GUERIDON SERVICE.

GUERIDON SERVICE.

GUERIDON SERVICE.

1.     “A Gueridon” was a piece of furniture that was found in French homes, similar to what we might call a sideboard. This would be positioned in the dining room of a home and would hold most of the equipment used at the table, ie crockery, cutlery, glassware etc.

2.     Gueridon service was originally known as ‘Russian Service’ and involved serving large joints of meat, poultry, game and fish. This food would be displayed on a sideboard or side table, then carved or portioned by service staff allowing guest to have as much or little as they wished.

3.     During the nineteenth century Gueridon service became more popular especially in the more ‘up-market’ establishments. By the turn of the century Gueridon was an established part of fine dining.

4.     Dating back to the Edwardian era, Gueridon (pronounced girradon) is a specially designed service trolley from which food may he carved, filleted, flambéed, or prepared and silver served to the guest. This form of service in Australia is normally found in higher class establishments, yet throughout Europe and parts of the United States varying forms of gueridon service can be found in all types of restaurants and hotels.

5.     Gueridon service is distinguished by the fact that the food is cooked or completed tableside in front of the guests. The service is quite formal and very elegant. The food is brought from the kitchen on heavy silver platters or chargers and placed on a tableside cart called a ‘gueridon’. The food is prepared on the gueridon, which has a small burner for sautéing and tabletop space for finishing the food. Some familiar items prepared in this manner are

1.     Steak au Poivre (Pepper Steak),

2.     Caesar Salad and

3.     Flambéed desserts.

6.     Once the food is prepared, it is served to the guests on heated plates from the gueridon. This type of service is quite labour intensive and at times can require two servers, however, guests usually love the show and it allows the server to spend much more time one-on-one with each table. Usually, the greater the skill level of the server providing the service, the greater the appreciation of the guest, and the better the tip.

7.     The gueridon comes in various forms from gas trolley to plain trolley using methylated spirit.

8.     The top and under shelf of the gueridon should be covered with a folded tablecloth.

9.     Preparation and serving of dishes at the table is “seen service” and one which markets the establishment and the food extremely well. The demand for cooking to be done in the sight of the customer is increasing rapidly - from the small hamburger, chicken rotisserie operations to the more exclusive flambé gueridon service, restaurants offer.

10.  During the preparation of the dish at the table, the waiter/waitress can always give some background comment on what he/she is actually doing, the ingredients he/she is using and, the proposed end results.

11.  Selling the dish has already been achieved, but it will only be continued if the dishes are tasty and deftly prepared, as well as pleasantly served.

12.  When table-cooking, the waiter/waitress must look as efficient and capable as a chef. Cold preparations tend to be the simplest form of tableside preparation because they require little more than the assembly of ingredients.

13.  It has been proven that visual and dramatic presentations are powerful aids in promoting business. Guests are impressed by the skills shown in gueridon performances. Flaming, in particular, is a reliable means of attracting the attention of other tables in the restaurant and has the effect promoting repeat orders. The flickering lamp and the misc-en-place on the gueridon add substantially to the restaurant atmosphere, helping to create the ambience the customers expect.

14.  More than anything else, individual service and cooking/preparation at the gueridon hinges upon the personality and, appearance of the waiter/waitress who performs the task.

15.  Gueridon Service is where a dish is prepared, portioned, carved or cooked on a

16.  trolley or small table (gueridon) close to the customer’s table.

17.  This is a specialised form of service which is generally only used in formal or fine dining rooms. It involves a disciplined skill which comes from practice and experience. Careful mis-en-place is essential.

1. Lamp work

Flambe work is the cooking or finishing of dishes, by adding a spirit and setting it alight, doing this in front of the customer and usually serving it whilst it is still alight.

2. Carving

The carving of a piece of meat, fish or poultry is portioned at the table. NOTE: Portion size is very important and if not sure to check with the Chef or Manager/Supervisor.

3. Mixing the Dish

There are a number of items arranged on a trolley and the staff member then selects the items to mix together ie Salads.

4. Serving the Dish

Soup from the tureen. Hors d’ouvres from  Hors d’ouvre trolley.

5. Wine Decanting

This task may be carried out at the table. The transferring of the wine from the bottle to a decanter.

6. Liqueur Service

A trolley with a selection of liqueurs and glasses taken to the table and served.

7. Flambe Coffees

The making and lighting of special coffees at the table.

Successful and Safe Gueridon Work

1          Mise en place

Talk with the kitchen to ensure all mise en place (preparation of ingredients) for each gueridon menu item is complete.

2          Equipment

·         Make sure all terms of equipment are clean and ready for service. Make sure Gueridon/Trolley and all equipment is stable. Check level of lamp before cooking

·         Don’t refill gueridon lamps whilst hot.

·         Pan handles should not stick out over edge of trolley or table

Space tables/sideboard/restaurant decor and displays for easy (and safe) movement of trolleys/table around the restaurant

·         Push; never pull a trolley (you can’t see where you are going).

·         Get help from another waiter to manoeuvre trolleys applying the brake when in position.

3          Knives

·         Use the right knife for the right job.

·         Always use sharp knives and never cut on silver or stainless steel platter; use

·         a cutting board or plate. .

·         Carry knives with point to the floor.

·         Position knives safely on Gueridon when not in use.

4          Flaming and Service

·         When flaming spirits or liqueurs always pour into the pan from a port glass.

·         Pouring directly from a bottle is not recommended as the bottle might explode.

·         Use service cloths to protect your hands from heat eg plates pan handles

·         Don’t flambé beneath a heat sensor or fire sprinkler.

·         Clean up spills immediately

·         Work as a team (of at least two)

5          Personal

·         Hair should be kept tied back (hair gel, hair spray is very flammable)

·         Wear long sleeved cotton/woollen clothing (less flammable than synthetic)

·         Wear bow tie - not a standard tie (which could catch alight)

·         Avoid inhaling cooking fumes (eg vinegar/lemon juice reduction)

·         Cold liquids into hot pans cause splatters and spits.

6          Customer Safety

·         Position Gueridon a safe distance from customers.

·         Be aware that butter and oil can burn and splatter customers.

·         Warn customers when about to flam