. The microwave then pulls the specific cooking instructions off the Internet and cooks the meal accordingly. Many models now come with cooking pre-sets for popular food items, such as popcorn or frozen meals. Simply press one of the clearly-labeled option buttons on the microwave’s touchpad and the appliance will automatically adjust the time and power level. Another feature that you won’t want your microwave to be without is a moisture sensor. Microwaves heat food by using radio waves to excite the molecules. To prevent overcooking your food, the moisture sensor will calculate how much time is still needed to cook based on how long it took for the food to begin steaming.
Since the kitchen is a natural hub of activity for any household, a few small changes can mean big savings in more ways than one. These kitchen innovations will not only free up more of your time, but can help you save money on the monthly energy bills. A little efficiency can go a long way!
Want to find out about how to cook corn on the cob and freezing corn? Get tips from the Fruits And Vegetables website.
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Gourmet Food Cheese, Candy, and Cookies
by Richard Walker
Gourmet food can be anything that is better than normal in quality, and is something everyone will try, even if they are picky eaters. Often gourmet cooking has more than the normal range of ingredients, but sometimes can contain just a few, carefully selected ingredients. The same is true when it comes to gourmet cheese, candy and cookies. While they can be simple in ingredients, they are elegant and luxurious in taste.
Cheese:
When it comes to gourmet food, cheese is often an ingredient. Cheese itself is can be a gourmet food depending on how it is served. Brie is considered gourmet, and is a popular appetizer cheese, especially when served with crackers and vegetables.
Other gourmet cheese may include compound spreads that have added ingredients, such as some of the spread-able cheese spreads that have flavoring added like bacon and Swiss, or cheddar with port wine, for example. Cheese can also be turned gourmet when made into a spread with lump crab meat, onion or garlic and served with biscotti.
Cheese balls or cheese logs are another gourmet serving suggestion for cheese, where nuts are added to the outside, or cream cheese has become popular with chipped beef, onion and garlic, served as a cheese ball.
The semi-soft to hard cheeses, like mozzarella, Gouda, gorgonzola and parmesans, for example, are varied in taste and variety, so you can make a gourmet gift from different kinds of cheese from around the world.
Candy:
When it comes to candy, the first thing that comes to mind is truffles, which are luxurious and have a smooth creaminess and variety of flavorings. Everybody loves truffles.
Filled chocolates are another kind of gourmet candy, and fillings of coconut, caramel, nuts, marshmallow and nougats in different flavors are popular gourmet candies. Of course, there are some of the gourmet candies made in different regions like saltwater taffy, fudge, peanut clusters and turtles, or hard candies from around the world that are considered gourmet.
Cookies:
This is a sinfully wide category that can include any number of gourmet cookies. Gourmet cookies typically offer more than average ingredients, so even chocolate chips can become gourmet when they have large chocolate chunks, with marshmallows, peanuts or something else added. Ladyfingers, turtle brownies, or heath bar cookies can be considered gourmet. There are many cookies from around the world that are served in gourmet tins and are simple such as Danish butter cookies.
Some of the more recognized gourmet cookies like lemon bars, or cheesecake cookies and peanut butter chocolate chunk are traditional styles of cookies or brownies, with added ingredients to make them more rich and gooey. Decorated cookies, for example are considered gourmet, and can be topped with icing, coconut, chocolate drizzle, caramel and nuts, among other things, to make them more than a typical cookie.
Whatever your gourmet fetish is, many people love gourmet cheeses, candy and cookies, no matter what time of year or day it is. With the internet, it is possible to have any kind of gourmet treat shipped right to your door. Why wait for a special occasion when you can order them anytime, from the convenience of your home, and can get your favorites for a snack or a gift basket for somebody else.
One thing is for certain, everybody loves gourmet food, especially cheeses, candy and cookies.
All About Gourmet Foods http://www.foodsuppliesnow.com is a site that provides free information and resources for gourmet foods like cheese, candy and chocolate, beverages and more
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Top Kitchen Supplies for Grilling Indoors
by tiffanyjordan1
Although grilling outdoors is an activity that can be enjoyed by the entire family, the weather does not always cooperate. Sometimes you may need to compensate for the weather and grill your meal indoors. This is especially true during the winter months and you do not have to resort to barbecuing in a blizzard to enjoy the tastes you have grown to love. There are some excellent products available for grilling indoors and the results are as good as you would expect for a home grilled meal.
The GT Xpress 101 is a handy tabletop two-sided grill that makes everything from steaks to pocket sandwiches. You just fill the deep well with your food, close the top, and grill. The two-sided design cooks your food from the bottom and the top simultaneously, so that it cooks quickly and evenly all the way through. It is the ideal size for burgers, small steaks and pork chops, but it is also perfect for making delicious Panini sandwiches and pocket sandwiches. It is easy to create elegant meals like croques-monsieurs. Line it with bread, sprinkle on your favorite topping, cover with another slice of bread, and close the lid. Grilled cheese sandwiches are a breeze. You no longer have to turn over the bread and it cooks perfectly every single time.
If you are looking for something a bit more robust, check out the Total Chef 4-in-1 Electric Grill for a handy indoor grilling accessory. The Total Chef features four different grilling surfaces so that you can grill meats, fish, and vegetables. You can also cook pancakes and sandwiches on a flat griddle surface, or make waffles and filled sandwiches. The grill is ideal for cooking meats and fish the healthy way, letting the fats drip away so that food grills instead of fries in its own grease. Pancakes and eggs are a breeze with the griddle top attachment, and the waffle maker let you add wonderful treats like Belgian waffles to your recipe repertoire. Finally, you also get a sandwich maker that you can use to make everything from chicken potpies to filled quesadillas.
You do not need an electric grill to grill indoors when you have the right accessories. Microwave grills and griddles let you brown and sear food perfectly in the microwave. They come in round and square shapes, and in a number of different sizes. The microwave safe coated grilling surface drains fat away while browning meat and fish, and even sears vegetables so you can grill your vegetables in the microwave.
If you would rather do without the electricity all together, you can pick up a reversible two-burner stovetop grill and griddle. The metal grilling accessory is made to fit over two stove burners. One side is a flattop griddle that is ideal for making pancakes and frying eggs. The other features a grooved grill so you can grill burgers, steaks, and hot dogs right on top of your stove. The fat drains into the handy channel so that you can easily rinse it away and wash it in the dishwasher.
If you are looking for something that makes your kitchen grilling easier, there are a number of accessories and gadgets that save you time and make things all around easier. Pick up a Burger Maker Set so you can freeze your burgers in uniform patties. When you are ready to grill, you can just pull out a frozen hamburger patty and place it on the grill. It is much easier than waiting for a pound of burger to thaw and a much cheaper than buying frozen patties.
If you love to eat bacon but dislike the fat, some great microwave bacon cookers can help you out. The Bacon Wave is a cool stackable rack that holds 14 pieces of bacon up out of the fat so that your bacon cooks without simmering in its own fat. The Bacon Cooker is another nifty little rack that holds your bacon like a laundry rack, letting it drip into the attached tray. The bacon cooks up crispy and tasty, without a lot of grease.
The Hot Dog Toaster does away with boiling pots of water to make a hot dog and rubbery hot dogs that are cooked in the microwave. It is a nifty little countertop accessory that toasts two hot dogs and two buns at a time. It is ideal for those times when the you want a snack at a point in the day where you do not feel like making a big meal. It features a pull out crumb catcher and hot dog grill for easy cleaning.
Do not forget that the best accessories for grilling, indoors or out, include a great set of knives and a silicone brush for applying barbeque sauce.
Tiffany Jordan is a blogger and freelance writer who writes about baking and cooking accessories, often discussing specific topics such as kitchen supplies.
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