CHAPTER 7 Mark Fergus What’s on the menu? FOCUS AREA: FOOD SERVICE AND CATERING Throughout history, there have always been occasions when non-family members FOCUS prepared meals for the family. Wealthy ancient Greeks and Romans employed chefs AREA to prepare elaborate feasts. Travellers have always needed food and accommodation. Large cultural celebrations such as weddings have traditionally depended on the assistance of outside caterers. CHAPTER OUTCOMES In this chapter you will learn about: • identify and demonstrate safe • different food service and catering work practices ventures and their value to society • compare and develop menus and • employment opportunities in the recipes for different catering food/hospitality industry events • employer, employee and consumer • identify elements of a recipe rights and responsibilities • design, plan and prepare food for • menu planning functions • recipe development • set tables • purchasing systems • create a proposal for a small food • food service and catering business. • operating a small food business. In this chapter you will learn to: RECIPES • examine the operations and • Bruschetta, p. 244 contribution of different food • Sweet potato soup, p. 245 service ventures • Salt and pepper squid, p. 246 FOOD WORDS • conduct web searches • Steak Diane, p. 247 • outline employer, employee and duty of care legal • Mini baked cheesecakes, p. 248 obligation imposed on consumer responsibilities • Thai chicken cakes, p. 249 an individual requiring adherence to a standard of reasonable care while performing any acts that could foreseeably harm FOOD The word ‘restaurant’ Today, instead of using the term others FACTS derives from the ‘restaurant’, food entrepreneurs employee a person French verb restaurer, employ terms like ‘grill’, ‘bar’, ‘diner’, working for another person meaning ‘to restore’. It was first ‘shack’, ‘stand’ and ‘cafe’. or business for pay used in France in the 16th century to employer a person or Famous French chef Fernand Point describe soups sold by street vendors business that employs one said, ‘If the menu is not appealing, or more people, especially that were advertised to restore your the people will lose their appetites for wages or salary health. and their desire to part with their enterprise a company The word ‘bistro’ comes from the money’. organised for commercial Russian word bystro, meaning ‘quickly’. purposes Smorgasbord is the Swedish term for finger food small appetiser Casual workers make up just over half ‘buffet’. or sweet item that you can of workers in the food service industry. For safety reasons, dining venues have pick up and eat using your There are many more male chefs than a set number of seats they can offer in fingers female chefs, yet in the home, more both their indoor and outdoor dining media forms of communication – radio, females cook than males. areas. This is determined by the local television, newspapers, council. Workers can choose whether to join magazines, social media, a union or not; however, unions play If cooked rice is left in the danger world wide web – that a valuable role in protecting the zone of 5–60°C for a few hours, it reach large numbers of people rights of workers and improving their can give you food poisoning because portion size specific size, conditions. the bacteria Bacillus cereus in shape and weight of food to rice multiplies rapidly in warm The NSW Food Authority website be served conditions. lists names of businesses that have stock control determination breached the Food Act. of the supply of goods kept by a business 217 218 FOOD TECH FOCUS 9780170383417 7.1 Food service and catering ventures While catering itself is all about the cooking of food, food service involves the serving of food to Economic and social value customers, patients, students and clients. Economic contribution Food ventures contribute to the economy as they Profit and non-profit ventures pay government taxes that allow many community Most food service and catering ventures operate to projects and services to be funded, such as education, make a profit (monetary gain). Some ventures are welfare, highways and defence. Food ventures non-profit operations that support communities or purchase food and supplies from other businesses, provide an essential service. such as butchers, bakers and coffee merchants. They therefore assist other businesses to make money and Table 7.1 Profit-making and non-profit-making ventures employ staff. TYPICAL PROFIT-MAKING TYPICAL NON-PROFIT- Preparing and serving food requires staff. Workers VENTURES MAKING VENTURES use wages to purchase goods and services and this Restaurants Canteens for: assists to promote economic growth. Workers also pay Cafes • schools, colleges and taxes to the government. Even customers pay taxes Bistros universities Hotels and motels – room • sport through the Good and Services Tax (GST) applied to service, bar service and • work. food that is prepared. restaurants Function centres Fundraising food stalls Fast food and take-away Caterers in: Social contribution stores • hospitals Australians are relying more on food service Food stalls • nursing homes providers. Working parents find that it often saves Mobile food vans and food • prisons time and energy to eat out, buy take-away or trucks • defence service Caterers for: • boarding schools organise a function outside the home. Australian • public events • childcare centres households are also, on average, much smaller than in • private functions • charities the past, and preparing meals for one or two people • transport, such as • relief and emergency is considered more difficult than purchasing a meal airlines services. • film and television already prepared. • canteens and Non-profit food service organisations provide cafeterias. essential social contributions. For example, Where taxpayers’ money is spent (2014–15) All other functions $43.2 billion* Social security and welfare $145.8 billion General public services $23.2 billion Defence $24.2 billion Education $29.6 billion Health $66.9 billion Other purposes $82.0 billion* *Other functions and purposes could include community services and culture, infrastructure, transport and energy, industry and workforce costs. Figure 7.1 Where Australian taxpayers’ money is spent 9780170383417 CHAPTER 7 – What’S ON THE MENU? 219 charities often feed people who are sick, frail and income to help provide facilities, equipment and 7 CHAPTER homeless, and others provide emergency services services for their members, as well as for other during disasters. groups in society. Some community organisations Many sporting and service clubs operate or and charities hold food stalls to raise money to lease ventures such as bistros and canteens to earn fund local community projects. Alamy Stock Photo/MBI Alamy Stock Figure 7.2 Many families often enjoy sharing meals together at restaurants as occasional alternatives to eating at home. FOOD IN FOCUS In a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, KARIMBLA COMMUNITY clients can enjoy a nutritious and affordable meal for $10.00, consisting of a warm bread RESTAURANT roll and butter, a choice of two main meals The Karimbla Restaurant offers a variety of followed by a choice of two desserts with an services to the South East Sydney Regions’ after-dinner mint, served with tea, coffee, hot frail aged, younger people with a disability chocolate or apple juice. Menus change twice and their carers. Some clients only need the a week to offer plenty of variety. service for a short time as they have just The restaurant also offers internet & left hospital and/or are recovering from an computer classes to clients. Internet access is illness. Others are more regular, particularly available for clients who would like to organise those who live on their own and find it is internet grocery shopping. Frozen meals are easier, more enjoyable and more affordable available to order to enable clients to have to eat at the restaurant than having to cook healthy, easily-prepared meals at home. for themselves. Like with most restaurants, Source: Adapted from the Karimbla Community bookings are encouraged. Restaurant website ACTIVITIES 3 Besides a sit-down meal, what else does the 1 Who are the restaurant’s clients? restaurant offer? 2 What do the customers get for their money? 4 Plan a menu for the restaurant. Give reasons for your food selection. 220 FOOD TECH FOCUS 9780170383417 UNIT REVIEW LOOKING BACK 7 Plan a dinner menu that could be prepared by 1 Distinguish between the terms ‘catering’ and an airline catering company for a flight from ‘food service’. Sydney to Auckland. Make sure to include a 2 Give three examples of profit-making food dessert and drink. service and catering ventures. 8 Brainstorm at least seven ways the Australian 3 What does the acronym GST stand for? government uses money gained from taxes. 4 Identify three groups in society who may benefit TAKING IT FURTHER from the services of non-profit food service and 9 Set up your own catering company and produce a catering ventures. social media page, leaflet or brochure providing FOR YOU TO DO prospective customers the following information: 5 Write a paragraph about your favourite food • company name and contact details service and catering establishment. Give • food services you provide, such as function reasons why you like the establishment. and corporate catering 6 If you were in charge of catering for a • examples of foods you offer, such as school or sporting canteen, list 10 healthy platters and finger foods foods and drink items you would have on your • appropriate images. menu. 7.2 Employment opportunities in the industry Food service and catering is a large, expanding and Table 7.2 Personal requirements for working in food diverse industry that offers full-time, part-time and service and catering casual work opportunities. REQUIREMENTS BENEFITS AND Full-time employees work between 35 and OPPORTUNITIES 40 hours a week, while part-time employees Communication Select from a variety of skills careers work between 12 and 35 hours a week.