There are many advantages and disadvantages to the two types of service . . . . . ala carte . . . . . and buffet. Why not combine the good points of both and drop their common weaknesses. Net result . . . .
Alabuf. In the case of the buffet, you have the advantage of low labor cost and the ability to handle unexpected groups without reservations. The disadvantage, and counteracting factor, lies with the high food costs. In the instance of the ala carte, or ordering off the menu, you experience much lower food costs, but high kitchen and dining room labor costs. Also, the appearance of large groups without reservations, throws both the dining room and kitchen into a disorganized frenzy.The concept of
Alabuf involves moving your preparation line (all or a major portion thereof) from the kitchen to the dining room. Almost all clubs do this to a certain extent. They have Sunday Brunch Buffets where they prepare omelets/waffles, etc. in the dining rooms. Many clubs frequently prepare pasta in the dining room or cook steaks on the patio just outside the dining room (see article in EPC about cooking fish in the dining room). The concept of Alabuf carries it one step more . . . designating a specific room that restricts food to only those prepared in the room. However, the ultimate purpose would be to go to this type of service in ALL rooms if the trial period works. The members can do a limited amount of ordering from their tables, but the majority would involve ordering at the buffet line. Hence, you have the informality of the buffet without the high food cost associated with a wasteful buffet. Informality of the buffet, but with the "prepared to order" advantage in ala carte service. A sample selection of foods/service are as follows. Fajitas Cook chicken and beef strips in the room. To avoid high levels of smoke, you can partially cook the meats in the kitchen and finish on a grill in the room or utilize a mobile exhaust hood and cook them "all the way in the dining room. The guest picks up the tortilla and selected meat and then adds the condiments from a wide range on an adjoining table.Pasta This one involves a high temperature deep fryer containing water rather than oil. Pick quality pastas, and if at all possible those imported (fresh) from Italy. Fresh pasta is a requirement, not an option, and this will always supersede the import aspect. Fresh pastas cook in 5 to 7 minutes, therefore are adaptable to this type of service. An assortment of sauces and condiments can be chosen by the customer. To mention a few: red sauce, various types of Alfredo sauces, parmesan or any type of hard cheese that can be ground into a parmesan consistency, fresh cracked pepper from a mill, wild or other mushroom sauces, clam sauce, creamed seafood sauces, calamari sauce, tomato garlic basil sauce, etc. etc. Add a fresh Caesar salad tossed at a separate table, plus an array of fresh fruit and assorted olives, antipastos, etc.
Wok Cooking This opens a multitude of cooking doors. You can do the standard small strips of meats and seafood’s adaptable to Chines recipes, and serve them with Chines noodles, sticky rice and assorted vegetables. Wok cooking is adaptable to many entrees. Don’t limit yourself to the tradition Chinese only.
Heart Healthy A healthy variation, of the traditional, can be obtained by slicing raw thin cutlets of turkey breasts. Cooking both these and regular veal cutlets in sauté pans over hot butane burners, will give the customer a "heart safe" option. After they have selected one of the meats, they can pick from a variety of sauces. Like the omelet buffet, the member will see his/her cutlet cooked in their choice of sauce and after the cook places it on their plate, they can proceed to pick up a variety of side dishes. To mention a few, rice, red beans and rice, bulghur wheat, marinated sun dried tomatoes, assorted varieties of noodles, hot brandied pears, and glazed candied apple slices.
Vegetable and Salad Table This one rounds out the Alabuf service. Rolls, water, etc. can be from the side stand. Some clubs might want to have a dessert table, but they are being ordered less and less in the modern day club.