function booking and toasting

Booking a Function
At the initial meeting of the banquet manager with the client, a file is opened, recording all the points discussed concerning the particular function and to file all the further correspondence received. If the enquiry is not immediately a firm booking, then the provisional details are only penciled in until the booking is confirmed. After receiving the confirmation, it is inked in.
During the initial discussion, the banquet manager must find the date and time of the function, number of people to attend, type of function, and the facilities required. More detailed the information received, better the execution of function and customer satisfaction will be. Before moving into further discussion, the banquet manager must find out the hall availability on the date requested and if the size of the hall would be enough to accommodate the number of people expected to attend. For example, it is not possible to hold 500 people function in the hall that has the capacity of holding only 300 people.
The banquet manager, before discussing about the menu and the facilities required, should find out the budget or how much the host can spend. Having decided on the budget, the manager offers the menu and the other facilities required within the budget. The banquet department usually has the specimens of luncheon and dinner menus of different rates and photographs of the various table’s layouts for different numbers. This gives the client a clear picture of the facilities available in the price range he/she can afford.

banquet booking procedure

During booking the function the following points are to be noted:
• Date and time of function
• Host's name/organization and his/her contact number and address
• Type of function
• Number of people to attend the function (expected and guaranteed number of guests, deadline for confirming the guaranteed number of guests)
• Venue of the function (name of the function hall) or outside the premises
• Price per head
• Menu: Vegetarian, non-vegetarian, special dietary needs, if any
• Method of service
• Type of table plan
• Wines—inclusive or cash
• Extra charges for any facilities requested
• Requirement for sleeping rooms
After taking down the basic information, more points should be decided on the following, depending on the type of function and the budget:
• Place cards
• Seating plan: Finalize who will be seated where consulting the host
• Toast master
• List of toasts (who are proposing and who are replying)
• Any special requirements, such as LCD, computers, screen, collar mike, cordless mike, podium, rostrum, lectern, etc.
• Changing rooms
• Services of photographer and videographer
• Floral decor for the tables, rooms, and reception area
• Secretarial services
• Sign posting
• Press release
• Security services
• Internet facilities
• Special lighting
• Copier
• Printer
• Stationery
• Car parking
• Cash bar facilities
• Music and dance floor
After taking down all the necessary information, the banquet department may inform the host the following.
• Advance payment: It is collected for confirming the booking. The amount collected varies from hotel to hotel. Some collect 60 per cent and the others 75 per cent. At times, some do not collect any advance if the hosts are regulars and prompt payers.
• The dates for final settlement of the bill—Final settlement may be insisted either on the same day soon after the event or after two or three days depending on the type of function and the host. This should be clearly communicated to the host
• Mode of payment: It should be finalized—cash, card, or through bank.
 Function cancellation fee: The amount and deadline date of the function cancellation fee should be finalized.
• Date for final inspection by the clients.
• Date for finalizing the number of guests.
• Chargeable services and facilities.
• Billing will be for either guaranteed number of guests or actual whichever is higher.

Function prospectus or function contract sheet

function prospectus form

The detailed information collected is entered in Function Prospectus or Function Contract sheet and signed by banquet in-charge and the host. the copies of me function prospectus sent to the following departments-
• Front office; as it is the first point of contact, the invites coming an attend the function will be enquiring the front office about the function venue or anything pertaining to the function. If any complementary rooms are given to the host, that should be booked by the front office.
- Housekeeping: Responsible for cleaning and decorating the function hall cleaning the cloak room and ensuring adequate cloakroom supplies, making flower arrangements. Banquet linen laundry. etc.
• Maintenance: Responsible for ensuring all electric gadgets, A/C AV equipments are properly working. The maintenance crew is expected to depute its staff during the function to attend to any emergency.
• Kitchen: It is concerned with the provision of dishes offered in the menu on time at adequate quantity. It helps the kitchen crew to plan its production schedule in advance. It is informed about any special dietary requirements of the host
• Control: The control department which maintains a separate account for function catering is notified about the function and the rate per person. The plate count is normally done by a representative from the control department. It notes down the advance amount collected, actual number of people served, guaranteed pax, etc.
• Security: The security department should be notified to ensure adequate security and are irrforrned in advance about large movement of people and the traffic control.
The details obtained from the host are written in the function prospectus or function contract sheet and signed by both the banquet manager and the host with the terms and conditions printed overleaf. The format may vary from hotel to hotel; however, the basic information will be the same.

Organizing The Function

After confirming the booking with all necessary requirements and passing the information to various departments, the following should be done.
• Finalizing the seating plan with the host which tells who will sit where and the table number
• Working out the staff requirement and hiring them
• Checking the availability AV and other requirements and their working conditions. Hiring them, if necessary
• Setting up the table plan as requested
• Setting up the rostrum, podium, dance floor, screen, etc. as required
• Setting up the dining area—formal dining, buffet, etc. as per the host's wish
Conducting service rehearsal for very formal service
Inviting the host for final check up and adjusting the plan according to his/her requirement
Food and beverage in-charge and the supervisors should closely monitor the function organization.


On the Day of the Event
• Check the personal grooming of the staff engaged.
• Allocate the mise en place and mise en scene activities to the service staff.
• Inspect the mise en place and mise en scene thoroughly.
• Ensure all the requirements of the host are provided.
• Inspect the cleanliness of the service equipment and the function area.
• Check the bar counter, if required and ensuring it is equipped with adequate stock and other supplies.
• Assign the tables to the service staff.
• Give adequate briefing to the service staff on the menu, service procedures of food and drinks, toast, etc.
• Count the number of plates placed, if buffet service is organized in the presence of a host's representative and a person from the control department.


During the Service
• Ensure that food and beverages are served according to the instructions given.
• See that the guests receive the food and beverages on time.
• If plated, food reaches the guests quickly at right temperature. If buffet, head count is made and the dishes are replenished quickly.
• Fuel containers of the chafing dishes are frequently topped up with chemi-iuel.
• Clearance of soiled cutlery and crockery should be done quickly.
• Water glasses are filled frequently.
• The temperature of the function hall is at comfort level.
• Monitoring the service of alcoholic beverages
• If toast is proposed, all wine glasses are filled with wine—normally, it is done in formal function.
• After the toast, coffee is served.


After the Function
• The tables are cleared.
• The soiled service equipment are sent for washing.
• A/C is switched off.
• Food containers on the buffet tables are sent back to the kitchen.
• Buffet counters are dismantled and tables are stacked.
• Banquet chairs are arranged properly or stacked and kept aside.
• Soiled linen are sorted, counted, and kept aside for laundry.
• Bar counter is closed and the closing stock of the bar is taken.
• Bar cash is tallied with the consumption of alcohol, if drinks are not inclusive.
• Returning the empty, full, and partly used bottles to the bar.
• Settling the bar cash to the control department.
• Giving feedback to the service staff.
  Paying off the hired staff and terminating their services.
* Switching off the lights and other electric gadgets.
• Closing the banquet suits and locking.
• Preparing the bill for settlement.
* Entering the bill amount in the banquet sales record.
During the function, generator back up, additional fuse cartridges, fire extinguishers, and first aid must be kept ready.

Seating Plan

In all the formal table plans, the seating of guests should be decided with the consultation of the host He/she will decide who will be seated at the top table and other tables.
*The seating plan should be displaced in a prominent position in the pre-function hall or near the entrance of the function hall so that the guests will know where they have to sit and where their table is positioned.
*The copy of the seating plan should be given to the organizer and the manager for reference.
*While seating the guests, avoid seating them with their backs to the top table as far as possible. However, it is not possible in the plan of top table with round tables.

Note that the names are listed in alphabetical order for quick search. On the table allotted, the name card will be placed at the head of each cover, thus making the guest find his/her cover
easily.
Last name Name allotted
Dr Acharya Gopal 4
Mrs Acharya Nalini 4
Mr Agarkar Ranjit 7
Mr Ahuja Manoj         5
Mrs Ahuja Maya         5
Dr Apte Ramesh         4
Dr Apte Anjali 4
Mr Awasti Anup         7
Mr Chandrawargar Pratap 3
Mrs Chandrawargar Anita 3

Quick review

SEQUENCE OF FORMAL BANQUETING SERVICE.
• Guests get assembled in the Ante room.
• Small welcome drink or mocktail may be served to the guest in the ante room
• Seating plan is displayed or announced for the guest. Tables are numbered avoiding the number 13.
• Stewards/ waiters line up behind the head table and other tables.
• Guests are seated and serviettes placed across the leg
• First course is served to the head table followed by the other tables.
• Clearance also follows the same order.
• The subsequent courses take the same procedure.
• Toast may be raised in a break between the courses or it may even be raised at the beginning or the end of the party.
• Whenever toast is raised it is to be announced by the Toast Master.
• The Toast master is only responsible for the raising of Toast, the rest of all announcements are normally carried out by the MOC.
• The service could be a pre-plated service or silver service at times, but strict observance of the codes is followed.
• All the guest seated in the head table are given the honor of name cards whereas the guest in the other tables are either numbered or named as per the choice of the party.
• To facilitate the service system different systems are used which can vary from hand gestures to light signals.

BRIEFING

Briefing of staff refers to issuing service instructions. During briefing, the personal grooming of the staff is inspected and the stations are allotted. Experienced staff are normally allotted top table and the aged staff are allotted the stations near the entrance, thus minimizing the walking distance. The queuing instructions and the signal that will be used during the service will be briefed in the case of formal service. The number of covers allotted to each waiter and numbering of the covers, the person who will be doing the service of water, when to keep the bread basket and butter dish, when to do the clearance, when to serve wine for toasting, etc. will be briefed for the formal service.

In the case of buffet, what dishes will be kept where in which containers, who will do the replenishing of dishes, man the buffet, serve water, do the clearance work, and serve the sweets will be discussed,
What dishes and how much will be served by the staff will be briefed to the staff.

PROCEDURE FOR TOAST AT FORMAL FUNCTION

Toast will be generally announced by the toastmaster as soon as the sweet course is over and before the service of coffee. The table should be cleared and the glasses filled with wine. No guest is allowed to smoke until the toast is over.
The toast is announced by the toastmaster and is then proposed by the host of the function. After the toast, the toastmaster announces that the company present has the chair's permission to smoke.
Staff keeps the ashtrays on the table and serves coffee.

Service Procedure At Formal Function
In a formal banquet, normally four course menu is offered which includes appetizer or soup, fish, main course, and sweet.
Following is the service procedure of continental menu implemented during the formal function:
Aperitifs are served to the guests at the pre-function area and the invitees take a look at the seating plan pasted at the entrance of the hall. The service of drinks lasts for half an hour and then the toastmaster strikes the gravel and announces in a clear voice, 'Ladies and gentlemen, the dinner is served'. The guests go into the dining hall and wait till the host and other guests at the top table take their seats.
Bread and butter are placed before the arrival of the guests.
•The supervisor signals and the waiters line up at the hot plate as previously briefed to the staff and take the food in a line.
•The top table waiters serve the food first; the other waiters serve at their stations once the service at the top table commenced.
•Service staff leaves the room in a line after each course is served.
•Two waiters forming a team do the clearance—one standing just back of the guest holding a large tray and another taking away soiled plate from the right-hand side and placing gently on the tray, cutlery separately, and moving to the next guest.
•The other waiter holding a pile of clean half plates, places the plate with the help of the cloth from the right-hand side for the fish course.
•Collect the fish and serve from the left-hand side. Take the dish back after serving.
•Clear the soiled plates as explained and place the full plate for the main course.
•Collect the main course, potatoes, and vegetables.
•One serves the main course, followed by the second with potatoes, and the third with the accompanying vegetables. Serve the accompanying sauce.
•Clear the soiled plate as discussed along with the side plates.
•Take away the bread baskets, butter dishes, and cruet sets.
•Do crumbing and adjust the cutlery for the sweet course.
•Serve pre-plated sweet from the right-hand side.
•Clear the soiled plate.
•Serve the wine to all the guests for toast.
•Toastmaster announces the toast.
•Host proposes the toast raising the wine glass.
•Toastmaster announces chair's permission to smoke.
•Coffee cups placed from the right-hand side, sugar bowls with teaspoon kept on the table.
•Coffee is served from the right-hand side.
{Note: In the formal food service, no second helping of food is offered.)

As soon as the top table's plates are removed, the plates of other guests seated at the other tables should also be removed.
The waiters should not commence the service or clearance without the signal of the supervisor. Before giving the signal for clearance, the supervisor ensures all have consumed the meal. No precedence is given to rank or sex other than top table.
In the formal function, the seating of the guests at the top table will be decided by the host The chief guest or guest of honour is seated to the left of the host, Mrs Chief Guest or guest of honour is seated to the right of the host, the hostess is seated to the left of the chief guest or guest of honour.
In a small group of 10 to 15 guests, the host is seated at the head of the table, Mrs. Guest of honour to the right of the host, the hostess at the tail of the table, and the guest of honour at the right of the hostess.
While serving at the top table, who should be served first is often debatable. Some say Mrs Guest of honour should be served first and others argue that the host should be served first in formal function. The best way to do is to consult the host and carry out the way he/she wants it to go as it is his/her functions and he/she is the host.

Procedure For Toasts At Formal Wedding

Each formal function normally has a toast and the timing of which and the list of toasts—who
Will propose and who will reply—will be discussed prior to the function. Following are the two procedures of toasts practiced during the wedding function. The cake, which is the focal point, should be neatly presented on a silver tray with a knife and kept ready for the newly wedded couple to cut. ¦
• The bride and bridegroom cut the wedding cake.
•Telegrams of wishes and congratulations are read out by the best man.
•Cake and champagne are passed around for toasts.
•Toastmaster announces toast to bride and bridegroom, proposed by bride's father or close relation.
Response of bridegroom—proposes health to bridesmaids.
•The best man replies on behalf of the bridesmaids.
•Toasts by close relatives of bride and bridegroom. Alternatively,
•Champagne is passed around for toasts.
•Toastmaster announces toast to bride and bridegroom, proposed by bride's father or close relation.
•Response of bridegroom—proposes health to bridesmaids.
•Best man replies on behalf of the bridesmaids.
•Toasts by close relatives of bride and bridegroom.
•The bride and bridegroom cut the wedding cake and the telegrams of wishes and congratulations are read out by the best man. Cake and more champagne are passed.

Service Procedure At Informal Function

 no formalities are followed in an informal function. The food and beverages are served at a specified time either by buffet service or family service. A party of 100 and more are normally served by buffet.

Outdoor Catering

Outdoor catering (ODC) refers to extending catering services to a specific group outside the premises in the venue chosen by the host. The success of ODC largely depends on the efficient planning and careful attention to the details.
It is important to take the following steps to ensure successful outdoor catering.
Preliminary survey of the function place
Preliminary survey of the place means visiting the place where the catering is organized to check and assess the following.
•The distance from the hotel or base, travelling time during the peak and lean traffic, peak and lean traffic period, etc. which will give a clear idea to the caterer the latest starting time from the base or from the venue.
•The availability of water, power, gas supply. Accordingly, the provisions have to be made.
•Shops, if any near the venue and the availability of materials in case of emergency.
•The size and shape of the area. Is the function place inside the building or in the open area? If it is in open, do we need to erect temporary shed?
•The condition of the open area to assess if covering of the floor with coir mat is necessary.
•Availability of toilet facilities. If unavailable, temporary one should be erected which should be far away from the clean water resource.
•Identifying suitable area for kitchen stores, kitchen, pot washing, food service area, entertainment area if offered, hand wash area, parking area, etc.
•Facilities for garbage disposable.