MEEC

1
MEEC

• Chapter Seven
• Food and Beverage Management

2
Introduction

• Food Beverage Functions
• Food for fuel
• Food for the overall experience
• Keeps group together
• In one place
• At one time
• Eases service strain in restaurants on site
• What can go wrong, will go wrong.

3
Catered Events - Defined

• One host / sponsor
• One check / bill
• Same meal unless special dietary
  consideration
• Mandatory gratuity 15-22
• Distributed to staff and/or management

4
Catered Events - Types

• On Premise
• facility with permanent kitchen and function
  rooms
• Locations hotel, restaurant, convention center
• Permanent furniture and equipment
• Off Premise
• Transports food (prepared or to prepare on site)
• Locations tents, museums, parks, attractions
• Equipment and furniture rentals
• Contract through RFP process

5
Catered Events - Types

• Off Premise (continued)
• Using Destination Management Companies (DMC)
• Locally based company who knows the locally based
  venues, caterers and suppliers
• A one-stop shop for the planner
• Transportation
• Additional costs additional coordination
• Weather
• Always a challenge
• Back-up plans required

6
Catered Events - Types

• Conference Centers
• Complete Meeting Package (CMP)
• Guest rooms, AV and all meals included in one
  price per person
• Continual breaks
• Cafeteria style service
• Special private banquets upon request
• Convention Centers and Stadiums
• Concession sands
• Restaurants
• Special Event catering

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Catered Events - Hints

• Conduct site inspection
• Choose menu items appropriate to your group
• Age / Gender
• Profession / Ethnic background
• Purpose of event
• Custom menus
• Skill level
• Product availability
• Stay on top of food trends

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Types of Functions

• Continental Breakfast
• Full, Served Breakfast
• Breakfast Buffet
• Refreshment Breaks
• Brunch
• Buffet Lunch
• Box Lunch

• Full, Served Lunch
• Receptions
• Dinner Buffets
• Full, Served Dinner
• Off Site Event
• Theme Party

9
Styles of Service

• Buffet
• Attended Buffet / Cafeteria
• Combination Buffet
• Plated Buffet
• Action Stations
• Reception
• Family Style / English Service
• Plated / American Service

• Preset
• Butlered
• Russian Service
• Banquet French
• Cart French
• Hand Service
• Waiter Parade
• The Wave
• Mixed Styles

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Menus

• Always popular ideas
• Seasonal Food locally grown, in season, flavor
  at peak
• Ethnic Foods add Asian, Mid-East and South
  America
• High Quality Ingredients name brands, specialty
  items
• Fresh Ingredients no frozen, canned or dried
• New / Unusual Ingredients from exotic far away
  places
• Safe Foods organic or pollution / pesticide
  free
• Creative Presentations if it looks good, it
  tastes good
• Excellent Service prompt, friendly, courteous
  service

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Menus

• Restrictions
• Servers should know the ingredients and
  preparation method of all food items
• Allergies
• Diet and health concerns
• Religious restrictions

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Menus

• Restrictions
• Vegetarians
• Type 1 no meat but will eat poultry and fish
• Type 2 lacto-ovo - no meats, poultry or fish
• By-products OK cheese, eggs, milk
• Type 3 vegans no animal source at all
• No By-products including butter or honey

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Food Consumption Patterns

• General Guidelines
• Know history of the group
• Know the demographics of the group
• Age / Gender
• Profession
• Socio-Economic background

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Food Consumption Patterns

• General Guidelines
• Know the purpose of the food function
• Reunion and Networking
• Opening to another session
• Working session
• Refreshment / Entertainment
• Guests generally eat more during the first hour
  of a reception
• Average 7 hors dOeuvres the first hour

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Food Consumption Patterns
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Food and Beverage Attrition

• The difference between the actual number of
  food-and-beverage covers or revenue projections
  and the number or formulas (percentages) agreed
  to in the terms of the contract.
• Usually there is an allowable shortfall before
  damages are assessed.
• Concessions may be lost
• Complimentary function space, labor or equipment
• Reassignment or reduction of space.

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Amenities / Gifts

• Match the gift to the person
• Note their lifestyle or restrictions
• Provide something they like or use
• Avoid
• Cut fruit and cut cheese / Unpackaged crackers
• Consider alternatives
• Pretzels and beer / Cookies and milk
• Room service gift certificate
• Bottled water
• Spa massage or gift shop certificate

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Beverage Events the Why

• Refreshment Breaks
• A part of the educational programming
• Recommend 30 minutes
• Re-focus attention
• Personal business phone calls, email
• Mental rest, stretch and restroom
• Non-alcoholic drinks and snacks
• Receptions
• A part of Special Event Programming
• Socializing and Networking
• Alcohol and food options

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Beverage Events the What

• Categories of Liquor
• Beer soft spirit
• Wine soft spirit
• Spirits hard liquor
• Well Brands less expensive house liquor or
  brand
• Call Brands mid-range price, specially
  requested
• Premium Brands high priced, high quality Top
  Shelf

20
Beverage Events the What

• Categories of Liquor

• By the Bottle
• By the Drink
• Per Person
• Charge per hour
• Flat Rate Charge

• Open Bar
• Cash Bar
• Combination Bar
• Limited Consumption Bar

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Beverage Events the What

• Number of Drinks Per Bottle

22
Beverage Events the Who

• Labor Charges
• Extra charges may be negotiable for
• Bartenders 1 per 100 guests standard service
• 1 per 50 or 75 guests special service
• Barbacks bartenders helper
• Cocktail servers reduce lines at bar
• Cashiers reduces lines at bar / keeps bartender
  from handling dirty money
• Security may reduce liability / assures safety
• Corkage fee added for food / beverage items
  brought into the hotel but not purchased from the
  hotel

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Hospitality Suites

• Places for attendees to gather outside of
  established meeting events and times
• Usually sponsored by
• Hosting organization
• Chapter of the organization
• Exhibitor
• Non-exhibiting company
• Allied association
• Candidate for office in the organization

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Hospitality Suites

• Times
• Morning
• Afternoon
• Evening
• Space Assignments and Approval
• Control space so competitors are not next to each
  other
• Organization gives approval for suite
• Guard against Underground Suites not
  assigned, approved or known about

25
Liquor Laws

• Vary from state to state and determine
• Times of sale
• Days of sale
• Size of bottles sold
• Four types of illegal sales
• Sale to minors
• Sale to intoxicated persons
• Sales outside of legal hours
• Improper liquor license

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Room Set Up

• What
• Includes order and placement of tables, chairs,
  décor, equipment, audio-visual, staging and dance
  floor
• How
• Banquet Event Orders (BEO)
• Room layout software programs

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Room Space Requirements
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Room Space Requirements
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Service Requirements
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Service Timing

• Cocktail server 12-16 drinks per trip
• 48-64 drinks per hour
• Salad 20-30 minutes
• Main course 30-50 minutes from serving to
  removal
• Dessert 20-30 minutes
• Typical Luncheon 1¼ hours
• Typical Dinner 2 hours

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Tablescapes

• Tabletop is the stage of the event
• Centerpiece should not block sight lines across
  the table
• Cover place setting including flatware, china,
  glassware, etc.
• Napery all table linens tablecloths, napkins,
  overlays, table skirting
• Other decor

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Review

• Introduction
• Catered Events
• Types of Functions
• Styles of Service
• Menus
• Food Consumption Patterns

• Attrition
• Amenities or Gifts
• Beverage Events
• Hospitality Suites
• Rooms
• Service Timing