Introduction
Food services require the organization in the process of preparing dishes, where there are a series of processes that aim to achieve favorable results for service officials as well as for clients or users. So the application of these will depend on each of the officials involved in such processes.
A food establishment such as restaurants, cafes, inns, among others, have to establish the type of food that they will offer to the public, mainly those that are going to start offering their service. It is essential that all food services carry out adequate planning regarding the preparation of their dishes.
For there to be an adequate organization, various aspects that intervene in the activities carried out within such elaboration must be known, in which the food products are going to be manipulated, so the knowledge of these will determine that the employees or those who will intervene in them, carry out such activities with favorable results for which the service is provided.
The dishes or various preparations offered to the public, have a great impact on the preference of customers, but what will determine the choice of such dishes is the way in which they are presented and organized in the list of dishes that may well be offered. in letters to each client or be displayed on a large blackboard in public view.
Preparation of menus
Within the food service system, the menu is the central part, which constitutes the set of preparations that a certain food or dish carries, which must be served according to an order that the establishment has arranged.
The elaboration of menus is the set of activities that a food establishment or service has to carry out, which implies the purchase of food, its storage, transformation and / or distribution or offering to the public, as well as hygiene and health in said process.
Objectives of the elaboration of menus
The primary reason for creating a menu is to achieve culinary customer satisfaction. Which implies that it meets certain characteristics such as:
- Cover with the nutritional needs of the diner. Be the starting point to implement various activities in the areas that can be applied, since depending on the types of dishes and ingredients, these will be purchased according to the need (shopping area), as well as well as the number of people required (personnel administration) and the quality as well as the level of preparation of the employees in which they will perform (production area).The ingredients that the dishes contain must be chosen according to the level of monetary budget with which it is counted. It must be the one that defines and distinguishes the establishment, for which it requires that the dishes be made with the highest quality and creativity possible.
Characteristics of those in charge of preparing menus
- The level of academic preparation or training will depend on the type of clients to whom the preparations are directed, as well as the type of food service. That among those in charge of organizing the menu, there is someone with knowledge in nutrition. Preparation should be made of knowledge about the foods that are mostly consumed, as well as their availability, which implies investigating about the foods that are given seasonally, their prices and distribution in the geographic region in which they are found. They must be creative and have skill in handling the ingredients for the presentation of dishes. Have sensitivity in the sensory senses such as smell, taste, sight and touch mainly,in order to carry out the elaboration of the dishes with the highest quality in flavor and presentation mainly. Have the proper formation and training in the handling of used equipment. The proper use and handling of food should be according to the prices they have To avoid monetary losses due to excess or inappropriate use. Knowledge about menu programming must be updated and innovated, avoiding thoughts that impede the progress and advancement of creations.Knowledge about menu programming must be updated and innovated, avoiding the existence of thoughts that impede the progress and advancement of creations.Knowledge about menu programming must be updated and innovated, avoiding the existence of thoughts that impede the progress and advancement of creations.
The elaboration of menus implies the development and implementation of the planning, execution, control and evaluation of those that have been elaborated.
Planning
There are certain factors that intervene in the planning of the menu such as:
Clientele:
Sociocultural and nutritional needs intervene in the factor that is called clientele.
Sociocultural factors
Eating habits: which are those that are going to intervene in the what, when, how and why of an individual or group of these, consumes some food, which will depend on age, sex, culture, race, religion, economic status and social, as well as the geographical area in which they are located.
Food preferences: are the level of attraction or taste that individuals will have for specific foods, which are mainly those that are consumed frequently or commonly in the place where they live.
The motivation: it is what makes customers consume the dishes offered at a specific time and place. There are various reasons or reasons why the above happens, such as:
- Appetite or hunger Social pressures (Weddings, business meetings) Habit (Those that lead to eat at times when the individual does not want) Desire for change (They may decide to change type of food such as choosing Italian, Chinese or Mexican food) Factors psychological (using food as a means of reward or repression)
Nutritional needs
These should be considered the most important for food services, primarily those in hospitals, schools, homes, and industries. In the case of establishments selling prepared foods such as restaurants, they are beginning to take on the importance of nutrition for health care and well-being, since there is an increase in this aspect on the part of the population.
Internal service factors
Premises and equipment
There can be two types of situations, some are those that due to the type of menu the premises and equipment are acquired and / or determined, which occurs mainly when there is an opening of a food service. Another is where the menu has to be adjusted to the type of premises and equipment, such as storage or preparation capacity depending on the type.
Production capacity
For which the production quantity is determined, the following must be considered:
- The number and skills of staff Quantity and capacity of the team Time elapsed between the prepared products and the served
Budget
For the elaboration of a menu to be carried out, the money available must be considered, as it is necessary to consider the combination of high-cost preparations with a low-cost one.
Type and style of service
These are the ones that will influence the kind of food and preparations that are included in the menu. Since there are different types of menu depending on the type of food service, which varies from one to another.
External factors
Weather and seasons
The temperature of the dishes or preparations that customers prefer will depend on these, since hot products are commonly preferred in a place with a cold climate, and in a place with a warm climate, quite the opposite, which depends on the seasons.
Food availability
This will depend on the previous aspect, as well as the geographic region of the food service, as well as the place where the establishment is located is an urban city or rural town, the dishes will be required to have certain different characteristics for each one.
State regulations
Regulatory agencies will determine the quality expected of both the ingredients purchased and the handling that is carried out, in order to ensure the health of customers.
Menu types
They are classified according to the food offered to the public:
- According to the food in which they are going to be served: Among these we find those that are served for breakfast, lunch, lunch, dinner, and snack. According to the organization of the menu: it can be done through established food lists, which are It is known as a pattern menu, which includes the amounts of the portions and food groups per dish, which is done according to the energy and nutrient requirements for the different population groups. This is done mainly in hospitals, schools of various degrees of education, nurseries, nursing homes, homes, among others.
The following classification is according to those with which according to the time of the period a varied menu is offered:
- True cyclical menu: This offers that group of daily menus, which are normally repeated regularly. Cyclical menu with jumps: This menu is offered regularly, with due care not to repeat it on the same day of the week. Split cyclical menu: This is used when customers want there to be variety in the dishes and preparations offered, but without leaving the ones that are normally consumed.
Procedure for planning the menu program
In order to have a menu prepared in the way that meets the requirements of customers and food service. General considerations should be taken into account.
Preparation of the repertoire of recipes
The selection of a group of preparations that are suitable for this service is made. When starting with these, there are many types of dishes available that are prepared in the kitchen recipes that are in books, magazines, newspapers, radio, television, internet, among many other sources; But those that conform to the market types in which the service is offered must be chosen, as well as those that are not going to be used.
After that, there will be a variety of recipes from which you can choose soups, pastas, salads, desserts, side dishes, etc., being able to group them on different cards to distinguish each one. These should be constantly updated to ensure that customers have the best options.
Preparation of the general menu program
This requires that the aforementioned factors that take part in the planning of the menu be taken into account, therefore it will be necessary to have defined the preparations that will be included, taking this into account to choose the main dishes that will be offered in the cycle.
The main dish included in the menu can be all the food itself, this will define whether garnishes or side dishes are chosen, for which an appropriate combination should be considered, avoiding the repetition of food groups, ensuring that there is minus one type of food from each group. Vegetables with colors that contrast with those of the dish should be selected.
For the presentation of the dishes you must have creativity to make it attractive and thus be more liked and liked by customers.
Desserts or sweets are presented in a way that pleases customers, giving decoration and artistic touches to meals.
For the planning of breakfasts and other meals, it is required that they be varied, and may be accompanied by sandwiches that are made of products that are pleasant, nutritious and creative.
Checking the general menu program
The constant review of the menu carried out, which is considered as the control and evaluation, may consider the following:
- If it is nutritionally adequate, the food offered should be seasonal, season or recent harvest, as well as being accessible in terms of price. The equipment and personnel with which it can be prepared are those that are available. The dishes have creativity both in its preparation and in its preparation, having good results in its color, texture, consistency, flavor and shape. There is a variety of dishes regarding flavor, preparation and presentation. Accompaniments and dressings are suitable for the dishes. There is an appropriate combination of the food groups obtained in the dishes.
conclusion
The elaboration of menus involves a series of processes already mentioned, which have various aspects to consider, which in general can be somewhat complicated, but its application is of great importance for the proper fulfillment of the preparation service. foods.
The application of planning in the creation of menus appropriate to the characteristics and needs of diners, taking into account aspects of the procedure, will have an impact on economic development, as well as on the positioning and status of the sales establishment. in front of its competitors.
The fulfillment of the menu creation process must have the highest levels of importance, since this will depend on the center of the company's activity and primary service, which is to offer products and food-type preparations, in addition to they are the ones that will distinguish each one, so the originality and innovation that each establishment must share in a special way also interferes.
It is relevant that periodic evaluations of the menus that have been prepared are carried out, to supervise that those that have been offered to the public are those that adequately describe the dishes as well as the possible accompaniments of each one. For this, the opinion of customers must be considered, with which a record can be made, which will serve as a reference to modify and subsequently update the list of preparations contained in the menu.
References
- Dolly Tejada B. Administration of food services. Quality, nutrition, productivity and benefits. 2nd ed. Editorial University of Antioquia; Spain: 2006 Gil Gil A. Culinary Techniques. 1st ed. AKAL editions; Madrid: 2010.Díaz Paniagua E, León Sánchez M. Administrative and commercial management in restaurants. 1st Ed. Editions Auditorium; Madrid: 2014.
