Planning the menu
Various factors must be taken into account: • Type of establishment - there will be considerable variation, for example, in menus for five star hotels and restaurants, school meals, heavy manual workers' canteens or hospitals. • Type of customer - especially for private parties, for a 21st birthday party, senior citizens' conference, football players after an international, visiting overseas students on a mayor's banquet; all need personal consideration. • Religious rules if applicable (kosher catering or a Muslim occasion) - lack of knowledge or understanding can easily lead to innocently giving offence. • Meat or non-meat preferences - the number of non-meat eaters is steadily increasing so this becomes more important. • Time of the year: * the prevailing temperature should be considered as certain dishes suitable for cold weather may not be acceptable in mid-summer;
* foods in season are usually in good supply and more reasonable in price; * special dishes on certain days (Shrove Tuesday, Christmas, Hogmanay). • Time of day - breakfast, brunch, lunch, tea, high tea, dinner, supper, snack or special function. • Price range - unless fair prices are charged (so that customers are satisfied thai: they have received good value for money) repeat business may not occur and die caterer may go out of business. • Number of courses - varies according to all prior considerations. • Correct sequence of courses - important if the menu is to achieve a good balaurr • Appropriate language - always use language customers can understand. • No repetition of wines - if using wine in the cooking of more than one course* ensure that a different type is used. • Sensible nutritional balance - if a selection of dishes with varying nutritional contents are offered then customers can make their own choices. • No repetition of commodities - never repeat basic ingredients such as mushrooms, tomatoes, peas, bacon, on one menu; if a basic ingredient is used one course it should not reappear in any other course on the same menu. • No repetition of flavours - if using strong seasoning like onion, garlic or hobs such as thyme, sage or bay leaf, do not repeat in more than one course. • No repetition of colours - colour of food is important to give appetite appeal, but avoid repetition of colour, e.g.: Celery soup Tomato soup Fricassee of chicken Goulash of veal Buttered turnips, creamed potatoes Vichy carrots, Marquise potatoes Meringue and vanilla ice-cream Peach Melba • Texture of courses - ensure variation is given (food should not be all soft or all crisp, but balanced). • Sauces - if different sauces are served on one menu, the foundation ingredient оf each sauce should vary, for example, reduced, stock, demi-glace, veloute, cream,
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