The Art of Hosting

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The Art of HostingThe Complete Training Guide forWaiters and Restaurant Hosts

Gerard A. Pollion


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The Art of Hosting:

The Complete Training Guide for Waiters and Restaurant Hosts

Copyright 2002 Gerard A. PollionAll rights reserved, including the right to reproduce thisbook or portions thereof in any form.

Edited by Mark JacobsonIllustrations by the author

Universal Publishers/uPUBLISH.com

USA 2002

ISBN: 1-58112-613-1 (paperback)

1-58112-610-7 (ebook)

www.uPUBLISH.com/books/pollion.htm


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Authors acknowledgements

To my renowned teachers Mr. Mazzetti and Mr. Guilleminot, at theCulinary Institute of Paris, France, for making me discover the EuropeanArt of Hosting, including Enology, carving and tableside flambing, myteachers and Maitre Ds, including the Plaza Athne and the Embassyof Great Britain in Paris, and many more.

For passing on their wine & spirits knowledge: Mr. Philippe DeNonancourt, CEO of Laurent Perrier Champagne, pernay, France; Mr.Pierre Dupont, CEO of the Beaujolais/Ctes-du-rhne wine maker; Mr.Maurice Latour, CEO of the Bourgogne Latour wines; my friend andschoolmate, the late Mr. le Prince De Polignac, owner and producer ofone of the oldest House of Cognac; the Bordeaux wine cellars ownersof Chteau Margaux, Cordier, and so much more.

My good friend Mark Jacobson, for help with editing and proofreading;and Mickel Madsen, Food & Beverage Manager, for his preciousinformation on the American way of hosting, and so many othercolleagues and supervisors that I had the pleasure to work with duringmy career.

And finally, and not the least, to my parents who showed me since myyoung age the best restaurants in France, my sister Michle, Carine andPatrick, my beloved children whose lives were not always easy living in

the family business, and

To you, who want to learn the Art of Hosting,

To all, my respectful thanks and gratitude.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword .. xi

Introduction . xiii

On being a waiter ........ 1

The Wait Staff. 3

CHAPTER 1. - Dining Room Set-up

Positioning Tables ..Positioning Chairs ...Booth Options & shapes Numbering Tables ......Guest Positions ...Floor Plan .....Dressing the Table .........Servers Stations ........

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CHAPTER 2. - Table Set-up ....Plates Silverware .Glasses .Napkins .

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CHAPTER 3. - Banquet Set-up ..Positioning the Tables ....Numbering Tables ..Dressing the Tables ...Positioning the Chairs

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Seating Set-up ....Plates Silverware .Glasses .Miscellaneous ..

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CHAPTER 4. - Buffet Set-Up Positioning Tables ..Guest Table Set-up ..Servers Stations ..Buffet Table Setting ..

Dressing the Table ...Chef and Cooks Stations ..Chafing Dishes .Iceboats ...Decorating the Buffet Mirrors .Other Equipment ..

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CHAPTER 5. - Taking Guests Orders ....Introduction ..Selling the Order ....How to Earn More .Guests Position Writing the Order..Cocktail Order ...Food Order......Wine Order......Marrying Wine with Food ...

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CHAPTER 6. - Serving Drinks by-the-Glass .Cocktails ..Wines ..Beers ..

Water..Other Cold Drinks ....Hot Drinks After Dinner Drinks

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CHAPTER 7. - Serving Wines by the Bottle ...Before Serving Wines Wine Storage Temperature Wine Preparation ..The Cork ..Serving White Wines .....Serving Sparkling Wines Serving Red Wines .Serving Wines in a Basket .The Ideal Wine Tasting Glass ..

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CHAPTER 8. - Serving Food .Serving & Clearing a Table .Different Types of Service ..Serving Bread ..Serving Soups ..Serving Appetizers

Serving Sauces .Serving Side Orders ..Serving Seafood ...Serving Pasta ...Serving Meat Serving Cheese Serving Dessert

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CHAPTER 9. - Other Services .The Ashtray .Presenting the Check ...Resetting Tables ..

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CHAPTER 10.-Appendix .....Teamwork. ...Appearance & Posture ..Dealing with Difficult Guests .....50 ways to Gain Guests ...50 ways to Lose Guests ...Common Wine Terminology .The Ten Commandments .

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FOREWORD

All Grard Pollions experiences, from the time of his birth in LaFert sous Jouarre, France, are totally reflected in the writing ofthis book. A practical, comprehensive guide to the art of hosting, itwill allow any server to understand his or her profession byrediscovering the ancient tradition of hostingusing simple, easyto understand and logical guidelines. And every rule is clearlyexplained, so you know why youre doing what youre doing, notjust how. After all, its easier to do something the correct way when

you understand the logic behind it.

From the time that he observed the culinary activities of his motheras a child, Grard has been fascinated by the art and practice ofcooking and hosting. It was therefore not surprising that in 1961 heenrolled at the Universit de Paris to study cooking with some ofthe greatest Master Chefs and Matres dhtel of France. Hisenthusiasm paid off in 1963 when he won the Diplme dHonneur

Coupe Baptiste at the Maitre D open tournament.This book, therefore, devotes almost the same amount of attentionto the total setting as the actual hosting or serving itself. Thisapproach is very much in keeping with the tradition, philosophyand professional experiences Grard has cultivated over manyyears in the restaurant industry as a chef, manager, maitre d andowner.

Grard Pollion is uniquely qualified to bring this information to you,and I genuinely hope that you get the most from what he has toshare. I wish you the best of luck in your career in this wonderfulindustry!

Stanley H. Smith, PhDHuman Resources Academy Dean (Ret.)

South Illinois University, Carbonale, Illinois


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The Best Dish in the World Served

in a Sloppy Way is a Disgrace

INTRODUCTION

The goal of this book is simple: to teach you to be an outstandinghost. Whether you wish to work in the finest of restaurants (andgarner the greatest possible tips for excellent service) or aneighborhood bistro, youll learn everything there is to know tohost spectacular meals and banquets with professionalism and

attention to detail.

Excellent hosting is not difficult, but it is an art that must belearned. And in my over 40 years in the restaurant industry, I haveseen this art becoming more and more a lost one as the yearspass. In our hectic modern world, thorough (and correct!) trainingfor servers in restaurants is very rare. This is what inspired me towrite this guide for you. So you can work in the finest of

restaurants (or any other restaurant that values good service) andhold your own, having complete knowledge of the proper way toserve your guests.

In this guide, I will cover every aspect of setting up, serving andclearing away food and wine. Using simple, concise descriptions,supported by an explanation of why youre doing things the way Idescribe, and clear illustrations and photos, youll be able toquickly learn the proper techniques for hosting any guest.

Hosting is no more than using common sense in displaying all thetools needed to serve food & wine to your guests. Your goalshould always be to host your guest just like you would like to behosted: in a simple, elegant and undisturbed way. A totalmisconception that I hear too often is that you must treat yourguest as if he or she were your best friend WRONG! Your guestis a temporary boss. The guest comes, orders and pays you. The

guest, therefore, deserves respect, obedience and service.

The best host is a silent one: you dont feel his presence. He is asdiscreet as a shadow, using the art of efficient silence. Succeedingat this art means that the guest ignores your presence, as


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everything comes naturally, just like magic. The less yourpresence is noticed, the better the reward, and the better you willbe remembered when it comes time to tip.

Everyone goes to a restaurant to have a good time, just like whenyoure going to a movie. You expect that it will be good andenjoyable. Just as a movie has many elements that are interwovento make it good, so it is with a restaurant visit. The dcor,ambiance, dining room set-up, lighting, music, choice of drinks andwine, foodeven the perfect coffee must be just so in order toblend together to become the ultimate dining experience. And to

crown all of this, smiling faces from the valet, hostess, bar anddining room staff. This must all be presented to the guest withefficiency, discretion and reserved politeness.

The proper hosting done this way will result in success, reward,recognition and repeat business. When the guest leaves happy,everybody has won. Lets begin our journey toward becoming asuccessful host.

A Lawyer has clientsA doctor has patients

A pilot has passengersA mechanic has customers

A server has GUESTS

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On Being a Server

Before you can be a server at the finest restaurant in town, youmust first become an apprentice. This is a given in the restaurant

industry. In fact, it takes years of practice to acquire theknowledge and skills necessary to perform with completeconfidence and earn the respect only the best waiters receive.

In 1936, the first Hotel & Management Institution & CulinaryInstitute was created at rue Mdric in Paris, France, originallynamed Ecole Htelire Jean Drouant. The primary goal of thisinstitution was to alleviate the years of on-the-job training needed

to become a professional in only one single field by giving threeyears of intense teaching that combined the theory with trainingand practice. This teaching included Dining room, Enology,Culinary, Accounting, two foreign languages (spoken fluently),Hotel and Management.

The advantage of this system is to give a total overview of allprofessions within the hotel/restaurant business. And later, to

give a better understanding all the facets of this industry.Once graduated, one was able to choose the branch of his/herchoice and be able to enter and climb rapidly the echelons ofthat field. Six months after graduation, anyone could ask for aservers job in fine dining establishment, knowing in-depthtableside carving & flambing, decanting and wine knowledge.


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In my own places in France, whoever applied for a job in thekitchen had to spend one full month in the dining room and vice-versa; this practice allowed my entire staff to better understandthe difficulty of the other side, making the better able to performtheir own function.

In North America, it seems that a great number of the wait stafflack the basic knowledge necessary to work in the restaurantswhere the money is. The goal of this book is to teach you justthat, without having to spend thousands of dollars and severalyears on a formal education in Europe.


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The Wait Staff

No one starts in this industry as a Dining Room Manager! Therestaurant business is a TEAM effort, where the higher levelmasters the lower one. Here are the duties that must be learnedand the necessary steps to become one of the best:

Bus BoyThis job is basically one of a handyman: performing the lowest duties whilelearning the restaurant and how it runs.During mealtime, the busboys duty is tohave the first contact with guests,bringing bread & its garnishes, clearingemptied plates and carrying them to thedishwasher. It requires discipline,obedience, total devotion and servicewithout question.

Food RunnerHe or she must first have a fullknowledge of all dishes and theirpresentation and the station locations.

Picks up food in the kitchen, makes surethere are cold plates for cold food andhot plates for hot food, covers hot foodplates with a cover. Carries food on atray to the proper table, sets it on a trayjack that is carried at the same time andadvises the Captain of its arrival.

ServerThe waiters job is to wait for the food toarrive, and then serve it. He or she alsoassists the Captain in all duties andsituations.


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CaptainTakes the food and drink orders,including wine orders when a winesteward is not available. He or she alsoperforms tableside carving & flambingand stays in his station at all times tosee to the guests needs.

BartenderServes all drinks to bar guests. The only

wait staff member that is allowed to besocial (in a respectful way) with guests.

Wine StewardA former Captain who has spent yearsof studying Enology (the scientific studyof wine). In charge of the cellar andCave du jour. Advise guests on how to

properly marry their food with wines,takes wine order, does the decantingand serves the wines and after dinnerdrinks.

Host/HostessIn charge of the lobby cleanliness,updates daily the reservation book,

takes telephone reservations, welcomesguests and conducts them to the table.Brings menus (if not already on thetable), informs the Captain of guestsspecific information or requests (thepaying guest, birthday, etc.) and thanksguests on their departure.Note: Hosts and Hostesses shouldalways be dressed appropriately and bewell groomed, with no jewelry, perfumeor cologne.


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Maitre DIn charge of the entire dining room.Performs scheduling, oversees theguests tables. Visits guests tables andinquires about their satisfaction or anyproblems that they may not feelcomfortable telling their Captain.

Dining Room Manager

Often combined with the Maitre Dposition; the Dining Room Manager fillsout the necessary paperwork, includingshift and daily reports, and reconcilesbartender and dining room cash registertills. Establishes wait staff stationassignments. Issues menus, specialsmenus, cocktails, coffees, cocktail

coffees, after diner drinks and wine list.Arranges special parties, banquets andbuffets. Brings more business to therestaurant by working with the PublicRelations firms, wine suppliers andothers. Orders any equipment neededin the dining room.

The Dining Room Manager is in chargeof the entire restaurant operation, whilehaving permanent contact with the Chef.Finally, the Dining Room Managerreports to the General Management andownership.

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CHAPTER 1

Dining Room Set-up

This chapter will show you how to set up a dining room, takingit from an empty space to an arrangement of tables for acomfortable guest seating in the finest of restaurants. Since

different styles of restaurants have different requirements, welltalk about how the dining room setup can be tailored in eachcase.

Positioning Tables

Positioning Chairs

Booth Options & Shapes

Numbering Tables

Guest Positions

Floor Plan

Dressing the Table

Servers Stations


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POSITIONING TABLES

The main concern when it comes to a dining room is the seatingcapacity. There are basic rules, depending on the type ofrestaurant: upscale, fine dining, ethnic, family, fast food,banquet, or anywhere in between. The owners investment is

therefore a major component of your irrevocable decision.

Below are the recommended dining room floor plans. Variationscan be made based on this framework. Always keep the comfortof your future guests in minddcor, ambiance and music allplay a part. The more expensive your prices will be, the morecomfort you can afford to give and the less seating capacity youwill have!

Arrange the table setting according to the pole of attractioninside the dining room (fountain or other example, or outside(ocean view, scenery, etc). While inside your restaurant, everyone of your guests wants to have the best table, so strive toplace all tables around the focal point so that everyone can havea good view of it. If your restaurant has an outside view, placeyour table rows on steps (which is excellent, but expensive!), orplace your tables in the shape of wolves teeth in order tosqueeze additional tables.

HARMONY

The visual harmony of the entiredining room is your main concern.In order to be pleasant to the eye,

you must avoid monotony.Therefore: always alternatesquare and round tables.


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PRIVACY

Keep in mind that guests like amaximum of privacy. Wheneverpossible, place a large plant or athin wall divider between twotables to create alcoves. Whenplacing a table, always rememberto avoid facing a chair face to facewith another chair from anotherclose table. If guests want to sit

next to each other, have the samechair position from the other table.

COMFORT

Leave a minimum of 5 feetbetween each table to allow fluid

service and guest privacy.

Leave room around tables fortray-jacks and service.

Never place tables at the back ofthe room or near the kitchen,service door, heavy traffic or bar

areas.

Avoid placing tables next tosources of noise (bar, liveentertainment, etc.)

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POSITIONING CHAIRS

PRIVACY: Positioning chairs & armchairs properly meanskeeping in mind the maximum privacy that theguests always request: a date, a businessoccasion, a family reunion, etc.

COMFORT As common sense dictates, the use of armchairsis always preferable for round tables and squaretables that seat 2 or 4 persons. For long tables,

regular chairs are recommended as they use lessspace in between each guest.THE ENEMY The walls: they are the chair-positioning enemy.

Here are some simple chair DOs & DONTs:

DO DONT


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BOOTH OPTIONS & SHAPES

Although initially more expensive than chairs, the investment inbooths is worth it, as more people can be seated in less space.Using a banquette allows the tables to be against each otherwith limited, but acceptable privacy for the guests.Keep in mind that a booth layout is a fixed set-up for a limitednumber of people and cannot be extended as with tables.

BRASSERIE TYPE

Originated in France, this set-upaccommodates a large seatingcapacity with comfort as guestsare seated closer to each other(extra room in between tables iseliminated).

The Straight line is the basiclayout, allowing the seating ofdeuces (2 persons) at one table,and more people by putting additional tables against oneanother.The disadvantage is that one person is seated to a comfortablebooth (generally the lady) and the other on a chair facing thewall!

THE E SHAPE

This shape is more economical tobuild than the S (below), but hasless privacy, since one table facesthe other. Therefore it has to beseriously considered beforebuilding it; it is not recommended

if the majority of your clientele willbe business people (or, evenmore, with romantic couples ondates!).

The Art of Hosting

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