1. BUFFET
DESINGED BY Sunil Kumar
Research Scholar/ Food Production Faculty
Institute of Hotel and Tourism Management,
MAHARSHI DAYANAND UNIVERSITY, ROHTAK
Haryana- 124001 INDIA Ph. No. 09996000499
email: skihm86@yahoo.com , balhara86@gmail.com
linkedin:- in.linkedin.com/in/ihmsunilkumar
facebook: www.facebook.com/ihmsunilkumar
webpage: chefsunilkumar.tripod.com

2. What is a buffet ?
Flat top furniture or a sideboard
Feeds the gathering
Minimum staff
Origin
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»
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English speaking countries
Second half of the 19th century
English called it court cupbord

3. An overview
Buffet styles and
concepts
Types of buffet
Buffet themes
Buffet setup
Buffet equipments
Planning the buffet
menu
Buffet presentation
Cost analysis &
management

4. Buffet styles and concepts

5. Buffet styles & concept
Modern day buffet
Cover all genre of guests
Styles of service

6. What makes buffet a buffet
Centralized idea or theme
Stylized food in volume
Professional & knowledgeable service

7. Creativity and the buffet
Food selection and grouping
Showmanship
Table settings and configuration

8. Types of buffet

9. Types of buffet
Meal period buffet
Brunch buffet
Fork buffet
Display buffet
Occasion buffet
Regional and ethnic buffet
Event oriented buffet
Seasonal buffet
International buffet

10. Meal period buffet
Served during particular time of day
Includes in between (happy hour)
Service of late night buffet snack

11. Brunch buffet
Made of breakfast & lunch foods
Offers a full array of hot and cold food
Includes (egg dish, fruits …….)

12. Fork buffet
Bite-sized food
Easily handled with the fingers
Flatware consists of fork & small plate

13. Display buffet
Presents a particular or group of item
Most appropriate for particular holiday
or theme

14. Occasion buffet
Everything focus on specific occasion
Offers challenge to menu planner

15. Regional and ethnic buffet
Dominated by particular area or
nationality
Customs , methods of food should be
studied carefully

16. Event oriented buffet
Celebrates an occasion wanted by the
restaurant or client.
Slightly different from occasion buffet

17. Seasonal buffet
Mark all the four seasons
Food offered-plentiful,readily available

18. Buffet themes

19. Importance of themes
Create elegance
Offer the appeal of quick service
Decreases the monotony of regular a’la
carte service
Stimulate menu planner for new ideas

20. Meal period consists of
Breakfast
Lunch
Brunch
In between reception
Dinner

21. Theme buffet
Pool party
Picnic in the park
Costume party
Casino night
Business event
Night at the circus

22. Holiday buffet includes
New years eve
Valentine day
Hallooween
Mothers day
Christmas day

23. Seasonal
Harvest time
Easter
Summer food and drinks
Winter soups

24. Regional
Italian
Chinese
Mexican
Greek
Hawaiian
Asian
Sushi bar

25. Occasion buffet
Wedding reception
World series
Awards banquet
Restaurant or hotel anniversary

26. Buffet setup and layout

27. Buffet setup
Arrangement of fixtures
Serves gathering
Styles of service

28. Exemplary menu
Fresh fruit
French crudites
Les fromages
Whole poached salmon
Tortellini with sun dried
tomatoes
Crunchy mustard
chicken
Rice salads
desserts

29. Types of buffet setup
Two sided straight line buffet
Centralized buffet setup
Time saving
buffet setup
2 sided breakfast bar buffet

32. Points to be considered while
setting a buffet
Space provided and & room
dimension
Number of guest
Allotted time for service
Menu
Ease of service
Power& light needs

33. Buffet layout
Buffet laying on the paper &decision the
table placement & configuration
Buffet worksheets indicates the basic
item required

36. Types of layout
Hollow square
Rectangular
Closed horseshoe
Zig-zag
T-banquet
Double L

37. Buffet staff
Comparison of the staff skill
Number of pax
One waiter should handle 5-7 items
Type of buffet menu
Type of establishment

38. Buffet service
Buffet attendant should have thorough
knowledge of
food and ingredient
utensil and service ware
portion size
presentation technique
service method

39. Planning the buffet
menu

40. Importance of buffet
menu
Well planned menu
Concept and menu selection

41. Menu development checklist
Concept and menu selection
Weed out items
Insurance policy

42. Menu development process
The markets or clients need and wants
Profitability versus cost
Quality and availability of products and use
Production capabilities and limitations
Expertise of staff
Ability to control
Variety and balance
Nutritional value and balance
Holding capability
Difficulty and ease of service

43. The markets or clients needs
and wants
Time restraints
Price range
Featured concept
Entertainment type and amount
Degree of showmanship
Amenities - guest comforts
Amount of service desired
Kinds of food expected
Methods of preparation
The event itself

44. Profitability versus cost
The cost of each item in menu should be
determined
For each item following cost is to be
calculated
Food cost
Labor cost
Showmanship cost
Equipment cost
Holding &/or transportation cost

45. Quality and availability of
products
One cant compromise on quantity
Proper handling of food
Highest quality of product
Planner makes specifications list

46. Expertise of staff
The required standards need to be met
Step by step review of proposed menu
Familiarization with skill of staff
On stage skills

47. Ability to control
Degree of control
No control over presentation
Not all foods make good buffet table foods
Example:
soufflés
high cost beef cuts
highly perishable foods
cheese sauced foods

48. Variety and balance
Not only assortment of food
Preparation methods
Colours
Sizes
Textures
Diversification of menu

49. Textures
Vital part of the menu
Texture includes:
correct textures
wrong textures
balanced textures

50. Shapes
Create balance
Easy to serve
Easy to consume
Attractive
Ability to hold

51. Nutritional value and balance
Healthful food
Smaller portions
Change in cooking style
Food groups
Points to be considered

52. Holding capability
Time of preparation
Gap between preparation & service
Type of ingredients

53. Buffet presentation

54. Buffet presentation
Influence besides foods
Adds to the beauty of buffet
Helps in enhancing sales

55. Important considerations for
presentation
Centerpiece
Focal points
Buffet table signs

56. Centerpiece
Should reinforce theme
May be edible or inedible
If edible
announces the theme specialty
influence on guest choice
sufficient quantity for all guests

57. Types of centerpiece
Ice carving
Sculpture
company logo
Tallow carving
Antique pieces
Floral arrangement

58. Focal points
Compliments the food selections
Frames/showcases the food
Explains buffet concepts
Should not be a distraction

59. Types of focal points
Baskets
Tiered stands
Hanging mobiles
Theme related props
Wine bottles or casks

60. Buffet table signs
Convey information to guest
Explains:preparations, techniques &
ingredients
Helps in sale of food
Covers for staff shortage
Helps in possibility of food sensibility

61. Selling the buffet
Tiering
Highlighting
Spot lighting
Packaging
Entertainment

62. Display buffets
Presentation of item or groups of items
Provides attraction for guests
Effective in ethnic or regional buffet
Acts as an advertising tool
Promotes buffet

63. Buffet cost control &
management

64. Buffet cost control
Aims at:
increasing profit margins
reducing food cost
reducing pilferage
controlling buffet labor

65. It includes
Buffet production planning
Pre-costing
Determining actual food cost
Controlling waste
Setting the price

66. Buffet production planning
Eliminates over-production
Eliminates under production

67. It is done by
Issuing buffet production order which
contains:
buffet item
portion size
planned portion
yield factor
raw quantities to be purchased
portion left over
portion consumed

68. Pre costing
Recommended for:
newly crated buffet menu
existing or cyclic menu
It includes:
determining portion size
calculating cost of each item

69. Determining actual food cost
Actual food cost is difference between
money value of food produced
money value of usable leftovers
Helps in:
measuring true profit or loss
making necessary arrangements

70. Controlling waste
Causes :
inaccurate production order
lack of skilled personnel
improper timing of food production
lack of proper pre portioning
over or under cooking
improper use or lack of equipment

71. Setting the price
Price of buffet must be :
cost effective
competitive
Establishing a cost effective price
covers all expenses
generates profits
Establishing a competitive price
guests percieves as a value
competes favourably with other
operations

72. Thank you !
DESINGED BY Sunil Kumar
Research Scholar/ Food Production Faculty
Institute of Hotel and Tourism Management,
MAHARSHI DAYANAND UNIVERSITY, ROHTAK
Haryana- 124001 INDIA Ph. No. 09996000499
email: skihm86@yahoo.com , balhara86@gmail.com
linkedin:- in.linkedin.com/in/ihmsunilkumar
facebook: www.facebook.com/ihmsunilkumar
webpage: chefsunilkumar.tripod.com