1. The document discusses 5 major styles of table service: French, Russian, American, buffet, and family style. 2. French service is described as the basis for the evolution of other styles and involves the most detailed service with a dining room brigade of 6 servers fulfilling different roles. Multiple courses are served to guests over the meal. 3. Buffet service allows guests to serve themselves from a variety of food items displayed on tables, and can be either informal with guests bussing own tables or formal with place settings and waitstaff serving beverages.

1. Food Service Styles

2. • What is your favorite restaurant of all time?
• What makes it your favorite?
• How is the service?
• What are the roles of the waitresses and
waiters?

3. 5 Major Styles of Table Service
• French
• Russian
• American
• Buffet
• Family Style

4. Dining Room Brigade
(Brigade de Service)
Assistant Server
(Commis de Suite)
Principal Server
(Commis de Range)
Bus Person
(Commis Debarrasseur)
Table Captain
(Chef de Range)
Wine Steward
(Sommelier)
Dining Room Manager
(Maitre d'Hotel)

5. French Service
• Basis of evolution of all other styles
• Most detailed of styles
• Purest form-6 person dining room brigade
• Seating
– maitre d’hotel selects station and assigns guests
to table-can designate guest status
• Menu Presentation
– principal server presents menu, takes
preliminary beverage order (cocktail)
– table captain takes food orders

6. French Service, con’d
• Wine selection
– wine steward offers wine list, offers
suggestions for appropriate wine choices
– wines may be purchased by glass or bottle
• Table Service
– 8 courses served: appetizer, soup, fish,
intermezzo sorbet (clear palate), meat, salad,
dessert, cheese
– principal server and bus person responsible for
all table clearing and resetting

7. French Service, con’d
• Table-Side Cooking
– traditional in French service for salad, some
entrees and flambeed desserts
– principal waiter works from geridon (roll cart)
with a rechaud small open flame heating unit

9. Russian Service
• Generally used for banquets that involve
table seating for 6-12 guests
• All food fully prepared in kitchen and
arranged on serving dishes
• Servers bring food to table and distribute by
portion to guests
• Entrees are placed on platters

11. American Service
• Most prevalent in American restaurants
• Dramatically reduces number of servers
• All food cooked and plated in kitchen
• Stainless steel covers used to keep food
warm in banquet service
• Minimizes serving equipment and cleanup
• Food portions tightly controlled, aiding
profitability

12. What restaurants have you been
to that serves “American” Style?

13. Buffet Service
• Variety of food items set on tables
• Guests help themselves
• Many are “all-you-can-eat”
• Some offer carving stations and service
staff to assist guests
• Elaborate decorations add visual appeal and
reinforce cuisine or theme
• Informal-guests pick up flatware; Formal-
place settings at table; wait staff-beverages

14. What restaurants serve buffet
style in Lincoln?

15. Family Style Service
• Often called English service
• All food brought to table on platters or in
bowls
• Guests pass the dishes and serve themselves
with serving utensils
• Increases possibility of spread of disease
– Why?

16. Where have you had family
service dining?

17. Sequence of Service
1. Welcome guest 9. Serve salad
2. Seat guest 10. Clear salad
3. Present menu 11. Serve entree
4. Beverage order 12. Clear entree
5. Menu Order 13. Offer dessert menu
6. Serve bread, butter 14. Serve after dinner
beverages
7. Serve appetizer 15. Clear dessert
8. Clear appetizer 16. Present check

18. Rules for Table Service
• Serve food with left hand from guest’s left
• Beverages - right hand from guest’s right
• Position plates attractively, entrée in front
of guest
• Clear dishes-right hand, guest’s right

19. Optional Service Rules
• Dessert service
– for visual impact, serving tray or dessert cart
– soft desserts, already dished
– desserts on carts or trays are pre-portioned and
on plate
• Salad service
– if separate course, set in front of guest
– if served with another course, place to left

20. The Serving Profession
• Servers among most important staff
members--------Why?
• Poorly trained servers-low sales, no-return
• Satisfaction in gratification of helping
people enjoy themselves
• Demanding on time and energy
– 6-7 days per week
– 12-14 hour days sometimes required
– often working when friends are “off”

21. Think about your favorite
restaurant….
1. Out of the five dining
styles we talked
about, which is the
closest to your
favorite restaurant?
2. What characteristics
of your restaurant
make you believe it
is a ________ dining
service?
3. In your own words,
describe buffet dining
service.
4. In your own words,
summarize French
service.
5. In your own words,
describe family style
dining.