Part 1
1. How would you prioritize the considerations in menu planning for your restaurant?
2. There is a trade-off between a fully qualified chef and higher costs. How can a balance be achieved to leave a reasonable return for the owners?
3. To achieve maximum efficiency in your restaurant's kitchen, who should be involved?
4. Discuss how the equipment and menu must harmonize to create a smooth operation.
5. Ask several restaurant owners/managers how they arrived at their menu prices, and compare their answers with the methods suggested in the text.
6. Use sample menus to analyze: How many items are in each course? What equipment will be required for each? Select a few items and determine what you would expect their food-cost percentage to be.
7. How seriously should restaurant operators become involved with the nutri- tional content of foods the chefs serve?
8. Describe the sources of the menu items that will be featured on your menu.
9. Describe how your menu will look when presented to guests.
10. What will your restaurant food-cost percentage be? How will you achieve it?
Part 2
1. Before equipment selection takes place, what factors must you evaluate? Use at least three examples of equipment in your discussion.
2. What are the advantages of microwave ovens? Why are they not used more widely in restaurant kitchens?
3. Why are low-temperature dishwashing machines growing in popularity?
4. Why is it important that service persons stack tableware according to size on a soiled-dish table?
5. What conditions favor purchasing a tilting skillet for your kitchen? A vertical cutter/mixer? A convection oven?
6. In starting a restaurant, what used equipment would you consider buying? What equipment would you want to buy new?
7. Will you install gas or electric kitchen equipment, or both? What factors will affect your decision?
8. Kitchens are generally becoming smaller in relation to dining areas. Why?
9. You forecast your restaurant to gross $1 million per year in sales. Will you include a bakery section in your kitchen? Explain.
10. What are these pieces of kitchen equipment used for?
a. Bain-marie
b. Ridged griddle
c. Infrared broiler
d. Charbroiler
e. Convection oven
11. What are two advantages of reach-in refrigerators and under-shelf refrigera- tors over the bigger walk-in boxes?
12. Explain the statement, "The menu determines the kitchen equipment."