Fine Dining Prix Fixe And Table D'hôte Menus - Ontario, Canada

Appetizers

The student(s) will research and prepare two selected menus using word processing software. Both menus (1 and 2) will be based on criteria as stated in “Part A” of the assignment. Then prepare a brief  report for both menus (1 and 2) detailing the information as required in “Part B”.

Through research and independent study, the student will apply critical thinking skills, gain a better understanding of contemporary menus, menu trends and sustainable principles for the Canadian Foodservice Industry. In addition to, completing the menu using word processing skills, the student will gain the necessary word processing computer skills used in today’s foodservice environment.
Part A: Student(s) will create the following 2 menus:
1. Three course “Prix Fixe” menu that offers a choice of 2 appetizers, 2 entrées (to include a protein with accompanying sauce, vegetable, starch and 2 desserts). The Menu should be appropriate for dinner service. The menu suggestions are to be ethnocentric in character. Choose one ethnic cuisine using its ingredients, flavours and ensure menu suggestions are representative of the selected ethnicity.
2. Four course “Table d’Hôte” menu which will include salad, soup or appetizer, protein, vegetable, starch and dessert. The protein is to be a sustainable fresh water fish or seafood from Ontario. The ingredients should utilize local Ontario produce and products. The sustainable fish and seafood list can be found in the content section for this course. This menu will be designed as a “table d’hôtel” luncheon menu. The menu must incorporate a variety of cooking methodologies and applied skill sets. 
Part B: Student(s) to complete the following:
The student(s) will prepare a brief summary report explaining the planning principles (8 principles) considered in planning for menu 1 and 2. The report’s detailed summary must include an explanation of each of the following principles:
1. Style of menu
2. Food availability
3. Equipment
4. Expense level
5. Atmosphere
6. Labour Skill Proficiency
7. Customer makeup
8. Type of service
Guidelines to Complete the Assignment
The menu is to be completed using word processing software. 
The menu is to be presented in electronic format submitted to assignment’s folder in 
eCentennial by week 11 of the course. No late submissions will be accepted.
The menu will be free of grammatical errors, spelling errors and make use of the correct 
culinary terminology as instructed in the classroom. The student(s) will submit a menu based on the menu criteria as stated in Part A. The menu should be confirmed with the instructor prior to commencing research. 
The menus will be designed using menu principles as learned in the classroom. Menu selections will complement one another in flavour, texture, colour, and aroma and feature a number of different cooking methodologies.

Three Course Prix Fixe Menu (Selected Ethnic Cuisine: Canadian, As designed by the Author)

Estimated Fixed Price: $ 100. 00

Estimated Fixed Price: $ 200. 00

For the above types of menus formulated, two styles have been considered, which are ‘Prix Fixe’ and ‘Table d’hôte’ styles of menu planning. The term ‘Prix Fixe’ is derived from French, which can be translated as ‘fixed price’, and is referred to a type of menu which consists of a previously decided, fixed set of food items at a specified, fixed price. This menu style is commonly used in fine dining restaurants or for special events and festivities (Kim et al.).

The second style of menu which has been utilized for menu planning is ‘table d’hôte’, another French term, which can be translated as ‘table of the host’. This style of menu is similar to a fixed price menu, where a pre-set list of food items, served in multiple courses are available, hence, providing a limited food selection choice to the customers, a fixed rates (Meiselman).  

One of the key principles of menu planning, include the incorporation of food ingredients which are readily availability in the locality, along being present in local markets, seasonally. The above menus have been designed with the ethnocentric principle of Canada, and hence the recipes and food items used have been selected based on their availability in Ontario, Canada. Exotic fruits, vegetables and meats have been avoided due to low availability and high costs (Ducrot et al.). Further, recipes utilizing fish have been formulated referring to the list of sustainable fish and seafood available in Ontario, in order to practice environmentally and economically sound cooking methods (Silver and Hawkins).

The cooking techniques utilized in the above menus include mainly baking, stir frying, sautéing, grilling, roasting, stewing and steaming which are commonly used and require readily available equipment such as ovens, stoves, skewers, skillets, woks, ladles and more. Recipes which would require novel food processing methodologies and resultant equipment, have been avoided since they been documented to increase menu and labour costs further reducing the cost effectiveness of the menu to fellow customers (Nagura and Takahashi).

The expenses or estimated level of costing underlying the planning of a menu include consideration of direct costs such as food ingredient availability, recipe popularity, type of service and menu style; as well as indirect costs such as labour and equipment usage, along with the required lighting, electricity, linen and administration. The expenses of the above menu have been decided based on extensive usage of popular meat dishes such as fish, along with provision of service in fine dining settings, resulting in high costs (Linassi, Alberton and Marinho).

Entrees (Protein with Sauce)

The above menu has been designed considering that it will be served in an atmosphere of fine dining. A fine dining restaurant aims to serve high quality foods to clients who are upscale, resulting in atmosphere which is attractive, formal and fancier than regular eateries (Rozekhi et al.).

Due to the extravagant nature of the clientele visiting fine dining restaurants, the concerned staff appointed must be well skilled and suited in terms of food preparation as well as food serving. Hence for serving the above menu in a fine dining setup, the labour force involve will be sufficiently proficient in preparing and serving unique and innovative dishes as mentioned above (Tsaur, Luoh and Syue).

Customer profiling or assessing the characteristics of the clientele who may visit forms the cornerstones of menu planning. The above menu has been formulated considering fine dining settings which will cater to high profile customers and families who will prefer extravagant dining, hence requiring innovative, unique and interesting recipes (Nitiwanakul).

The type of service which will be utilized for serving  the above menus is ‘buffet service’, considering the limited array of food items which have already been decided for serving. For a buffet service, the food will be served on tables, where guests can select their choices after organized movement within a line, followed carrying the food to their respective tables for sitting and dining. Selected staff possessing considerable knowledge of the recipes, may stand near the food serving tables to assist the clients during selection and serving. Considering the fine dining nature of the restaurant, the staff will set the tables with cutlery prior to service, followed by serving of beverages and carrying the plates to the customer’s tables, if required (Shahzadi et al.).

References

Ducrot, Pauline, et al. "Meal planning is associated with food variety, diet quality and body weight status in a large sample of French adults." International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 14.1 (2017): 12.

Kim, Sung-Bum, Kathleen Jeehyae Kim, and Dae-Young Kim. "Impact of Different Menu-Labeling Formats on Food Preferences." Tourism and Leisure Studies 30.4 (2018): 323-343.

Linassi, Rossano, Anete Alberton, and Sidnei Vieira Marinho. "Menu engineering and activity-based costing: an improved method of menu planning." International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management 28.7 (2016): 1417-1440.

Meiselman, Herbert L. "An historical perspective on variety in United States dining based on menus." Appetite 118 (2017): 174-179.

Nagura, Hideko, and Sumiko Takahashi. "Survey of a Japanese Elementary School Lunch Program Menu Planning, Quality Control, and Nutrition Management: A Case Study." The Japanese Journal of Nutrition and Dietetics76.Supplement (2018): S38-S49.

Nitiwanakul, Warangrat. "A Comparative study of customer perceived value as a driver for fine dining restaurant selection." AU Journal of Management 12.1 (2014): 1-13.

Rozekhi, Nor Azureen, et al. "The influence of food quality on customer satisfaction in fine dining restaurant: Case in Penang." International Academic Research Journal of Business and Technology 2.2 (2016): 45-50.

Shahzadi, Mariam, et al. "Perceptions of fine dining restaurants in Pakistan: What influences customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions?." International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management 35.3 (2018): 635-655.

Silver, Jennifer J., and Roberta Hawkins. "“I’m not trying to save fish, I’m trying to save dinner”: Media, celebrity and sustainable seafood as a solution to environmental limits." Geoforum 84 (2017): 218-227.

Tsaur, Sheng-Hshiung, Hsiang-Fei Luoh, and Shao-Syun Syue. "Positive emotions and behavioral intentions of customers in full-service restaurants: does aesthetic labor matter?." International Journal of Hospitality Management 51 (2015): 115-126.