MENU MAGIC

WRITING a balanced menu, whether it be a set menu or à la carte for a restaurant or a banquet, is one of the most important tasks for a chef. The function of the menu in all establishments - public restaurants, staff restaurants, hospitals and educational establishments - is:

lTo inform staff what is to be ordered, prepared and served.

lTo inform customers which dishes are available, in an honest and enticing way, and at what price.

Fashions change and many customers are interested and knowledgeable about food. New dishes and ingredients, different combinations of ingredients and fresh ideas on menus provoke interest and talking points for customers to take away and introduce into subsequent conversations, making a cheap and effective form of marketing.

But the cookery inheritance of the past should not be forgotten, as classical cuisine contains a vast repertoire of dishes, many possessing a quality and popularity which it could be unwise to ignore. A sensible blend of old and new can often yield an acceptable and interesting menu policy, while many classical dishes are easy to adapt and moderate, if required, to bring them into line with contemporary thinking.

Foods in season are usually plentiful, of good quality and economically priced. Therefore chefs, constantly aware of market supplies and costs, should maximise the inclusion of fresh produce when it is at its best. Fostering good relations with reliable suppliers will ensure the chef is always informed when ingredients are at their best and cheapest. Advantage should be taken of the market's best-buys each day by offering daily specials to the customer.

Time and research will reveal numerous local dishes found in most areas of Britain. These can be introduced sensibly, adapted or moderated if necessary to give extra interest and menu appeal. A common fault, though, is to feature regional or national dishes, reproduced to a mediocre standard with little or no resemblance to the original.

The number, availability and capabilities of the kitchen brigade must be considered when deciding on the range and complexity of dishes to be offered. If planning a simple fast food operation using mainly ready prepared foods, selected and trained non-skilled operators with adequate supervision may suffice. If quality, fresh food is to be featured, the skills of the cooks should be commensurate with the required standard of food. It would be a sounder policy to offer a menu with a few simple, well-prepared and well-served items than to offer a larger menu featuring complicated dishes beyond the ability of the brigade that you have.

Balance is particularly important when producing set menus and limited choice menus. Main points to be considered are: repetition of ingredients, colours and textures; seasonings; sauces; nutritional balance; and overall balance.

Try not to repeat basic ingredients in one menu, such as mushrooms, tomatoes or a wine. An example of a bad combination would be mushroom soup, fillets of sole bonne-femme, chicken and mushroom pie, and mushroom and bacon savoury. Avoid repeating one colour throughout a menu as in the example of cream of turnip soup, blanquette of veal with cauliflower and new potatoes, and meringue and vanilla ice-cream.

Ensure variation in courses - not all soft or all crisp. A bad example would be leek soup, Irish stew and mashed potatoes and rice pudding. If strong or distinctive seasonings such as onion, garlic, thyme or sage are used, do not repeat them in other courses. Different sauces served on one menu should have variation in their foundation, for example reduced stock, thickened butter, sabayon, cream, yogurt, voute, demi-glace, béchamel. Nutritional balance is particularly important in schools, hospitals and welfare catering. In other areas, provided a varied menu is offered, the customers can select for themselves. While more people are food and diet conscious than ever before, it makes sense to offer some lighter dishes, salads, and vegetarian items.

Only use classical garnish names if the garnish is to be correctly prepared according to the correct recipe. Any garnish should be light, complement the food, enhance, but not dominate the dish.

When writing the menu, chefs should be aware of what equipment is available and take this into account in their selection of dishes. Combinations of items that might overload certain pieces of equipment such as steamers or the ovens should be avoided. Shortcomings in space should also be considered in terms of the length of the menu.

Consider the customer and select language that will make them comfortable and at ease. It should be sufficiently descriptive, honest and easily understood. If using French or any other language, also supply dish descriptions in English. Do not translate accepted terms such as hors d'oeuvres and mayonnaise into English or steak and kidney pie and bread and butter pudding into French. Although French has been the traditional international language of professional chefs, only use it if:

lyou fully understand it;

lyou understand the grammar;

lyou can spell it correctly; and

lyou can pronounce it.

lType of establishment and location.

lLocal competition - range of food and prices.

lAssess potential customer profile and spending power.

lConsider space, equipment and labour available.

lTime of year and prevailing temperature.

lTraditional dishes for special occasions such as Hogmanay and Christmas.

lTime of day - breakfast, brunch, lunch, tea, high tea, dinner, supper, special party, snacks, all-day eating.

lPricing - a fair price and value for money can assist repeat business.

lNumber and sequence of dishes/courses

lMenu balance.

lNutritional balance - consider vegetarian and salad items.

lVary texture of foods.

lAvoid repetition - ingredients, sauce bases, flavours, seasonings, wines, spirits, colours.

lUse menu language that is easily understood and check spelling. o

Adapted from Theory of Catering, Ronald Kinton & Victor Ceserani (David Fosket, Associate Editor), published by Edward Arnold (£10.99).