Different types of menu

1. Menu
Menu

2. Menu
At the end of the class, you will be able to
 Know the meaning and functions of menu
 understand the basic types of menu, and their features
 know the sequence of French classical menu
 know the sequence of French classical courses in à la carte menu
 design Indian à la carte menu

3. Menu
 A menu is a list of dishes available for sale in a food service outlet
or that can be served at a meal

4. Menu
 Every sector of the food and beverage (F&B) industry, whether
operating for commercial or welfare purpose, large or small, uses
a menu. It not only informs the guests what the available dishes
are, but also helps the operator know what he/she is going to
prepare.

5. Menu
 The menu is the basis upon which all managerial and operational
activities of the food and beverage operations depend.

6. Functions of Menu
 Basis for operations
 Communication device
 Effective sales tool
 Image builder

7. Types of Menu
 Menus offered by various food service establishments come under
the following two categories:
1. Table d’hôte menu
2. À la carte menu

8. Table d’hôte menu
The key characteristics of this type of menu are as
follows:
 Set number of courses
 Limited choice within each course or amongst
courses
 Set price for all courses
 Food prepared beforehand and available at a set
time
Types of Menu

9. Table d'hôte Menu

10. Types of Menu
À la Carte Menu
The key characteristics of this type of menu are as follows:
 Extensive choice of dishes within each course/category
 Each dish is priced separately
 Dishes are cooked as per order
 Each dish has a waiting time
 Customers are billed according to the order placed
 Short description is mentioned under each dish

11. Table d'hôte and À la carte Menus

12. Other types of Menu
 Plat du jour
 Carte du jour
 Cyclic Menu

13. Plat du jour
• It means specialty of the day. Chefs make a few
special dishes which are normally the main course;
however, other courses, such as fish, sweets, and so
on, may also be included depending on the
geographical location of the restaurant.
• These special dishes can be introduced for every
meal, every day, every week according to catering
policy of the restaurant.

14.  Pricing of these dishes is higher than prices quoted
for other dishes of the same category in an a la
carte menu. This is because it is the chef’s special.
Special dishes are communicated to guest in many
ways- in the form of inserts, tent cards, display on
boards, and so on.

15. Plat du jour
 Advantages
 It acts as an effective sales tool.
 It adds up to the image of the restaurant.
 It reflects the skill of the chef and motivates him
and his staff to introduce new recipes.
 It gives an edge over the competitor since this menu
introduces very special dishes that are exclusive to
the restaurant.

16. Plat du jour
 Limitations
 If unsold. It results in food wastage since specialty
dishes call for ingredients that are either not used
in preparation of regular dishes of the menu or are
treated differently.

17.  In French it means card of the day. It refers to all
menus of the day, combining a la carte, table d’ hote,
and plate du jour menus.

18. • It is a series of table d’ hote menus for a set period
of time, say for four weeks, which are repeated for a
particular period, say for six months. After six
months, a new set of menus will be prepared.
• The length of the cyclic menu depends on season of
year, availability of ingredients, and catering policy
of the establishment. After a certain period, a new
set of menu is prepared.
• The consumers pay for the meals either in advance
or at the end of the month

19. Cyclic menus
• Advantages
– Effective cost control
– Stocking of unnecessary goods is avoided
– Does not need more of storage area for perishables as
the can be procured daily.
– Food wastage is almost nil
– Easy to plan the production schedule
– Labour requirement can be well planned
– Fewer cooking equipment required.
– Limitations
– Consumers have no choice but to but to take what is
offered

20. French Classical Courses
1. Appetizer ( Hors d’oeuvre)
2. Soup ( Potage)
3. Eggs/Pastas ( Oeufs/Farineux)
4. Fish ( Poisson)
5. Entrée
6. Joint ( Relevé)
7. Sorbet
8. Roast ( Rôti)
9. Vegetables ( Légumes)

21. French Classical Courses
10.Sweets ( Entremets)
11.Cheese/ Savoury ( Fromage/ Savoureux)
12.Fruits ( Dessert)
13.Coffee ( café)

22. Order of Category of Continental Dishes
in À la Carte Menu
1. Hors d’oeuvre – Appetizer
2. Potage – Soup
3. Oeufs – Eggs
4. Farineux – Pastas
5. Poisson – Fish
6. Entrée – Entree
7. Relevé – Joint
8. Sorbet – Sorbet
9. Rôti – Roast

23. Order of Category of Continental Dishes
in À la Carte Menu
10. Légumes – Vegetables
11. Salade – Salad
12. Buffet froid – Cold buffet
13. Entremets – Sweets
14. Fromage – Cheese
15. Savoureux – Savoury
16. Dessert – Fruits and nuts
17. Boissons – Beverages

24. Order of Category of Indian Dishes in À la
Carte Menu
Starters
Soups
Indian breads
Kebabs and tikkas
Gravies and masalas
– Eggs
– Fish
– Mutton
– Chicken
– Paneer
– Vegetables

25. Order of Category of Indian Dishes in À la
Carte Menu
 Dry
– Eggs
– Fish
– Mutton
– Chicken
– Paneer
– Vegetables

26. Order of Category of Indian Dishes in À la
Carte Menu
 Biryani, pulao, and rice
 Dal
 Raita and other
 accompaniments
 Sweets
 Beverages

27. Points to Remember
 The menu forms the basis for all managerial and operational
decisions.
 There are basically two types of menu—table d’hôte and à la carte
 Each of these menus has its own advantages and limitations
 Cyclic menus are followed in institutional catering. These menus
are framed based on the cost allocation.
 The food service professionals must have thorough knowledge of
the French classical courses. The sequence of these courses is
important for compiling a well-balanced menu ,be it table d’hôte
or à la carte.