Variables in Exploring Nature of Food and Menu - Essay Example

The Nature of Food and Menu Name Course Name and Code Date Introduction The hospitality industry is a challenging sector because the service aspect plays an integral role in shaping the decisions and actions of the customers. The food production and management also requires effective strategic decisions and approaches to satisfy the requirements and expectations of the customers. The management of these establishments has to understand the nature of food and the menu. Understanding food and menu enable the management to determine appropriate measures to fulfill the requirements of the customers while creating a positive image and relation with the established. The nature of food and menu incorporates numerous variables, which have to be integrated and enable the creation of mechanisms to achieve the requirements. The variables may include leadership, quality of the service, the menu, foodservice organization, procurement and food production. The paper discusses some of these variables in exploring nature of food and menu. Effective Leadership and Customer Relations Effective leadership has to incorporate numerous requirements to fulfill the requirements of the customers. It includes considering effective human resource and measures to advance human resource capacities (Beardsworth and Keil 2002). It also determines customer relation and determination of strategies to fulfill the requirements of the customers. The service industry is sensitive because there is no option for testing and the image of the location contributes to the decision making of a customer (Bourke 2014). Therefore, effective leadership ensures important components within the establishment are considered and structured in a manner that reflects the requirements of the customers (Jurafsky 2015). It also includes the creation of frameworks and structures of sourcing the raw materials, engaging with different stakeholders including the government and creating a mechanism to address misunderstanding and conflicts (Newgent 2012). Therefore, the leadership of an establishment has to consider numerous processes and procedures to ensure the effectiveness of the establishment. Quality of Food and Service The food and menu experience is determined by the effectiveness of entire processes of the personnel (Bourke 2014). The processes include determining the source of the food, the conditions determining the quality of food, quality assurance and measures to address complications associated with quality of food. The final food depends on the quality of ingredients and sourcing high-quality ingredients contribute to the improvement of the quality of the final product (Beardsworth and Keil 2002). The employees should understand and appreciate the importance of the customers and incorporates factors, such as culture, diversity, and values in their respective operations (Jurafsky 2015). The role of an employee is to provide quality service to any customer and understanding the needs and expectations of the customers create an avenue to achieve the goals (Newgent 2012). Therefore, assuring high-quality food and service is important in nature of food and the attractiveness of the menu. The Menu A menu defines the food available in an establishment. The menu comes in different forms and presented differently depending on the nature of the food and establishment (Bourke 2014). The menus can be on electronic plasma screens, fluorescent illuminated blackboards and even handwritten. Others come in booklets while other establishments post the menu on their respective websites. In developing a menu, the common terms such as cycle, and a la carte should be considered to reflect the nature of the food and customer’s expectations. Menu psychology and factors affecting the menu planning also influences the decision of the customers (Beardsworth and Keil 2002). Some of the variables to be considered include nutritional influence, socio-cultural factors, government regulations and management decisions (Newgent 2012). The presentation of the menu should incorporate the psychology of the customers through including factors, such as grouping and spacing, color and brightness, and eye gaze (Leake 2014). It is imperative to note, the first impression of a customer contributes to the decision making and may influence repeated purchase. The creation of the menu and the fundamentals associated with the menu influences the customer and the customer may use the information to gauge the effectiveness of the establishment. Foodservice Organization Foodservice organization incorporates kitchen design and product flow (Newgent 2012). Food organization determines the process of assembling different ingredients, preparing the food and serving the food (Jurafsky 2015). Different types of foodservices exist, which includes ready prepared, conventional, commissionary and assembly (Beardsworth and Keil 2002). These different foodservices differ and target different customers depending on the requirements of the customers. The design of the kitchen should incorporate the numerous functions of preparation, storage of the food, and serving the food (Leake 2014). Some of the factors to be considered include the flow of air, lighting, design colors and strategic location of different types of equipment and tools in the kitchen (Bourke 2014). The purpose is to ensure the people preparing and serving the food can commute easily and access different tools easily. It is also aimed at championing safety and health during the preparation process. The foodservice organization is integral to the success of managing an establishment. The design may extend to the eating areas and defines the relation of different processes to the success of the establishment. Sourcing of Raw Materials (Procurement) The procurement process should reflect the strategic operations at the establishment (Bourke 2014). The raw materials (ingredients) should be of high quality, and supplier engagement should also be effective. The procurement process incorporates numerous stakeholders including the legislation and regulations in place (Jurafsky 2015). For example, the procurement should be able to determine the amount of ingredients and update on the amount of stock still available (Beardsworth and Keil 2002). The source should have a framework to define when to make an order and the appropriate stock level. The procurement of tools and equipment are also important to the procurement process. Therefore, an effective framework is appropriate in fulfilling the purchasing requirements of an establishment. Moreover, effective sourcing is important in ensuring the requirements of the establishment are accomplished. Food Production Food production incorporates the numerous processes and procedures employed in determining the amount of food to be cooked and bringing together the ingredients (Leake 2014). The management of an establishment should forecast the production demand and the quantity demand. The management should also define quantity adjustment, production methods, production controls (ingredient control and assembly), sustainable practices, and conservation methods (Beardsworth and Keil 2002). Food production is integral to the success of any establishment and fulfilling the requirements of the customers. In effectiveness of food production, numerous variables should be considered and frequently updated to reflect the changing requirements of the industry (Bourke 2014). The production process should incorporate the numerous processes and factor forecasting whether ion terms of ingredients or the amount of food (Jurafsky 2015). It can be achieved by creating an effective forecasting system that interrogates the dynamics of production. However, effective food production should be the underlying component to advance the requirements of an establishment. Conclusion In conclusion, nature of food and menu incorporates numerous variables, which establishments have to integrate into production. For example, human resource is important in creating strategies and acquiring the ingredients to produce the food. The human resource also provides services to the customers. The menu should reflect the requirements of the customers and the nature of the establishment. The needs and requirements of the customers keep changing, and diversity during production is important to satisfy the customers. The aspect of diversity can be achieved through producing food that reflects the cultural requirements of the customers and providing avenues to improve the services and processes to reflect the needs and expectations of the customers. The design of the kitchen and food production flow should be effective to limit challenges including safety and health in production and serving process. The aim of these processes and strategies are to fulfill the objectives and goals of the different stakeholders involved in accomplishing the requirements of the establishment. References Beardsworth, A., and Keil, T. 2002. Sociology on the Menu: An Invitation to the Study of Food and Society. London: Routledge Publishers. Bourke, J. 2014. The Natural Food Kitchen. New York: Ryland Peters & Small Publishers. Jurafsky, D. 2015. The Language of Food: A Linguist Reads the Menu. Chicago: W W Norton & Company Incorporated. Leake, L. 2014. 100 Days of Real Food: How We Did It, What We Learned, and 100 Easy, Wholesome Recipes Your Family Will Love. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. Newgent, j. 2012. The All-Natural Diabetes Cookbook: The Whole Food Approach to Great Taste and Healthy Eating. New York: American Diabetes Association. Read More