Develop profitable menus, conceive original recipes for caterers, hotels, restaurants, restobars, gastropubs,etc.to serve grand buffets, banquets, a la carte, semi-a la-carte or prix fixe.

This section discusses how to illustrate balance, variety, composition, descriptive copy, and Merchandising, considerations needed to develop a profitable menu.

Menu Planning

Menu is virtually a list of dishes planned for production in a foodservice operation and may include full meals or snack. Planning a profitable menu requires an extensive knowledge of food trends.

Types of Menus
1. A la’ Carte Menu: It is basically a choice menu and generally offers choices of dishes or items
to customers in a sequence i.e., from starters to desserts. Each dish is priced separately so that a
choice can be made according to the customer’s appetite, mood and pocket.
2. Table d’hote Menu: It is referred as a set menu, in which a number of dishes are planned and
offered at a set price, e.g. Thali meals on railways, tray meals on airlines, etc.
3. Combination Menu: It is an a la’ carte menu with a special for the day attached to it. This
special may be a set of dishes with an accompaniment or a plated meal offered in a table d’hote
form at a set price.
4. Cyclic Menu: In the case of hotels, hospitals, homes and other institutions, menus are planned
in advance for varying periods of time from five days to one month. These are then cycled or
repeated.

Banquet
Usually the menu is composed for a number of people and it is necessary to know the reason for the
banquet It is usually a formal affair and dishes should be compiled to suit the occasion The dishes chosen
should be such that will not require last minute dressing. The menu is elaborate and of a high class quality,
it is fixed menu, with no choice. The sequence may include five course.

Buffets
There are two main types of buffets in western eateries e.g. the light buffet and the Fork Buffet (lunch
and dinner). The buffet table is attractively displayed. The food served is colourful and attractive, tastefully
decorated. A large variety of dishes are offered, for everyone to choose.

Light buffets are given for various reasons to augment a long function i.e. late in the evening also
could be given for tea dances and supper dances etc. in western countries.

The Fork buffet will also provide a variety of dishes and the food item can be easily eaten with a
spoon or fork, while stand ing.

The modern trend is buffet lunches or dinners. The elaborate well decorated dishes are displayed. The
price is fixed. Western and Indian dishes also are displayed together and the guests can take both or either.

The dishes displayed are:
Salads, soups, roasts, fish fried, vegetables, potato dishes, and puddings of different kinds. The Indian
dishes are pulaos, biryanis, kormas, roghanjosh jhalfarze, bhajees, bhurtas, raitas, papad, pickles, salads,
nans, bhaturas, chhole, tandoori chicken, seekh kababs, assorted sweets etc. There could be table
arrangements for guests who like to take the food of their choice and then sit and comfortably eat.

Cocktail
The main ingredients are actually drinks. Very tiny savoury snacks are also served, such as stuffed
olives, gherkins, walnuts, salted almonds, sausage, bacon rolls, cheese fritters, cheese straws, canapes,
shami or goli kababs, mini seekh kababs, aloo ki tikis, fried prawn etc.

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