| As owner/operator of a restaurant, if you asked | | | | hires. (All ingredients for each dish must be |
| one of your waiters: "what is the difference | | | | explained in detail.) #2) food knowledge and food |
| between broiled chicken and roasted chicken?' or | | | | preparation methods typed up and handed out to |
| "what is a ragout sauce?' Would you be provided | | | | all waitstaff--keeping extras available for any new |
| with the correct answer? If not, then I highly | | | | hires. (Simple definitions of braised, roasted, grilled |
| suggest that you start teaching basic food | | | | etc. must be included on this handout.) These 2 |
| knowledge and food preparation methods in your | | | | information sheets must always be included in |
| waiter training programs. Otherwise, precious | | | | every waiter training course. |
| revenue is being lost unnecessarily everyday in | | | | |
| your restaurant's dining room. | | | | It is also a great idea to keep a food dictionary |
| | | | | handy on this subject as well. Back in the day, I |
| Most chefs work extremely hard and long hours | | | | worked in a restaurant that had this type of |
| to design and implement a food menu. But, if your | | | | dictionary available in the office. I would always |
| waiters cannot follow through with proper dining | | | | peruse it in my spare time which helped increase |
| room service that includes being able to explain, in | | | | my food knowledge and food preparation |
| detail, everything on that menu, then a lot of the | | | | methods immensely. This way, I could impress |
| chef's valuable time and effort work is being | | | | customers in a big way when they asked me any |
| wasted. | | | | kind of question about the menu. Hence, the |
| | | | | upselling would commence quite easily. |
| Restaurant customers always have questions | | | | |
| about the menu whether it is a definition of a | | | | The concept explained above is passed upon by |
| spring vegetable, a fruit that is not familiar to | | | | so many restaurant owners/operators for 3 |
| them or certain method that a dish is cooked | | | | reasons. The first reason is because of the extra |
| such as braised, roasted, grilled etc. If a waiter | | | | time and effort that it takes to print up menu |
| cannot provide a quick and knowledgeable answer | | | | descriptions and basic food knowledge/preparation |
| when asked, then customer confidence is lost and | | | | methods. The second reason is the false |
| so are sales--not to mention dining room service | | | | assumption that all waiters are highly experienced |
| reputation. A waiter's actions and ability are a | | | | and know these menu facts to begin with. The |
| reflection upon the restaurant as a whole. | | | | third reason is that just because menu tasting |
| | | | | meetings are held; it is assumed that all staff gets |
| For example, if a customer is provided with an | | | | to sample each item on the menu. Well, this is a |
| excellent answer to a menu question, it is | | | | big mistake because many times not all of the |
| immediately realized that the waiter has skill and | | | | staff attends these meetings. And, when there is |
| experience. Then, there is a much better chance | | | | staff turnover (which occurs in almost every |
| that proper restaurant service will be delivered. | | | | restaurant), the newly hired staff has not |
| Logically, a customer knowing this fact will | | | | attended the previous food tasting. |
| probably order more items (and more expensive | | | | |
| items) from that menu. Nobody wants to risk | | | | So, please take my advice, after many years of |
| spending a lot of money in a restaurant when | | | | restaurant consulting. You must include menu |
| there is the likelihood of poor service. | | | | descriptions and basic food knowledge/preparation |
| | | | | methods in your waiter training programs. Get |
| There is a very simple solution to ensuring that | | | | some help from your chef and managers if you |
| you will always have a knowledgeable waitstaff | | | | must. It will reduce the amount of chef |
| when it comes to food knowledge and food | | | | headaches, since there won't be so many |
| preparation methods. Restaurant owners | | | | pestering waiter questions in the middle of the |
| operators and managers must always have: #1) | | | | busiest shift of the week. More importantly, it will |
| menu descriptions typed up and handed out to all | | | | improve restaurant dining room service which, in |
| waitstaff--keeping extras available for any new | | | | turn, enhances the reputation and the bottom line. |