| |
The following list contains some practical guides to
effective food garnishing:
. Use restraint in garnishing. Keep a picture of the
whole meal in mind. Too many garnished dishes in one
meal will spoil the effect. Select a suitable garnish, if
one is needed, and use it sparingly.
. Vary food garnishes.
Do not let garnishes
become monotonous. Use a section of orange or a slice
of peach on top of a pudding occasionally; not always a
maraschino cherry.
. Plan garnishes ahead of time and show the
serving personnel how garnished foods should be
served.
. Plan simple garnishes. Do not sacrifice timely
preparation for the sake of garnishing.
. Take advantage of the natural food color
contrasts in combining foods. Do not rely on the
addition of food coloring to the food to supply color
contrast.
Carving
For special occasions such as holidays, hand
carving hams and roasts on the serving line is preferred
over machine slicing.
Carving plays an important role in serving meat in
an appetizing manner. Carving affects the appearance
and texture of the meat, and the portion size can be
controlled by carving. Therefore, as an MS, you must
develop skill in carving.
The direction of meat grain determines how the
meat is to be sliced. Most meats should be cut across
the grain. Cross-grain slicing shortens the muscle fibers
and produces a more tender slice of meat. Roast meats
should be allowed to rest about 20 minutes after they
have been removed from the oven before they are
carved. This period allows the meat to firm up. It also
allows the meat to reabsorb some of the juices lost
during the roasting process. The meat becomes firm and
can be sliced with greater ease in equal slices.
Slicing should be done on a hard rubber cutting
board so the cutting edge of the knife is protected. The
carving board should be placed in a sheet pan to catch
the drippings while the meat is being sliced. Remove
any string or netting that may have been used to hold the
meat together while it was cooking. With a sharp
carving knife (long, thin-bladed knife) and a two-tined
fork in hand. carve the roast as follows:
9-5
1.
Carver
roast.
2.
firmly
3.
Cut one slice across the top of the roast so the
can determine the direction of the grain of the
Hold the roast in place by pressing the fork
into the top of the roast.
Carve across the grain of the meat from right to
left for a right-handed person and from left to right for
a left-handed person. The carved portions can then be
easily lifted to the plate or tray.
Sliced meat portions should be controlled by weight
rather than by the number of slices. For this reason, the
customers preference for thick or thin meat slices can
be satisfied by the carver.
Timing
The commanding officer sets the hours for serving
the meal. The time published should be strictly adhered
to; the days work schedule in the galley should be
organized to conform to the established hours for
serving meals. The messdecks and serving personnel
should be ready to begin serving on time. Planning will
ensure prompt and efficient service.
The serving line should not be setup too early. You
should set up about 45 minutes before the regular meal
as a general rule. This also allows for the cooks and
mess attendants to enjoy their meal.
When serving you should be alert to what needs to
be replenished.
Do not wait until the food item is
completely depleted before replacing. Food items
should not be left on the steam table line too long.
Remember to batch-cook all items that can be cooked
progressively. A good rule of thumb to remember is
what is available for your first customer should be
available for your last customer.
Foodservice Attendants
FoodService personnel should be trained to provide
good customer service.
Common courtesy is the
backbone of good customer service. This cannot be
overemphasized because the way the serving line
personnel conduct themselves often determines the
patrons satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the meal.
Every person assigned to the serving line should be
clean and look neat. This requires the washing of hands
many times during the day. Uniforms, hats, and aprons
must be clean. Long sleeves should be rolled up to avoid
touching the food and equipment. Foodservice
attendants not only should be clean and neat, they should
|