be  trained  to  serve  food  properly  because  serving techniques also affect sanitation and attractiveness. They should be given detailed instructions on the proper serving  of  each  menu  item. To  avoid  possible contamination,  utensils  and  dishes  should  be  properly handled during serving. Servers’ hands should not come in  contact  with  eating  surfaces  of  bowls,  trays,  or silverware. Serving Line and GM Appearance All  items  of  mess  gear  should  be  inspected  for cleanliness  and  should  be  supplied  in  sufficient  number to  last  the  entire  serving  period.  The  serving  counters and steam tables should be checked for cleanliness before  foods  are  set  in  place.  Condiment  bottles, including tops, should be thoroughly cleaned. During meal  service,  keep  serving  lines  and  salad  bars  wiped down.  Wipe  up  spills  immediately.  Sponges  and  other cleaning  aids  should  be  kept  out  of  sight.  If  used, sponges  should  be  spotlessly  clean.  Dirty  sponges detract from meal service. Return soiled empty serving inserts and containers to the galley. SERVING THE FOOD Soups and chowders are placed on the steam table in deep well inserts. Use the 8-ounce ladle to serve as follows  (key  serving  points  follow  each  step): 1. Pick up the soup ladle. Hold the ladle about halfway down the handle, grasping it between the thumb and forefinger. This firm hold makes it easier to balance a full ladle. 2. Stir the soup or chowder. Stirring distributes the solid particles and the temperature evenly. 3. Dip from the bottom. Solids settle to the bottom, and the soup or chowder at the bottom of the insert is the hottest. Dip while solid particles are in motion. 4. Raise the ladle above the level of the soup bowl. The customer in line has extended the tray and soup bowl  toward  you. As you raise the ladle, the liquid it contains will settle so it is easier to pour, and it will not spill  over  the  sides. 5. Tip the ladle slightly and pour slowly. Direct the pouring into the center of the soup bowl. Whenever you serve stew, chili con came, or any similar item, you should use the same technique. Stir to distribute the solid particles and the liquid evenly and then dip from the bottom. This is the only time you should stir these items. When there is a lull and you are 9-6 waiting for the next person to come through the line, do not stand and idly stir the vegetables. The less they are stirred,  the  better  they  will  maintain  their  appetizing appearance. As you serve items that are in shallow inserts, serve the food from the back of the pan toward the front of the pan in an orderly system across the pan. Types of food that should be served this way are macaroni and cheese, baked lasagna, or lyonnaise potatoes. A uniform way of serving helps maintain the fresh appearance of the food and  promotes  eye  appeal. Butter patties should be served from a dispenser. If a dispenser is not available, the ready-to-serve patties may be placed on a tray and set over a container of ice on the serving line. Unwrapped patties should be placed on paper chips and arranged on a tray set over ice. Dry cereal also should be served from a dispenser. It should never be served directly from the packing carton. If a dispenser is not available, the individual packages should be arranged on a tray on the serving line. Bread will remain fresher if served from dispensers. Otherwise,  bread  should  be  opened  as  needed,  removed from the wrapper, and placed in a shallow container on the  serving  line.  Galley-baked  bread  should  be  sliced and replenished when needed during the meal. Chilled bread  should  be  heated  before  meal  service.  To  give  a fresh-baked quality to breakfast pastries, coffee cakes, and sweet rolls, heat them in an oven (250°F) for 8 to 10  minutes  before  serving. Portions The MS assigned to supervise the serving line has two  responsibilities  regarding  portion  control.  One  is  to see that servings are fair. The other is to make sure the amount served is not more than the individual requests. The portion size of some items can be regulated on the  serving  line  by  using  standard  ladles  and  spoons. When you serve meat, guesswork on correct portion sizes can be eliminated by using scales to check one or two slices before you cut the entire batch. Some meat items are precut in individual serving portions; for example, grill and Swiss steaks, pork slices (chops), and veal  slices. Temperature of Food The steam table should be prepared in advance. Water has to be placed in the steam table and the steam table turned on. This will allow the water to be at a