What is Gueridon Service ?

Introduction: The definition of the term guéridon is a movable service or trolley from which food be carved, filtered, flambéed or prepared and served. It is, in other words, a movable sideboard which can give, sufficient equipment for the immediate operation in hand; whatever it should also carry much special equipment in case of emergency if necessary. The guéridon service itself come in various form i.e. color gas, trolley, specially made for the purpose, a plain trolley or even a small table.

The origin of guéridon service itself is hard to trace. It includes carving salad preparation, filtering preparation of fresh fruit and so on. This form of service the cost of the dishes being priced individually and the average cost of the meal being, therefore, higher than a table d’hote meal. Another reason for higher cost with an a’la carte type of meal is that demand a skilled service and this form of service of labour cost. In itself is much higher and is include the cost that the guest pay also made an expensive and elaborate form of equipment must be used for the service to be carried out.

Flambé dishes first become popular in the Edwardian i.e. the first claimed flambé dishes was crêpes Suzette which was supposedly invented by Henri Charpentier working as a commis at the café de paris is Monte Carlo (1894).

Miss-en-place for Guéridon

Where necessary, the top and under the shelf of the guéridon should be covered with a folded tablecloth. This, of course, depends on the nature of guéridon itself and its general appearance for the convenience of working the cutlery and flatware layout be similar to that of the sideboard. This saves time and speeds up the service from right to left.

• Service spoon and forks
• Sweet spoon and forks
• Soup, tea and Coffee spoons
• Fish knife and fork, special equipment including a soup and sauce ladle
• Joint and side knife

The hot plates or table heaters are generally placed on the left-hand side on the top of the guéridon. This heater may be gas, electricity or methylated spirit. If the heater the coffee sauces should be placed under the burners. Also on the top be found a carving board knife for carving and filtering and selection of basic accompaniment such as oil and vinegar, Worcester sauce, English and French mustard and castor sugar.

Underneath will be found a service plate and service salver, side plate and some joint plates for dirty tableware. When an operation is being carried out, there should be some silver. Underplate or doilies is useful for a preventable of sauces and other accompaniments and cheese pads will on the waiters’ of all sideboard, together with a silver plate of all the guéridon equipment in case of emergencies.

Why Gueridon Service is done ?

• ensures the meals is served to the visitor on the actual temperature which is required for the meals to be served;
• turns meals into leisure;
• It additionally exhibits the abilities of the waiter and likewise counts because the a artwork of waiter.
• creates an satisfaction emotions to the visitor due to being personalised in nature;
• Create calls for in different friends due to stage of consideration and attraction.

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT for gueridon service:

Flare lamps:

These are an essential item of equipment for guéridon service and are used in reheating, cooking and flambéing dishes. The maintenance of the flare lamps is very important and should be carried out very carefully, ensuring each part is fitted together correctly, that it is fitted to the correct level with methylated spirit and then the wick is of sufficient length to give adequate heat wherein use.

The flare lamp should be cleaned regularly with the aid of plate powder. The regular timing of the wick is essential to avoid methylated spirit fumes baking out and spoiling the aroma of the food. The lamps are usually 20-25 cm high with a grid of diameter 15-20 cm. In a purpose built the same working height all along the trolley tap. This I much safe fro the waiter as he/she works since there is less chance of accidents. The lamps here are generally colour gas.

Chafing dish on Suzette pans:

The true chafing dish is rarely seen nowadays. This was deeper, had a led and was made to fit into A’s own individual heating unit. The shallower pans which are used today are called Suzette pans. They resemble frying pans in shape and size and have a diameter of 23-30 cm with or without a lip. The lip is usually found on the left-hand side. The pans are generally made of silver-plated copper as this gives an even distribution of heat.

Hot plates:

The hot plates main function is to keep food hot before it is served to the guest. They are always positioned on the side board and the guéridon they come in a vast range of sizes and may be heated by gas, electricity or methylated spirits and there are even infra red ones available. The majority of hotplates in present day use are heated by methylated spirit and therefore, as with the flare lamps care should be taken in cleaning filing and trimming the wicks in both hotplates and flare lamps should be long enough and adequate for the service.

 Guéridon (Calor gas):

A guéridon may use a gas lamp connected to a calor gas cylinder. The service top is flat the upper casing. This makes it much safe when working dishes or carrying out any form of flambé work at the table. The top of the trolley is stainless steel which allows for easy cleaning other facilities are the control switch for the gas lamp, the drawer for the surplus equipment, the cutting board for use when cooking dishes at the table the bracket on the lower tray used for holding bottles of spirit and liqueurs and the identification on top of the trolley for holding accompaniments 

Care and maintenance of Gueridon equipment:

These are many reasons why all equipment should be maintained on a regular basis. Primarily, it is because of Hygiene and presentation in front of the client and legal suspects of the food Hygiene Regulation, 1970; the Food Act 1984; the Food Safety Act 1990, and the Food and Drug Act.

Work performance: Efficiency of performance is lost and possibly as a resulting loss of custom and therefore revenue. 

Work safety: The legal aspects of the health and safety at work 1974 would apply here as well as applicable insurance acts.

To ensure the above takes place a daily inspection and cleaning rota as schedule. This work should then be carried out by the food service/personnel during the normal mis-en-place period and under the supervision of a senior member of the team of the brigade.

Varieties of Gueridon trolleys

• Hors D’ Oeuvre Variés Trolley. It displays 10 to 12 varieties of appetizers. …
• Salad Trolley. …
• Food preparation, Carving, and Flambe Trolley. …
• Cheese Trolley. …
• Liquor Trolle

Check List for Gueridon Table

Gas lamps:

• Check that all moving parts move freely.
• Ensure both the jet and burner and free of soot and dirt.
• Clean by appropriate method – silvo or geddards plate powder – but remember do not even immerse in water.

Gas bottles:

• Ensure at all times there is no heated equipment or naked flames near the lamp.
• Follows at all times there is no heated equipment or naked flames near the lamp.
• Checks all taps are in the off position.
• During storage, all gas bottle should be kept cool.

Spirit lamps :

• Check the amount of methylated spirit.
• See that the air hole is free.
• Trim the wick and check it for length.
• Clean of any excessive dirt and spent matches.
• Ensure all moving parts move freely.
• Clean by the appropriate method – but remember do not immerse in water.
• Any decoration of equipment should be checked carefully and if necessary cleaned with a toothbrush.

GUÉRIDON SERVICE: 

Certain qualities and attributes are expected are expected of a waiter in carrying out this forms of service. It is as well to bear the following in mind at this stage.

Taking the order :

It has to be remembered first and foremost that you are a salesperson. You must sell the dishes, which will involve you in work at the table. Suggest to the customs, item on the menu, this focusing attention in dishes. You may wish to sell. Use the carving trolley and sweet trolley as visual selling lid.

You must always have a good knowledge of the menu so as to give good discipline to the guest of the dishes available. Recognition of the host is an important factor.

• Stand to the left of the host, Each guest should have one yourself for reference purposes.
• Do not positioning yourself too close to guest as this may cause embarrassment.
• Size up your host and guest according to ages dues and nature of the party. This should then give you some indication as to the type of dishes on may suggest.
• Take all order through the host. Try to ascertain the length of time available for the meal as this could determine the type of dishes sold. A warm customer of waiting times.
• Take note as to whether the party is all male, female or female.
• Always take the order as score as possible.

Points to be kept in mind while doing guéridon service :

• Guéridon service is the job of the chef who also responsible for doing the service.
• Always push the guéridon trolley but don’t pull it helps them avoid an accident.
• The guéridon should be kept in one position for the service for the complete course.
• The trolley should never be kept near the service door as it is maybe obstruction to the waiter.
• When more covers are being served only the main dirt should be served fro the guéridon potatoes, sauces, vegetables should be served in a normal manner.
• Service spoon and fork are not used as in the silver service but held with the spoon in one hand and fork in the other.
• The filling or carving should not be done on the silver dish but on the carving board or hot joint plate.
• Dirty plates should always be cleared from the guéridon trolley.

  Alcohol used in guéridon trolley :

Spirit (Brandy & Rum)	To flambé
Fortified wines	To sweeten
Sparkling wines	To colour
Still wines/Tables wines	To balance flavour
Beer	To determine carrot consistency
Cicles & Syrup	Remove excessive fat/grease

Note : never leave any spirit near a heated appliance or naked flames always handle, most carefully when adding spirit to a finished dish for flambé purpose. Safety is of prime importance as well as showmanship.

Carving :

Carving is the joint skill task only pot rated by continuous practice following are the point kept in min while carving :

          (a)      Sharp knife is used to carve a joint because a blunt knife may damage certain important issue. Meat is carved across the grain with the exception of the saddle of mutton which is sometimes cut at right angle to the ribs. The carving fork must be holding the joint firmly as multiple pierced damages the mind.

Equipment is used in carving :

          a.      Carving knife should be 10-12 inch long and 2.5 cm wide.

          b.      For poultry on game since long knife is used.

          c.       For ham long, thick, flexible carving knife is used.

Method for carving :

          (i)       Carving of all hot food must be performed quickly so that no heat is allowed to escape.

          a.      Beef and ham: Their slices are cut.

          b.      Lamb, mutton, pork, veal tongue is carved double thickness of beef and ham.

          c.       Boiled beef and pressed meat is most thicken than roast.

          d.      Saddle of lamb: Carved in long thick slices.

          e.      Shoulder of lamb: It is cut from top to bottom and again from bottom to top because the cut has an occurred bone formation which heat meat, tucked between the bones.

          f.       Cold ham: Carved bones from to bottom in thin slices.

          g.      Whole chicken: Carved in six portions.

          h.      Duckling: Carved in six portions, two legs, two wings and 2 breasts.

          i.       Turkey: Four cuts, the guest is supposed to be ordered breast and supreme.

          j.       Salmon: Fillet and then sliced into 4/1 inch slices.

Carving trolley function :

     1.      The function of carving trolley is to act an aid selling.

     2.      The chefs should act as a salesman and suggest right joint to right guest.

     3.      The carving is visual treat hence great care should be taken while doing it.

     4.      Carving trolley is heated by 2 methyl ethylated gas.

     5.      The container in which the carving board rest contain hot water.

     6.      There are two each for keeping hot plates.

     7.      Last one to keep carving equipment.

Presentation of Trolley :

Where in use the carving trolley must be presented in between the customer and chef which ensures that the customer can see every operation performed and appreciate skill performed. It should be position in such a way that the lid is drawn from trolley towards the waiter and safety wall is positioned on the side away from the waiter.

Mis-en-place :

Following mis-en-place should be placed on the caving trolley.

(a)                Carving board

(b)               Carving knife and fork

(c)                Sauce ladles

(d)               Service gears

(e)                Joint plate for dirties

(f)                  Flatware

(g)                Spare serviette and serviette cloth

Method of serving a dish at the table :

First, present the dish to the customer then return to the guéridon. Place on the side of the trolley with the food for service standing on the hot plate. The food for service is then carved as filtered if necessary and is placed on the plate of the guest. Unlike silver service, when the spoon and form are used together in one hand, guéridon service requires that the spoon and fork are used one in each hand.

The vegetables and potatoes are then placed on to the plate by the waiter while the plates are still on the guéridon. The sauces are placed on to the plates by the waiter and plate are then placed in front of the guest.

It should be noted that, when there are more than two people at one table, the main dish is served as described, but the vegetable and potato dishes are as for normal silver service and will keep hot in readiness for service on the hot plates on the waiter sideboard. During this operation, it will be the commis or dibarrasreurs’ function to keep the guéridon clear of dirty dishes and equipment.

Safety points :

Never place the lamp or the hot plate outside the four trolley legs.

Never move the trolley near to drapes.

Note: The main course does not need to be placed on the hotplate if the service in quick only the potatoes and vegetables for a short period.

Serve with a spoon in one hand and the fork in another hand.

Sequence of Service :

Presentation of all dishes for all courses is very important both before the actual service commences an din placing the meal upon the plate, especially when filtering and carving.

Hois d’oeuvres or substitute : There are served in the normal way except for speciality dishes dish such as pâte de foei gras, which may have to be cut into slices.

Soup: Always served from the guéridon whether in individual soup tureens or in larger soup tureens requiring a ladle. All accompaniment passed.

Fish: Filleted where necessary and served from guéridon.

Meat: Carved where necessary and served from the guéridon.

Potatoes and vegetables: Served as previously mentioned together with sauce and accompaniment.

Sweet: Served from the guéridon in a flambé type dish or from the cold sweet trolley. All accompaniment passed.

Savoury: Served from guéridon. 

Coffee: Normal silver service unless speciality coffees are required.

Advantages of Gueridon Service

The advantages as follows:

• Highly personalized service. The wait staff prepares or carves the dish and serves the guest personally.
• High level of customer satisfaction. The dishes are prepared, carved or flambéed in the guest’s presence.
• Good merchandising device. Guests will be tempted to order for dishes that are served from the trolley.
• Wait staff can exhibit their culinary, carving and service skills. The wait staff has an opportunity to impress the guests by demonstrating its cooking, flambéing, carving, and skills to them. It also gives them good job satisfaction.
•   High average spending power (high revenue/cover). The revenue generated will be more as the dishes served from the trolley are always expensive.

Limitations of Gueridon Service

• The limitations are as follows:
• Slow service. The time taken to extend the service from the trolley is more.
• Low seat turnover. The number of times a seat is sold during the operation hours will low as the service takes more time.
• Expensive style of service- as it requires more service area and highly skilled staff.
• The chance of accidents are more.
• More investment in-service equipment.
• Cooking in the service area may leave an odour.