hat’s the difference between English service and a plated buffet? Is an amuse-bouche a good thing or a bad thing? What does it mean when a menu item is A.Q.? And who, or what, is a shucker? The catering industry simmers with quirky jargon. Every tool has a name. Every person has a title. Every function has a description. Some are fresh and hip. Some are old and traditional. And some are, well, just plain silly. This glossary of catering terminology is the newcomer’s guide to the eclectic world of food and beverage. No, it won’t turn you into the Emeril of the event industry. But the next time some foo foo she she caterer tries to toss his crouton-speak around, you can dish out some foodie-talk of your own. And maybe get that plate lunch down to $25.
Roll your mouse over a red number for a description of each catering and food service professional.
A la Carte Each item on the menu has its own price, as opposed to an entire meal for one fixed price. Translation: a la spendy. A.Q. As quoted. Typically, expensive seasonal foods that are quoted daily, such as lobster. Translation: prices fluctuate with chef’s mood swings. Attrition Shortfall of food and beverage actually used, compared to the amount agreed to in the contract. By the Piece Food purchased by the individual piece, usually for a reception. CEO/BEO Catering Event Order/Banquet Event Order. Caterer/facility uses this document to detail all the requirements of your function, including menu, AV, table setup, staffing requirements, etc. Chef’s Table Food samples offered to event planners prior to booking an event. Corkage Fee placed on beer, liquor, and wine brought into the facility and not purchased from the facility. The fee usually includes the cost of labor, ice, glassware, mixers, and occasionally, the profit the hotel would have made if you had purchased it from the facility. “BYOB and it’ll cost ya.” Du Jour Menu Menu that is planned and written on a daily basis. Translation: stuff we need to get rid of today. Duoserve Property vs. Uniserve Property At a duoserve facility, logistics are handled by the convention services manager and catering is handled by a separate manager. At a uniserve property, the convention services manager handles all aspects of the event, including catering. FAM Trip Familiarization program/trip offered to event and meeting planners, designed to acquaint participants with specific destinations and encourage bookings. In other words, freebies, freebies, freebies. Ganging Menus A cost-cutting technique where two different events in the same facility opt for the same menu. Translation: Sam’s Club cuisine. Gratuity/Service Charge vs. Tip A gratuity is a mandatory, automatic fee added to a bill for the service personnel. A tip is a cash award given voluntarily for superior service. Translation: servers get a gratuity for showing up late and spilling wine on your CEO’s suit. Guarantee Final number of guests expected. Event manager provides this to the facility manager or caterer, and must pay for this number of guests whether or not they show up. Overset Number of places set over the guarantee, which is usually 3 to 5 percent. Plus-Plus Taxes and gratuities not included in the initial quote but added to the final bill. Designated by “++.” Translation: the final bill’s gonna shock you. Pre-Con Preconference meeting between the facility managers, meeting manager, and major contractors. Release Date Date beyond which a facility can rent unused function space to other groups. Standard Recipes These dishes are used to help caterers maintain cost and portion control. They’re carefully costed out, down to the exact amount of required ingredients. Table D’hote Menu Set-price menu consisting of two or more courses and one or more choices within each course. Union House Facility in which workers are regulated by a union. Translation: even if workers only perform 45 minutes of work, you’re charged for four. Breakfast American Breakfast Cereal, eggs, meat, fruits, juice, bakery goods, and hot/cold beverages. Continental Breakfast Light morning meal of pastries, juices, and hot beverages, typically served buffet style. Aka grab and dash — or stash for later. English Breakfast Full breakfast buffet, including juice, hot cereal, eggs, meat (often fish), pastries, jellies, preserves, and hot beverages. May also include action stations. Translation: jolly good spread. Lunch / Dinner American Service Food is portioned and plated in the kitchen and served by attendants; side plates are used for bread, butter, and salad. English Service Food is brought to the table on a tray. Host either cuts the food or allows the server to cut it, away from the table. Guests help themselves to vegetables from bowls on the table. “We’d do family style, but we’re English for God’s sake.” Family-Style Service Guests serve themselves from platters and bowls on the tables. “Dig in par’ner.” French Service Banquet Style Food platters are prepared in the kitchen, and each food item is served from platters onto individual plates at the table. “Bonsoir, I’ll be your portion-control monitor.” French Service Cart Style A captain heats and garnishes food table-side, and serves a heated plate to the guest. Plated Buffet Guests choose from a selection of plated foods placed on a buffet table. “We’re controlling your portions, and we can’t afford to serve you.” Russian Service Banquet Style Food is prepared in the kitchen, but all courses are served from a platter. The server places the proper plate in front of the guests and then returns with a tray of food and serves it. Russian Service Restaurant Style Food is cooked table-side. Servers put food on platters and present them to seated guests, who help themselves. Hors D’oeuvres Butler Service/Flying Service Servers offer hors d’oeuvres on platters, which is an elegant way to cut back on consumption. “Would you care for a crab cake? Tet, tet, tet. Put those down. I said, ‘a’ crab cake not three.” Meal Service Most hotels plan for one server per 32 guests. However, service ratio is negotiable, and you may want to go as low as one server per 16 guests if you’re using an upscale, time-consuming service style, such as Russian. Buffet Table and Attendants Secure one buffet table and one attendee for every 100 guests. Reception Attendants Use one attendant for every 50 guests. Reception Seating Reception seating should be provided for roughly 20 to 25 percent of attendees. *Source: Professional Meeting Management, 4th Edition, published by the Education Foundation of the Professional Convention Management Association. Action Station Buffet service where attendants finish some food items in pans over portable rechauds (food warmers). “See, we can cook, too.” Alfresco Outside dining. Aka buffet o’ bugs. Base Plate/Charger Empty dinner plate used as a base for several courses and removed prior to the main course. Cover A place setting for one person. Covers The actual number of meals served at a catered function. Double Cloth Two decorative tablecloths placed on a banquet table. Intermezzo An intermission in dinner service just before the main course. A sorbet is often served to cleanse the palate. Mis en place “To put in place.” In the dining room it means setting tables, stocking stations, and prepping beverage supplies, china, and silverware. In the kitchen, it means preparing ingredients before final cooking and presentation. Napery Fabric table coverings such as tablecloths and napkins. Pre-function Space Area adjacent to the main event location. Preset Food placed on banquet tables before guests are seated. Common preset items include water, butter, bread, salad, and cold appetizers. Dessert or cold entrées are often preset at informal luncheons. Refresh After or between meetings, attendants change glassware, refill water pitchers, and perform general housekeeping. Silencer Padded material under a tablecloth used to quiet noise made by dishes and utensils. Skirting Fabric placed around a table to conceal the area underneath. Peeking strongly discouraged. Tray Jack Stand to hold heavy food trays. A la Minute Food is cooked to order, often in front of guests. Amuse-Bouche “To amuse the palate.” A tasty small snack, compliments of the chef, to endear him to the patrons. Architectural Cuisine Food items stacked for height; for example, a base of potatoes, topped with beef, topped with vegetables. Aka vertical vittles. Chef’s Choice Menu option where the chef prepares a selection of food items to best complement the entrée. Aka repurposed leftovers.
Linda Armstrong senior editor