Meals and Menu Planning

O rigin of Menu:
A menu is a list of dishes that are available for sale in a food service outlet or
that can be served at a meal. In French, menu means “in minute’s details” and in
English, it is also termed as “bill of fare”. It is believed that the term “menu” was
first used in 1541, when DUKE HENRY of BRUNSWICK was seen referring to a
sheet of paper during a feast.
In olden times, the size of a bill of fare was very large and only one copy
was placed at one end of the banquet table so that every person at the banquet knew
that dishes were being served and in which order. The guest could reserve their
appetite accordingly. Originally it was used during banquets. The size of the card
gradually became smaller, which made it possible to have more copies placed on the
table.
Every sector of the food and beverage industry, whether operating for
commercial or welfare purpose, larger or small, uses a menu. It not inform the gests
what the available are, but also help the operator know that he/she is going to
prepare. The menu is the basis upon which all managerial and operational activities
of the food and beverage operations depend.

O bjective of Menu planning

A menu has the following objective and importance:
1. Sells: It is the great “silent take person” and stimulates sales. Great pains are
taken in compiling the menu.
2. Image: It is the signature of the restaurant. It, therefore, has to be attractive,
informative and gastronomically correct. It promotes the image of the property and
becomes a talking point in many social gatherings.
3. Identity: it identifies the restaurant’s theme. This is especially important for
specialty restaurant.
4. Experience: it certainly contributes to the dining experience. A novel menu never
fails to impress the guests and often become a talking point in many social
gathering.
5. Informative: the menu informs the guest as to what is on offer and how much
each item is priced. Most guests come with a budget and make choices to what one
can afford. The menu also describes each item.
6. Guide: The menu guides guests with the progression of courses from starters to
desserts. Dishes are presented in the classical order.

Types of Menu:

· A la carte : A la carte menu is type of menu, where the food items are priced
 individually. Literary meaning of a la carte is “from the card”.

· Table d hote(TDH) : table d hote refers to the menu of limited choice. It usually

includes three or five courses available to as a fixed menu. This term is known to

caterers by its abbreviation TDH menu a table d hote menu is a complete meal at a
predetermined priced.

Menu

Veloute celerie

----****----
Poulet laperouse
Pommes mousseline
Jardiniere de legumes
----****----
Tarte aux pommes
----****----
Danish pastry
----****----
Coffee

Rs. 550

Difference between A la Carte Menu and Table d' Hote menu

 Table d' hote A la carte

1. It is a small menu. 1. It is an elaborate menu.

2. It has multiple courses.

2. It has only 3-4 courses.

3. It is economical as a complete 3. It is more expensive if similar meal

meal is chosen.

4. It is easy to prepare
4. It is difficult to prepare
5. It is cooked in advance. because cooked in
installments.
6. It is cooked in bulk.
5. It is cooked almost fresh,
7. There is very little or no choice.

8. It is suitable for groups, 6. It is cooked in small qty,

educational institution, & hospitals,
7. It has a wide choice.
9. It can be served quickly &easily.

10. Limited service ware needed. 8. It is suited for everybody.

11. The menu is simple, ordinary

quality stationery is used. 9. It requires more
arrangement & takes longer
12. It is meant for package deal
(AP, MAP) customers. time to serve

10. More service ware is

required for serving various
items.

11. The menu is

expensive,
long lasting material is used.

12. It is meant for EP and FiTs.

Types of Meals
From time immemorial people have been trying to set a schedule for meals and
besides most appropriate dishes according to the time. There had been several
changing concepts on time and nature of meals, due to advent of science mingled
with culture and religion. On an average, human body requires consuming a
substantial meal for every four hours.

B reakfast
The word Breakfast means to break the fast after a long time. It is originally
started in England where they used to have a lot of courses. Nutritional experts have
referred breakfast as the most important meal of the day. The different types of
breakfast are-
Ø Continental Breakfast
Ø American Breakfast
Ø English Breakfast
Ø Indian Breakfast
1. Continental Breakfast
It is a very simple and has got only three courses:
Ø Choice of fruit juice
Ø Choice of breakfast rolls
Ø Choice of beverages

1. Choice of fruit juice

Canned or fresh fruit juices are offered in this course. Fresh juice is served in
a pony tumbler with an under liner and a teaspoon. Accompaniments for all
juices are castor sugar, while for tomato juice, the accompaniment is
Worcestershire sauce.

2. Choice of breakfast rolls

Breakfast rolls include croissants, muffins, Danish pastry, doughnuts, Vienna
rolls and brioche. Slice of bread or wheat bread is also offered. Rolls are
accompanied with preserves such as jam, honey, marmalade and butter.

Cutlery required for continental breakfast

A side plate or quarter plate with side knife, butter dish with under liner
and butter spreader, toast rack, tea/coffee pot, sugar bowl, milk
pot/Creamer.

Orange juice

Croissants/Toasted bread served

with jam, marmalade, honey and
butter

Tea served with milk

 American Breakfast
It starts with a glass of cold water. This breakfast is neither too heavy like English
nor like continental breakfast. Consists of table d' hot1e breakfast menu which one
would generally find in the menu card of any five star hotel.
Ø Choice of fruit juice: Mango juice, Pineapple juice, Tomato juice, Orange
juice, or Grape fruit juice etc.
Ø Choice of Cereals: choice of cornflakes, oatmeal, porridge, rich crispies,
wheat flakes served with cold or hot milk.
Ø Choice of Eggs : Scrambled, poached, boiled, omelette, served with bacon,
Ham or sausages.
Ø American pancakes or waffles : Pancakes and waffles are served with melted
butter, honey and maple syrup
Ø Choice of breads: Breakfast toast, rolls, brioche, croissant with
preserves like batter, jam, marmalade and honey.
Ø Choice of Beverages: Tea, Coffee, or Hot Bourn vita, Horlicks, Ovaltine.

Orange juice

Cornflakes served with hot milk

American waffles served with honey and

maple
syrup

Poached eggs wuth grilled tomatoes and

brown
potatoes

Muffins, Danish pastry served jam,

marmalade,
Honey and butter

Coffee
 English breakfast
An English breakfast is a very elaborate breakfast. It comprises of ten courses
Ø Choice of fruit juice: Mango juice, Pineapple juice, Tomato
juice, Orange juice, or Grape fruit juice etc.
Ø Choice of Stewed Fruits: Apples, Prunes, Figs, Pears etc. are cut into
small pieces and cooked in sugar syrup flavored with clove and
cinnamon. It is served in a cocktail cup with a quarter plates as
under liner and the cutlery provided is a teaspoon.
Ø Choice of Cereals: oatmeal (meal), cornflakes, wheat flakes, rice
crispies, porridge are served with cold or hot milk in a soup bowl with a
quarter plate as under liner and a dessert spoon is provided as cutlery.
Ø Choice of Fish: Herring, Haddock, Kedgres, sardines, are served.
Ø Choice of Eggs: Omelette, boiled eggs, scrambled egg, poached or fried eggs.
Ø Choice of Meat: Grilled bacon, sausages, ham, salami, kidney or liver, are
served.
Ø Choice of breakfast rolls: Toast white or brown or rolls- like
croissant, muffins, brioche, doughnuts, Danish pastry are served.
Ø Choice of Beverages: tea/ coffee or hot beverage like Bourn vita, Milo,
horlicks, ovaltine, cocoa etc. can be served.

Pineapple juice

Stewed fruits
(Apples, guavas, figs, bananas)

Wheat flakes served with cold

milk

Grilled herring/Smoked haddock

 Mushroom omelettes with bacon, sausages and
Baked beans

Calf’s tongue served with Cumberland sauce

Brioche, toasted bread served with jam,

marmalade,
Honey and butter

Coffee

Indian Breakfast Menu

Khandvi
-------
Sali murgh jardaloo
Oondhyu
Dal dhokli
Methi thepla
Ghee bhat
--------
Lapsi
--------
Brunch

This is for those who skip their breakfast want to have heavy fusion meal
together, may take combined breakfast and lunch called brunch. It is
taken between 10:00-12:00hours. It is also called as Elevenses
(midmorning refreshments)

Lunch
Ideal time for lunch is between 12.00-1500hours. The menu is similar to dinner
menu, but not identical for e.g. Appetizer is preferred to soup, more cold
items, a beer or soft drink to wet the gullet, fish to heavy roast or braised
items, less accompaniments. An item with rice is avoidable as it induces
sleep or drowsiness. A cold sweet to hot sweet, prefer tea to coffee

Afternoon tea
The English have made the late afternoon meal into a fine art. This meal is suitable
for the people who skipped their lunch. It offers a variety of sandwiches, assorted
breads and various types of tea. It is served around 1500-1700hours

High tea
A regular lunch is difficult in parties and groups. An elaborate snacks dispiay
with plenty of sweets like cookies, tea fancies, pastries can be incorporated to
satiate hunger of those who had light lunch or skipped their lunch.It is
served after 1700. It is a good time for high tea.

Dinner
Early dinner is customary in British Culture. However, there is a compromise
by all; the dinner time starts at 7.00 Pm. Earliest and 10.00 Pm latest. Not with
Standing British dinner time used to finish at 5.00 Pm in the evening. Still a
few traditional British enjoy early dinner and go for a late supper. Dinner is
the main meal of the day if breakfast is the most important meal of the day. At
dinner only people can relish and enjoy a meal at leisure because there is no rush
for office or business as at breakfast. A quick meal in office at lunch, but dinner is
for complete relaxation with no hang-ups.
 Supper
Super can be divided into two those who miss their dinner or those who take
early dinner. Super is nothing but dinner for those who miss their dinner, but a
light soft meal before bedtime for those who had early dinner.

French Classical Menu

17 Courses French Classical Menu

ENGLISH
oeuvre 2.Potage 3.Oeufs 4.Farineaux
Appetizer Soup Eggs
sson 6.Entree 7.Releve 8.Sorbet
Pasta and
9.Roti 10.Legumes

Fish Entree Releve Sherbet Roast

Vegetables
Salad

et froid ColdBuffet 13.EntremetsSweets

euxSavour
eCheese 16.Desserts Fruits and Nuts 17.BoissonsBeverages

1. Hors D' oeuvre/ Appetisers

It is the first course of the meal. This course is composed usually of
tangy, salty, sour, hot-natured items which help stimulate the appetite.
The hors d' oeuvre should have eye appeal, should be decorative.
The term hors d' oeuvre usually applies to a variety of side dishes
offered as appetizers such as potato salad, Anchiovies, Prawns, Olives,
Russian salad, herring, sardines, cold egg dishes, mushrooms, Artichoke,
Asparagus etc. and also to single items served as a preliminary appetizer course
before the soup.
This course originated in Russia where the guests helped
themselves to small dishes prior to sitting down at a table for their
meals. Now it is popular all over the world and appears even on a
simple menu. The function of this course is to stimulate the appetite by
producing more saliva and other digestive juices in our system. A good
 hors d' oeuvres service can increase the turnover of the restaurant by
producing a psychological effect.
Hors d' oeuvres are classified in many formats like hot and
cold, simple and deluxe, single and multiple, liquid and solid and
so forth.
Examples
· Salad: - simple salad, raw salad, plain salad
· Compound Salad: - salade nicoise, salade walderf,
salade russe
· Shell fish: - Snails, Prawns, Crayfish, Shrimps
· Eggs: - Oeuf mayonnaise, oeuf farcis, plover eggs, seagull’s eggs
· Fruits:- Smoked Salmon, Jus de tomato

Name of dishes Cover Accompaniment

French English

Jus de Tomato 3 1/2 oz pony tumbler Worcestershire sauce &

Tomate Juice on underplate, doyley castor sugar in sugar
&tsp dredger
Jus de Other fruits 41/2 Sugar in sugar dredger
oz pony tumbler
Fruits juices on underplate, doyley
&tsp
Cocktail Florida 200 mm (8 in) Castor sugar
de cocktail underplate&teaspoon
Florida
Poire d' Avocado 200 mm (8 in) Vinaigrette sauce
Avocet pear underplate, doiley,
avocado dish &tsp
Cocktail Shrimps 200 mm (8 in) Brown bread &butter,
de cocktail underplate glass & cayenne pepper &
crevettes silver coupe, tsp&fish pepper mill.
plate
Huitres Oysters Cayenne pepper, pepper
Oyster plate &oyster
fork & finger bowl. If mill tobacco, chilli,
an oyster plate is not vinegar, lemon wedge,
available a welled soup brown bread and butter
plate filled with
crushed ice can be
used.
Saumon Smoked Fish plate, fish knife
Brown bread &butter,
Fume salmon and fork
cayenne pepper,&
pepper mill, &lemon
Pate de Goose liver Small knife &fork & Melon or fresh figs
Foiegras pate cold fish plate. when they are in season
Caviar Caviar Caviar knife &cold fish Hot finger toast &
plate. unsalted butter or 'anis.
Saumon Cold Fish knife ⋔ and Mayonnaise &
Froid salmon cold fish plate. cucumber salad
2. Potage/ Soup
Soups are nutritional liquid which are made from the extractions of
vegetables, meat bones, etc. Two soups are usually provided on menu,
one, clear soup, and the other, thick soup. If hot soup follows a cold
appetizer, it should be thin soup, and if a hot soup follows a hot
appetizer,it should be thick soup.

Examples
v Consomme julienne
v Soup a l’oignon
v Chicken broth
v Petite marmite
v Crème de tomato

Name of Dish Cover Accompaniment

French English Hot soup plate on Sour cream, beetroot
under liner, dessert Juice, miniVol-au-vents
spoon with duck past
Bouillbaisse Bouillbaisse Hot soup plate on Flutes or Rouilles
under liner, dessert
spoon, fish fork &
knife
ConsommeMa ConsommeMadr Cold consommé cup,
drilène ilène saucer, under liner,
dessert spoon

Potage Thickened Hot Soup Plate under Cheesse Straws

Germiny Consomme liner, Soup spoon
Soupealoignon French Onion Hot consommé cup,
soup saucer under liner,
 dessert spoon
Gazpacho Gazpacho Cold consommé cup, White bread crumbs
saucer, under liner,
Dessert spoon
Minestrone Minestrone Hot soup plate, under Grated parmesan
liner soup spoon cheese on under liner
and tsp
Petite Marmite Petite Marmite Petite Marmite pot, Poached Bone
under liner, dessert marrow, grilled croute
spoon with parmesan cheese
Tortue Claire Clear turtle Hot consommé cup, Brown bread and
soup Saucer, under liner, butter, cheese straws,
dessert spoon lemon segment

3. Oeufs/ Eggs

A versatile and outstanding food product with unusual number of

preparations besides an ingredient for bakery and cookery products
for binding, emulsifying and stabilizing various dishes. Nowadays it is
mostly served in the breakfast menu, but it is being offered as a separate
course in French classical menu. Some of the popular methods of
cooking can be poached egg. Poached eggs are further finished with
mornay sauce and other garnishes like cocktail sausages, kidney and
liver.eggs are served in hot plate along with a A.P knife and A.P fork.

Examples
· Omelette espagnole ( Spanish omelette)
· Omelette aux tomates
· Scotch eggs
· Omelettefromage
· Oeuf en cocotte ( baked egg)
 Name of Dish Cover Accompaniment
French English
Oeuf en Egg in Cocotte dish on none
Cocotte cocotte underliner with tsp
dish
Oeuf Poached Baking dish on None
Poche eggs underliner, dessert
spoon &fork
Oeuf sur Egg in dish Baking dish on None
le plat underliner, dessert
spoon &forks
Omelette Omelette

4. Farineux/Pasta and rice

This is usually the fourth course in a French classical menu.This

course consists of the products made from pasta and rice.The word
‘pasta’ is of couse,Italian and means ‘dough’. It includes all kinds of
foods that are rich in carbohydrates, like rice, pasta and all other
starchy products.
Examples

Ø Spaghetti napolitaine
Ø Gnocchi romaine
Ø Ravioli
Ø Macaroni Italian
Ø Spaghetti Bolognaise

Name of Dish Cover Accompaniment

French English
Gnocchi, Hot fish plate, dessert Grated parmesan
Ravioli, spoon and fork cheese on underliner
Macaroni and tsp
 Spaghetti Hot soup plate on Grated parmesan
cold underliner, large cheese on underliner
fork on right and and tsp
dessert spoon on left

5. Poisson/ Fish

Fish is easily digested and helps to prepare the appetite for heavier courses
that follows. This can be served

ü Cooked meuniere: Sole, trout, and Salmon are usually served in

this style.
ü Fried: Whitebait and sole are often fried.

ü Hot shellfish: Lobster, crayfish and Dublin bay prawn are served
in this style.

Examples

· Sole meuniere
· Sole Parmenter
· Sole Veronique
· Poisson Orly

Name of Dish Cover Accompaniment

French English
Truite Pan-fried Fish knife, fork, and Béarnaise sauce
Meuniere trout hot fish plate
Dame de Grilled cut Fish knife, fork, and Hollandaise sauce
Saumon of salmon I hot fish plate
Grille on the
bone
Demi Cold Fish knife &fork, cold Mayonnaise
Homard lobster fish plate, lobster
pick and finger bowl,
lobster cracker on
debris plate
Dame de Hot Fish knife, fork, and Beurrefondu or
Saumon poached hot fish plate hollandaise sauce
poche turbot on
chaude the bone
Troncon Hot Fish knife, fork, and Béarnaise sauce
de turbot poached hot fish plate
poche turbot on
the bone
Troncon Hot grilled Fish knife, fork, and Beurremaitre d' hote,
de turbot turbot on hot fish plate remoulade or
grille the bone béarnaise sauces.
Sole de Grilled Fish knife, fork, and Tartare sauce, or
Douvres Dcier hot fish plate remoulade sauce
grille sole
Nomard Lobster in Fish knife, fork, and None
thermidor white hot fish plate
wine
sauce

6. Entrée/ Entrance
Entrée is a French word meaning entrance, perhaps of first meat
course prepared by simple methods of cooking like grilling, frying etc.
somehow few others specific items other than meat are also put
under this entrée course. Usually, a single- portioned item
accompanied by a rich sauce or gravy and garnished. Entrée is served
in a hot plate, and the cutlery provided is a A.P knife and a A.P fork. A
dessert spoon is kept on the sideboard, in case the guest demands it.

Examples
Ø Kebab Orientale
Ø Steak Diane
Ø Vol-Au-Vent De Vollaile
Ø Chop D’agneau Grille
Name of Dish Cover Accompaniment
French English
 Karl de volaille Chicken Hot soup plate, Mango chutney,
curry underliner, large poppadoms, Bombay
fork on right duck, curry tray with
citrus fruits, apple
onion, dried nuts,
coconut& yoghurt
Irish stew Irish stew Hot soup plate, Worcestershire
underliner, large sauce &pickled red
knife &fork, cabbage
dessert spoon
Steak Diane Steak Diane Hot joint plate, French .& English
steak knife &fork Mustard
Steak au Pepper Hot joint plate, French &English
Poivre Steak steak knife &fork Mustard
Steak tartare Steak Cold joint plate, Pumpernickel bread
tartare large knife &fork buttered
Entrecote Double Steak knife, joint Béarnaise sauce &
Double sirloin steak fork and hot joint French or English
plate mustard
Chateaubriand Double fillet Steak knife, joint Béarnaise sauce &
steak fork and hot joint French or English
plate mustard
Porterhouse Porterhouse Steak knife, joint French or English
Steak steak fork and hot joint mustard
plate
Cote de porc Grilled pork Joint knife, fork Béarnaise sauce &
Grille chops and hot joint French or English
plate mustard

7. Releves
It is the main course of the meal. It is normally larger than entrée and takes
the forms of the butvher joints,which have to be carved. Big joints of meats
such as veal, lamb, poultry, beef and pork are served with heavy
accompaniments and garnish. A sauce or roast gravy, potatoes and green
vegetables are served with this course. The appropriate cutlery for releve is
a joint knife and joint fork.
Examples
Ø Poulet Maryland
Ø Osso Bucco
Ø Poulet Saute Hangroise
Ø Poulet Saute Marango

8. Sherbet/ sorbet
It is the eight courses of the menu. It is therefore refreshment
between the courses i.e. main course and roti. It helps indigestion. 10-
12 minutes are allotted for the sorbet service. Russian and Egyptian
cigarettes are passed with sorbet. It originated in Arabia and china. It
was introduced in 1660 by Francisco porcopio. It is iced water
flavoured with champagne or any other liqueur. It is sweetened and
coloured with fruit juices.

Examples Ø Sorbet A
la sicilianne
Ø Granite
Ø Marquise
Ø Spoom
Ø Sorbet Alexandra
Ø Sorbet a la Americain

S orbet is served pre-plated as per the outlets standards.

9. Roasts/ Roti
Roasts are also a feature of the French classical menu, with all types of
roasted joints meats served, in particular game meat. Each meat is
accompanied by its own particular sauce and gravy, with green salad. It is
served in hot joint plate with a joint knife and a fork.

Examples
· Poulet Roti: Roast Chicken
· Dinde Roti: Roasted Turkey
· Canard Roti: Roasted Duck
· Caneton Roti: Roasted Duckling

Name of Dish Cover Accompaniment

French English
Rable de Roast saddle Joint knife, fork &hot Roast gravy &mint sauce
lievrerotie of hare joint plate or redcurrant jelly
Poulet roti Roast Joint knife, fork &hot Roast gravy, bread sauce,
a l' Anglaise chicken joint plate game chips, watercress
English style
Boeuf roti Roast beef Joint knife, fork &hot French &English
joint plate mustard, horseradish
, sauce, roast gravy,
Yorkshire pudding
Agneau roti Roast lamb J i t knife, fork &hot Mint sauce or jelly, roast
joint plate gravy
Porc roti Roast pork Joint knife, fork &hot Apple sauce, sage &
joint plate onion stuffing, roast
gravy
Dindonneau Roast turkey Joint knife, fork &hot Cranberry sauce, roast
Roti joint plate gravy, game chips,
watercress, bread sauce,
chestnut stuffing, bacon
 rolls
Veau roti Roast veal Joint knife, fork &hot Parsley &thyme stuffing,
joint plate, roast gravy
Salade Green salad Salad crescent, half French dressing/
Verte plate, dessert fork vinaigrette- raw
vegetables, sour cream-
citrus fruits,
Canard Pressed wild Joint knife, fork &hot Hot toast and butter
sauvage a' duck joint plate
la presse
Canard Roast wild Joint knife, fork &hot None
sauvage roti duck joint plate

10. Legume/ Vegetables

At this stage, the meal returns from heavy to light items. This is the
course in which vegetables are served, accompanied with sauces such
as hollandaise and melted butter. Single vegetables are served with
sauces. Vegetables can be served as an accompaniment to the main
course also.
Example
Ø Tomates Grille
Ø Pommes Frites
Ø Pommes Au Four
Ø Puree de pommes
Ø Pommes Parmentier