Catering
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Free leaflets - Catering/hospitality
You will find all of these useful, free leaflets on the HSE publications website. Please click here.
Many Catering Information Sheets are available in other languages
Heat stress in the workplace. What you need to know as an employer [PDF 35kb]
Priorities for Health and Safety in Catering activities CAIS2
Managing health and safety pays in the catering industry [PDF] CAIS4
Health and safety training pays in the catering industry: Guidance for owners and managers [PDF] CAIS5
An index of health and safety guidance for the catering industry [PDF] CAIS7
The main health and safety law applicable to catering [PDF] CAIS11
Safety signs in the catering industry [PDF] CAIS16
Reporting accidents in the catering industry [PDF] CAIS18
Health and safety of new and expectant mothers in the catering industry [PDF] CAIS19
Health and safety for waiting staff [PDF] CAIS20
Health and safety of children and young people in catering [PDF] CAIS 21
Safe use of cleaning chemicals in the hospitality industry [PDF] CAIS22
Slips, trips and falls
Preventing slips and trips in kitchens and food service [PDF] CAIS6 (Rev1)
Manual handling
Preventing back pain and other aches and pains to kitchen and food service staff [PDF] CAIS24
Equipment
Maintenance priorities in catering [PDF] (CAIS12)
Planning for Health and Safety when selecting and using catering equipment and workplaces [PDF] CAIS9
Ventilation of kitchens in Catering establishments [PDF] CAIS10
Precautions at manually ignited gas-fired catering equipment [PDF] CAIS3
Safety during emptying and cleaning of fryers [PDF] CAIS17 (revised)
Gas safety in catering and hospitality [PDF] CAIS23
Written by The Editor on May 8th, 2006 with no comments.
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Utilising computers and the Internet to unload the burden of running a business & improving our lives seems the stuff of dreams, but it doesn’t have to be!
The catering industry is renowned for seemingly completing hundreds of tasks in a short amount of time with ‘rush’ being the operative word. When working in this kind of industry that already runs in a ‘busy’ world you need everything you can to help make the business run smoother and of course your life run easier!
Where did it go wrong?
The personal computer was invented and promised to make out lives easier and hopefully our businesses run smoother. This was a pipe dream, an ideal that to most hasn’t come true and the reality is the computer, for some, has become a master and not a servant.
Become the Master.
With computers comes software and you normally are familiar with applications like Microsoft word, Excel, Publisher etc. These do various tasks but the reality is they are completely underused or misused even. As a small to medium catering business what you need is something that does it all?
You might have appointments to make, quotations to send, bookings to confirm, orders to fulfil, customers to remind, money to chase, invoices to raise and much more!
Ø You might use a variety of programs to do this for you?
Ø You might use a variety of books and paper notes?
Ø You might work and live from one day to the next in total chaos?
What’s the solution?
What if you could do all this in one source? Internet based administration is rapidly growing in popularity as more and more businesses turn to the Internet for all their business needs.
But why the internet?
Well access basically. Traditionally a program needed to be on every computer that was used and this became expensive. By having administration based on the Internet (which is contained within a secure environment) all you need is a web browser to do your work. This means whether you’re in the office, at home or even on holiday, you can check how the business is running 24/4 365 days a year.
Creospace offer this kind of solution in the form of their Creocaterer package. “Our goal was always to teach people to use the computer as a tool, by utilising the Internet and building bespoke solutions to problems we can achieve that goal” says Gary Dickenson from Creospace. Gary also Says “A solution to the catering market seemed a natural continuation to what we already do and so by working with a caterer we developed the product.”
Creospace build bespoke products using blocks of existing code and so clients have the benefit of a solution that is unique to their needs but without a large bill for development!
Hayley from ‘Buffets to Suit’ in Colchester uses ‘Creocaterer’ and she says “Thanks to Creospace, one of my new years resolutions (to be more organised) is coming true.” “I’d never have thought of getting a personalised system built as I didn’t know it could be done for companies on a budget such as ours.
Amongst other things mine has a booking diary and it reminds me when enquirers haven’t responded, paid deposits, confirmed numbers, etc. It also reminds me when to send quotes, invoices, thank you letters, etc The different menu prices and service levels come up automatically on the invoices and there’s no more cutting and pasting between different systems!
It’s brilliant! Oh, and it shows me when to stop taking bookings for a particular date as we’re full. I’d really recommend you chat to Creospace”.
More information about Creospace and their products can be found on their website – www.creospace.co.uk
Written by The Editor on April 27th, 2006 with no comments.
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Wedding Cakes - Texture Taste And Terror
By Daisy May
A guarantee to put a smile on the face of all your guests attending the wedding is when they are handed a slice of wedding cake also a few pounds in weight if not careful.
Wedding cakes will always hold second place to the bride in looking glamorous on this occasion. But as beautiful as the bride may be it is the cake we will be sinking our teeth into.
Wedding cakes are a major issue when piecing together your wedding plans. Cake type and flavours will be of your own choosing. Grand or simple from one tier two tier 3 4 5 if you want. This is your wedding cake so you get to decide. One very important thing you have to remember more tiers can lead to more tears if your budget is tight and you can not afford the cake you had your heart set on. Well let me let you in on a little secret which is, simple is just as tasty and pretty as eye candy. There is no difference in the cake that stands tall. This is about taste, so the simple round mound and the replica of the empire state building will both taste exactly the same. There is just one thing dont expect second helpings of the simple choice.
The wedding cake is finely detailed by the confectioner just like a creator at work on a piece of canvas. The works that goes behind the making of a wedding cake is not as simple as it may look especially when it comes to decorating and adding decorations. Heaven forbid should you try to pipe cream a wedding cake with the shakes.
Time is such an essential factor when ordering your wedding cake. It would be wise to talk with the bakery doing the catering to find out the best time to place the order. Your cake baker will know precisely how long it will take to make after you have given him/her the details on what design style flavour and ingredients. Be sure to ask how much it will cost because every little added extra to your wedding cake comes with a price.
If you are planning to wed in a flower garden or on the hot sun kissed beaches of Benidorm then let the confectioner know. If the baker has all this information under his hat he will attend to the needs of the wedding cake in a professional and sensible manner where he/she will deliver and place the cake in a suitable place. In other words they will protect it from the climate or weather conditions on the day.
There are some really fabulous books out there to help you with ideas on how to decorate your own cake; this is a great option if money is tight. All you need to do is order a plain wedding cake and take it from there. If you are terrified of botching it up dont fret, nip along to the baker and he will finish the job. Try it you really have nothing to lose but a little time. So what are you waiting for go save the pennies to put towards that going away outfit.
A fabulous site for all wedding essentials is http://www.your-wedding-planning-help.com If baking your own cake tickles your fancy then educate yourself on what you need to know http://www.allaboutonlineeducation.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daisy_May
Written by The Editor on April 7th, 2006 with 2 comments.
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Planning Your Wedding Reception With a Wine Tasting Party
By Ronald Thomas
Wine can be an important part of your wedding and picking which wine to serve, along with picking the caterer and deciding on a cake, one of the decisions you’ll have to make along the way that involves taste. But this is one decision you can use to bring friends together and have a little relaxing fun during the planning stages.
Most caterers will have a wine list available that includes one or two “house wines,” which are usually the lowest priced, and several more expensive labels for you to choose from. You’ll most likely choose both a red and white so everyone at the reception is accommodated. In certain states, California for example, restaurants allow you to bring in your own wine. While this seems like it might be a great way to go, they can charge what is known as a corkage fee, which can be as high as $30 or even more per bottle. Unless you want a very rare and expensive wine, it’s usually
better to go with something off the list.
Sometimes the decision comes down to money and sometimes it comes down to taste. But in either case, this is one taste test you can have fun with. When my wife and I got married we invited some friends over, bought a bottle of each of the wines offered at the reception location and had a wine tasting party.
Between my junior and senior years of college I worked in a wine shop where we had a bottle available for tasting every Saturday afternoon. The owner and I got along very well and he gave me my first lessons in wine tasting. I’ve been a student ever since.
While drinking wine might be a part of your everyday life, you probably don’t spend much time actually tasting it in comparison to other wines. Most people are intimidated when it comes to tasting or even selecting wine, but the first thing I learned was that no matter what anyone tells you, if you don’t like a particular wine then you just don’t like it. As far as selecting goes, in this case the wine has been pre-selected for us by the catering manager. We’re just going to narrow down the list.
For our party we made a small chart with each bottle on it and three columns. The columns were for Appearance, Smell and Taste. We asked each of our guests to score each wine with a number from 1 to 10. We also left a little space for impressions to be noted.
Before we get started though, the first thing, obviously, is to drink in moderation and make sure that everyone at your wine tasting makes it home safely so they can party at your wedding. Never drink and drive. In fact wine tasting doesn’t really even require drinking at all. Most professional tasters will spit the wine out after tasting it. It makes a lot of sense when you might taste dozens of wines in one day. (If you’ve seen the film Sideways, there’s a scene where the character played by Paul Giamatti is so desperate for a drink that he actually drinks from one of the buckets used for this.)
The first thing you’ll notice when you open a bottle and pour a glass is the color, or appearance of the wine. Red wine can vary greatly from a deep purple to rich brown while white wine can vary from a light brown to a yellowish green. While color won’t necessarily tell you if a wine is good or bad, a richer fuller red could indicate a richer, fuller taste while brown might actually mean the wine has gone bad. A richer colored white wine usually indicates one that’s sweeter while a clearer wine might be drier and crisper.
Next comes smell, or as wine aficionados call it, the bouquet. The bouquet of a wine can add an enormous amount to the overall experience of drinking it. At least half of what we eat and drink is experienced through smell. If you’ve ever had a bad cold with a stuffed up nose, you know that food can taste like nothing. But the bouquet of a good wine can be amazing if you really pay attention to it. Swirl it in your glass a little to release it and let it breath. Take a deep whiff and let it linger. You may start to notice smells you never noticed before. It might be musty or it might be
sharp, it might smell like a forest or it might smell like a garden. You never know and finding out and challenging yourself to recognize different traits in the bouquet is one of the things wine lovers love about wine.
Now it’s time to taste the wine. This isn’t a time to gulp or chug but a time to sip and let the wine linger on your tongue. In fact, let it roll around on your tongue. You experience taste differently through different parts of your tongue. If you really concentrate on it you can taste amazing things. Some wines will be drier than others (a function of how much sugar is in the wine,) leaving less of an aftertaste while some will be richer. Some will taste like oak, some like fruit, some might even taste like flowers. Again that discovery of taste is one of the things wine lovers love. It also fun at this point to discuss with your friends what you taste in a particular glass. You’ll be surprised at what people will taste and it might even surprise you a little that once they tell you, you’ll suddenly taste it as well. You may also want to try tasting the same wine again after the bottle has been open for a little while. Wine, especially red wine, breaths after being opened. In other words, it reacts with the air and the taste can change, in some cases drastically, after even a few minutes. Decanting a wine often speeds up this process, but may not be practical for a
tasting party.
It’s also important to have a small tray of crackers or bread or glasses of water available for your tasters to help cleanse their pallets between tastes, especially if you’re switching between red and white. It’s also a good idea to rinse out the glasses between bottles.
In the end, we tallied up the scores, read all the comments and ultimately picked the wine we liked best. Of course it just happened to be that the wine we liked most coincided with what our friends liked but don’t feel pressured. Enjoying wine is all about what you like and tasting wine is all about discovering what you like. We had a great meal afterwards and our friends felt honored that we let them help pick the wine for our wedding. As it turned out, we were so busy and having so much fun during our reception that neither of us really even remembers having a glass.
RJ Thomas is a wine aficionado and collector. He is also the owner of two wedding businesses, Cherish Video, a Los Angeles, California based wedding videography company andMy Unique Wedding Favors.com a website devoted to selling affordable and unique wedding favors (including wine wedding favors.)
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ronald_Thomas
Written by The Editor on April 4th, 2006 with 1 comment.
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Choose the Right Catering Service
By Betty Durden
Food is an integral part of any party so one must choose a catering service wisely. But how does one choose the right caterer for an event? It is important to do a lot of research, check references, and often request a sampling to make your final decision.
List your catering needs In order for a caterer to provide an accurate estimate for your party or event, you must communicate your needs clearly. Do you have a location for your party/event reserved and is there a kitchen on site? How many guests are coming to your event? Find out if the potential caterer has a minimum guest requirement. Take into consideration that some of your guests may have special dietary needs and be certain to communicate this with your caterer. A great caterer will be ready for any surprise that may surface, but at what cost to you? Ask.
What is your catering budget?
Discuss your budget with your caterer and what options are available. Ask yourself, do you prefer a buffet style or a silver-service sit down dinner for your guests? Be clear about your proposed menu, do you have a theme or style at the event that will be reflected in the cuisine? Your budget may or may not determine how flexible your caterer is to meet your needs. Keep in mind; it is the type of food that often determines the bulk price of the catering job. Find out, and possibly request, if the caterer will provide a detailed contract of service and outline what the payment terms will be.
Where does the caterer shop?
Does the caterer use fresh or frozen food for recipes? Is the produce grown locally? Is it organic? Will any of the dishes be pre-made and then frozen until the party/event? Does anything come from a can? It happens! (Gasp).
Decorations
Does the potential caterer supply decorations, linens, tables & chairs? Very often there will be a brochure catering services supply with examples of past event and table decorations. It is important to be very clear in what your event needs and what the caterer will be supplying. Is a menu board provided for the guests that describes the ingredients of the dishes being served?
Wait-staff
Will the catering company provide a wait-staff? What is their required dress code? What is the ratio of servers to guests? A rule of thumb is one server for every 10 guests. Be certain to ask your potential caterer if taxes and gratuities are included in the final bid.
What happens to the leftovers? Often, upon request, a catering service will compile a food basket at no additional charge for the host or hostess of the event.
Remember, it is critical that you communicate with your potential caterer exactly you want; the result, you get what you want and the caterer can provide an accurate bid for the job as well as the exceptional service your event deserves.
Betty Durden is a staff writer for The National Directory of Catering Services located at http://www.catering-services-directory.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Betty_Durden
Written by The Editor on March 2nd, 2006 with 1 comment.
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Banquet Catering
By Betty Durden
A banquet is defined by the Standard College Dictionary as: 1. A sumptuous feast. 2. A formal or ceremonial dinner, often followed by speeches. Indeed, banquet catering is among a league of its own in the catering industry. Generally, banquet-style functions entertain a large quantity of guests and consist of large round tables that seat eight to ten persons. Banquets are popular, but not limited to, wedding receptions and corporate events or parties.
Food service styles vary from informal buffets in which guests prepare their own plates from a large selection of food to pre-determined meals served to each guest individually by a hired wait staff. A catering company should be able to provide a consultation to help any event or party planner figure out what kind of service would be most appropriate for the occasion.
There are considerations to ponder before approaching a potential caterer for your banquet style event, namely the kitchen of your event or party location.
Examine the kitchen of your event location. The kitchen will need to provide the space and equipment to meet banquet service requirements. In banquet catering, the prep, cooking, and serving happens all at once. Depending on the size and nature of the banquet, a small 100-to 200-square-foot station for catering with the right equipment can make a huge difference and ensure that the kitchen staff remains happy, productive and efficient.
In regards to the costs of banquet catering, pricing is dependent on what type of event style is used, whether it is a formal sit-down dinner or a casual cocktail party. Typically, banquet caterers will offer a simple pricing guideline based on staffing, equipment, and menu requirements of the event, with plenty of room for creativity.
You and your caterer can be as innovative as you like when considering the many banquet catering options. A few options to consider include the amount of staff to meet the needs of the guests, the decorations, the linens, and centerpieces used. The overall objective is to host a successful event and a good caterer can assist you in planning all the details.
Betty Durden is a staff writer for The National Directory of
Catering Services located at http://www.catering-services-directory.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Betty_Durden
Written by The Editor on March 1st, 2006 with 1 comment.
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Simple Gourmet Coffee
There are a number of countries that produce coffee and new regions are converting their crops to the mighty bean as our demand for different tasting coffee increases. We are also adding more exotic flavourings to our coffee. It comes as no surprise that the number of coffee shops and stores that sell coffee beans and all the associated paraphernalia to be able to make our own perfect coffee at home.
Coffee houses are a great place for us to go and relax with friends and family over an expertly made cup of coffee. We often ignore how much effort has been put into our drink by the coffee maker that roasts the beans, grinds them up and then uses the exact quantity required to brew a satisfying cup of coffee for us. There are a number of techniques involved in making a cup of coffee and a lot of us are happy to leave someone else to make it for us. The equipment used is only part of the story; you also need to practice with various quantities of coffee and water until it reaches your optimum strength.
We are almost overwhelmed by the huge variety of types of coffee that are available. Not only does the coffee taste different depending on the country and region that the beans were grown in but also from year to year. This is due to the changes in weather from one coffee growing season to another.
If you go to a specialist coffee shop you are likely to be confronted with a huge selection of flavourings that you can add to your coffee to make it even more to your liking.
The strength and bitterness of the coffee can be adjusted by using different quantities of water and coffee, adding sweeteners and milk as well as adding milk. One tip for lowering the bitterness level is to never use boiling water as this scalds the coffee and gives it a bitter taste. Always use water that is just below boiling temperature when making your coffee.
Everyone has their own opinion about what makes the perfect cup of coffee but you will find your own technique through trial and error.
About the Author:
D. Goldberg is editor of The Gourmet Blog. The Gourmet Blog offers gourmet food recipes, gourmet gift ideas and other gourmet tips.
Source: www.isnare.com
Written by The Editor on February 20th, 2006 with 1 comment.
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Catering for your party
Dealing with catering service providers is part of planning a successful party. A caterer normally provides food and beverages and they have an important role in your party. If you have experience with caterers, you are in luck. But if you have never hired a caterer before, don’t worry.
If the party venue offers this service, it is also possible that you don’t need to worry about hiring a third party caterer. Even if catering is not provided by the party location, they may be able to recommend some to you. If your party site manager, recommends a caterer you should still do your homework. Just like any other vendor, a caterer should be able to provide you with several references. You should always contact the references.
You should ask about reliability, trustworthiness, quality, and related issues. Never assume that a caterer recommended by someone if surely the best possible solution for your event. One caterer may work great for one event, but be insufficient for others. A caterer may be experienced in smaller parties, but not experienced with parties with two hundred invited guests.
There are two different styles of catering:
Seated Dinner - Seated dinner setting will normally require more staff than a buffet. Serving the food requires more severs. With a seated dinner, you will need more tables and chairs because most of the guests will eat at the same time. A seated dinner offers less flexibility for your guests, because they usually have a couple of options to choose from. To simplify the process, menu options should be included with the party invitations so your guests can choose which selection they prefer. The pre-selection process enables you to work with your caterer on the final count.
Buffet – You may be able to get away with less chairs and tables with a buffet dinner. Buffet gives your party guests more flexibility, and they don’t all have to eat at the same time. A buffet dinner also gives your party guests more options to customize their food selection. The buffet requires fewer servers and less staff. Guests can pick and choose what they like. In addition to the obvious advantage of a more flexible dinner, your guest can go back for seconds. Because buffet dinners require minimal service staff, you may even be able to save money with this option.
About the Author:
Party Favors Chocolate party favors for birthday, graduation, birth announcement, baby shower, weddings and more.
Source: www.isnare.com
Written by The Editor on February 16th, 2006 with 1 comment.
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Choosing food for your event
Choosing the right menu for a special event can be just as important as choosing a location. Food can communicate a theme, convey a feeling or set the mood of an entire night. If you are planning a high-class extravaganza, hot dogs and beer might not be appropriate. However, they might be the perfect choice for a birthday party at the lake. Taking great care in planning a menu shows your guests how much you appreciate them, and a great meal can help make a special day even more memorable.
If you are planning a birthday party for your child, an interactive meal can be a fun activity for your guests. Rather than slaving away in the kitchen all day or spending countless dollars ordering pizzas, you can save time and money by letting the guests make their own special creations. One fun idea is to prepare a multitude of toppings and let the children make their own bagel or English muffin pizzas. They will have a blast piling on strange combinations of toppings, and they will enjoy feeling like grown-ups in the kitchen.
For a more formal occasion like a holiday party, finger foods can be great for mingling guests, and they can be great topics of conversation. The obligatory finger sandwich can be spiced up by adding your own special pesto or cheese spread to an already tried and true recipe. Experiment with different ingredients in the weeks prior to the party, and test them out on your family. You will know when you get the reaction you are looking for, and you might end up spending much of the party writing down your recipe for your guests.
Planning a menu for a wedding can be quite stressful, especially when you are not sure exactly how many guests will be attending. The rule of thumb is that too much is better than not enough, even if it means having a lot of food left over at the end of the night. You can choose to have a buffet-style dinner, or you can have a set menu for your guests. It is important to consider your guests with special dietary needs. You should have vegetarian and low-sodium alternatives to your main courses, and you should have a heart-healthy menu for those who must avoid foods with high fat contents.
Before attempting a large-scale meal, you should make all of the dishes several times to perfect your recipes. Your goal is to have guests asking for more even after it all runs out. Test your creations on a variety of people and make adjustments according to their suggestions. When cooking food from your own recipes, it is important to remember the details of what you did every time you make it. That way you will know what went wrong when something turns out horrible, and more importantly what went right when you receive raving reviews.
Planning portions is the most important part of catering your own party. Though most recipes tell you how many people they will feed, it is best to err on the side of caution. If a recipe feeds eight, you might want to count it as six or seven, depending on how many guests you expect. Plan that half of your guests will want to go back for seconds. If you know that one dish will be a favorite, be sure to make extra. Though the green beans may be the healthier option, you can usually bet that the cheesecake will go a lot quicker. Keep in mind that the greater the variety, the more people you will please, so even if you are a steamed vegetable lover, you should probably prepare some beefy options for your less than health conscious guests.
About the Author:
Sintilia Miecevole’s resourceful and most interesting site http://www.fufood.com provides you with all kinds of food information such as cooking sites, great recipes, meal ideas, catering, nutrition, gifts, organic, cooking advice and much more. Be sure to visit www.fufood.com and enjoy the best of food!
Source: www.isnare.com
Written by The Editor on February 14th, 2006 with no comments.
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