Introduction
The word menu comes from the word of French origin, this term began to be used in Paris in the 18th century when the first restaurants appeared. More than anything it is a set of various preparations that make up a meal, that is, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Currently there are a large number of establishments that have food service, each one of them has the function of offering food or dishes that satisfy the needs of the organism.
More than anything a menu is a kind of document offered by restaurants, inns, dining rooms or cafeterias, it shows diners a list of the dishes that are available to taste, these must be structured by all food groups, which will be in charge of providing the necessary nutrients that the body needs for its daily functions.
Before the establishment opens its doors to the public, the menu program must be planned and this will depend on the type of service provided by the place, once the menu program has been drawn up, it is necessary that they be controlled through a standardization of recipes, in which all the preferences of the people are known, in such a way that this will help to make varied, balanced and complete dishes.
Preparation of the menu in a food service
The menu also known as minuta which means small, is a set of dishes or preparations that make up a meal, it is the starting and ending point of all food service, which it usually offers to the customer. The menu is primarily responsible for determining the food to be purchased, the staff as well as the appropriate equipment for the production and service of these. 1.2
To prepare menus, a number of factors must be taken into account such as age, cultural and economic environment, food preferences and the energy value of the food, the premises and equipment, the type and style of service, the production capacity and availability. one
Menu types
Menus can be classified in different ways:
- According to the food in which it is going to be served: here, more than anything, it should be seen that there are menus for breakfast, lunch, lunch, dinner, snack or any other. 1 According to the variation: static menus are established, that is, those that are always serve the same preparations throughout the day, varied menus, these must be different according to the food, and must also be changed every day. 1 According to the possibility of selection: these are classified into two types: the selective and the non-selective menus, as for the selective ones it refers to the fact that they are of a wide selection, that is to say that you can choose different preparations from all the food groups that make up the menu or they are Limited selection, when only a few food groups can be chosen.
The non-selective menus these usually offer a single preparation of all the food groups that make up the menu. one
- According to the organization of the menu: most of all the menu is organized once based on a pattern or model menu of the list of food groups that should have each meal. 1 According to the period during which the varied menu is offered: this type of menu has several classifications, for example, the true cyclical menu refers to those daily menus that are repeated regularly. The duration of this cycle will depend on the estimate made by the head or manager of the food service about how soon it can be repeated without tiring the diner or customer.
Cyclical jumps menu, this menu offers on a regular basis, but here you must be careful not to repeat the dishes the same day of the week. Split cyclical menu, is used when customers want variety, but while frequently receiving favorite foods or preparations and finally there is the random cyclical menu, this type of menu does not program meals in a certain order or day, they are selected by assigned codes. one
Basic rules in menu planning
Among the most important rules for planning menus are the following:
- Nutritional balance: here it is intended that the food provided provides the energetic and nutritional needs of the diner. 1 Variety: The menus must have different textures, that is, they must be crispy, soft, smooth and grainy. The consistency these must have a degree of firmness, viscosity, gelatinous, liquid, firm and thick. Color also plays a very important role since it makes the dishes more attractive and appetizing. As for the flavor, these must be sweet, salty, sour, bitter, spicy, it is worth mentioning that these must be combined. The shapes that should be given to food are for example in the form of cubes, strips, balls, zest, this is in order to make the dish more attractive. Moisture is also important since wet or juicy foods must be combined with those that are dry. As for the preparation method, here more than anything you should avoid that the preparations are roasted,fried or cooked. These rules should be used with caution as there are situations where customers prefer combinations that are prohibited. one
Criteria for preparing different types of menus
In the restaurant sector, the menus must be attractive, healthy, it is very important to take into account rules to plan and design these gastronomic offerings. 3
From a dietary point of view 3
- The menus must be balanced, it must also provide the necessary nutrients. They must be oriented mainly to the taste and characteristics of the diner. They must be made with quality products, they must also be handled correctly to give it good hygiene. They must offer more dishes Strong, at lunchtime the food must be difficult to digest since these will provide the necessary energy to carry out the activities throughout the day. On the other hand, at dinner, light menus should be included.
From the economic point of view: 3
- It is recommended to use seasonal products that are from the region. All merchandise that is found in the kitchen and in the warehouse must be taken into account. It must work with standard prices. the dishes, before being shown to customers.
From the point of view of the organization: 3
- Program the menu with enough anticipation to carry out the activities and get the work done. Distribute the tasks equally among the different items in the kitchen.
From a gastronomic and organoleptic point of view: 3
- Avoid having two or more dishes prepared in the same way, for example grilled meats or grilled vegetables, on the same menu. Sauces or garnishes must not be repeated within the same menu.
From an aesthetic point of view: 3
- The letter should be displayed on good quality, light-colored paper. The presentation should be simple, should include the establishment's logo and be in the shape of a folder or similar to it. The plates should be indicated in clear letters, without spelling mistakes., studs should also avoid using complicated names.
Steps to develop the general menu program of a food service.
In order to have the menu program that best suits the specific needs of a food service, three very important aspects must be taken into account. one
- Preparation of repertoire of recipes: The menus will be planned by selecting those preparations that are appropriate for the type of service to be provided. When the selection begins, the personnel in charge of planning the menus will find a large number of preparations that were found from cookbooks, magazines, newspapers, television programs, etc. It is worth mentioning that recipes can be eliminated because they do not meet the objectives of the consumer, because they exceed budgets or because the ingredients are not available. Once this has been done, the repertoire of recipes already established is obtained, which is an easier way to choose the preparations that will make up the menu programs. Soups, rice, pasta, salads, vegetables, desserts and cakes can be registered in this type of files.1 Preparation of the general menu program: once the repertoire of recipes is already at hand, continue with the preparation of the program, here you will define the types of menus to be supplied. For this, the following steps must be followed: 1
- The main dishes are chosen for each of the meals, throughout the cycle: the main dishes determine which are the preparations that accompany them, in addition expensive preparations must be mixed with economic dishes and thus be able to stay within the budget. 1 Selection of the accompanying avocados: these belong to the different food groups such as cereals and tubers, and sometimes to legumes. These should be planned with the same care as the main dish, innovating dishes that are creative and appetizing. oneSelection of cooked vegetables and vegetables or salads: these food groups are responsible for giving color and variety to the menu. Many diners today prefer this food group as there is a concern to obtain or maintain a healthy weight and promote a healthy state of health. On the other hand, the counters or salad bars are an alternative that helps to offer the most appetizing and varied salads, the different types of vegetables can be complemented with other foods such as cheese, bread, meat, etc. 1 Choice of the soup to be served: the choice of this group can replace the side dish or the vegetables. The soup should not be anything, this should be a dish whose preparation is done carefully. oneChoice of dishes or sweets: ice creams, fruits, cakes, cookies are offered here, it is recommended to select those desserts that are simple, nutritious and low in calories 1 Planning of breakfasts and other meals: this type of menu should be attractive to the client and foods such as eggs, fruits, meats must be included, it must also be varied and pleasant. one
conclusion
When speaking of the term menu, it refers to a set of dishes that make up a meal. Within a food service, a planning of the menus to be offered to the customer must be prepared.
The rules that are used for planning this are the variety and the nutritional balance, in the first one they refer to the fact that every dish to be made must have a good texture, consistency, flavor and color since these are what will make the dish more presentable, eye-catching and appetizing.
On the other hand, the nutritional balance is also important since the food that is provided must provide all the necessary nutrients that the diner needs.
To carry out the completion of a menu, a series of criteria must be taken into account, both dietary, economic, aesthetic and organoleptic, on these it will depend that the restaurant area can provide a good service to people, since this is where they know the tastes that customers have.
As for the food to be served, it must be mainly those of the region and of the season, on the other hand, they must be handled correctly, since if they are neglected they can put the health of the diner at risk.
When preparing a menu program, a series of steps must be followed, ranging from choosing the main dishes as well as the side dishes, salads, soups and sweet dishes.
References
- BD roof. Administration of food, quality, nutrition, productivity and benefits services. 2nd edition. Editorial University of Antioquia. Colombia; 2007.Díaz PE. Administrative and commercial management in restoration. 1 edition. Ediciones Paraninfo, SA: Madrid, Spain; 2014.Motto LM. Service and customer service in restaurant (UF0259). 1 edition. Ediciones Paraninfo, SA: Madrid, Spain; 2011.
