Paper V, Unit - 4, Semester I, Introduction of Restaurant Equipment - UUC/BSHMT/2015-16

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UNIT IV
Introduction of Restaurant Equipment: @ Classification of equipment (familiarization), @
Criteria for selection and requirement, @ Quantity and Types of - Crockery, Tableware, Glassware, Linen, Furniture. @
Care & Maintenance of these equipments, @ Sideboard - its uses, @ Vending Machines- Importance, Advantage and
Disadvantage
In any organization a customers first impressions on entering the service area are of great importance. A customer
may be gained or lost on this impression alone. The choice of furniture and its placing, linen, tableware, small
equipment and glassware will be determined by considering
The type of clientele expected
The site or location The layout of the food and beverage
service area
The type of service offered
The fund available
The general points that must be considered when purchasing equipment for a food and beverage service area are:
i. Flexibility of use
ii. Type of service being offered
iii.
Type
of
customers
iv. Design
v. Colour
vi. Durability
vii. Ease of maintenance
viii.
Stackability
ix. Cost and funs available
x. Availability in the future
xi. Storage
xii.
Rate of breakage
xiii. Shape
xiv. Psychological effect on guests
xv. Delivery time
The operating equipments used in hotels / restaurants play an important role in attracting customers. The restaurant
operating equipments include service equipments, furniture, fixtures and linen all of which squarely reflect the
standard and style of the restaurant. A hotel/restaurant should be well stocked with appropriate equipment to
provide quality service. For multipurpose use and to cut down costs, most hotels / restaurants standardize equipment
in terms of size and colour. Food and beverage service equipment may be divided into glassware, chinaware and
tableware which are further subdivided into flatware, cutlery and hollowware.
CHINAWARES: The china must blend with the rest of the items on the table and also with the general dcor of the
establishment. While selecting or purchasing chinaware, following points should be considered:

Every item of earthenware should have a complete cover of glaze to ensure a reasonable length of life.

China should have a rolled edge, which will give added reinforcement at the edge. Thus, if well done, means
that chipping will only occur on the under edge, which is not visible to the customer. One word of caution here
is that hygiene is most important- chipped china could harbor germs.

The pattern should be under rather than on top of the glaze. This will increase the life of the chinaware.
There are various classifications of catering china. Very briefly these are as follows.
BONE CHINA: This is very fine, hard china that is very expensive. Only a few of the top-class hotels and
restaurants would use it. Obviously the price of a meal in these establishments is high in order to cover this aspect of
the overheads. The range of design, pattern and colour is very wide, and there is something to suit all occasions and
situations.
HOTEL EARTHENWARE: Earthenware is made of 25% ball clay, 25 percent kaolin or clay, 15% china
stone, and 35% flint. The advantage is that it is cheaper, but it is easily chipped or cracked and much
heavier than bone china. This is the cheapest and least durable hotel ware. Its main uses are in institutional
creating ware price rather than durability is the main consideration. Vitrified earthenware is particularly economical
where it in continuous use 24 hours a day, has heavy handling with a high turnover, and where hygiene is particularly
important, e.g. in motorway cafeterias and hospitals.
STORNEWARE: This is a natural ceramic material traditionally made in the United Kingdom and fired at a very
high temperature, about 1200C (2840F). It is shaped by traditional hand-crafting techniques so there is a wide variety
of a shape and finishes available, from matt to high-gloss glaze. It is non-porous and extremely durable with high
thermal and shock resistance. The price is slightly than earthenware due to a long-life guarantee.
PORCELAIN: This is of a completely different composition with a semi-translucent body, normally blue/grey,
and has a high resistance to chipping.
Storage: China should be stored on shelves in piles of approximately two dozen. Any higher may result in their
toppling down. They should be stored a convenient height for placing on and removing from the shelves without any
fear of accidents occurring. If possible china should be kept covered to prevent dust and germs setting on it.
Sizes: There is wide range of items available and their exact sizes very according the manufacturer and the design
produced. As a guide, the sizes are as follows:
Side plate/Bread & Butter Plate: 15cm (6 in) diameter, Sweet plate: 18cm (7) dia, Fish plate: 20cm (8 in) dia, Soup
plate: 20cm (8 in to 9 in) dia, Joint plate: 25cm (10 in) dia, Extra Large Dinner Plate 11 dia (used to plate up MAP
meals) Cereal/sweet plate: 13cm (5 in) dia, Breakfast cup and saucer: 23-28 cl (8-10 fl oz) and saucer 5 dia, Tea cup
and saucer: 18.93 cl (

2
3

fl oz 200 ml) and saucer 5 dia, Coffee cup and saucer (demitass): 9.47cl (

1
3

fl oz

100ml) and demitass saucer 4 dia, Teapot: 28.4 cl ( pt) 56.8 cl (1 pt), 85.2 cl (1 pt), 113.6 cl (2 pt).
Other chinaware are Salad crescent (7 in length) , Milk jugs, Coffee pots, Butter dishes, Hot water jugs, Cream jugs, Hot
milk jugs, Ashtrays, Sugar basin, Coffee pots, Consomm cup and saucer, Egg cups and Soup (oval plate). Charger

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plates/service plates/show plates (12) are larger plates used during full course dinners or to dress up special
events like parties and weddings. Charger plates have been around since the 19th century.
Handling of Chinaware
Whatever quality of china or crockery is used, the most important thing to ensure is that it is washed, rinsed and dried
correctly to ensure that no dirt, stains or streaks appear.
1) Chinaware has a high breakage rate and, therefore, needs careful handling.
2) They should be stored on shelves in piles or stakes of approximately two dozen each. Any higher may result in their
toppling down.
3) They should be stored at a convenient height for placing on, and removing from the shelves to avoid accidents.
4) Chinaware should be kept covered to prevent dust and germs settling on it.
5) Chipped and cracked items harbour germs and should, therefore, not be used and disposed off carefully.
Crockery-includes all items of earthenware or chinaware such as plates, cups and
saucers, pots, vases, and so on
Types of chinaware available in market
Bone china- it is made of 25 % china clay, 25 % china stone, and 50 % calcium
phosphate.
It is strong and translucent. It is beautiful and expensive
Porcelain- it is made of 50 % china clay, 25 % quartz, and 25 % feldspar. It is vitreous
and translucent with a grey or blue tinge. It is used in oven to tableware dishes.
Stoneware- it is hard, tough, and vitreous crockery, fired at a high temperature. It is
heavy and available in bright colours, suitable for restaurants where bright colour
crockery is required.
Selection of crockery: the crockery chosen should be attractive and must blend with the
dcor of the service area. If a hotel has many restaurants, each outlet may have
crockery of different colours and patterns to suit their dcor, provided there is a
guarantee for availability of the same design for replacement in future.
The following points should be considered1. Plates should have complete and even glaze.
2. Pattern of design should be under glaze so that it is protected and does not wear
out with repeated washing.
3. Suitable for multiple purposes, for example, using for soups and breakfast
cereals, half plates for appetizers, fish, vegetables, sweet.
4. Stackable up to 30 plates or saucers in one pile.
5. Suitable for machine washing.
6. Plates should have rolled edge to resist chipping.
7. Light weight.
8. Suitable for microwave oven.
9. Resistant to high temperatures of 85 degree celcius.
It is advisable to go for simple design or plain crockery as it does not get outdated and
replacing will be quick without any problem or huge investment.
TABLEWARE (FLATWARE, CUTLERY AND HOLLOW-WARE) Types of tableware
Tableware is a term recognized as embracing all items of flatware, cutlery and hollow-ware. It may be analyzed as
follows:

Flatware in the catering trade denotes all forms of spoon and fork

Cutlery refers to knives and other cutting implements.

Hollowware consists of any item made from silver, e.g. teapots, milk jugs, sugar basins/ bowls, oval flats sugar,
creamers, coffee pots, teapots, soup tureens, hot food covers, water pitchers, platters, butter plates and other
metal items excluding flatware and cutlery.
The majority of food service areas use either plated silverware (EPNS electro plated nickel silver) or stainless
steel. Once again, the points mentioned previously concerning purchasing should be born in mind. In addition, when
purchasing flatware and cutlery it is important to consider:
The type of menu and service offered.
The maximum and average seating capacity.
The rush hour tern-over
The washing-up facilities and its turn-over
In silver plated tableware two grades have been specified:
Standard for general use
Restaurant thicker grade for restaurant use and marked with an 'R'
The minimum thickness of silver plating quoted should give a life at least 20 years, depending on usage.
Selection criteria for cutlery
a. Metal capital available
Profile of the restaurant

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Type of market segment

Cost of cleaning and maintaining
b. Type Menu items
Type of cover setup
Style of service
c. Quantity seating capacity
Rate of seat turnover
Washing method
Storage facility
d. Pattern availability of replacement
dcor

Special Tableware: There is almost an unlimited range of flatware, cutlery and hollowware in use in the catering
industry. Apart from the familiar knife, fork, spoon, vegetable dishes and lids, entre dishes and lids, there are a
number of specialist items of equipment available for use with specific dishes. Some common specialist equipments
are listed below:
The silver tea tongs (called also silver sugar tongs or silver sugar nips) are used for lifting sugar cubes from the
sugar bowls and add to tea cups.
Asparagus Holder is a utensil for a diner to hold a single stalk of asparagus. It is made of a single strip of metal, bent
in the form of U-shaped tongs, with a small square plate at each end to grip the stalk.
Pastry Slicer is used for serving pastries (portion of gteaux)
Pastry Fork is a small fork designed for eating pastries and other desserts while holding a plate. It is typically
designed so that it can be used with the right hand, while the left hand holds the plate. It therefore has the left side
widened to be used like a knife to cut the food when pressed down on the plate. Left-handed pastry forks have the
right side widened instead. This fork may also be used to lift fruit pieces from the plate.
Oyster Fork used for picking up shellfish cocktail or oysters. This fork is shaped like a regular fork, but it slightly
smaller and the tines are curved outward.
Lobster Pick: This long, narrow utensil is used to pull every shred of meat from the hard-to-reach cavities (such as
the legs) of lobsters and crabs. The tip of a lobster pick can either be pointed or in the shape of a tiny, two-prong fork.
Snail Tong and Snail Fork: Small, spring-operated tongs used to hold hot snail shells while extracting the snail.
Unlike most tongs, these open by squeezing the handles. When the pressure is released, the tongs snap securely
around the snail shell.
Snail Dish It is a round dish with two ears having six/twelve indentations to hold portion of six/twelve snails.
Skewers a long, thin, pointed rod that comes in various sizes. Skewers are made of metal or wood; the former often
has a ring at one end. They're most often used to hold meat in place during cooking/ serving, as well as to skewer
meat and vegetables to be grilled for shish kebab. The best skewers are square or flat-shaped that hold food securely
when moved. Usually made of stainless steel.
Ice-cream Scoop It is used to remove ice cream from a carton or other container while forming the ice cream into a
ball or oval shape. Ice-cream scoops come in several styles and sizes.
The simplest is a plain metal scoop or spade-shaped utensil. Next comes one shaped like a half-globe or oval with a
spring-action lever in the handle. When squeezed, the lever moves an arc-shaped blade across the scoop's interior and
ejects the ice-cream ball. The nonstick-style scoop has antifreeze sealed inside.
Nutcracker: It is a tool for cracking hard nutshells, usually consisting of two hinged metal arms between which the
nut is squeezed.
Skewers: A long, thin, pointed rod that comes in various sizes. Skewers are made of metal or wood; the former often
has a ring at one end. They're most often used to hold meat in place during cooking/ serving, as well as to skewer
meat and vegetables to be grilled for shish kebab. The best skewers are square or flat-shaped that holds food securely
when moved. Usually made of stainless steel.
Ice-cream Scoop
It is used to remove ice cream from a carton or other container while forming the ice cream into a ball or oval shape.
Ice-cream scoops come in several styles and sizes.
The simplest is a plain metal scoop- or spade-shaped utensil. Next comes one shaped like a half-globe or oval with a
spring-action lever in the handle. When squeezed, the lever moves an arc-shaped blade across the scoop's interior and
ejects the ice-cream ball. The nonstick-style scoop has antifreeze sealed inside.
Handling of Tableware
i) Storage of cutlery and flatware is very important. Each item has to be stored in the boxes or drawers lined with baize
to prevent the items being scratched
ii) They should be stored in cupboard or room which can be locked.
iii) Cutlery and flatware may be stored in cutlery trolleys.

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Add after The equipment and other things used to set a table are called table appointments. They
include the table linen, dinnerware, flatware and centre pieces.
The Cover:
A cover is a space allotted on the table for the cutlery, crockery, glassware and linen for
one person.
It is a space required by one person, to place cutlery, crockery and glassware for a
meal.
The size of the cover is 24x15. Keeping this size in mind, table capacities are
calculated.
The length of the cover is 24 which is calculated as given below:
Diameter of side plate =6
Diameter of full plate =10
Space for placing cutlery =8
=24
The width of the cover is 15 which is calculated as follows:
Width of the full plate =10
Space from the edge of the table to the handle of cutlery =1/2
Space for water goblet =4
=15
Requirements of a cover:
1. Each cover should be well balanced.
2. All cutlery and other table appointments should be placed at least away from
the edge of the table.
3. Knives and spoons should be placed towards the right of the plate and all forks
on the left, except for the butter knife.
4. The cutting edge of the knives should always face the plate with the exception of
the butter knife; the water tumbler should be at the tip of the large knife.
5. The butter dish should be on top of the fork along with a butter knife and on an
underplate.
6. The napkin should either be placed in the centre of the cover or on the side plate
or in the glass.
7. Cruet set should be placed on top of the cover.
Standard types of covers
Table d hote cover
Side plate with side knife
Water goblet
Fish knife and fish fork
Soup spoon
Large knife and large fork
Desert spoon and desert fork
Cruet set
Sauce and oil pots
A la carte cover- the cover is order specific.

SIDEBOARD/DUMMY WAITER/SERVICE CONSOLE/SERVICE

STATION
The other names used for a sideboard are work station or service console or service
station or dummy waiter
The style and design of a sideboard varies from establishment to establishment and is
dependent upon:
The style of service and the food and beverage on offer
The number of service staff working from on sideboard
The number of tables to be served from on sideboard
The amount of equipment it is expected to hold.
It is essential that the sideboard is of minimum size and portable so that it may be
esasily moved if necessary.
If the sideboard is too large for its purpose it is then taking up spacee which could be

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used to seat more customers.

The top should be of a heat resistant material which can be easily washed down.
If a hotplate is to be used then it should be inserted in the top so it is level with the
working top.
After service the sideboard is either completely emptied out or restocked for the next
service.
The material used in the makeup of the sideboard should blend with the rest of the
decor and theme.
The actual lay up of sideboard depends firstly on its construction
-the number of shelves and drawers for tableware, etc
-and, on the type of menu and service offered.
Therefore the lay-up in every establishment could vary slightly, each being suited to its
own needs and style of service and presentation.
It is suggested, however, that in each particular establishment the sideboard be laid up
in the same fashion.
if this is done the staff get used looking for a certain item in a certain place and this
facilitates speedy service which is essential.

1) Service spoon and forks

2) Sweet spoons and forks
3) Soup spoons, tea spoons, coffee spoons
4) Fish knives and forks
5) Joint knives
6) Side knives
7) Fish plates
8) Side plates

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9) Half plates
10) Coffee saucers
11) Full plates
12) Salvers
13) Dirty linen
14) Check pads
15) Assorted condiments
16) Ashtrays
17) Water jugs
18) Bread basket and butter
19) Hotplate
20) Trays

handling of Glassware
1. Glassware is highly fragile and most delicate and expensive: hence at most care has
to be taken while handling glass equipments.
2. Glasses are normally stored in a glass pantry and should be placed upside down in
single rows on paper-lined shelves, to prevent dust settling in them.
3. Tumblers should not be stacked inside one another as this may result in heavy
breakages and accidents.
4. The appearance of the drink mainly depends on the glass and therefore, the glass
should be sparkling clean and attractive in shape and style.
5. When glassware is machine or hand washed, each individual item must be polished
and dried with a glass cloth made of linen, as water leaves stains on the glasses.
6. Glasses whether clean or dirty have to be handled by the base or stem, since the
finger prints left on the glass necessitates polishing. andling of Glassware
1. Glassware is highly fragile and most delicate and expensive: hence at most care has
to be taken while handling glass equipments.
2. Glasses are normally stored in a glass pantry and should be placed upside down in
single rows on paper-lined shelves, to prevent dust settling in them.
3. Tumblers should not be stacked inside one another as this may result in heavy
breakages and accidents.
4. The appearance of the drink mainly depends on the glass and therefore, the glass
should be sparkling clean and attractive in shape and style.
5. When glassware is machine or hand washed, each individual item must be polished
and dried with a glass cloth made of linen, as water leaves stains on the glasses.
6. Glasses whether clean or dirty have to be handled by the base or stem, since the
finger prints left on the glass necessitates polishing.

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