SC - Re: [Mid] Suggestions needed

[Decker, Terry D.]

First things first, if you are the Head Server, your job is to be sure
everyone is being served, that the service is flowing properly, and that
any problems which appear are handled quickly and quietly.  You should
not be serving.  You should watch and instruct the servers.

If you must speak to the Head Cook through an intermediary, be sure it
is someone who has worked regularly with the cook.  Preferably someone
who can read the cook's mind.  Every layer in a communications chain
introduces approximately a 25% error rate.

How are the dishes going to be served?  One server can handle up to two
tables if everything for a course is going to be delivered to the table
on a single platter or if you are delivering one dish at a time to the
table (a custom I find appalling).  If you are going to serve four or
five individual dishes to the table, one per table should work,
especially if you have them team up and serve everything to a table at
one time.  If you are serving individual plates, you could need 2 or
more servers per table.

Assign a couple people to the head table.  If the Crown is present, see
if any of the Nobility who are not at the Head Table would be willing to
serve.  Your people are there to make sure the job gets done.

Set up an area to stage the food before delivery to the table.  Usually
this is manned by kitchen staff, who are preping the dishes, but it may
be up to you to suggest/arrange it.

Use a seperate set of servers to handle drinks.  Usually a single drink
server can handle about 4 tables.

Check the layout of the tables.  You must have enough space for the
servers to reach all the tables.  Try to establish a traffic pattern, so
the servers move in one direction from the staging area to their tables
and return to the staging area by another path.  Leave enough room
between the tables, so hoop skirts don't get in the way of the servers.
Be sure the servers understand the pattern they are to follow.

Are your tables standard size?  If so seat a specific number of people
at each table.  It allows the staging people to evenly distribute food
without knowing the specifics of the table.  I like standard 6' to 8'
folding tables with 8 people to a table.

I often start feasts with bread or finger food on the table.  It keeps
people occupied while I spin up the first course.

What entertainment/court/idiocy will be occurring during the feast?  Is
it continuous or can you stage it to occur while people are eating?  How
will it effect your servers and service?

Be sure the servers know what is expected and what their jobs are going
to be.  Unless you have an experienced crew, getting together to talk
over how you are going to handle things might be a good idea.  Coffee,
tea, and ideas.

About 1 hour before the feast, look in the mirror and say, "It's show
time!"  Your crew will have it together or they won't.  If they have it
together, you get to graciously circulate through the crowd and
determine if anyone needs anything.  If they haven't got it together,
you get to run all over creation straightening out the messes.  In
either case, you've done what you could for planning and preparation and
the only thing left is execution (hopefully , not yours :-) ).

Bon Chance

Bear

>: Greetings, all --
>: 	I have been designated Head Server for our local 12th Night feast, and
>: I would like suggestions on how best to organize and handle my end of
>: things.  We have a Hall Steward, the Head Cook, and I will have a
>: kitchen staffperson "assigned" to me to keep me up on what's going on in
>: the kitchen.
>: 	I had thought of getting one server to cover each table, with me
>: helping out wherever and possibly covering the High Table as well.  A
>: sign-up sheet has been suggested (I can't believe I missed this idea,
>: but I did!), and I was also thinking of using something like a cart or a
>: small table to hold each dish as we serve it out.
>: 	What works for those of you who've done this before?
>: 	Thanks in advance,
>: Heather of Shadowed Stars
>: 
>: 
>: From:  Ellen Murtland <pix at fortwayne.infi.net>
>
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