Celebration and merriment are an indispensable part of our lives. Today, they are no more confined to the age-old paradigms of a gathering. Banquet services are the easiest and obvious style of hosting such events. They can be as varied as the event you’re attending. The word banquet means a sumptuous feast and is arranged to cater a large number of people.  Banquet service is an elaborate meal than a regular family dinner due to the scope of the event or size of the crowd present. These services can be as varied as the marriage, meeting, conference etc. and they are decided by the extend of the event, menu, and crowd. 

1. BANQUET – FUNCTIONS –
TYPES – SERVICES
Pankaj chandel
MBA TTM – DSVV –
Hospitality Management

2. INTRODUCTION
Celebration and merriment are an indispensable part of our lives.
Today, they are no more confined to the age-old paradigms of a
gathering. Banquet services are the easiest and obvious style of
hosting such events. They can be as varied as the event you’re
attending. The word banquet means a sumptuous feast and is
arranged to cater a large number of people.
Banquet service is an elaborate meal than a regular family dinner due
to the scope of the event or size of the crowd present. These services
can be as varied as the marriage, meeting, conference etc. and they
are decided by the extend of the event, menu, and crowd.

3. TYPES OF BANQUET SERVICES
Buffet: This is a very common banquet service in events with a large
number of attendees. There is a buffet line of food choices, which the
guests pass through and serve themselves. It is a convenient way of
choosing what an individual wants to choose.
Reception: This is a gathering where people mill around the room
while eating and chatting.
Food Stations: These comprise of various cuisines, courses and
offerings to guests. Many times, these stations are manned by the
chefs who cooks or prepares food in front of the guests. The most
common food stations include pasta bars, sushi stations, desserts,
etc.

4. Cafeteria-Style: This is very similar to the buffet-style banquet
service, with a difference that servers themselves serve the food. The
practice is used to control the portion sizes.
Plated: In this service, the guests are seated, and servers bring food
already portioned into the plates from the kitchen. This is believed to
be one of the most efficient types of banquet service. The plated style
is commonly seen at formal events, seminars, conferences, and
formal dinners.
Pre-Set Service: If the food is already showing up on the table, at the
time of your arrival, it is known as a pre-set arrangement. This is
applicable mostly with the bread, desserts, salads, and beverages.

5. DESIGN & STYLE
The design and décor of function rooms can take many forms. The best way to
layout a room is dependent on various factors such as space available in the
banquet hall, size of the audience, expected level of activity and interaction
required, and place required for dinner tables, meeting tables, and head tables.
The various types of banquet style setups are:
Theatre Style
Boardroom Style
U-shape Style
Wedding Style
Herringbone Style
Hollow Square Style
Classroom Style
T-shape Style

6. THE FUNCTION OF BANQUET
DEPARTMENT IN HOTEL
The main function of the banquet department is to organize all types
of function catering under the direction and control of the banquet
manager. It concentrates on selling all the hotel facilities to potential
guests.
The banquet department of the hotel is one of the major revenue-
producing departments. It is one of the departments under the
umbrella of the food and beverage department.
Business organizations, Clubs, Family, and Friends organize functions
for various occasions. Due to the non-availability of a place to hold
the function according to their needs. This is where the banquet
department’s responsibilities come to their rescue by conducting the
function.

7. The function is organized within the banquet hall, the size of which
varies from hotel to hotel. Some hotels may have more than one hall
of different sizes to hold the function of different group sizes or one
large hall, the size of which can be adjusted with temporary partitions
to accommodate parties of various sizes.
In a smaller establishment, the functions are organized by the hotel
manager or restaurant manager in a separate area set aside for this
purpose.
There are also stand-alone convention centers, trade centers,
marriage halls, etc. which can be hired out and the services of
catering professionals may be availed to conduct the function.

8. WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF
BANQUET FUNCTIONS
FORMAL FUNCTION
In this type of function, certain procedures, such as seating the host,
chief guest, guest of honor, and the invitees, serving the food and
beverages are decided by the host. This should be strictly followed
during the function.
Formal functions always include speeches at a specific time which is
mostly at the end of the meal just before the service of coffee.
Dress code for the invitees may be insisted upon. Controlled behavior
of the guests prevails in the formal function catering.
Functions hosted by the head of the country or state, military, formal
wedding breakfasts are some of the examples of formal functions.

9. INFORMAL FUNCTION
In an informal function, no formalities and procedures are followed
on seating, serving, and the dress codes. The service is indiscriminate
of sex and rank.
These functions normally include entertainment. One can witness the
casual behavior of the guests in the informal functions. More informal
functions are organized in the present days.
For example- Birthday parties, Cocktail parties, Wedding
anniversaries, Club members meet, Alumni meets, etc.

10. SOCIAL FUNCTION
The purpose of this function is to meet people, make new friends,
entertain oneself, and build relationships.
For example- Cocktail parties, Wedding anniversaries, Birthday
parties, Wedding receptions, Dine and dance parties, etc.
PUBLIC RELATIONS
These are organized by the business houses in order to make the
consumers aware of their presence and establish relationships with
them.
For example- Exhibitions, Contests for homemakers, Fashion
parades, Dealer’s meetings, etc.

11. 5. CONFERENCES
The purpose of this type of banquet function is to share knowledge
and expertise and to discuss matters of concern.
For example- Political conferences, Trade union conferences,
International and National conferences on important issues, etc.

12. Following are some other different
function types, normally organized by
the banquet department of a hotel:
Workshops.
Conferences.
Fashion parades.
TV shows.
Wedding receptions.
Birthday parties.
Alumni meets.
Club members meet.
Seminars.
Exhibitions.
Beauty contests.
Training sessions.
Wedding anniversaries.
Graduation days.
Cocktail parties.

13. Whatever may be the kind of function, it needs two broad categories of
facilities without which the function will be a failure.
The facilities are in the following:
Food and beverages.
Other amenities include seating, audio, video, stage, lighting, press meets,
etc. which vary according to the function types.
All the functions need some basic facilities other than food and beverages.
The facilities required should be discussed with the host at the time of
booking the function and provided accordingly.
If the facilities required by the host, say an LCD, or a screen, is not available
in the hotel, they may be outsourced. Other than the provision of food,
beverages, and seating arrangement. The provisions of food and beverages
have to be made at the specified time.

14. PANKAJCHANDEL@HOTMAIL.COM
Thank You !
Content by – Jaypee and hmtips