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Introduction of Banquet

History
The idea of banqueting is ancient (see Sellisternium, Belshazzar's Feast, and
Mead halls). In the 16th century, a banquet was very different from our modern
perception and stems from the medieval 'ceremony of the void'. After dinner,
the guests would stand and drink sweet wine and spices while the table was
cleared, or voided (Later in the 17th century void would be replaced with the
French dessert). During the 16th century, guests would no longer stand in the
great chamber whilst the table was cleared and the room prepared for
entertainment, but would retire to the parlour or banqueting room. As the idea
of banqueting developed, it could take place at any time during the day and have
much more in common with the later practice of taking tea. Banqueting rooms
varied greatly from house to house, but were generally on an intimate scale
either in a garden room or inside such as the small banqueting turrets in
Longleat House.

A banquet is a large meal or feast, complete with main courses and desserts. It
usually serves a purpose such as a charitable gathering, a ceremony, or
a celebration, and is often preceded or followed by speeches in honour of
someone. Banquet is a large catering activity department where food &
beverage are served for pre-arranged number of peoples on pre-fixed date &
time agreed menu & price. (by F&B food Blog)

EGYPTIAN
In ancient Egypt you are determined on how much you eat as where you are in
society. Rich egyptians usually held banquets. At Egyptian Banquets there are
plenty of rich dishes. The meats what are served are, Beef, seldom, lamb, goat,
pig, antelope, gazelle, hyenas, crocodile, hippo, geese, pigeons and fish. Salads,
fruits and other dishes as well. Beer and wine is available to. Baklava, basbousa
and bbouzat are 3 desserts. Entertainment is provided all through the night by
jugglers, clowns, musicians and dancers.
Overall, there is an archaeological debate of when feasting began.
Archaeologist, Brian Hayden, argues that feasts were an important event
because the surplus of food that resulted into feasts turned into social and
political ties and a competition in order to display one's own wealth. During
these feasts, luxury foods were offered to their guest. What these luxury goods
were are still up to debate. However, Hayden argues that animal meat and rice
are some of these luxury goods due to the fact that they were domesticated
despite their difficulty in doing so.[2] The term banquet, however, termed from a
different time period.
The idea of banqueting is ancient (see Sellisternium, Belshazzar's Feast,
and Mead halls). In the 16th century, a banquet was very different from our
modern perception and stems from the medieval 'ceremony of the void'. After
dinner, the guests would stand and drink sweet wine and spices while the table
was cleared, or voided. (Later in the 17th century void would be replaced
with the French dessert.) During the 16th century, guests would no longer
stand in the great chamber whilst the table was cleared and the room prepared
for entertainment, but would retire to the parlour or banqueting room.
As the idea of banqueting developed, it could take place at any time during the
day and have much more in common with the later practice of taking tea.
Banqueting rooms varied greatly from house to house, but were generally on an
intimate scale, either in a garden room or inside such as the small banqueting
turrets in Longleat House.

Chinese banquet for a birthday celebration


An English menu card for the household of Col. Bisse-Challoner, c. 1838-1860.
Today, banquets serve many purposes from training sessions, to formal business
dinners. Business banquets are a popular way to strengthen bonds between
businessmen and their partners. It is common that a banquet is organized at the
end of an academic conference. Aluau is one variety of banquet originally used
in Hawaii. The Nei Mongol provincial government in China levies a tax on
banquets.
A BANQUET FIT FOR A KING

Since the first Science Fiction convention took place, there would have always
been the traditional convention banquet, a formal dinner for the con attendeess
to dress up appropriately and enjoy the atmosphere associated with these special
nights. Some conventions choose to hold these occasions at a local Pancake
Parlour or Spaghetti Tree restaurant, making bookings sometimes for up to 60
people or more to save the inconvenience of actually having to organise one
themselves. Other conventions use their hotels catering facility to look after
these events. Yet no matter how it is done though, it is a commonly accepted
practice that the banquet is as much a part of convention tradition as the
masquerade, opening ceremony and panels in the programme.

In 1987 one person changed the whole concept of convention banquets forever.
Shane Morrissey single handedly organised a convention style formal banquet,
without the convention. The event was the infamous Star Wars 10th
Anniversary Celebration, and it was the first non-convention banquet held in
Victoria and possibly even Australia. This one successful event showed people
that a very popular and successful dinner dance could be held without the need
of staging a con. Since then, a number of these dinners have sprung up: The St
Valentine's Day Feasts and the Annual Sci-Fi dinner dances are just two
examples of formal banquets that are not directly related with any convention.

Following from the Star Wars 10th, the next non-convention banquet to come
along was the Winter Palace Masked Ball in 1989. This was a combined Star
Walking and Trekcon IV event held at the Royal Parade Motor Inn Parkville.
Over 70 people turned up for the night and it truly marked the start of the
banquet surge which took off after that. Like the Star Wars 10th, the Winter
Palace Masked Ball had great atmosphere, a number of wonderful and varied
costumes and proved that these banquets were becoming very popular within
fandom. They were also very good fundraisers for the organisers (which was a
good incentive to hold them). Actual convention banquets were starting to look
rather dull in comparison to these special events.
The main problem with the official con banquets was that the organisers often
took little interest in how they were held as their immediate attention was
focused on the running of the con. It was soon discovered that a way around this
was to have someone else run the banquet for them, the obvious advantage
being that the pressure of organising the event was lifted from them and yet the
convention would still be looked upon as being very successful with a full on
banquet as part of the programming. Trekcon IV had Star Walking run the
Empire Strikes Back 10th Anniversary Celebration banquet at their convention
in 1990. The result was a great success for all concerned, with the banquet
exceeding all expectations by having an attendance of 140 people, which
ironically was more than the convention's entire membership.

By now, these banquets were receiving more attention from potential


convention organisers who could see the financial benefit of staging a special
dinner dance as a means of raising revenue, thus more and more started to
appear. Aside from the Empire 10th, 1990 saw the first of two Ambassador's
Banquets take the stand, being held at the Richmond Town Hall, this event
featured live music played by Greg Franklin and his band. The night had about
40-50 attendees, but what made the event memorable (for the wrong reasons)
was the catering. The organisers attempted to be a little different in the type of
food they served, so they enlisted the assistance of the SCA (the medieval
society) and they decided to give the feast a very special touch. The problem
was, Sci-Fi fans were not accustomed to the kind of food they were offering,
such as two types of soup which both were served cold and various other spicy
and unusual dishes, which people found hard to get into. This put a sour note on
the event and subsequently the attendance for the second banquet was
considerably lower (even though the catering was done by the hotel: The New
Melbourne Inn). Later in 1990, the most poorly attended and unsuccessful
banquet ever held took place at the Royal Parade Motor Inn, being called a
Special Dinner Ball of sorts, the event which was badly promoted attracted no
more than 18 people (including the committee). Needless to say, it went to show
that although special non-convention banquets were becoming all the rage, they
could still fail if not advertised properly.

In 1991 the first of the St Valentines Day Feasts was held, a joint venture
between Star Walking and Suncon (inspired by some fandom ladies who were
seeking a more romantic form of dinner dance). This was a reasonably good
night, with a about 50-60 attendees (a number which has now become an
average for this event). 1991 also saw the first banquet where a fandom
personality was "roasted" (based on the idea used for celebrities in the US) The
Shane Morrissey Roast was unique in its idea as tales of Shane's exploits in
fandom were told for all to hear, it attracted about 40-45 people and is still the
only banquet to have used the "roasting" concept. This year also saw the
Raiders of the Lost Ark 10th Anniversary Celebrations, another Star Walking
event, this time it was held as the banquet of Victoricon, this event attracted
around 70-80 people and featured two live acts (The Android Sisters and Pam
Rendell) as a main attraction. As far as official convention banquets went,
Concave II had their own desert only banquet. this was a top night with many of
us gutses pigging out on the large variety of desert courses offered.

1992 saw the only banquet ever devoted to Star Trek. The First Annual Sci-Fi
Ball had the celebration of the Star Trek 25th Anniversary as its sub-title. This
was a very well attended night with around 80 people going, the costumes were
many and varied and the atmosphere very positive, it was the first (and so far
only) Star Trek banquet held in Victoria. The second St Valentine's Day Ball's
was held by Red Squadron, which proved to be a very good night, it was the
first time specific ideas were used in the music, which intended to get couples
together to dance, and it also saw the first and last premiere of The Elvis
Brothers live performance. A week prior to that event was the Roman Feast held
by Radicon, which was aimed at both the Sci-Fi and SCA market, reports on the
event were varied, although the SCA side seemed to have been quite successful,
however both this event and the St Valentines Ball suffered attendance losses
due to the one week span between them. Later that year, Star Walking held The
Addams Family Gathering, this was the first banquet ever to be entirely catered
for by the organisers, they cooked and prepared all their own food with no
outside help. This event attracted around 80-90 people of which around 98%
came dressed for the occasion, the event was very successful with attendances
from all walks of fandom, the only down point being the poor sound volume of
the dance music which fought to be heard amongst the chatter.

The Second Annual Sci-Fi Ball was held this time by Radicon as part of the
Conjunction 3 programme, with the theme of Cartoons and Comics, this event
attracted around 70-80 people and featured a live magician act and the last
performance by two of the acclaimed Android Sisters. The night was successful
although a lack of actual animated inspired costumes was evident.

Fandoms largest attended banquet took place in 1993, the Return of the Jedi
10th Anniversary Celebration attracted 142 people beating the previous record
of 140 held by The Empire Strikes Back 10th. Being the official banquet of Star
Walking Inc. The Second Convention, this was classed as a very special night,
so little expense was spared in its presentation. This event featured the highly
praised Jedi mock wedding ceremony as well as a memorable lighting display
and has since been hailed as Star Walking's, and fandoms, most spectacular
banquet ever. The third St Valentines Day Ball was also hosted by Star Walking
as part of the Starfest programme, being held in the cavernous World Congress
Centre, this event attracted around 50 people, and was a successful night
although the seemingly miles of open space did give the banquet a less cosy
feel. Convention organisers had now long since discovered that a banquet held
sometime before a convention made a good fundraiser, this prompted
Constantinople to host the 3rd Annual Sci-Fi Ball with the theme of Cats in
Science Fiction. The event was attended by around 45-50 people and by most
reports was about average in quality. By now just about every large club or
convention had held at least one independent convention style banquet. The last
organisation to have one was the Doctor Who Club, they held their Who's 30 at
the Melbourne Town Hall late last year, the night was well attended but it was
very evident from the outset that the lack of experience by the organisers was
going to let the night slip somewhat. Fans who were regular banquet attendees
noted that it was poorly organised with many of the details that need to be
addressed in a banquet simply being overlooked, this was a shame as the
expectations were high.

The 1994 Fourth Annual St Valentines Dinner Dance was held recently by
Threads, this was yet another successful Valentines Day banquet with many
new faces joining in on the festivities for the first time, the only major snag the
event had was the programming not being strictly aheared to, subsequently the
night finished half an hour early and many hours of recorded dance music never
got aired. The night did have three live performing acts though, Pam Rendell,
Darren Reid and Katharine Shade, with the Shade Quartet plus Brett Jones
playing some wonderful ambient background music throughout the evening.

As you can see, fandom has a rather full history of these events, with future
banquets already in the works, Gallifrey is planning to host the 5th Annual St
Valentines Day Ball next year and Star Walking is conducting the 4th Annual
Sci-Fi Ball with a theme of "They Came From Outer Space" later this year.

Admittedly there are those who believe all the uniqueness of non convention
banquets have now lost their attraction, Once there was only one or two making
them a very "special" night out, now they seem to be everywhere. People are
being very selective in their choices, and with a going price of around $35 to
$40 each, they can become very expensive night's to attend. However one thing
is for sure, the non convention banquet has come a long way since Shane
Morrissey's inspirational Star Wars 10th and is definitely here to stay. It has
been through events like these that Victorian fandom has been able to soar far
ahead of the other states in being the most active of Science Fiction fandom
communities in the country, and for that reason alone, should be continued and
looked forward upon as being something special we can all enjoy.

The idea of banqueting is ancient (see Sellisternium, Belshazzar's Feast, and


Mead halls). In the 16th century, a banquet was very different from our modern
perception and stems from the medieval 'ceremony of the void'. After dinner,
the guests would stand and drink sweet wine and spices while the table was
cleared, or voided (Later in the 17th century void would be replaced with the
French dessert).
During the 16th century, guests would no longer stand in the great chamber
whilst the table was cleared and the room prepared for entertainment, but would
retire to the parlour or banqueting room. As the idea of banqueting developed, it
could take place at any time during the day and have much more in common
with the later practice of taking tea. Banqueting rooms varied greatly from
house to house, but were generally on an intimate scale either in a garden room
or inside such as the small banqueting turrets in Longleat House.

A banquet is a large meal or feast, complete with main courses and desserts. It
usually serves a purpose such as a charitable gathering, a ceremony, or
a celebration, and is often preceded or followed by speeches in honour of
someone. Banquet is a large catering activity department where food &
beverage are served for pre-arranged number of peoples on pre-fixed date &
time agreed menu & price.

1. Benefits Of a Banquet Hall

2. If you are looking to host a social event, regardless of what kind of


event it is you should definitely look for a banquet hall rather than
hosting it in your house or around it. There are many reasons why you
should hire a banquet hall rather than hosting it at your house. Following
are some of the benefits of hosting an event in a banquet hall:
3. If you host the event in your house you will be left with a lot of
cleaning up to do after the event, no matter how well organized the event
is or was, there will always be cleaning up to do. You might even have to
hire professional cleaning services once the event is over and spend some
money, so why not just hire a decent banquet hall for that money and let
the professionals take care of it and you can just enjoy the event without
any sort of extra work
.
4. In addition to this, banquet halls also provide some sort of furniture,
even if there is not the complete furniture there will at least be tables and
chairs. There are banquet halls that offer different packages that have
furniture and some decorations too. If you have all these items at you
house they will never be enough so you will also have to pay for furniture
in case you host the event at your place, so there is another reason to
spend the same money on a banquet hall.

5. It will also free you of having to arrange any tables and chairs or even
looking after them, so they do not get damaged. If you are hire banquet,
they will take care of everything for you
.

6. There can be another issue, which most people dont think about and
that is the insurance. When there are number of people at your place,
there are chances that someone might get hurt and sue you for the bills. In
cases such as these, many people have had to bear big losses for no fault
of their own.

. Banquet halls have high insurance limits, so even if someone ends up


getting hurt for some reason they have it well covered. They are more
likely to have lawyers too, to deal with the whole situation.
8. Contrary to popular belief, hiring a banquet hall can be more cost-
effective than holding the event at your place. If you have not thought
about it earlier, it is high time you start doing it now and decide for
yourself.

9. Thank you for reading this presentation. All pictures are taken from
great Bensalem Township Country Club. They have the best Banquets for
Weddings and other events or Parties with large size of Golf Club for
more information about Bensalem Township Country Club feels free to
visit

Banquet:An Important Branch Of Catering

Informal

Semi-Formal
Formal

Banquet:Revenue Generating Department

Acts as a backbone, thus is considered as a big business.

Diverse and colourful activity engulfing different branches.

Part of F & B equipped with push secretarial office.

Banquet Sale is an art, so is revenue generation.

Type Of Banquet Functions

State Banquets, Formal Lunch/Dinner.

Reception

Buffets

Lunch/Dinner meeting
Conference & Convention

Special Events

Traditional Events

Theme Banquets

Outdoor Catering

Type Of Banquets

Informal

Freedom to:

Sit

Roam

Eat

Found Generally For:


Marriage Parties

Get Togethers

Festivals

Other Celebrations

Guests may take as much time as they want.

Types of service:

Floating

Buffet

Semi Formal

Only for people given priority

Generally seen in:

Institutional Function

Annual Day Function

Honoured Parties

Seperate table for Chief Guests.

No Discrimination for other guest.

Formal
Generally Seen in:

Raising Day

Flag Day

Victory Celebration

National Days

In Honour of Foreign Dignitaries

Seating Strictly according to protocol.

Table Laid perpendicular to top table.

People near top table most important

Proper silver service.

Heirarchy & Banquet Staffing

Organisation Chart
Staff requirement

This is governed by:

1 waiter for serving 6-8 covers.

1 wine waiter for serving 20 persons.

1 head waiter per 10 waiters.


Banquet Staff

The Sales Administration Manager for group of company of hotels

Banquet Manager

Secretary

Banquet Head Waiter

Dispense Barman

Banquet Head Wine Waiter

Permanent Working Staff

Casual Staff

Porters

Banquet Wine Waiter

Banquet Setup

Seating Arrangement Plan:

Full moon

Half moon

U shaped
T shaped

Classroom setup

Theatre setup

Boardroom setup

Tabling:

The type of table plan depends upon the following:

Organisers wishes

Nature Of Function

Size & shape of the room where the function is to be held

Number of covers

Spacing

Table Capacity

Round

30" Round Seat 2-3 People


36" Round Seat 4 People
42" Round Seat 5 People
48" Round Seat 6 People
54" Round Seat 7-8 People
60" Round Seat 8 People
66" Round Seat 9-10 People
72" Round Seat 10 People
Need more than 10 at a round table?
This is how many will fit comfortably.

Square

24" Square: 2 People


30" Square: 4 People
32" Square: 4 People
36" Square: 4 People
42" Square: 8 People
60" Square: 8-12 People (12 is a "little" tight)

Rectangular

18 x 60 Seminar Seat 2 (1 Sided)


18 x 72 Seminar Seat 3 (1 Sided)
18 x 96 Seminar Seat 4 (1 Sided)
30 x 48 inch Rectangles Seat 4 People
30 x 72 inch Rectangles Seat 6 People
30 x 96 inch Rectangles Seat 8 People (Cap the ends to make 10)

Standard Banquet Table Height

Standard table height is 29"-30".

All of our folding tables are 29" or 30" in height, UNLESS otherwise noted.

Standard Banquet Table Width (for rectangular tables)

For banquet dinners and other functions when people will sit on both sides of
the table, 30" is the most common table width.

Wood tables are also available special order in 36" width. These are not
commonly ordered, because most event planners need to utilize their space
efficiently.
Space Efficiency & Table Placement

If aligning 8 foot banquet tables end to end, you may add 1 chair for each
"joint" on each side. (See picture to right) This should only be done if space is
limited.

In order to maximize the amount of round banquet tables you can fit in a room,
place them as illustrated in the picture to the right. Diagonal placement is more
space efficient than lateral rows.
Classic Banquet Style Placement

Classic banquet style table placement consist of long rows of rectangle banquet
tables with seats on both sides. This setup will allow for the most seats in a
room. Notice in the picture to the right an extra person is added at the "joint" of
each table. The setup allows for a head table to be placed at the front of the
room, like shown in the illustration.
Banquet Round Style

The picture to the right illustrates banquet style with round


tables. Notice the rows are off center in order to maximize
seating .
Conference Style

Conference style is great for critical thinking discussions. This is


the most productive setup when decisions need to be made.
You finally have the board of directors all in one place, so
develop your action plan in great time. Common setup includes
4 eight foot tables. Conference style is NOT ideal for groups of
more than 30 people. For groups of more than 30 and
discussion/interaction needs to be made, U shaped is ideal.
The illustration to the right is setup for 22 people. 4 30x96
tables are used, and it utilizes 1 extra chair at the "joint" of the
tables.

Hollow Square

Hollow square setup is much like conference style,


except the inside of the square is hollow. The
illustration to the right shows a hollow square setup for
50 people using 10 30x96 tables. Dimensions are 21 ft
x 24 foot.
U Shaped Setup w/ Serpentine Tables

The U Shaped diagram to the right utilizes serpentine


tables at the corners. The diagram is setup for 26 people.
It uses 8 8 foot tables, and 2 serpentine tables.
U Shaped w/ Head Table Inside U

You may also place the head table inside the legs of the
"U" like shown in the picture to the right. This table
placement adds 3 seats to the head table.
U Shaped Plus

The U shaped plus style can be used when space is


limited. Chairs are placed in the "hollow" part of the U.
This is takes away some of the advantages of the hollow
part of the U.IMPORTANT! In order to setup like this, you
need to have either the head table inside the "U" or more
than 2 8 foot tables for the head table. Otherwise there
will not be enough room for the chairs inside the "U".
Theatre Style Setup

Theatre style banquet setup is the most space saving


design. If your event is a speech or lecture, this is the
setup for you. You may administer this setup for watching
films, or performances. Banquet chairs are faced towards
the head table in front of the room

.
Classroom Style Setup

The classroom style setup is great for orientations or any


other presentation when the guest will need to be
writing/eating while observing. Our seminar tables are
most suitable for saving space with this setup. Seminar
tables have a smaller width than standard banquet tables.
V Shaped Setup

V shaped setup is much like classroom style, except for


the tables are tilted toward the speaker.
Auditorium Style Setup

Auditorium style setup is very similar to theatre style. The


chairs in the outer area are angled toward the speaker
more so than the inner.
Herringbone "Fishbone" Style Setup

Herringbone style setup is for dinners that will involve a


speaker. The alignment of the tables allows for most
guests to be comfortable while facing the speaker. The
tables are turned at an angle toward the head/speaker's
table. Chairs are placed on both sides of the tables. If
using your standard 8 foot banquet tables, it is
recommended to place 3 chairs on each side due to some
guest wanting to turn their chair a little more. Placing 4
chairs on each side is perfectly fine if need be.

Semi Circle

Semi circle setup is great for meeting when interaction is


needed with the speaker.The setup to the right is an
illustration of semi circle setup using 8 foot rectangle
tables. The tables have seats only on 1 side. There is a
head table, or podium at the front of the open part of the
circle. The illustration is a semi circle diagram for 48

people, and uses 12 8 foot tables .


Circle Style

Circle style is much like semi circle except the circle is


completely closed off. The illustration to the right is for 96
people, and utilizes 24 8 foot tables.
Sit-down Service
With sit-down service, your banquet guests receive their food at their seats.

Typically, you offer a choice of entrees, such as a beef, chicken, fish or

vegetarian dinner and have attendees make selections ahead of time.

This requires extra work in the planning stages of the event as you will need to

keep track of not only who is attending, but who has made dinner selections and

what those dinner selections were. Banquet hosts often opt for sit-down service

despite the added planning because it is generally considered the most elegant

of service types, explains Peggy Post in the "Emily Post's Wedding Planner."

Sit-down service is generally the most expensive type of banquet dining.

Waiter with champagne (David De Lossy/Photodisc/Getty Images)

Buffet Service
A long line of hot and cold foods placed along one or more tables is the main

characteristic of buffet service. Guests form one or two lines and walk alongside

the buffet table, choosing what food they wish to eat. Some buffets have

waitstaff explain what each dish is and serve portions directly onto guests'

plates. Other buffets are strictly self-serve or combine self-service with a few

staff-served choices, such as carved beef or turkey.

Buffet service is generally regarded as less elegant than seated service since

guests are required to at least go and get their meals on their own, according to

"Emily Post's Wedding Planner." The cost is typically lower for a buffet meal,

however, and it often allows for a greater number of meal choices for picky

attendees. No advance planning is required for a buffet service beyond selecting

the items to be served and providing the banquet facility with a final number of

guests.
Desert buffet (Jacob Wackerhausen/iStock/Getty Images)

Birthday Caterer Hadapsar

Arrangement for Birthday Parties Wedding Anniversaries, Receptions

Station Service
Station service is a modified form of buffet service, and typically costs

somewhere between the price of a buffet and a sit-down meal. At a station

service banquet, small tables are set up around the banquet room. Each station

features a different kind of food and is typically staffed by a banquet server who

keeps the food replenished and, in some cases, prepares or serves it. Stations

may include an omelet station at a breakfast banquet, a sushi bar or a table filled

with cheeses and charcuterie.

Station service encourages guests to move about the room and mingle with

other attendees, while still having tables available for guests to return to and

enjoy their meals during a scheduled dinner hour. Like buffet service, stations

require minimal planning, but because they are less common than other types of

banquets, often maintain a more elegant feel than a traditional buffet, reports

"Emily Post's Wedding Planner."


Omelet station (MosayMay/iStock/Getty Images)

Passed-tray Service

Passed-tray service typically occurs in lieu of a traditional meal. With this type

of service, the waitstaff circulates through the banquet room with finger foods

on large platters. The servers approach guests and offer food and a napkin. The

service typically operates continuously for a block of time, and a full meal may

not be served.

Passed-tray service
Passed-tray service encourages conversation and is typically considered more

elegant than a buffet, according to "Emily Post's Wedding Planner." The cost of

a passed-tray event varies based upon the types of foods you select and how

long you wish for the service to continue and may or may not be more

expensive than a buffet. Some guests expect to eat a meal at a banquet,

however, and may feel disappointed if only passed-trays are offered.

Laying Of Cloth:

Cloth should be without crease

It should be clean and spotless

Fall of the cloth should be equal from all sides

Cloth should not be torn or ash-burnt

All cloths should have same fall & pattern


Size of cloth 4 X 2 m

Banquet Equipment

LINEN

Table linen

Laundry

Table skirting

Paper napkin

TABLE WARE

Flatware

Holloware

All required crockery & cutlery

Glasses

BUFFETS

Chaffing dish

Burners

Carving station

Display stand

Platters

Lighting

Plants
Serving tool

Find everything you need to create a dazzling buffet. From display stands to
serving dishes and utensils, these products will enhance the buffet and truly
elevate your craft.

Serving Utensils serving trays display stand

Serving bowls chafing dishes disposable catering tray

Popular Catering Items


From food carriers to beverage dispensers, there are some things that a caterer
simply cannot do without. Shop for essential items that keep your business
running smoothly.

Food carriers fountain place card holder


Beverage Dispensers

Disposable Plastic Stemware

Everything a Caterer Needs

A caterer needs an ample stock of dinnerware, disposable and party supplies,


food transport products and display items. In the right hands they help form the
perfect event.


Catering Buffet Supplies


Catering Storage & Transport


Food Warmers, Serving Dishes & Signs


Beverage Station


Catering Dinnerware
Banquet Buffet setup:

The hotel offers different kinds of buffets. Each hotel/outlet category has a

number of buffet set-ups to choose from according to the budget and selection

of dishes.

Buffets must be rigorously set up according to the pre-established layouts. Any

buffet set-up must fulfill the following requirements :

Efficient for both guest service and replenishment.

Layout and decoration attractive for the customer.

Adequate lighting, with colors if required.

Sufficient power points for connecting all the required electrical

appliances.

Sufficient quantity of alternative heating fuel, e.g., gas, and adequate

corresponding safety features.


The buffet service shall be similar to that applied in the restaurant

procedure.

The buffet shall be ready 15 minutes before the starting time indicated on

the BEO.

Maintain Buffets:-

Keep hot items hot:

If there is less than one quarter of an inch of water in the liners of hot

chafing dishes, user a pitcher of water to refill the liners.

If the chafing dishes are heated by canned, gel type fuel then make sure

the cans stay lit, and replace them when they become empty.

Replace lid on serving dishes when guests are not in the buffet line.

Keep cold items cold:

Use pitchers to add ice to the buffet as needed to keep the containers

holding cold items surrounded by ice.

Remove ice that gets into the food containers and replace any items that

become waterlogged.

Refill Food and water:


When a container is less than one-quarter full get a full container from the

kitchen.

Remove the old container and replace it with the full one. Do not

combine food from the old and new containers.

Bring the old container the kitchen and give it to the appropriate person.

Place enough drinking water glasses filled at all time.

Maintain service ware:

Restock dishes when there are fewer than ten dishes in a stack. Never let

a stack get below five dishes.

Make sure each container has an appropriate serving utensil.

Return serving utensils to the correct containers.

Replace utensils that fall on the floor with clean utensils from the kitchen.

Use a damp, food-safe cleaning cloth to wipe spills on the buffet table.
Chairs

Stackable

Transportable

Stable and sterdy

Suitable upholstery
Sequence Of Service

Courtesy is one of the most essential aspects of restaurant service, so is a degree


of formality, especially in up market operations. Efforts must be made to ensure
a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere with a warm, friendly and efficient service
provided with politeness. Sequence of service is referred to as the order in
which a waiter provides service to guests from the time the guest enters the
restaurant to the time he leaves the restaurant. Preparation to deliver satisfied
service begins before the guest steps into the restaurant with activities like
mnage, handling reservation, allocation of table. Once the guest arrives in the
restaurant there is a certain sequence that is followed to make his/ her meal
experience pleasant

Role Of Banquet Manager

Importance of Menu and Number of pax

Supervision Of Service

Allocation Of duties

Modes Of Service

Silver Service

Self / Buffet Service


Sequence

Welcome Drinks

Snacks & other appetizers

Soup Service

Main course buffet/Self Service

Sweets / Desserts

Coffee / Tea
The Menu

Separate food & bar menu

Different menu for different occasions

Varied choice of menu

Ease of service

Seasonal variation
Banquet Planning

The Banquet Manager must keep in mind the following considerations :

Brief the banquet staff together with the chef, if possible.

The order of service should be outlined clearly

Chef should explain the menu to F & B personnel.

Planning For A Formal Dinner

Top Table must be identified

Espirit de Corps to be inculcated

Appropriate work force job fit

Accomplishment of order taking

Exercise control on dockets

Provision for unexpected guests

Beverage Service

A Limited Bar

An Open Bar

A Straight Bar

Guest preselects the table wine

Any other specifications


Buffet Dinner

Make things easy to serve

Plenty of cutlery available

Proper arrangement of buffets as per number of pax

Sufficient room for guests to queue

Serve two-third of the food and replenish

Banquet Sales

Identify target market

Track the events to be held

Good relations with CIPs and VIPs

Staff should go on calling

Staff should be well versed with the products

Significant Source Of Profit

Banquets:An Important Source Of Profit

Catering to prestigious parties

Leads to local publicity

Valuable mention in local media

Cultivate a reputation for quality & service

Steady stream of business in future


Banquets & Buffets:A Certain Volume Business

Income & other costs are known in advance

Guaranteed group business

Cost of the event can be mentioned and predicted


Principle Types Of Banquets

For Small Parties:

Restaurant & part of restaurant can be used

Preset menu & time

Easy to arrange

Generates good profit for restaurant

For Dining Clubs & Service Organisations:

Club may be formed of:

a) Patrons with common interest

b) Regular Customers

Meal service for Service Clubs

Cocktail Parties:

Service of drinks to a group of people

Most commonly requested function

May be elaborate or limited

Product Launches:

Elaborate and expensive lunch or low-key sales presentation either

Shows & Special Events:

Special events organised by the hotel, club or restaurant

Conference & Incentive Tours:


Grown sector of market requires well trained & well briefed staff

Tour Meals:

Arrangement for large tour groups

Standard A La Carte service

Theme Buffets:

May offer food native to the particular country or style

Showmanship combined with F & B service

Food as entertainment

Weddings:

Planning done well in advance

A unique event

Outside Catering:

Demanding & challenging job

Includes outdoor catering

Buffet breakfast is very popular in large hotels today, served mainly in the
coffee shop.
The buffet breakfast as comparatively new development in breakfast service in
India offers most of the dishes in an American breakfast along with Indian

breakfast options. Some of the dishes like the eggs, sausages etc are mostly
served to add value. The spread is extensive with a large choice of dishes
usually segregated into different sections like the juice dispensers, the cereal
dispensers, the bread section, the hot beverages area etc.

Advantages: This adds eye appeal and helps to spread the guests. Many hotels
offer the buffet breakfast complimentary with the room tariff this
encourages the guest to come down to the coffee shop for their breakfast
thereby reducing the rush in the room service.

Functions of a control system: A good control system is put in place


essentially to check areas where selling of food and beverage takes
places.
A good control system essentially should be simple for the staff to
operate and there should be enough points of counter check so that, errors
may be nullified and highlighted by departments like controls, accounts
etc.
The following are the main functions of a good control system:
1. Controls should begin from where the raw materials enter the
establishment ie., purchases and storing.
2. The system should ensure minimum pilferage at all stages of food-
purchasing- receiving-storing-issuing-preparation-selling.

Room service is an integral part of the modern food and beverage service
operations in hotels. Luxury hotels offer all day meals through, in room
dining services with a dedicated work force working in shifts.

Room service is a captive service and its revenue is dependent on


occupancy levels. Also it is staff intensive and involves high overhead
costs. Invariably therefore, hotels charge extra for in room service.

However, early morning tea remains a domain of room service


operations. Similarly invalid guests, elderly guests and long staying
guests often prefer room service over restaurant service. Hence, room
service can never actually be wished away although it is staff intensive
and not as much a profit centre as compared to other F&B outlets like
restaurants, bar or banquets.

Banquets are arranged of a comparatively large gathering of guest


usually a minimum of 15 persons
Conferences, symposiums, conclaves, birthday parties, cocktail parties
held in exclusive halls are all examples of banquet functions
The success of a banquet is largely dependent on planning the event.

Fork Buffet: A fork buffet is a meal which can be eaten standing with a
plate in one hand and a fork in the other. These are most suited to
modern conference halls where space is a restraint. Fork buffets is ideally
suited for service formal banquets and are today the most popularly used
buffets especially for the day conferences.

Finger Buffet: As the name suggests finger buffets are the most informal
type of buffet. They are most suited to guests who are standing, dancing
or mingling with one another. Generally snacks are served on a finger
buffet. Food offered can be eaten without cutlery. Mostly foods
presented are bit size.

Banquets can be an area of high profit. There are many reasons people might plan a
banquet, such as award dinners, work functions and wedding receptions. In order to be
a successful, high-volume, high-profit business, you have to provide a good service
and carefully manage your costs.

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Up-Selling
Different types of events require different menus. Have a selection of courses
available to choose from that allows you to meet the demands of those with money to
spend. Drinks, especially bar drinks, should be an additional cost that customers can
choose to add on. Alcohol isn't free and you're losing money if you're not charging for
it. Offer additional perks like a projector, a dance floor or decorations at an extra cost.
Marketing
You need a website explaining what you do and offering information on pricing and
menu options. Also consider social media -- it can work as free advertising and help
get your name to potential customers. If your banquet business is a part of another
business like a restaurant or hotel, do in-house marketing.

Reputation
Your reputation can carry you in this industry. If someone has a great experience with
you, they'll tell all of their friends and then when their friend has an experience they'll
likely give you a ring. That means quality and service should be your top priority. Use
fresh ingredients and focus on making incredible food that people will remember.

Budget
Make a budget for each event and stick to it. Cost out your ingredients ahead of time
and make a shopping list so you don't buy more than you need. It's good to have a
little extra on hand, but too much can really add up. Also budget labor. Think about
the size of the event, the demands, and how many staffers you will need. Keep a log
so you can look back and see what's worked in the past. You can also lower costs by
shopping around for suppliers or asking for bulk discounts.

Conclusion
Employed by a catering service or a hotel, banquet servers are roaming non-

standard waiters and waitresses. In a typical restaurant setting, the wait staff

will have tables they are assigned to cover, but banquet servers are

responsible for accommodating all guests at a function while circulating the

room. Anticipating the needs of the guests and responding politely to their

requests are common required tasks.

Banquet servers set up for events, carry trays, serve guests and clean up at the

event's conclusion. Set up can include putting out tablecloths and place

settings, arranging table placement and putting up a buffet.

A banquet server's duties during the event can vary based on the situation,

but, in general, they must be able to focus on the job while staying on their

feet and moving about freely, which can include bending, climbing stairs and

carrying items weighing 25-50 pounds. Good communication is important, as

is being able to follow directions efficiently and meeting the physical

demands of the job.

A positive attitude while on the job is also essential.


Banquet servers must adhere to health and safety standards at all times, even

when closing down at the end of the event, which may include breaking

down the table set up and taking tablecloths and linens to the laundry.

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