Guéridon service involves preparing foods like salads, beef stroganoff, or desserts in front of guests using a guéridon trolley equipped with a gas stove, cutting board, and other tools. An important innovation was flambé work introduced by Henri Charpentier, which involves lighting alcoholic sauces on fire at the table. Proper guéridon setup includes tablecloths, plates, cutlery, pans, and ingredients depending on the dish. Restaurants use various types of guéridon trolleys for serving hors d'oeuvres, cooking meals tableside, displaying wines, serving cheeses and desserts.

1. Guéridon Service
Guéridon Service is a form of food service provided by restaurants to their guests. This
type of service encompasses preparing food (primarily salads, main dishes such as beef
stroganoff, or desserts) in direct view of the guests, using a Gueridon. A gueridon
typically consists of a trolley that is well equipped to prepare, cook and serve the food to
the guest. There will be a gas hob, chopping board, cutlery drawer, cold store (depending
on the trolley type) and general working area.
Definition of guéridon:
• A movable service table or trolley, from which food may be carved, filléted,
flambéed or prepared and served.
• A moveable sideboard carrying sufficient equipment for immediate operation
inhand.
• It comes in various forms: Electric, gas, plain trolley or a small table.
An important innovation, and an extension of this style of service, was the introduction of
flambé work by Henri Charpentier, who when working as a commis de rang at the Cafe
de Paris, Monte Carlo, seized the opportunity to prepare a pancake dish of his creation
for a party hosted by Edward Prince of Wales. During the preparation, the dish was
accidentally set alight when the spirit was added to it, much to the delight of the
important guests. According to Henri Charpentier the dish was a success and was named
crêpes suzette at the request of the Prince of Wales himself. The incident marked the
beginning of a new trend. In the years that followed flambé work became widespread.
Guéridon set up:
- Top and under shelf of the trolley should be covered with a folded table cloth
(Most of the time it depends on the nature of the trolley)
- Service & under plates
- Service cutlery (service spoons & forks, fish knives & forks, tea spoons, soup ladle…)
- Clean flare lamp (filled with methylated spirit in old style trolleys)
- Clean suzette/flambé pan
- Accompaniments depending on the dish
- Service cloth.
Advantages of guéridon service
• Preparing food besides the guests table is a visual display that attracts many
observers.
• The aroma of the food stimulates the appetite of the other guests.
• An opportunity to food and beverage service personnel to exhibit their skills&
showmanship which is done with flair, panache & dexterity.
• Helps in increasing popularity of restaurant as guéridon service has always been
associated with exclusive catering establishments offering an extensive a la carte
menu & thereby more revenue for the restaurant.
Disadvantages of guéridon service

2. • More space required.
• Safety concerns: Earlier, the fuel used for flambé trolley was gas or methylated
spirit but with modern-day technology, like the use of induction plate, safety has
been enhanced. Moreover, proper training of service staff can reduce the cost of
safety and will help boost sales.
• Specially skilled staff: The trained waiter can double up as a good entertainer to
make the guests' visit memorable.
• Innovation in recipes: Guests who know about the gueridon flambé service say
that the dishes offered through this service are limited and they are bored with the
same old crepe suzette, banana flambé, steak, pineapple, etc. It is our
responsibility to experiment with various cuisines which can go with spirits used
in flambé. One should also experiment with regional cuisine and popular dishes.
For example, chicken tandoori flambé and shallow fried fish flambé can become
popular among guests
• The cost factor: About four to five decades ago, the service was expensive and
said to be apt for celebrities and royal family. But the booming economy and the
growing spending power of the common man has led to an increase in popularity
of gueridon flambé.
Types of trolleys used in Restaurants:
1. Hors d'ouevres trolley: To set hors d'ouevre platters in an attractive way for easy
identification by the guest.
2. Guéridon trolley: Use to cook meat, or crepe suzette in front of the guest and than
flame it e.g. Steak Diane
3. Wine trolley: Stocks & displays wines & spirits to stimulate liquor sales.
4. Cheese trolley: Serve cheeses e.g. Camembert Cheese.
5. Dessert trolley: Portion & serve desserts e.g. Lemon tart.
6. Liqueur trolley: Serve liqueurs e.g. Kahlua neat.
7. Salad trolley: For health conscious people
Gueridon Equipment
• Clean Flambé pan.
• Service & under plates.
• Service spoons & forks, tea spoons etc.
• Carving board & carving knife(depending on dish).
• Service cloth.
Gueridon Ingredients
Ingredients depends on the kind of trolley & the type of dish prepared
• Oil for cooking.
• Brandy for flambé items.
• Liqueurs for special crêpe preparations.

3. • Salt & pepper.
• Pepper mill.
• Accompaniments depending on the dish e.g grated cheese for pasta