Service

Food & Beverage

Training For all
By samir fathy
Service Sequence

1. Greet and seat the guests.

 Welcome the guests as soon as they
arrive. (DRM).
 Ask them if they have a reservation.
Check the reservation. (DRM)
 If no table has been booked, check if one
is available. (DRM)
 Show the guest their table. (DRM)
 Offer the guest a chair to encourage them
to be seated. 
Service Sequence

2. Open the napkins

 Some guests will open their own napkins
as soon as they sit down.
 Stand at the right of the guest, pick up the
napkin with your right hand.
 Shake the napkin from its fold into a
triangle.
 Place the longest side of the triangle
closest to the guest.
 Move anti-clockwise around the table
opening the napkins, the host at last. 
Service Sequence

3. Correct & remove covers

 To correct a cover is to adjust the cutlery
originally laid to meet a guest’s specific
order.
 Starting with the guest on the right of the
host, move anti-clockwise, finishing with
the host
 To adjust the cutlery, lift the item not
required and replace it with the correct
one.
 Remove unnecessary cutlery and
glassware from the table . 
Service Sequence

4. Serve beverage
 Take the beverages at the bar. Be sure to
know who drinks what. It is not
professional to ask the guest.
 All glassware, whether clean or used,
should be carried upright on a drink tray,
held only by the base of the glass. Hold
the tray with your left hand, and use your
right hand to place the drink from the
guest’s right side.
 Beverage Service sequence (see 11)
 Throughout the meal, if the guest’s glass
look nearly empty, ask if he/she wants
another drink. 
 Service Sequence

5. Clear the starter

 Guest usually indicate that they have
finished their course by placing the cutlery
together on the plate.
 As they don’t always do this, you must be
alert to other signs from the table that
everyone has finished, and if necessary,
you must ask guests whether they are
finished or not.
 In modern plate service, it is usual to clear
at once, when all guest have finished,
from the right side of the guest, by using
your right hand. 
Service Sequence

6. Clear the main course

 Guest usually indicate that they have
finished their main course by placing the
cutlery together on the plate.
 If necessary, you must ask guests
whether they are finished or not.
 Clear at once, when all guest have
finished, from the right side of the guest,
by using your right hand.
 Brush the crumbs onto the a dinner plate
using a folded service cloth held in your
right hand and adjust the dessert
cutlery. 
Service Sequence

7. Announce the dessert

 When ready to serve the dessert, go to
the kitchen and announce the dessert.
 Say something like: “Please, dessert for
table 4”.
 When you receive the food from the
kitchen, be sure to know who eats what. It
is not professional to ask the guest. 
Service Sequence

8. Serve the dessert

 Plates are both placed and cleared from
the guest’s right side, as this causes the
least disturbance to the guest.
 Serve the guest immediately to the right of
the host first, and then move anti-
clockwise around the table, serving each
guest in turn, regard-less of sex. The host
to be served at last.
 In some establishments, you may be
required to serve ladies before gentlemen,
or this may be required by the guests. 
Service Sequence

9. Take the coffee / tea order

 The coffee / tea may be served with the
dessert if requested by the guest,
therefore, you may be asked the take the
order before serving the dessert.
 Start to take the order of the guest on the
right of the host, and work anti-clockwise
around the table, finishing with the host’s
order.
 Transfer the top copy to the bar, the third
copy to the cashier, and the fourth copy
for you. 
Service Sequence

10. Serve the coffee / tea

 Place the accompanying items (milk,
sugar) on the table.
 Serve the guest immediately to the right of
the host first, and then move anti-
clockwise around the table, serving each
guest in turn, regard-less of sex. The host
to be served at last.
 In some establishments, you may be
required to serve ladies before gentlemen,
or this may be required by the guests. 
Service Sequence

11. See the guests leaving

 Assist the guest departing by moving

their chairs for them, collecting their
personal belonging (not forgetting
coats, hats and bags).
 If you are too busy, at least
acknowledge their departure with a
nod and a smile
 Wish your guest “Good afternoon” and
thank them for coming. If your know
their name, use it: “Good afternoon Mr.
samir. We look forward to seeing you
again soon” . 
Service Sequence

12. Clearing and re-setting

 Remove dessert plates and coffee
cups by hand. Glassware should be
removed on a drinks tray.
 Only when all the guests have left the
restaurant, remove the flowers on a
tray and put them in the refrigerator.
 Then, remove the dirty napkins and
tablecloths.
 Ensure that all the tables and chairs
are returned to their original positions.
Do not forget to check chairs for
crumbs. 
Service Sequence

13. During the service period

 Offer bread throughout the meal.
 Offer water throughout the meal.
 When you can, help your colleagues.
 If you forgot to do something or if you did
a mistake, correct it.
 Don’t forget the most important thing:
smile and be kind. 
 FOOD SERVICE PREPARATION (4)

Station Mise-en-Place
A waiter’s station should carry the following:
 All the necessary cutlery, for example knives soup
spoon, main knives and forks, dessert spoons and
forks, etc…
 Service utensils (tablespoons and forks)
 Crumbing down equipment
 Service plates
 Tea/coffee service equipment (milk jugs, sugar
bowls…)
 Bread service equipment
 Napkins
 Service tray
 Toothpicks  to be continued…
 FOOD SERVICE PREPARATION (4)

Station Mise-en-Place
 Menus
 Wine list
 Spare Guest Check and pen
 Condiments (sauces, pepper-mill, salt)
 Clean table linen
 Candles
 Additional items. 
 FOOD SERVICE PREPARATION (4)

How to lay a cover

There are two principal types of covers a) à la carte and b) set menu
(table d’hôte) cover. Whatever the type of cover to be laid, the
following rules apply:
 All cutlery and glassware should be cleaned and polished
before they are placed on the table.
 The main knife and fork should be positioned 1cm from the
edge of the table.
 Side plate are always positioned to the guest’s left.
 The blades of all knives on the cover should face left.
 Side knives are placed on the side plate to its right hand side.
 The water glass is positioned 2cm from the top of the main
knife. Additional red wine and white wine glasses are
positioned at a 45o angle to the right, or in triangle.
 A folded napkin is placed in the centre of the cover. 
Wine serving by the bottle

 wines are always served from the right.

 Bottle is presented to the host from the right
 Host to confirm that the drink is the one
 Opens the bottle on a serving table in front of the
guests.
 A small quantity of wine is poured into the host´s
glass
 Wine serving by the bottle

 it is then served to the guests

 Starting with the guest of or the oldest lady or
gentleman
 Followed by the other guests and then the host
 For white wine and rose wine the glass is half
filled at its most. These wines need to be filled
more often and thus the wine will always be at
the right temperature and fresh. The red wine
glass is filled to the widest point, no more than
half full
Plate service skills and
PLATE SERVICE

techniques

In professional plate service no

more than four plates are carried
at a time.
The two professional methods
are the two- and three-plate
carrying techniques.
These involve carrying two or
three plates in the left hand,
having the right hand free. The
right hand can be used to carry
another plate. 
 PLATE SERVICE

Plate service procedure

 In modern plate service, plates are both

placed and cleared from the guest’s right
side, as this causes the least disturbance
to the guest.
 In modern plate service, serve the guest
immediately to the right of the host first,
and then move anti-clockwise around the
table, serving each guest in turn, regard-
less of sex. The host to be served at last.
 In some establishments, you may be
required to serve ladies before gentlemen,
or this may be required by the guests. 
 PLATE SERVICE

Two-plate carrying technique

 Hold the first plate between your thumb,

index finger and the middle finger of your left
hand. If the plate is hot, use a service cloth.
 Then place the second plate on a platform
above the first plate, supporting it by your
ring finger, your little finger, and the base of
your thumb and lower forearm.
 Carry the plates to the table holding them
away from your body. To place the plates in
front of your guests, position yourself at the
back right hand corner of the guest chair.
 The plate should be placed so that the main
item (meat, fish, etc…) is immediately in front
of the guest. 
 PLATE SERVICE

Three-plate carrying technique

 Hold the first plate between your thumb, index

and the middle fingers of your left hand.
 Place the second plate into the crease of the
palm of your left hand under the edge of the
first plate, supporting it by your ring and little
fingers.
 Place the third plate so that it sits on the flat of
your forearm and the rim of the second plate.
 Carry the plates to the table holding them
away from your body. To place the plates in
front of your guests, position yourself at the
back right hand corner of the guest chair.
 The plate should be placed so that the main
item (meat, fish, etc…) is immediately in front
of the guest. 
 SILVER SERVICE

Silver Service

Silver service is the technique of

transferring food from a service dish
to the guest’s plate from the left with
the use of service cutlery.
This usually means a service spoon
and fork, but occasionally it consists
of knives.
Silver service requires the waiter to
be able to use the cutlery to serve
the food with one hand. 
 SILVER SERVICE

Use of spoon and fork

Silver service takes place from the

left of the guest, holding the
Place a fork over a spoon in your
right hand, both facing up.
Slide your index finger between the
fork and the spoon
Lift food items with the spoon and
hold them firmly in place with the
fork while transferring them to the
guest’s plate. 
 SILVER SERVICE

Silver service procedure

Place clean hot plates in front of the

guests from the right.
Hold the service dish on the flat of
your left hand, over the guest’s
plate, no more than 5cm above it.
Place the main item of the course to
the front of the guest’s plate. Place
the vegetables and garniture behind
the main item. Note that no items
are placed on the rim of the plate.
Place presentation should be
consistent. Move anti-clockwise
round the table serving each guest
in turn, with the host at last. 
 SILVER SERVICE

Silver service of sauces

In silver service, accompanying

sauces should not be carried on the
same serving dish as the food.
They are offered separately using a
sauce boat on a underplate.
Sauces are never poured direct from
the sauce boat. A spoon is always
used to serve them. 