STATE BANQUET PROCEDURE
STATE BANQUET PROCEDURE
Toast Master – toastmaster is typically charged with the organization of the event, arranging the order of speakers, introducing one or more of the speakers, and keeping the event on the schedule. Such meetings typically include civic events, service organization meetings, and banquets of various purposes.
State banquets are distinguished from others because of the protocol. A state banquet is sponsored by the head of states or other senior diplomatic luminaries. The seating has a head table where the host and chief guests sit.
It is customary for a state banquet to be preceded by a cocktail in a pre-lounge where waiters and waitresses move around with drinks in silver beverage salvers. They also take around canapés that are finger-picked items. The lounge displays a table seating plan with an alphabetical list of guests with assigned table numbers and seats. Often the invitation card would stipulate the table and seat number, otherwise, this is shown in the seating display as mentioned. Great attention is given to the protocol of seating and is done officially by the foreign office.
At the given hour, the toastmaster who regulates the service procedure announces the lunch or dinner by ringing a gong or hammering a gavel saying “ your excellencies, the dinner is served”, in a loud and clear voice. A toastmaster is a specialized person who conducts the proceedings of a state luncheon or dinner. He coordinates not only the timing of each service but also the speeches and toasts, The doors of the banquet hall are thrown open and guests are given time to find their tables and seats. The tables would have flagged stands at the center with table numbers while the covers would have tent cards displaying the seat number or the guest’s name.
Each cover at the table is pre-set with the required solver cutlery and the glassware according to the number of courses. Attractive napkin folding completes the cover set-up. At the center of the table are the breadbaskets, butter dishes, salt and pepper and low flower arrangements, Spaces between covers can range from 20” – 32”. It is considered that 24” is ideal. The space between tables should be a minimum of 4 1/2 ft and ideally 6 ft to permit waiters to walk around freely. Two waiters are allotted to 8-10 covers. The sommelier may serve up to 35 covers. The toastmaster stands behind the chief host while the banquet supervisor stands opposite him to receive signals.
The waiters stand at attention at the allotted tables and help the guests to sit, assisting ladies first. After all the guests are seated, the toastmaster announces the national anthem of both the countries when all guests stand. After the anthem is over the guests sit. The toastmaster announces the start of the service. Timing is important and the banquet supervisor receives the cue from the toastmaster. He conveys the signal to start service together. The appetizer round starts with waiter 1 serving the first guest and waiter 2 the second; the alternate the numbers from left to right or in a clockwise direction in the case of round tables. After the first course service, the waiters stand behind the chairs at attention.
When the toastmaster removes the dish from the chief guest, it is the cue to the banquet supervisor to signal the rest of the crew to do likewise. Waiter 1 removes plates with a napkin while waiter 2 holds a large tray behind waiter 1. Waiter 1 deposits the soiled dishes onto the tray. The relevant cutlery is removed in preparation for the next course and if required cutlery is replenished. The procedure remains the same for all the remaining courses. Normally, the menu is a four-course menu with coffee to make service simple. It would consist of an appetizer or soup, fish course, meat course and dessert followed by coffee. Vegetarians are listed in advance at the time of invitation and confirmation. It is necessary to ensure the service of red wines with red meats and white wines with white meats.
At the time of dessert service, all the breadbaskets, butter dishes, salt, and pepper shakers are removed. The dessert spoon is placed to the right of each guest and the dessert fork to the left. Waiter 1 does the crumbing before the dessert service and removes red wine glasses.
The sommelier provides the bandy and additional wine as per guest request after the dessert course. In the end waiter number 2 places, demitasse cups from the right and waiter 1 pours coffee into the cups.
The toastmaster announces that the host wishes to present a toast. Toasting is a formal act done for the health and well-being of the chief guest. It is a ritual that starts from the Greeks and Romans to their Gods several centuries BC. Toasts were adapted to the valiant warriors of the dead by the knights and lords and by the seventeenth century by speeches by both the host and chief guest. At the toasting stage, the waiters place ashtrays as the tables because this is also the cue that guests can smoke. It also indicates that the formal part of the meal is over.
The speeches continue and the sommelier keeps replenishing the bandy and liqueurs. Glasses should never be empty during speeches. Ashtrays are frequently exchanged for fresh ones during the speeches.
Banquet Booking Procedure
Banquet Booking
There are three documents to make banquet bookings. These are
The function book
The function book is a control register maintained in the banquet office. It records days and times and nature of events in various function rooms. It is a reservation dairy to commit dates and venues. The book is now computerized. It is maintained by the banquet secretary and is accessible to the Banquet Manager and the Sales coordinator. The objective is to maximize banquet sales as space not sold is revenue lost forever.
Contract of Agreement
A Contract of Agreement is signed between the banquet management and the client. It specifies the details required to make the function successful. A contract may use any format, even a simple letter; what matters is the information covered in it. Below is a checklist of information that should be included:
- Name and address of the organization
- Name of the contact person making the booking
- Contact person’s title.
- Telephone contact numbers
- Date of function
- Start and end time of the function
- Type of function
- Name of hall booked
- Minimum number of people guaranteed
- Details of menu
- Price per head for food and beverage
- Method of payment.
- Cancellation clause.
- Advances and deposit.
- Type of foodservice
- Bar service
- Additional service
- Charges for additional service
- Name of a salesperson making the booking
- Signatures of both the parties with date and time
Function sheet. (Function prospectus)
A function sheet also called a function prospectus announces a function in detail to all relevant departments of the hotel. It is copied to the Chef, Concierge, Food controller, Accountant, Housekeeping, Engineering, and any other relevant department.
The information recorded in a Function Prospectus is
- Name of the booking party
- Name and address of the person to whom the bill is to be sent
Mode of payment
- Nature of function
- Date of function
- Timings of function
- Number of people expected and guaranteed
- Menu details
- Price per menu per head
- Type of service
- Special arrangement
- Additional charges for special requests
- Seating plan.
- The name of the person making the booking.
Banquet booking Procedure.
- Inquiry
- Negotiate
- Check diary
- For availability
- If acceptable
- Pencil date in the diary
- Send reply to an inquiry
- If the response is negative cancel and send cancellation letter.
- If fully booked offer alternative.
- If not regret
- Letter fax
- If confirmed note down in the diary writes function prospectus.
Gandharv Punyani
ReplyDelete03511002217
02711002217
ReplyDeleteprajwal saini
03111002217
ReplyDeleteMohd Ubaid
Amanpreet Singh
ReplyDelete06011002217
00511002217 Ritu Mishra
ReplyDelete00911002217- Vihan Bhardwaj
ReplyDelete05011002217
ReplyDeleteJeevesh Chadha
04811002217
ReplyDeleteUtkarsh Saxena
06711002217
ReplyDeleteAshima
02611002217
ReplyDeleteGautam Sharma
03911002217
ReplyDeleteKartike Agrawal
Rahul Sharma
ReplyDelete041
05111002217
ReplyDeleteSimren Pal
04011002217
ReplyDeleteAman Kumar Das
00211002217
ReplyDeleteSaurav Yadav
sahil sharma 02311002217
ReplyDelete02911002217
ReplyDeleteAkshit Dobriyal
00611002217
ReplyDeleteSachin Gautam
02211002217
ReplyDeletePIYUSH DEWAN
03411002217
ReplyDeleteAKSHITA NAYYAR
Rishabh Gulati 00811002217
ReplyDelete03011002217
ReplyDeleteAkash Shukla
05811002217
ReplyDeleteShubham puri
Mihir Bhasin 019
ReplyDelete05511002217
ReplyDeleteSuparav Sharma
Chaitali Mazumdar
ReplyDelete01111002217
Vipul gupta
ReplyDelete04711002217
Dhruv jain
ReplyDelete05611002217
01411002217
ReplyDeleteGautam Malhotra
Shubhani Mehta
ReplyDelete05211002217
03311002217
ReplyDeletesahil jha
Harshit Anand
ReplyDelete05811002216
03811002217
ReplyDeleteMukta Luthra
Surjit Singh
ReplyDelete00411002217
01211002217
ReplyDeleteDarpan Nagpal
01011002217
ReplyDeleteAditya Narula
06411002217-Simran Passi
ReplyDelete04411002217 - Shivank Singhal
ReplyDelete02411002217 Abhishek Kumar
ReplyDeleteSparsh kalra 062
ReplyDeleteSmilee Jaral
ReplyDelete75111002217
Sanidhya Arora
ReplyDelete08611002217
Radhika Sanwlani
ReplyDelete09311002217
Sukhpreet Singh
ReplyDelete12511002217
Bharat
ReplyDelete08711002217
12111002216
ReplyDeleteHimanshu
Gaurav bansal
ReplyDelete12111002217
Anurag Sharma
ReplyDelete11911002217
Khushboo
ReplyDelete06911002217
Naman Sood
ReplyDelete09811002217
Pragati Gambhir
ReplyDelete08411002217
Nitish Rawat
ReplyDelete12411002217
Aditi singh
ReplyDelete10811002217
10211002217
ReplyDeleteYogesh rawat
Gurleen Kaur 11711002217
ReplyDeleteNaminder Singh
ReplyDelete11011002217
08111002217
ReplyDeleteAbhishek Nair
ReplyDelete08011002216
Sanchit dhingra 08111002217
ReplyDeleteTejas Malhotra
ReplyDelete092
Vibhu kapila
ReplyDelete08911002217
MANDEEP
ReplyDelete(10411002216)
Abhishek Sharma
ReplyDelete09011002217
12311002217
ReplyDeleteKeshav
Robin Chauhan
ReplyDelete12011002217
IShita sachdeva
ReplyDelete09711002217
Krrish Marwah
ReplyDelete(11511002217).
Sehaj Singh
ReplyDelete10911002217
Himanshu Rawat 08211002217
ReplyDeleteKartik kapoor
ReplyDelete07411002217
Priyanka
ReplyDelete07111002217
Kartikey Gaur
ReplyDelete11611002217
Yashpreet Singh
ReplyDelete09511002217
08511002217
ReplyDeleteRohit Kathait
Ronak
ReplyDelete10111002217
Sukhvinder
ReplyDelete10311002217
Shikha
ReplyDelete11811002217
08811002217 Rajeev upadhyay
ReplyDeleteChetan Gandhi
ReplyDelete07911002217
Harshita Sharma
ReplyDelete08011002217
VIJAY RAUTELA
ReplyDelete09411002217
Kunal dhawan
ReplyDelete11311002217
Vivek Kumar
ReplyDelete07211002217