Assignment Food Service Systems

Assignment 1

Assignment: Food Service Systems

Robert J. Oleson Jr.

HTT/240

May 15, 2011

Cecily Anthony

Assignment 2

The conventional system has been used traditionally throughout the years. Menu items are prepared in a kitchen in the same facility where the meals are served and held a short time, either hot or cold, until serving time. The conventional system has many advantages. Quality control is considered of primary importance. Through the menus, recipes, and quality of ingredients selected by the manager, the foodservice achieves its individuality and standard of quality desired. The conventional system disadvantage produces an uneven, somewhat stressful workday caused by meal period demands. Because the menu differs each day, the workloads vary, making it difficult for workers to achieve high productivity. Rationale for conventional foodservice systems is traditionally, effective foodservice administrators with conventional foodservice systems have utilized a skilled labor force for food production 13–14 hours per day (Pearson Education 2005).

In the ready-prepared system, foods are prepared on the premises, then chilled or frozen and stored for use at some later time. Thus, foods are “ready,” prepared well in advance of the time needed. This is the distinct feature of ready-prepared foodservice systems—the separation between time of preparation and service. The advantages of the ready-prepared system are related to reducing the “peaks and valleys” of workloads that may be found in the conventional system. One disadvantage is the need for large cold storage and freezer units, which take space and add to energy costs. Depending on the method, a blast chiller or blast freezer is required, and they are expensive to purchase and operate. Rationale for ready-prepared foodservice systems is Mass-producing and freezing food may reduce labor expenditures by more effective use of labor...