Buffet Knowledge Guide

Chef Knowledge
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Objectives
▪ Buffet Planning
▪ Menu Development
▪ Buffet Presentation; Hot, Cold, Action Stations
▪ Buffet Layout
▪ Appertiser vs Hors d'oeuvres
▪ Hors d’oeuvre Preparation

A buffet is a system of serving meals in which food is placed in
a public area where the diners serve themselves.
Buffets are offered at various places including hotels,
restaurants and many social events.
Buffet restaurants normally offer all-you-can-eat food for a set
price, but some measure prices by weight.
Buffet

Buffet Planning
▪ Buffets must be carefully designed to provide food from a planned
menu in a single attractive setting to a given number of people
within a specified time.
▪ The theme sets the tone of the event:
Theme defines the menu, decorations, props, linens, dinnerware,
music, lighting, staff uniforms, etc.
▪ Themes can be based on:
Season, weather, and the guests’ comfort and expectations,
holidays, etc.

Menu Development - Crafting a menu
▪ Review the concept or theme and establish the appropriate
menu selections for the buffet
– Guest expectations.
▪ Food is generally the focal point.
▪ Buffet-style service offers guests variety, the freedom to
choose from different categories, and the option of unlimited
portions.
▪ Consider the buffet event, such as variety of menu, quantity
and quality of food, number of service staff and equipment
size depending on space availability

Buffet display
and service
Prepare and
produce
buffet dishes
Display buffet
dishes
Store buffet
items
Planning

Plan a buffet display and service
▪ Plan a buffet display and service appropriate to client
needs
▪ Plan layout, display and presentation of the buffet
▪ Calculate quantities required and food costs
components of buffet
▪ Select appropriate food items
▪ Identify and prepare a variety of buffet center pieces

Prepare and produce buffet dishes
▪ Select appropriate preparation and cooking methods for
dishes on buffet menu
▪ Glaze buffet foods were appropriate
▪ Hold prepared products as required prior to presenting
▪ Prepare garnishes, sauces and accompaniments for
appropriate buffet dishes
▪ Use trimming and leftovers

Display buffet dishes
▪ Present buffet products
▪ Hold prepared products as required for duration of
buffet service
▪ Minimize wastage through presentation and
replenishing
▪ Display buffet dishes attractively

Store buffet items
▪ Store fresh and or vacuum packed items correctly
▪ Store buffet products appropriately in correct containers
▪ Label stored buffet food correctly
▪ Store in correct conditions to maintain freshness and
quality

The layout of the buffet

The Layout of Buffet depending on
▪ The type of buffet
▪ The occasion/ event
▪ The number of guests
▪ The dishes selected
▪ The style of service.

Types of Buffet
▪ Classic buffet
▪ Cocktail buffet
▪ Fork and finger buffet
▪ Breakfast buffet
▪ Brunch buffet
▪ Carvery buffet
▪ Theme buffet

Classic buffet
▪ A classic buffet is a style of food service where the food is
laid out or displayed on a table.
▪ Usually dinner times and several courses of the menu,
both hot and cold, arrange on the table
▪ It would also include a number of elaborate decorated
pieces around which platters are arranged.
▪ The guests may serve themselves or be served at tables as
per a normal dinner.

▪ A buffet maybe served at any time of an afternoon or
early evening.
▪ The food presented are small savory items such as
canapés, dips etc.
▪ Items should be no larger than two mouthfuls as guests
are normally standing, drinking and talking whilst they
are served.
▪ Coffee and small pastries may also be served at a
cocktail buffet
Cocktail buffet

Fork and finger buffet
▪ The food must be of a nature that allows a guest to
stand using either fingers or a fork.
▪ Small hors d’oeuvres, cheese, tartlets, wet dishes
with rice and salads are all suitable.
▪ This style of buffet may be served for lunch,
afternoon refreshment, dinner or supper

Breakfast buffet
▪ A breakfast buffet is a popular feature in many hotels as an
alternative to an a la carte breakfast service
▪ Varieties of foods such as:
- Toast, Croissants, Waffles
- Eggs & Sausages
- Fruits & Stewed fruits
- Cereals
- Coffee and tea.
▪ The customer usually helps themselves
▪ Chef may be present at the buffet to prepare omelets or
fried eggs to order.

Brunch buffet
▪ The word brunch is derived from breakfast and lunch
and is usually served from 10.00 – 14.00.
▪ There are two menus styles; breakfast and lunch –
combined into one.

Carvery buffet/ Food stall buffet
▪ A Carvery buffet is usually served for lunch or dinner
and includes a variety of hot carvings such as lamb,
veal, pork, poultry or fish which are displayed and
carved on request of the customer
▪ The table may be decorated with a bread or fruit
display.
▪ To accompany the carved items, vegetables, potatoes,
salads, bread and appropriate condiments are added.

Theme buffet
▪ A theme buffet can be any of the above types of buffets but is
specifically planned and prepared using a theme for that
particular occasion.
▪ Some examples of theme buffets:
- Wedding
- Birthdays
- Religious festivals: Ramadan, Christmas, Easter, Ramadan
- Seasonal – Winter, spring, summer
- Major events – spring racing carnival, grand prix
- Sporting event – Tennis, football grand final
- A particular cuisine: Indonesian, Indian, Spanish, Asian, Italian, etc.
- A particular type of food – seafood, fruit buffet, etc.
▪ The food, decorations and centerpieces would be selected based on
the theme of the buffet.

Buffet Layout and Table Plan

1. Guest Entry
2. Guest table
3. Display
4. Bar
5. Buffet Table
6. Kitchen access
Buffet Layout Plan

Buffet Layout Plan

1. Butter
2. Plates
3. Bread Display
4. Charcuterie/cold cut
5. Galantine (cold)
6. Seafood (cold)
7. Salads
8. Bread Rolls
9. Ice carving
10. Lamb (hot)
11. Turkey (hot)
12. Vegetarian (hot)
13. Fruit Display
14. Sauce Selection
Double – sided buffet
Double – Sided Buffet

Single – sided buffet

Single-sided buffet – Two Flow Lines

Portion Control

Portion control strategies
▪ Get staff to serve the food
▪ Serve the entrée to the table
▪ Use the appropriate size service utensils that indicate the
correct portion size
▪ Don’t display to much food
▪ Pre-plate high cost items so that the guest will only take
one plate.

Portion size Tip
▪ Avoid preparing excess amounts of food for the event
▪ Avoid preparing too many variety of dishes
▪ The maximum portion size should be half the size of an a la
carte main course.
▪ Buffet portions should be small enough to allow the guest to
sample a range of items
▪ Buffets menus are normally presented to the customers with
a price per person and all the dishes are included.
▪ The chef needs to be prepared with a variety of dishes that fit
within a price structure.

Buffet Presentation

Buffet Presentation – Hot Food
▪ Safety and Sanitation
▪ Presentation concerns such color, flavor, garnish
▪ Serve foods that hold temperature well
▪ Cook and serve small batches of foods
▪ Sauces in the pans help keep the foods moist and hot
▪ Keep the chafing dishes closed when not serving

Hot Dishes Menu
▪ Meat dishes such as a simple roast, grilled, frying method
with sauces, stewed or braising method can be found on a
wide variety of buffet menu.
▪ Starch dishes such as variety of potato, rice, pasta, polenta,
noodle, etc.
▪ Vegetable dishes such as sautéed, steamed, boiled, boiled,
grilled braised variety of vegetable

Buffet Presentation – Cold Food
▪ Watch temperatures
▪ Fresh, colorful and welcoming
▪ Replenish ice often
▪ Serving platters have to be exchanged often to keep the food
appealing (and safe – remember 4 hours)
▪ Remember to avoid mixing temperature sensitive foods with
potentially hazardous foods
▪ Ice carvings and ice beds are often used to keep cold food
cold, as well as for the dramatic appeal. Be certain that the
ice can drain properly and that heavy or large ice carvings
are stable.

Buffet Presentation – Action Stations
▪ Action stations provide:
- Custom experience
- Highlight the special talents of your staff
- Introduce interaction between the guests and staff
▪ Consider:
- Skills of the cook to execute the station.
- Special equipment needed to produce the item
▪ Action stations can now be adapted to encompass many
food items on a menu.
Such as: - Tempura Station
- Omelet Station
- Shushi Station
- Crape Station, etc.

Appetizers vs. Hors d’oeuvres
▪ Appetizer - served before the main courses of a meal
▪ Hors d’oeuvre – Finger food one or two bite, can be hot or
cold, savory or sweet.
▪ Canapé – Part of hors d’oeuvre, small, prepared and
usually decorative food, held in the fingers and often
eaten in one bite. Usually contains bread as a base.
▪ Amuse bouche - "amusing the mouth“. Gift or treat from
the chef to welcome guests to a restaurant before they
decide what to eat.

Hors d’oeuvres Preparation
▪ When selecting hors d’oeuvres, keep in mind the nature and
theme of the event, as well as the menu to follow.
▪ Hors d’oeuvre served on platters or passed on trays butler style
should be thoughtfully, neatly presented. “All your soldiers in a
row.”
▪ Use “interesting” plates, platters and props to create a mood or
theme for the event.
▪ Serve at the proper temperature, and remember to chill or warm
plates/platters.
▪ Slice, shape and portion properly. There should be just enough of
any given item to make the hors d’oeuvre interesting and
appealing from start to finish.

Hot Buffet

Cold Buffet

Action Station/ Food Stall

Carving Station

Cheese Platter

Hors d’oeuvres

Following the steps below:
▪ Determine the number of invitations then multiplied by 2.
▪ Estimate the number of guests who will definitely attend by
percentage, usually only 85-90% of the total will come to
the wedding reception.
▪ Then use the ratio buffet 60:40: to calculate the number of
buffets and food stalls that must be ordered.
▪ The most people would come 3 times to food stalls.
Therefore, the results of counting the food stall must be
multiplied by 3.
How to calculate the amount of food in a buffet

Example:
▪ 1000 the number of invitations then multiplied x 2 =2000
▪ 90% of the total will come x 2000 = 1800 guests
▪ The ratio 60:40:
60% x 1800 = 1080 guests, number of buffets
40% x 1800 = guests , food stalls
▪ 3 x 720 guests = 2160 portions of food stall
1 x 1080 guests = 1080 portions of buffet
▪ The last step is to share the total portion with the number
of stalls you want (2,160 divided by 5 stalls = 432).
So for each food stall you have to provide 432 servings.

Estimated weight of food per serving in buffet service
Dishes Ingredient Unit Quantity Portion
Steamed rice Raw white rice 1kg Kg 2 Cooked 10
Clear Soup Liter 1 Cooked 6
Cream Soup Liter 1 Cooked 6
Roasted Chicken Whole chicken cut into
12 pcs
Kg 1,2 Raw 8
Fried Chicken Whole chicken cut into
12 pcs
Kg 1,2 Raw 8
Stewed Beef Top side cut in to 22-25
pcs
Kg 1 Raw 15
Beef Teriyaki Local Tenderloin cut
into sliced or strip
Kg 1 Raw 15
Vegetables Kg 1 Cooked 12
Fried Noodle Kg 1 Cooked 5
Deep Fried Fish w/ coating Fillet fish cut into cube
or sliced
Kg 1 Raw 12
Deep Fried Chicken w/
coating
Boneless Chicken cut
into cube or sliced
Kg 1 Raw 12

Buffet Knowledge Guide

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