BUFFETS

The word ‘buffet’ is a French term; it means attractive presentation and display of food and
beverage items on the menu for customer to help themselves.

Buffet also means sideboard. Buffet is very useful method of service of food and beverage,
because it can serve large number of people within a short period. Buffet set up doesn’t
require large space; it can be arranged and decorated in a small space also. It serves more
numbers customer in a given time compared to table service. The buffet can be distinctive
and elegant to appeal most sophisticated gourmet taste and yet can add quality to the
simple breakfast, lunch/ dinner menu.

Advantages of Buffet

 Food and beverage can be presented in a very attractive way, which will attract and
increase the palate of the customer.
 Buffet can be arranged even in a small space.
 Buffet serves large number of customers in a short time.
 Kitchen people can stand behind buffet counter so that service staff will concentrate on
service aspect.
 Live food preparation on the buffet or separate counter adds flair to the menu as well
function.
 Kitchen brigade have more scope to showcase their culinary and presentation skills
through attractive display of food.
 Customer has a choice to select wide variety of menu items from the buffet.
 Customer can select their own portions which will reduce the wastage of food.
 From management point of view buffet set up is useful because it saves labour cost.
 Hot food items will remain hot till the last customer is served.

Types of Buffet

There are three major type of buffet

1. Sit-down Buffet
As the name suggest, in this buffet people will take the food from the buffet and sit-
down and have their food. In sit-down food there is restaurant like cover arrangement
on the table with dinner knives, AP spoons, dinner fork are provided. If wines and other
beverages are served glasses are also placed on the table.
This buffet will require more number of service staff as they require doing the clearance
of plates, cutlery, and glassware in time from the table. Many a time’s sit-down buffet is
 like a formal meal in the restaurant with quality service standards being followed, in
addition to atmosphere and décor.

2. Stand-up or Fork buffet

Stand-up or fork buffet do not have any table sitting arrangement. Customer can have
the food while standing with either fork or spoon in one hand and plate on the other.
While selecting menu for stand-up buffet such items are planned on menu which can be
eaten by either spoon or fork while standing. Food items like curries, rice and pasta
preparation, salads, pastries etc are planned on the menu.
3. Finger Buffet
Finger buffet is very simple kind of buffet where usually only snacks are served, which
does not require any cutlery and can be consumed by the hand. Food items are of a dry
nature. Items like sandwiches, canapés, puffs, Swiss rolls, muffins, samosa, kachori, Pani
Puri are planned.
The Buffet Set-up

Only promising and palatable menu, organised production and an imaginative presentation
is not enough to guarantee a success of buffet. The setup, staffing and actual service also
must planned and executed and possible hindrances must be taken in to account.
The word setup is used in reference to a buffet means arranging the tables, crockery, and
cutlery attractively, along with trays and chafing dishes. Following point should be
considered while setting up a buffet.
Space provided and size of the room
Space available and size and shape of the room are the major factors which influence on the
buffet set up. If space is limited then innovative style of set up with tiered arrangement,
back wall display can be used. Mirrors can be used to display cold food, breaking buffet in
to various sections etc.
Available time for service
The time available will also determine the set up. The fasted way to speed up service is a
straight line with access from both sides with guest having total control over portioning
and handling. Straight line, double buffets with guest converging from the sides to a central
salad section, or diverging away from the table are also possible.
Number of guest
The number of people served from a single counter ranges 50-60 for very comfortable
service to 200-250 for limited buffet dishes. A buffet for a smaller number may allow many
set up options, whereas a buffet for 2500 people may still be elegant but functionality
would be the first priority.

Type of menu
The type of menu offered often affects the buffet set up. A themed buffet can be coordinated
in all aspects to reflect the central theme. A buffet having live counters like pasta, carving
station, roast items, eggs, dosa pancake or waffle counter for breakfast affects the overall
set up.
Guest request
Guest satisfaction must be give prime importance; accordingly service staff can do the set
up as per the requirements of the guest. Some guest might prefer welcome drink counter at
the entrance to banquet hall and some might prefer it to be a separate counter in the buffet
area.
Ratio of Customers served to staff
Though there is self service system items like soup, breads, wines, dessert may be served
on the table. This will require more number of staff than usual self service buffet. Guest
served items will require chinaware to be placed in easy reach of the guest, reducing
effective space on the counter. Food items which are difficult to handle are served by the
service person.
Staffing conditions
Number of staff available for the service will also affect the spacing of the tables, the types
of food served. If staff is less it will lead to more serving or big containers, less space behind
the containers and less replenishment. The size of the staff also dictates how many dishes
staff will serve. Sometimes an attendant is required to use both hands in serving the dishes.
Distance between service and kitchen
Under ideal conditions the kitchen should be at a minimum distance from the service area.
The more items that are in production area, longer their quality can be maintained on the
buffet table.
Ease of guest service
Placing the foods within the easy reach of the guest and providing the proper utensils are
basic to the buffet planning.
Ease of Service person
Ease of service staff is also very important. Enough space should be provided behind
counter for hassle free movement attendant standing behind counters and for staff who is
doing replenishment.
Electricity Supply
Kitchen as well as service area will require power supply for lighting in entire service area,
as well as on buffet counters, refrigeration and cooling in kitchen, ovens, salamanders, and
deep fat fryers etc.

Buffet Equipments

Equipment Use
Barbeque equipments For grilling, rotisserie

Baskets For breads, wines and cheese

Beverage urns For tea, coffee, soup.

Bread knives Serrated knives for bread cutting

Buffet tables Built in, folding, portable, round, square,

rectangular etc.
Butter warmers For warming hard butter

Cake stands To raise the level of food items

Candelabra To put and light candles during dinner

Candles For lighting the table

Carving stations Carving large joint of meats with the help of
cutting board of wood or acrylic, drip pan,
fork, lamp, slicer etc.
Chafing dish For keeping hot or cold food items for
buffet.
Cheese boards & knives Used for display and cutting of cheese.

Display buffet trolleys Used for hot or cold food items.

Fish platters Fish shaped platter to serve fish.

Fuel pots For heating food in the chafing dish.

Glassware For service of water and non alcoholic and

alcoholic beverages.
Heat Lamps Gas or spirit operated

Ice bins To store ice.

Ice cream scoops For scooping ice creams

Ladles For portioning various food items in plate.

Lazy Suzans These are rotating center tables for display

of salads, sauces, breads and
accompaniments.
Lighting Indoor, outdoor, spot etc.

Linen For laying over buffet tables and service

tables, frills sateen cloths etc.
Menu displays Chalkboards, lighted boards, tent cards.

Napkins Cloths and disposable

Pan inserts For making sections in chafing dish.

Pepper mills For crushing black pepper

Petite marmites Brass, silver, steel for service of soups

Platforms For making stage and dance arrangement

Service gear For service of food.

 Serving bowl For carrying food to the table for service.

Tabletop ranges For cooking food.

Tents or Marquees Canopies over buffet tables and tents for

seating arrangement.
Tongs To pick up food items from trays, bowls etc.

Transport Van Heated or refrigerated vans for transfer of

food.
Trays For carrying glassware, cutlery to the table
and service.
Waffle irons To prepare waffles on a live counter.

Types of Buffet Themes:

Cajun Cocktails Buffet

The dishes from Cajun cuisine along with cocktail are known as Cajun cocktail buffet. Cajun
cuisine is the is the style of cooking named for the French-speaking immigrants deported
by the British from Acadia in Canada and Louisiana, USA. It is what could be called a rustic
cuisine — locally available ingredients predominate, and preparation is simple. An
authentic Cajun meal is usually a three-pot affair, with one pot dedicated to the main dish,
one dedicated to steamed rice, special made sausages, or some seafood dish, and the third
containing whatever vegetable is plentiful or available. Ground Cayenne & Fresh Black
Pepper is used often.

Easter Buffet
Very famous buffet theme in an Europe during Easters. Set the table with pastel- or cream-
colored linens. Clean and ready serving dishes are used.

Hors d’ oeuvres Buffet

A buffet theme in which all types of hors d’ oeuvres, i.e. hot and cold- classical hors d’
oeuvres and hors d’ varies are displayed prominently on the buffet.

Smörgåsbord Buffet
Smörgåsbord is a type of Scandinavian meal served buffet-style with multiple cold dishes
of various foods on a table, originating in Sweden.
A traditional Swedish smörgåsbord consists of both hot and cold dishes. Bread, butter, and
cheese are always part of the smörgåsbord. It is customary to begin with the cold fish dishes
which are generally various forms of herring, salmon, and eel. After eating the first portion,
people usually continue with the second course (other cold dishes), and round off with hot
dishes. Dessert may or may not be included in a smö rgå sbord.
The members of the Swedish merchant and upper class in fourteenth-century Sweden and
Finland served schnapps table (brännvinsbord), a small buffet presented on a side table
offering a variety of hors d'oeuvres served prior to a meal before sitting at the dinner
table. The most simple brännvinsbord was bread, butter, cheese, herring and several types
of liqueurs, but smoked salmon, sausages and cold cuts were also served.
The brännvinsbord was served as an appetizer for a gathering of people and eaten while
standing before a dinner or supper, often two to five hours before dinner, sometimes with
the men and women in separate rooms. The smörgåsbord became popular in the mid-
seventeenth century, when the food moved from the side table to the main table and
service began containing both warm and cold dishes. Smörgåsbord was also served as an
appetizer in hotels and later at railway stations, before the dining cars time for the guests.
Restaurants in Stockholm at the 1912 Olympic Games stopped serving smörgåsbord as an
appetizer and started serving them instead as a main course.