should be accomplished before seating the wardroom members. Informal  Service MEAL  STYLES There  are  two  basic  meal  styles  used  in  the wardroom-formal  and  informal.  Variations  of  each style are used on particular occasions. These styles and their  differences  are  discussed  next. Formal  Service Formal  meal  service  includes  the  semiformal  and the formal styles called French service. . The formal type of meal requires more planning, detailed  preparation,  and  elaborate  tableware  than  any of the other styles. The formal meal style is used most often when special guests or dignitaries are present either in the flag or wardroom messes. The formal meal style of serving is when you serve the food from a food wagon, a side table, or offer it to guests from a serving dish. As many as seven courses may be served in this manner. All courses are served with  the  plates  being  removed  after  each  course. Additionally, the place setting has no bread and butter plate. Semiformal service is the type of service used more often than formal. For example, it may be used daily in commanding and flag officers’ messes if there are no guests. The preparation and service of this meal are not as elaborate as the formal style and require less time, facilities,  and  personnel.  The  individual  place  settings are similar to those used for the informal meal styles. Few center items are used other than salt and pepper shakers,  sugar  bowls,  and  creamers. The method of serving meal items distinguishes semiformal   from   informal   meal   styles. In  the semiformal  style,  each  food  item  is  arranged  on  a separate serving dish in the pantry. It is then offered to each diner. Beginning with the meat or main course, each course is carried into the wardroom separately. The courses are presented to each diner in turn, starting with the head of the table. The senior guest or the individual designated by a buck is served first. Each diner selects desired items from the serving dishes and places them on his or her plate while the serving dish is held. Serving dishes are returned to the pantry after their contents have been offered to all the diners. Several types of informal service are used in the wardroom  mess. Those now in use include family, American, ala carte, cafeteria, and buffet styles. FAMILY STYLE.—  For this type of service the food is attractively arranged in the pantry or galley in the proper serving dishes. The food is then placed on the table with the proper serving utensils. Each officer serves himself or herself and passes the serving dishes around the table. Dessert items that are to be served later can be brought in from the wardroom and placed on the sideboard. The serving dishes are replenished  as  necessary. AMERICAN  STYLE.—  This type of service is used in most restaurants. The main course plate is not part of the initial place setting. Instead, individual plates are prepared in the pantry or galley and placed before the seated diners. This form of meal service is often provided  in  officers’  messes  on  medium-sized  ships,  It is  often  combined  with  other  traditional  forms  of service. In American service, food is placed on plates in the galley and taken to the wardroom and served to each diner. A LA CARTE STYLE.— This type of service is usually provided at breakfast. As with the American style, the main plate is not part of the initial plate setting. Instead.  the  diner  is  given  a  menu  or  breakfast  order form. The diner decides what food he or she wants and how it is to be prepared. The order is then delivered to the  pantry  or  galley  and  the  food  is  prepared  as requested. It is placed on a plate and served to the diner as in the American style of service. CAFETERIA   STYLE.—   This  is  the  type  of service  that  is  used  aboard  some  larger  ships  such  as carriers and supply ships. The diner does not normally serve  himself  or  herself.  Rather,  the  diner  selects  the desired items and the foodservice attendant places them on his or her plate. However, salads, desserts, and some side  dishes  may  be  apportioned  in  dishes  and  the  diner simply takes them from the serving line. The main course consists of vegetables, starches, and meat. These items are portioned onto a plate by the serving line attendants as the diner selects them. BUFFET STYLE.— Buffet service may be used for both formal and informal occasions. This type of service is commonly used when either space or serving personnel  are  limited.  The  food  is  attractively  arranged on a sideboard or serving table, and the officers and guests serve themselves. It  is  customary  to  place 9-8