Showing posts with label hospitality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hospitality. Show all posts

5/25/2012

Hospitality Sales: A Marketing Approach Review

Hospitality Sales: A Marketing Approach
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I have to give this book a thumbs up. Real world examples. There are terms that are used throughout the book that are emphasized, and not relevanet to the real world. I have five years of Hospitality Marketing/CVB experience; I have been out of the business two years and this is an excellent refresher course.

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What It Takes to be a Leader in Hospitality Sales-Principles and Techniques for Success What's the key to success in today's competitive hospitality industry? Sales-the art and science of telling potential customers that you have the product they need, when they need it, and where, at a price that's right for them. Hospitality Sales: A Marketing Approach provides in-depth instruction based on the strategies of leading hospitality organizations. This comprehensive book introduces crucial sales and marketing concepts and describes how they apply to hospitality businesses and customers. An unparalleled teaching resource, this book:* Presents selling as the vital link between marketing and operations* Explains concepts and practices with clear, real-world examples* Explores sales management technology, from office automation and yield management technology to point-of-sale systems and guest service technology* Provides summaries and discussion questions at the end of each chapter* Features a quick-reference glossary of important termsHospitality Sales: A Marketing Approach introduces students in any undergraduate program to the real world of hospitality sales and gives them the solid grounding they will need to embark on a successful career in hospitality sales.

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5/17/2012

The Waiter and Waitress Training Manual (Hospitality, Travel & Tourism) Review

The Waiter and Waitress Training Manual (Hospitality, Travel and Tourism)
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A handy guide for waitstaff" everything from proper positioning while pouring water to cutlery placement.
Easy to read and well recommended by this FOOD INDUSTRY NEWS staffer!

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The demand for a skilled waitstaff has never been greater. The Waiter and Waitress Training Manual can help the reader to develop the consummate service skills required to capture repeat business and handle all phases of the job efficiently. This expanded edition reflects current customer preferences and restaurant practices.

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5/15/2012

Themes, Dreams, and Schemes: Banquet Menu Ideas, Concepts, and Thematic Experiences Review

Themes, Dreams, and Schemes: Banquet Menu Ideas, Concepts, and Thematic Experiences
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This book is applicable to anyone with tons of cash to spare on a party hosted in 1954. As a caterer, I was looking for inspiration, but sadly, only found jello and marshmallow themes pervasive throughout the entire book. Not worth the paper it is printed on!

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The only idea resource book of its kind for catering, banquet, and meeting operations.

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5/13/2012

Professional Garde Manger: A Comprehensive Guide to Cold Food Preparation Review

Professional Garde Manger: A Comprehensive Guide to Cold Food Preparation
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To manage cold food preparation in a creative fashion is what Garde Manger is all about. The basics and skills needed to handle the station can flow through into the home kitchen as well if you follow along in this book. For the professional this book will be a way to refine your skills in Catering, Banquet service and general foodservice operations. For the home cook this book will open your eyes to the wonderful world of Garde Manger and help you develop skills that will assist in your home cooking and possibly moving into a professional setting.
The book is broken down into 18 chapters, starting with the Garde Manger Profession and finishing with Buffets and Food Bars. You will learn the very basics of production and follow through with design, plating and adding condiments and decor to round out the recipe. The different levels and expectations of cold food are laid out quite well in Chapter one and certainly leave no stone unturned. If you are a novice in the kitchen you may want to study the book a bit first to pick up the terminology so you can better prepare yourself for what's ahead.
The recipes and methods for preparation are easy to follow and include step by step instructions with pictures and diagrams. If you take the time to look over the recipe before you begin then you have mastered the first rule of the kitchen. Read everything and set your station or area up with the needed ingredients and kitchen tools to get the job done. Once you work through the first selected recipes you will gain a measure of satisfaction and accomplishment that will carry your through the book.
I've enjoyed reading through the book and have utilized several recipes in my professional kitchen as well as adapting them a bit to my home kitchen. I look forward to utilizing these recipes to enhance my cold food preparation skills and as well as giving me some new ideas in cold food production. This book certainly deserves a nice spot on my culinary shelf and I'm sure you will enjoy it as well.

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5/08/2012

How To Start And Run Your Own Bed & Breakfast Inn Review

How To Start And Run Your Own Bed and Breakfast Inn
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I just read a library copy of this book, and now I'm buying my own copy for future reference. It was filled with essential information about innkeeping, and not just for those who want to start a two to three bedroom B&B in their house. Most of the information was applicable to small inns and hotels, as well. It is definitely the best book I've read on the subject so far (out of about six books).

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Experienced and first-time innkeepers need reliable information to help them meet the challenges of running a successful inn. This book reveals the secrets of the best inns, including information on securing financing, buying and managing the inn, attracting the right guests, developing a business plan, addressing legal and insurance needs, marketing the inn effectively, and locating professional organisations.

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4/03/2012

Restaurant and Fast Food Site Selection Review

Restaurant and Fast Food Site Selection
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This book is the best there is on evaluating locations and picking the right locations. The man really knows his stuff. I highly recommend it to anyone either going into the restaurant business or for anyone planning on opening an additional restaurant

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Based on data developed through first hand experience, this book is designed to assist restauranteurs and fast food operators by setting out the principles for selecting successful restaurant and fast food locations. Written in four sections - the tools, application, implementation and special considerations - the book also provides an analysis of successful operations and how to apply the results so you can identify good sites and avoid business failure.

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3/26/2012

HACCP & Sanitation in Restaurants and Food Service Operations: A Practical Guide Based on the USDA Food Code With Companion CD-ROM Review

HACCP and Sanitation in Restaurants and Food Service Operations: A Practical Guide Based on the USDA Food Code With Companion CD-ROM
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HACCP is the acronym for Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points. This text, by Arduser and Brown is the be all and end all on the topic - in my view. It even comes with a companion CD-ROM that contains all forms from the book in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) and MS Word format. This is a major time saver when it comes to preparing and administering the required tests to staff members and the newly hired.
The comprehensive 530+ page text covers everything I can think of that relates to food safety in restaurants and other eateries. It is designed to teach food service managers and their employees the specifics of food safety in accordance with the FDA Food Code. This excellent training manual is in large print format that makes it easy to read. The writing is easy to understand and the authors were careful to explain key concepts and terms so that even a novice can study it alone.
The seven comprehensive chapters in the manual cover the following topics: Hazards to Food Safety; Factors Affecting Food-Born Illness; Food Safety Regulations; Following The Flow of Food; HACCP; and the Facility Plan. These are followed by an extremely helpful Glossary of terms. The Appendix includes all forms needed to meet the FDA requirements and to run an efficient and safe establishment. Included are checklists, signage, compliance checklists, and equipment cleaning charts, allergen-control program worksheet along with job descriptions for personnel. There is even a Certificate of Completion to certify that staff members have taken and passed the required tests (included).
With the rise in reports of food-borne illnesses and deaths it is essential that every food service operation adhere to the regulations and safety procedures at all times. In my view, this book is essential to ensure you are in total compliance.
As one who has conducted training I find this book deserves 5 stars for its complete coverage of the subject matter in an easy to digest all-in-one format. I highly recommend this book.

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This book is based on the FDA Food Code and will teach the food service manager and employees every aspect of food safety, HACCP, and sanitation from purchasing and receiving food to properly washing the dishes. They will learn time and temperature abuses, cross-contamination, personal hygiene practices, biological, chemical and physical hazards; proper cleaning and sanitizing; waste and pest management; and the basic principles of HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points). Explain what safe food is and how to provide it. Bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, various food-borne illnesses, safe food handling techniques, Purchasing and receiving food, storage, preparation and serving, sanitary equipment and facilities, cleaning and sanitizing of equipment and facilities, pest management program, accident prevention program, crisis management, food safety and sanitation laws. The companion CD ROM contains all the forms and posters needed to establish your HACCP and food safety program.

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3/21/2012

Modern Garde Manger: A Global Perspective Review

Modern Garde Manger: A Global Perspective
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Let me qualify this by saying for a number of years I taught Garde Manger at a Le Cordon Bleu school. I probably own every text book on the subject as it has remained near and dear to my heart as I moved back to the restaurant world.
This is probably the BEST text on this subject I have seen; so much so that I plan to look into their other books. Running the gamut from cold appetizers to a primer on ice sculpting to a discussion of centerpiece carving, this book provides clear concise examples of each process. The full color pictures are fantastic and a welcome addition to the instructions provided. If I was teaching again, this would be my textbook of choice.

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Winner of the Prestigious IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) Award, The Modern Garde Manger is designed to meet the educational needs of novice culinary students and experienced chefs. Its carefully researched information and fully tested recipes span the broad international spectrum of the modern garde manger station.Five distinct sections covering seventeen chapters of text and recipes focus on the different aspects of the chef s required knowledge and responsibilities. Special features of the text include Chapter Goals; Professional Profiles featuring leading culinary personalities; Review Questions to spark classroom discussion and pique student interest; Activities and Applications that stress the importance of critical thinking skills, relative to the material presented in the chapter; and Key Words in Review. This is the most comprehensive text of its kind available for today s student and professional chef.

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3/18/2012

So You Are a Chef, with CD-ROM: Managing Your Culinary Career Review

So You Are a Chef, with CD-ROM: Managing Your Culinary Career
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The second updated edition of SO YOU ARE A CHEF is a winner, covering food-related jobs such as culinary Educator, Food Photographer and Celebrity Chef and highlighting careers across all industries, including those in research and development and education. From handling an interview for being a chef to selecting the appropriate materials for a portfolio and using networking to search the hidden job market, this handbook is for any who have their cooking credentials and are ready to plumb the job market's potentials. Any business or career library or those catering to food professionals needs SO YOU ARE A CHEF.


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So You Are a Chef: Managing Your Culinary Career, with CD-ROM is the ultimate career guide for student and professional chefs. Whether you're seeking a job fresh from culinary school or completely changing your career path, this book will make it easy for you to brave today's intimidating culinary job market. Find expert advice on the culinary job search from beginning to end. Written in a clear, accessible style, this guide illuminates important ideas with numerous examples, documents, forms, and other helpful features drawn directly from today's culinary industry.

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3/16/2012

Opening a Restaurant or Other Food Business Starter Kit: How to Prepare a Restaurant Business Plan & Feasibility Study: With Companion CD-ROM Review

Opening a Restaurant or Other Food Business Starter Kit: How to Prepare a Restaurant Business Plan and Feasibility Study: With Companion CD-ROM
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Often people who start a restaurant are creative people who are excellent at visualizing their ideas and sadly lacking in skills that help them realize the practical details, forgetting that without expertise in the practical details, their ideas will never get past their home kitchens. Opening a Restaurant is a detailed plan on how to organize your restaurant ideas into something that will a) help you sell your ideas to loan officers and other investors, and b) clarify your vision to help you avoid the pitfalls that drag down most new restaurants within their first year of opening.
What this book will do is teach you how to build a business plan--the document that any institutional lender or investor will want to see before deciding to plunk down money on your hip, new concept. The book is totally specific to the restaurant/food service industry, and weeds out what you need to know from other business-plan instruction manuals, listing many questions that it would be helpful for a new business-owner (or the owner of an existing business planning to make modifications or reassess existing strategies/trends). The book also details how to put together feasibility analysis (both for your restaurant as a whole and for specific project), a marketing plan, how to gather facts and make valid estimates from them, and how to make your plan look professional.
There are two drawbacks to this book. Despite the excellent advice that it gives, the structure can be very confusing at times. For example, throughout the book, Fuller tells you to come up with estimates and answers to questions, but doesn't tell you how to make the estimate or find out the answers to the questions until almost the end of the book. The other drawback is that the formatting and editing of the book leave something to be desired--the information you need could be located in any of several different places. If you have time to read the entire book before starting, this is an excellent book, but looking for a specific answer to a quick question may require more time than you'd like to use. On the up side, there's a good guide to online resources.
Overall, a great little book for clarifying your ideas about your restaurant and putting together a restaurant-specific business plan; I just wish it were organized a little better.

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Restaurants are one of the most frequently started small businesses, yet have one of the highest failure rates. Survivors need a powerful strategic advantage: a sound business plan and feasibility study prior to opening. A new study from The Ohio State University has found the restaurant industry failure rate between 1996 and 1999 to be between 57-61 percent over three years. DonÂ't be a statistic on the wrong side, plan now for success with this new book & CD-ROM package. A business plan precisely defines your business, identifies your goals, and serves as your firm's resume. The basic components include a current and pro forma balance sheet, an income statement, and a cash flow analysis. It helps you allocate resources properly, handle unforeseen complications, and make good business decisions. Because it provides specific and organized information about your company and how you will repay borrowed money, a good business plan is a crucial part of any loan application. Additionally, it informs personnel, suppliers, and others about your operations and goals. Despite the critical importance of a business plan, many entrepreneurs drag their feet when it comes to preparing a written document. They argue that their marketplace changes too fast for a business plan to be useful or that they just don't have enough time. But just as a builder won't begin construction without a blueprint, eager business owners shouldn't rush into new ventures without a business plan. The CD-ROM will cover the following subjects: Elements of a Business Plan, cover sheet , statement of purpose, the business, description of the restaurant, marketing, competition, operating procedures, personnel, business insurance, financial data, loan applications, capital equipment and supply list, balance sheet, breakeven analysis, pro-forma income projections (profit & loss statements), three-year summary, detail by month, first year, detail by quarters, second and third years, assumptions upon which projections were based, pro-forma cash flow, supporting documents for franchised businesses, a copy of franchise contract and all, supporting documents provided by the franchisor, copy of proposed lease or purchase agreement for building space, copy of licenses and other legal documents, copy of resumes of all principals, copies of letters of intent from suppliers, etc. A new study from The Ohio State University has found the restaurant industry failure rate between 1996 and 1999 to be between 57-61 percent over three years. Don't be a statistic on the wrong side, plan now for success with this new book and CD-ROM package.

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3/11/2012

Everything Guide To Starting And Running A Restaurant: Secrets to a Successful Business (Everything: Business and Personal Finance) Review

Everything Guide To Starting And Running A Restaurant: Secrets to a Successful Business (Everything: Business and Personal Finance)
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I bought this book at Barnes and Noble and must say that I liked the layout and that it is easy to read. It has a lot of information in it, although I would have liked to have more referrals to other sources of information as well. This book gives you a great bit of motivation to finally stop thinking about an own business but doing it. I would recommend it to everyone who hasn't yet decided if or if not. Other than that it is not meant to be your guideline to opening your own restaurant since it doesn't give you enough information.
Pros: Easy to read, gives motivation, examples to determine costs, tips and hints to help you out, very well structured.
Cons: Doesn't give enough information on each chapter, doesn't refer enough to other information sources.
It still has been nice to read this book and very interesting.

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3/06/2012

Ultimate Service: The Complete Handbook to the World of the Concierge Review

Ultimate Service: The Complete Handbook to the World of the Concierge
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I am a hotel Concierge, I love my job and I love to share with others exactly what it is that I do. Sometimes that is easier said than done. Thats where Holy's book comes in handy. I have also used it as a training tool and for my own inspiration.

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The complete handbook for the world of the concierge. This book was written from first hand experience and addresses all situations involving a hotel concierge from the philosophy to the the paper clips. It is a comprehensive guide to the hotel concierge. It can be used as a textbook or for training purposes as it has lesson plans and workshhets included.

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Hospitality Cost Control: A Practical Approach Review

Hospitality Cost Control: A Practical Approach
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A good book that covers the basics in Restaurant management. This is a text book for my culinary class and it is required reading. Easy to read and concise, but at times I requested input from the instructor to clarify and expand on information especially the accounting methods. This book provides much needed information about food cost controls and accounting that is used in the hospitality industry. A must have for future chefs who need to stay profitable.

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KEY BENEFIT: Written from a chefs\' perspective, this hands-on, practical book includes the formulas for success and profitability that every restaurateur should know. KEY TOPICS: This book provides an overview of cost controlling, and discusses the technology available for controlling costs. It covers controls in purchasing, receiving, production, forecasts in sales, and controls in sales and revenue. MARKET: For restaurateurs and restaurant managers.

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3/03/2012

The Food Service Professional Guide to Restaurant Marketing and Advertising: For Just a Few Dollars a Day (The Food Service Professional Guide To Series 3) Review

The Food Service Professional Guide to Restaurant Marketing and Advertising: For Just a Few Dollars a Day (The Food Service Professional Guide To Series 3)
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Amy Jorgensen, has taken what is sometimes a boring, seemingly pie in the sky topic and explained it in a short, easy to digest format. Bravo! I, like most people, am too busy to spend time reading long manuals, nor do I have the resources to pay professionals to do my marketing and advertising for me. This book is the answer for me.
The author reminds us of some very basic things in the food service business - obvious things like `take care of your customer' which we know, but sometimes forget. Thanks Amy for reminding me of my most precious asset - my customers.
Among the many things learned from this book I am most impressed with the great number of quick and easy methods we can use for marketing and advertising to increase profits. Let's face it, as much as we love the business, the bottom line is still the bottom line. This book helps us do some inexpensive things to increase profits.
Until I read this book I did not realize, for instance, that the menu itself could have such a great impact in terms of marketing. There is good information included for showing your staff how to increase sales and many other no additional cost and low cost methods to marketing the business.
I find this exciting in itself!
This book has value way beyond what its length and cost might suggest. I wish I had read this years ago.

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The books in this series from the editors of the "Food Service Professional" are the best and most comprehensive books for serious food service operators available today. These step-by-step guides on a specific management subject range from finding a great site for your new restaurant to how to train your wait staff and literally everything in between. They are easy and fast-to-read, easy to understand and will take the mystery out of the subject. The information is "boiled down" to the essence. They are filled to the brim with up-to-date and pertinent information. The books cover all the bases, providing clear explanations and helpful, specific information. All titles in the series include the phone numbers and web sites of all companies discussed. What you won't find are wordy explanations, tales of how someone did it better, or a scholarly lecture on the "theory". Every paragraph in each of the books is comprehensive, well researched, engrossing, and just plain fun-to-read, yet are packed with interesting ideas.

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2/24/2012

The Professional Chef's Art of Garde Manger Review

The Professional Chef's Art of Garde Manger
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This book is a complete professional's guide to understanding and putting into practice the art of garde manger. This was my textbook in culinary school for garde manger class, and it covers all the essentials from sausage making, cold salads, and hot hors d'oeuvres to platter design, edible and nonedible garnishes and decorations, and classical buffet presentations. It may not be suitable for the casual cook, but as a professional guide to the garde manger, it is very thorough.

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Professional chefs and culinary students have long relied on this classic culinary text to provide a thoughtful and comprehensive guide to cold and hot food preparation. The exciting Fifth Edition of this unique guide includes:
Updates on the role of the garde manger chef to reflect the growing trend toward healthy eating.
Lavish color photographs in a 16-page full-color insert.
Exciting salads and vegetarian pates and terrines.


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2/20/2012

The Professional Personal Chef: The Business of Doing Business as a Personal Chef (Book only) Review

The Professional Personal Chef: The Business of Doing Business as a Personal Chef (Book only)
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I was a little disappointed to see that the first 100 pages or so is a basic primer on starting a business. There are better books for that, my favorite is Small Time Operator. The rest of the text is more of what you would expect, but I think it could go much more in depth. I would like to see the author leave the basic business info, such as whether to incorporate, run as a sole proprietor, etc., to other books and expound on the daily issues of a personal chef. All in all a good basic primer, but I think something more is needed for someone really considering starting a business in this field.

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The definitive guide to a successful career as a professional personal chef
The job of professional personal chef is one of the fastest growing careers in foodservice. People are choosing to become personal chefs in order to have a culinary career on their own terms, with a self-determined schedule and freedom from restaurant strictures. Not only do personal chefs have the chance to work with food in a more creative, personalized way, they are also able to approach their careers with a more entrepreneurial business sense.
Written by Candy Wallace, the founder and Executive Director of the American Personal and Private Chef Association (APPCA) and Greg Forte, CEC, CCE, AAC, The Professional Personal Chef offers the definitive guide for starting and growing a successful professional personal chef business. It covers the skills and competencies required for the American Culinary Federation's Personal Certified Chef certification, and lays out a practical road map for this challenging but rewarding career.
Filled with resources rich in detail, this useful and engaging text covers:
The evolution of the professional personal chef career path
The benefits and disadvantages of various forms of business ownership
Operating legally
Writing an effective business plan
Creating a vision statement, mission statement, and elevator speech for your personal chef business
Managing and securing finances
Identifying target markets and revenue streams
Developing marketing and sales plans and quality customer service
A day in the life of a personal chef

In each chapter, learning outcomes, key terms, and review questions reinforce the key concepts. From the Field features present interviews and real world experiences from working personal chefs.
A complete instructor support package providing business resources, syllabi, and project suggestions is posted on a companion Web site at www.wiley.com, and also offers sample business plans, recipes for menus, forms, and other useful documents.
Culinary arts instructors seeking a classroom text, as well as individual culinary professionals and amateurs interested in starting or growing a personal chef business, will find The Professional Personal Chef the essential A-to-Z guide to this exciting career.

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2/17/2012

The Professional Caterer's Handbook: How to Open and Operate a Financially Successful Catering Business Review

The Professional Caterer's Handbook: How to Open and Operate a Financially Successful Catering Business
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"The Professional Caterer's Handbook: How to open and operate a financially successful Catering Business" by Lora Arduser and Douglas Robert Brown is a great resource for anyone in the catering business. The book covers the start-up basics such as getting a loan, do on-site or off-site catering, and much more. It also goes further into the catering world by providing samples of catering contracts, profiles of caterers, and a comprehensive list of catering equipment one would need for any sized operation.
The book seems to focus mainly on off-site caterers specializing in weddings, but they do bring up other functions that require caterers as well as briefly touch on on-site catering operations.
I loved the guides within the book on table settings for various kinds of meals. From dinner with salad to breakfast, I now know the proper table arrangements. The book also gives examples of room layouts for various functions and tips on how to layout the buffets so that guests don't over-consume the more costly items.
For those that will be serving alcohol there is an excellent section that discusses kinds of liquor, suggestions on what to stock and what to look for. The authors define different bar terminology, but it is fairly basic - such as virgin and on the rocks. They cite sources to visit for more information on wine, but do provide a list of descriptive wine terms and a guide as to what serving temperatures are appropriate.
I think the section on cost control is very extensive and can help anyone in the industry become more aware of ways that money can be easily and inadvertently wasted. There is also a catering and event check list that I think is invaluable to anyone just starting out. I wouldn't have thought to ask so many questions about the upcoming event and I would have been paying for it later. Anyone can use their guide to make sure they are covering all their bases.
I think this book is a great resource for anyone in the catering industry. It provides wonderful basic information on getting the business up and running and then provides more in-depth information on actual catering concerns.


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Do you need a comprehensive book on how to plan, start and operate a successful catering operation? This is it--an extensive, detailed manual that shows you step by step how to set up, operate and manage a financially successful catering business. No component is left out of this encyclopedic new book explaining the risky but potentially highly rewarding business of catering. Whether your catering operation is on-premise, off-premise, mobile, inside a hotel, part of a restaurant, or from your own home kitchen you will find this book very useful. You will learn the fundamentals: profitable menu planning, successful kitchen management, equipment layout and planning, and food safety and HACCP. The employee and management chapters deal with how to hire and keep a qualified professional staff, manage and train employees, and report tips properly in accordance with the latest IRS requirements. The financial chapters focus on basic cost-control systems, accounting and bookkeeping procedures, auditing, successful budgeting and profit planning. You ll also master public relations and publicity, learn low-cost internal marketing ideas, and discover low-and no-cost ways to satisfy customers. One section of the book is devoted to home-based catering entrepreneurs. With low startup costs and overhead, a home-based catering business can be an ideal do-it-yourself part-or full-time business. Another section is for restaurateurs that wish to add catering to their restaurant operation. A successful restaurant s bottom line could be greatly enhanced by instituting catering functions in slow hours or down time. For example, many restaurants are closed on Saturday afternoons, so this would be an ideal time to create a profit by catering a wedding This book is also ideal for professionals in the catering industries, as well as newcomers who may be looking for answers to cost containment and training issues. There are literally hundreds of innovative ways demonstrated to streamline.

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