TX925 .G62 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS DQODBflb^Sfll •^^0^ '. *•"<>'' -V" ^o • ^-^ . b>; p-n ^rAc^^ O H J-"V » I ■» (23ZB 408 We American Waiter Instructions in American and European Plan Service, Banquet and Private Party Work Bi) John B. Goins THIRD EDITION Revised and Enlarged PART I. Copyright 1908. by John B. Goins Copyright 1914, by John B. Goins Published by The Hotel Monthly Press 123 North Wacker Drive Chicago 6, III. INTRODUCTION TO THE FIRST EDITION. The title of this little handbook for waiters describes its object. It is in no sense a text- book, but is a synopsis of a series of lessons given by me to my class. My endeavor has been to make my pupils familiar with every branch of dining room service, a knowledge of which would otherwise require years of experi- ence to gain. The menus given in these lessons were prac- tically illustrated with every article required for the service, and I believe I have given ev- ery detail with sufficient clearness to enable any student or waiter of average intelligence to follow them, whether he has had the ad- vantage of the practical drill or not. In dining room service, as in every other field of labor, there is no royal road to success, and high positions are reached only by those who have worked to win them and have been quick to seize every means of advancement within their reach, TTiese lessons, whch are the result of my own experience in ever}'- depart- ment of the work, have proved so satisfactory to my pupils that I have been induced to print them, in the hope that they may be a help to those who are desirous ofjjj;glJtfjiiM| them- selves for positions of truM ant^esp( fcibility in the profession. || J. ^. G. Replace lost copy h- INTKODUCTIOM TO THE SECOND EDITION. In revising this book my aim has been to add such service as will continue to meet the requirements of the American plan hotel. Owing to the fact that the American plan hotels are trying hard to keep pace with the European hotel restaurant and cafe service, you will find the American plan hotels of to- day are giving (on a small scale) practically the same service as that of the high class restaurants and cafes. And it is the desire of the manager and proprietor to find tJie Ameri- can plan waiter who is equal to tJie changes and can readily grasp the idea of such service. It is really necessary that all waiters should be able to handle all new lines of service that become popular from time to time; and, as I have mentioned in previous articles, it is the traveling waiter who is best educated in all branches of service. The proprietor, manager and steward take extensive trips (tours '^f ob- servation) visiting different hotels and cafes; and their object is to acquaint themselves with what other hotels are doing. But, I am sorry to say, if HE, the proprietor, must inject the new ideas he finds, into YOU, the waiter, they come more as a reprimand, because you are not up to the standard of the new ideas of service. Aud to those who do not travel, I trust you may find in this book many useful ideas which will carry you over the bridge. J. B. G. DEESS Many waiters who think they are first-class in every respect do not know what garments should constitute a waiter's outfit. Every first- class waiter should own One black serge jacket, One black low cut vest, Two white jackets, Two or three pairs doe or cheviot black pants. One full dress coat and vest, One Tuxedo coat, One low cut white vest. Two pairs white gloves. Two black bow ties, Two white ties. One pair of good shoes with rubber heels, Six white shirts, cuffs and collars. Shirts should be changed as often as twice a week; collars four times. In winter, under- wear should be changed twice a week, and in summer, daily. The reason for this is evident, as from the nature of a waiter 's work it is impossible not to perspire; and a garment saturated with perspiration is unfit to wear another time in the dining-room. Every waiter should own a corkscrew; also a lead pencil. YOUE APPEARANCE Is the first impression. If you want work apply in the best condition possible. Apply in neat black clothes, pants creased, white shirt, shoes polished, cuffs, black tie, teeth and finger nails clean, your face clean shaven. If 2 THE AMERICAN WAITER. you wear mustache keep your hands off of it when talking, which is an indication that you will do so in dining-room. WHEN TO APPLY FOR WOEK. The usual hour to apply for position as waiter is between 9 and 10 a. m. ; never in the afternoon, unless requested to do so. A waiting-room is provided for such help, so never present yourself at the dining-room door. No two hotels are run under the same rules. In all your traveling you will find many ups and downs, trials and tribulations, and nothing should excite or disturb you that happens in your capacity as a waiter. With the eighteen years' experience I have had I have found, from the beginning until this present time, that I have been getting the worst of it at all times in a hotel; and, my dear sir, if you expect to climb the ladder of success, expect always to get the worst of it while you are a waiter, or in any other public service, as a servant. So make the very best of your situation; if it only pays you $1.25 a week, work faithfully, conscientiously, as if you were getting a good salary. Next, you must make up your mind to be governed by the rules and regulations of the house. Eespect its officers. The steward is in charge of the kitchen, and sometimes from sub-cellar to garret. His word is law; and if you expect to work you must conduct yourself accordingly. When you have been hired you will be given a locker to place your belongings in; then you will be taken to the dining-room, and, no matter if you are an experienced waiter, you must be shown around, first through the din- ing-room, then the kitchen. You are shown the tray racks first, then a place to deposit all soiled dishes. For the breakfast you locate THE AMERICAN WAITER. ' 3 the broiler, the fry cook and the bake-shop. For dinner the roast, entrees, vegetables, etc. Then your attention is called to printed rules, and the steward is pointed out to you. By this time you should be able to take care of your- self in the kitchen. Next we present you to the head waiter, w^ho presents you to his officers, and assigns you to a watch. The cap- tain of your watch will be responsible for your appearance, and has the authority to tell you to remain down-stairs if your condition is not up to the standard. Roll call at 12:30, every waiter in line in- spected. A short lecture on service and your appearance, reminding you of any bad service rendered in previous meals, informing you of your breakages, charges, etc. BRANCH WORK. Every waiter is expected to do side work, such as wash windows, clean paint and chairs, scrub or mop; also prepare relishes such as cucumbers, lettuce, radishes, celery, etc. In strictly up-to-date hotels, however, such is done by girls, but if you are ever called on to do such, do it with a good will, for I have done it. WATCH DUTY. Your next duty is to adapt yourself to the different watches and time. In a metropolitan hotel there are generally three watches, the morning watch, due at 5 a. m., whose duty is to sweep, dust, set up room and serve all early breakfasts; the day watch 6 a. m., serve breakfast until 10:30; and the middle watch, due 7 a. m., and remaining on duty until room closes after dinner, usually about 3 p. m. (with the exception of an hour's recess for re- dressing betweeen 11:30 and 12:30). Then serves 5 o'clock dinner in ordinary, off at 12 p. m. Then there is the close or "mule" THE AMERICAN WAITER. watch (assigned from the middle watch) on duty all day and until 1 o'clock next morning; SSI ■"■" 9 1 S§ 1 S 1 SSI 2 1 «Sl o» 1 «gsi « 1 -SI - 1 «s ■ • «e 'Ogl •o 1 *SI ^ 1 «§?l to 1 C'SI ca 1 -S?l 23 1 •a 1 SSI 2g?l o 1 «SI o» 1 OOgI CO 1 t-Sl »- 1 *gl CO 1 -Si o I » 1 •SI oe 1 : -SI : : - 1 : : : ««SI <« ) oSI •» 1 'SI - 1 «SI CO *»s N 1 : : -J?! : : - 1 : : asi 2 1 : : SSI : — 1 SSI 2 1 : o^.\ •■ « 1 • SI • '1 cc 1 -SI - 1 •■^Sl •^ 1 o o 5 serving all night officers such as night clerk, head bellman, elevator man, night engineer, and night chambermaid ; and also, in some THE AMERICAN WAITER. "t places, wash all silver and place in vault. Due again at 8 a. m. (thus allowing for the extra hour worked the previous day). The above is adapted for large first-class hotels and is illustrated in diagram No. 1. For the average American plan hotel, where the meal hours are short and regular, watches are usually arranged as showh in diagram No. 2. To maJce time is the best evidence that you want to be a waiter. * * ■* TO CLEAN AND POLISH SILVER. Knives, forks, spoons: Use whiting, dry- rub silver to a high polish with flannel cloth. For filigreed silver use silver brush. When silver is tarnished either from being long out of use or from gas, make a thin paste, rub silver until tarnish removed, then polish with dry whiting. COPPER. Clean with rock salt and vinegar. BEASS. Use Putz pomade, a preparation sold by druggists. WATER BOTTLES. Use potato cut in dice shape, also shot or gravel. Use strong soap suds. Use brush for neck. ^ VINEGAR BOTTLES. Same as water bottles. OIL BOTTLES. Dissolve one quarter can concentrated lye in half a gallon hot soap suds; fill bottles, let stand until oil rises from bottom, then wash in hot soap water. Rinse in hot water. Place in oven until bottles are hot; remove until cool; ready for oil. 6 THE AMERICAN WAITER. SALT AND PEPPEE SHAKERS. Same as water bottles. Use brush if cut glass. « * * A CURE FOR RANCID OIL. Boil with one potato; let cool. In summer, use very few cruets. TRAINING THE EAR AND EYE. Train your ear to a light signal by a tap on a piece of paper; let that signal be so effec- tive that it can be heard above the clatter of dishes or the buzzing of speech by guests. Always keep a watchful eye on the officers, so that if your presence is needed it may be had without the notice of guest. CHAIR LESSONS. When assisting guest to rise from chair never draw chair from under him until he is on his feet; and never take chair from the floor. Never advise or offer any information in re- gard to seats at your station; refer all such to the officers of the room. Your duty is to serve and not to seat guests. THE SEATING PROBLEM. The head waiter controls the seating of guests in the dining-room. He has his reasons for seating different people at different tables; he has his reasons for reserving certain seats and tables; and in order to run the dining- room successfully, the waiters must not inter- fere in the seating of guests; that is, they must not offer seats except as directed by the head waiter. It is the waiter's business to serve, not to seat, or to offer any information concerning seats at his particular station. The waiter should refer guests who ask him fol such and such seats to the head waiter. The THE AMERICAN WAITER. « hotel, for instance, may have distinguished guests for whom special seats should be re- served. The head waiter is informed of this and makes special provision for reservations. Then, too, there is a need of discretion in seating people, strangers to each other, at the same table, or in grouping parties of friends. Unless the head waiter has complete control in this respect, he cannot give good service. There are some few hotels I have heard of where even the head waiter does not control the seats; but these are houses where there are sufficient dining-room accommodations to have a seat reserved for every guest. When the guest registers he is assigned to room and a seat in the dining-room is reserved for him also at the same time. Thus, the guests who have the highest priced rooms are assigned to the best seats in the dining-room, and the head waiter has his seating board, so to speak, corresponding with the room board in the office; and when the guest enters the dining- room he is given the seat to which he has been assigned. This condition, however, is only in family hotels, or resort houses where guests make prolonged stay as a rule. In such case the head waiter understands when he is en- gaged what the conditions are, and he has no right to find fault with such conditions, but to work faithfully under them and to see that the waiters give uniformly good service to the guests assigned to their particular stations. TO OPEN OYSTERS. Wash. Place oyster in left hand with the deep shell in palm. Place point of oyster knife at the edge and on top of deep shell; press down and in until knife slips in. Press knife to the far end of shell, then draw knife toward you in circle form; then from you. 8 THE AMERICAN WAITER. Eaise top shell. Cut oyster loose. Serve on deep plate of crushed ice (or regular oyster plate). Serve salt, pepper, tabasco sauce, horseradish, piece of lemon. TO OPEN CLAMS. Place in palm of hand. Put edge of knife in mouth of clam; press knife in with all four fingers; cut through; raise shell; cut clam loose. Serve same as oysters. SERVICE OF CEREALS. ROLLED OATS, CKACKED WHEAT, CORN MEAL MUSH, PETTIJOHNS', CEEE- ALINE, HOMINY GRITS. Serve in bowl. Place bowl or sauce dish on plate before guest. Place cereal in deep dish with six-inch plat- ter under it. Place dish with platter in front of bowl with large spoon and teaspoon. Serve soft or granulated sugar and cream. GRAPE NUTS. Serve in sauce dish with sugar and cream. By request only, pour hot water over grape nuts. SHREDDED WHEAT BISCUIT. Many ways of serving. Ask guest how he likes the biscuit or triscuit. Ordinarily, heat the biscuit in oven to restore crispness. Serve in oatmeal bowl with pitcher of hot milk and small pitcher of cream. Pour the hot milk over the biscuit and then a little cream over the top of the biscuit, adding a dash of salt. Sugar for those who like it. Spoon. TRISCUIT. Triscuit is not a breakfast food. It is served as a toast with butter, cheese or marmalades. THE AMERICAN WAITER. \f It is a substitute for white flour bread and crackers. HOW TO MAKE TOAST. Most guests are particular about toast being served HOT. It is necessary to serve it crisp as well as hot, but not hard and brittle. Do not cover a plate of toast with a soup plate or bowl, as this causes the toast to per- spire and get soggy. Use a perforated cake cover or a folded napkin. You are liable to meet the objections of the linen man or pro- prietor if you use napkins for such service; so, to be safe, use cake cover. In European service, service-napkins are fur- nished. DRY TOAST, BEOWN. Cut square or diamond shape. BUTTEEED TOAST, Same as dry, only buttered. DIP TOAST. Dip in hot water. Butter if requested. Serve on plate. MILK TOAST. Cut in squares; set in bowl or soup plate; pour hot milk over. Serve. FEENCH TOAST. Beceipt from J. E. Meister's Vest Pocket Pastry/ Boole. Cut a stale loaf of bread into square, thick slices, saturate them with milk, then dip in beaten eggs, with a pinch of salt in it, and fry in a buttered frying pan to a light color. Dust over with sugar and serve. Serve on platter or plate covered. Serve soft sugar and syrup. CEEAM TOAST. Serve on large platter. Service plates in 10 THE AMERICAN WAITER. front of guest; platter in front of plate, with large spoon. HOT CAKES. Serve all hot cakes on plate with soft sugar, syrup or honey. WAFFLES. Same as hot cakes. TO SERVE EGQS. Kemember: Soft boil, ordinarily 2 min- utes. Eemember: Medium boil, ordinarily 4 min- utes. Kemember: Hard boil, 10 minutes. MEDIUM AND SOFT BOILED. Serve in egg glass or cup, with six-inch plate under glass or cup. Open by permission. Do not leave spoon in cup. Many guests prefer to eat eggs from the shell, and the waiter, when so instructed, will serve the eggs unbroken in vegetable dish, or on small deep plate. Then you should use the regular egg cup or glass. You may find few hotels that have them; but you must learn to take care of yourself in all cases where the proper article to render good service cannot be had. Hustle and find the next best article to answer the sam.e purpose. A sherry glass or DIAGRAM NO. 3 — service op boiled eggs. A. & D., broken into cup. B., 0. & E., in shell. B., makeshift, sherry glass. C, makeshift, small whisky glass. THE AMERICAN WAITER. 11 small whisky glass may easily be used to serve eggs in shell when the proper cup cannot be had. HARD BOILED EGGS. Eemove shell by running cold water over them, then roll, pressing shell. Eemove with under skin. Serve in vegetable dish or on small plate. POACHED. Serve in vegetable dish with platter under it. POACHED ON TOAST. Serve on platter with two separate pieces of toast. POACHED AND POACHED ON TOAST. A difference: Enquire as to whether plain or on toast. RUM OMELET. Serve on large platter to left of meats. Ask permission to light it. Move to one side of guest, proceed to light and burn the rum. SHIRRED EGGS. Regular shirred egg dish. Place small plate under the egg dish. Serve to left of meats. SCRAMBLED EGGS. Serve on small platter. PLAIN OMELET. Serve on six-inch platter. » # * SERVICE OF BOILED EGGS, TOAST AND COFFEE FOR BREAKFAST. In serving boiled eggs, toast and coffee, first place service plate in front of guest, then serve coffee (passing sugar, cream, etc., from silver tray), then serve toast; then bring eggs to table, keeping a small plate under the egg dish. Say to guest, ''permit me to open your eggs. ' ' If the guest wishes you to open them re- 12 THE AMERICAN WAITER. move the eggs from the table and proceed to do so. Never leave the same spoon in the egga that you open them with. TO MAKE AND SERVE TEA, COFFEE, CHOCOLATE AND COCOA. ICED TEA. Cold tea with ice. Serve lemon and soft or granulated sugar. Serve in goblet or water glass with plate under it. ICED TEA FOR PARTY OF FOUR. To serve iced tea to a party of four in pri- vate room it should be very artistically pre- DIAGRAM NO. 4. Service, iced tea: A., Glass Pitcher; B., Bowl of ice; C, saucer of quartered lemons; D., Sugar; E., Glasses; F., Sugar Spoon; G., Long Spoons; H., Tray. pared. Use a fancy glass pitcher. Have pitcher cold. Fill half full of lump ice. Then wet. the mouth and upper rim of pitcher. Fill pitcher with cold tea. Cut a lemon in four pieces for side service on a saucer; then cut four slices of lemon. Dip both sides of each slice in soft sugar, then place them at the top of pitcher gar- THE AMERICAN WAITER. 13 nished with a sprig of fresh green parsley through each of the slices. Serve with bowl of granulated or soft sugar, small bowl of cracked ice, four glasses or gob- lets, four tea or- mixing spoons. ICED COFFEE. Cold coffee with ice. Serve with cream and sugar. TEA. Always serve tea in pot accompanied with a pot or pitcher of hot water. One quarter ounce of tea is suiBeient for an ordinary service for one; thus one pound is sufficient to serve sixty-four orders. The quarter ounce portion is about a heaping tea- spoonful. First be sure the pot is clean. Then warm the pot with a rinse of hot water. Put tea in the pot and pour on water that is just at the boiling point. Serve at once. Tea that has steeped in the pot longer than six minutes ceases to be a wholesome beverage; but if it is poured into another vessel any time up to the six-minute limit, so that the tannin from the tea leaves cannot spoil the tea, it retains its virtue as a pleasant and wholesome drink. Serve cup, saucer, cream, sugar, teaspoon. Owing to the fact that the habit of tea- drinking is growing in favor, and that most people now have their likes and dislikes re- garding the beverage, the waiter should always ask whether the guest prefers green or black tea, or, if the different brews are mentioned on the bill, which of them he prefers. TEA FOR ENGLISH OR FRENCH PEOPLE. Same as above, except double the quantity of tea. . ' 14 THE AMERICAN WAITER. BEEF TEA. One teaspoonful extract of beef in teacup; add hot water to dissolve; then fill cup or pot, stirring at same time. Serve with salt, pepper, one cracker^ tea- spoon. COFFEE (good and strong). Every waiter should know how to make good coffee. One pound best coffee, White of one egg, Pinch of salt. Use coffee sack, One gallon boiling water. (For medium, one pound good coffee will serve for one and a half gallons.) CHOCOLATE. One dessert spoon prepared chocolate in cup or pot. Add very little hot water to dissolve; then fill pot or cup with hot milk. Serve granulated sugar, cream, teaspoon. COCOA. Same as chocolate. SERVICE OF FRUITS. Fruit in season means fruit in the season of the year in which it comes into the market. It is essential that every waiter, and especially every head waiter, should know the correct method of serving fruit of different kinds. At first thought it may seem a very simple thing, but in this, as in every other item of table service, there is a right way and a wrong way, and unless a waiter is acquainted with the right method of serving fruit he will be apt, through the natural perversity of things, to bit upon the wrong way. i THE AMERICAN WAITER. 15 STRAWBEEEIES may be served either in sauce dishes or individual compotes with china or cut glass sauce dishes and teaspoon. Powd- ered or granulated sugar and cream accompany strawberries. Strawberries of unusual size may be served with the stem left on them on six-inch plates. A spoonful of sugar is placed on the side of the plate. Finger bowls should always accom- pany strawberries served in this manner. BLACKBERRIES, BLUEBERRIES, RASP- BERRIES, RED CURRANTS, etc., may be served either in sauce dishes or in individual compotes with cut glass or china sauce dishes. They should be accompanied with cream and powdered or granulated sugar. APPLES of large size may be served on six inch plates; but if the market does not afford good apples and there are indications of de- cay, it is better to serve them in compotes and allow each guest to make his own selection. PEACHES that are served whole should be brushed and wiped till the fuzz is removed; they are then served the same as apples. Sliced peaches are served in individual com- potes with cracked ice and accompanied with cream and soft or granulated sugar. Sauce dishes and teaspoon. PEARS AND PLUMS are first wiped with damp cloth and served in compote with soft sugar. Fruit plate and finger bowls. NECTARINES, a variety of peach with smooth rind. Serve same as peaches. GRAPES are served in small sized bunches in compotes and should be accompanied with grape shears, fruit plate and finger bowl. CHERRIES, are served in compote with fruit plate and finger bowl. GRAPE FRUIT is a kind of large orange with a grape-like flavor. To serve: cut cross- wise and hollow out the center, in which place 16 THE AMERICAN WAITER. I a teaspoonful of soft sugar and a teaspoonful of sherry wine. Fruit plate and finger bowl and teaspoon. (Some prefer the grapefruit without the wine, and to help themselves to the sugar.) BANANAS are served in compotes as mixed fruit, or fruit in season. Fruit plate, salt and sugar, finger bowl. BANANAS sliced (with grated cocoanut). Serve in sauce dishes; salt, soft sugar and cream. MANDAEINS, a variety of orange, are served in compote as mixed fruit. Fruit knife, fruit plate and finger bowl. APEICOTS are served the same as man- darins. OEANGES are served from compote or fruit dish with fruit plate. Soft sugar, fruit knife, teaspoon, finger bowl. "When oranges are sliced the rind is removed and the fruit sliced crosswise so as to remove the core and seeds. Serve in sauce dishes, or on plate. Fruit knife, spoon and soft sugar. In serving oranges a guest will sometimes order the waiter to squeeze the oranges. Ordi- narily, however, a waiter should not squeeze oranges ; but, in a case of this kind, where a guest orders it to be done and the waiter is forbidden to do so by the hotel management, he should go to the head waiter and consult him and proceed according to his directions. CANTALOUPE is served in halves or quar- ters from compote with cracked ice. Soft su- gar, salt and pepper, fruit plate, teaspoon and^ finger bowl. WATER MELON is cut in eighths and served on plate with knife, fork, soft sugar and salt. When served from compote the rind is re- moved, and is accompanied with soft sugar and salt.. Fruit plate, knife and fork. THE AMERICAN WAITER. I'i JAPANESE PERSIMMONS resemble toma^ toes. Serve with plate, spoon and finger bowi, PINEAPPLE is removed from the rind by- cutting off the top and bottom and inserting a thin steel knife betvreen the rind and fruit. Lift the fruit out of the rind; slice and place soft sugar between the layers and return to rind. Place the pineapple upright on plate. Serve m sauce dishes, knife, fork, spoon, soft sugar and finger bowl. BAKED APPLES. Served in sauce dish with cream and sugar. Teaspoon. STEWED PEUNES. In sauce dish with cream. Teaspoon. STEWED PEACHES, DRIED. In sauce dish with cream, sugar, teaspoon. COOKED FRUIT— PEACHES, PLUMS, DAMSONS, CHERRIES, PEARS, etc. Serve m sauce dish or individual compote with cut glass sauce dishes. Cream and sugar when re- quired. Tea spoon. HANDING THE BILL OF FARE. It is customarily the headwaiter's duty to present the bill of fare to a guest, but it often happens that this item of service must be per- formed by another; and a waiter should al- ways bear in mind that he should not place a menu card, or, in fact, any article whatever, directly in guest's hand. There is a reason for this as there is for all points of table etiquette. A rude or ill-tempered person is quite likely to receive what is offered him with a jerk or some other unpleasant manifestation, and whether it is meant for a slight to the waiter or not, that is the way it is usually taken, and an attentive obliging waiter is suddenly trans- formed into something quite the reverse; therefore bills of fare, knives, spoons, etc., should always be placed on the table beside the plate and never handed directly to the guest. 18 THE AMERICAN WAITER. TO AVOID TEOUBLE WITH DISSATIS- FIED GUESTS. It often happens that a guest will refuse to accept his order and will then ask a waiter to smell or taste of some article of food that displeases him. When this occurs the waiter should not attempt to argue the question for a moment, but should at once go to the kitchen and state the case to the head cook. If the cook refuses to provide another order the waiter should go to the head waiter and leave the responsibility with him. AU kinds of people go to hotels and some of them have peculiar ways of ordering things, especially in the summer when the temperature in the kitchen is ninety degrees. Under such conditions one of these peculiar people will be quite likely to order steak with a little fat on the end, and not scorched anywhere, and with crisp bacon, accompanying the order with a threat that if everything is not brought to him exactly as ordered that he will send them back. The waiter repeats the order in the kitchen, but not the threats, and nine times out of ten the broiler will pay no attention to the details. If the waiter feels doubtful about serving the order he should go to the head waiter and show him the steak. The head waiter has the authority to use his judgment in such cases, and may tell you to serve the steak. If the guest refuses to accept it return to the head- waiter, who will probably give you a special order to the steward, to have steak broiled ac- cording to order. But to show yourself equal to such emergency, it will be to your advantage to try and fill your order pleasantly between the broiler and yourself, without the aid of the proper officials; for you may make mat- ters unpleasant for yourself thereafter with the broiler. THE AMERICAN WAITER. 19 (In this connection I would say that in some houses the buyer has such a false idea of econ- omy that he purchases inferior goods and the cooks are obliged to make the best of them, and if the guests are dissatisfied the blame can only be placed where it belongs.) DEPORTMENT. In strictly first class hotels waiters are never permitted to carry trays over head. But you should learn to carry a tray on one hand, and let that be your left hand, and strive to master the tray; or carry it in both hands to be safe. Never run, hop, skip or jump while at work in the dining room, but have a lively gait, swift and silent, and not calculated to attract attention. When standing at rest you should never place your feet upon the rounds of the chairs or lean against the walls, but stand erect. Never wait to be told to remove soiled dishes from a table, but make yourself gener- ally useful. Eemain at your station; never leave it unless by permission. And, above all things, never have too much talk for the officers of the room. Keep as far away from them as possible and always keep a watchful eye on them, so that when needed you may know it. When signaled move quick. If you find yourself late one hour in the morning, do not lay off, but report for work; for in doing so you may save your position and be in time to help your fellow men up the hill with a heavy load. Keep out of strikes. If you are asked to join in a strike for better wages refuse point blank. And I would advise you to offer to quit; but first explain why you do so, stating your reason for quitting is to keep out of strikes. 20 THE AMEKICAN WAITER. TAKING A GUEST'S ORDEE. A waiter's first duty after a guest is seated at Ms station is to serve him with a glass of water; and even in so small a matter as this, certain rules are to be observed. The glass should be held as near the bottom as possible without awkwardness, and placed six inches to the right of the silver. The next move is to quietly pass to the left of the guest and say, * ' I will take your order please. ' ' When doing this the waiter should stand about two feet from the table, with his body slightly inclined. When the order is brought to the guest, if he should be found holding his newspaper in such Q, manner as to obstruct service, the waiter should say in a low tone "1 will serve your order, please." He should then proceed to do so, gauging the space that the dishes are to occupy so accurately that they will not have to be moved or shoved in any way after they are on the table. EEQUISITES OF FIRST CLASS SERVICE. Service of the very best class is only possible with people who have plenty of time, in fact, the leisure — who are not obliged to hurry through their meals on account of business — and for them table service must be a fine art. In the first place, every accessory must be in perfect keeping with the character of the serv- ice — rich and immaculate — and the waiter should spare no pains to render himself har- monious with his surroundings. Personal neat- ness should be his watchword, clean skin, and well brushed finger-nails should be the first consideration; and no hint of tobacco or any- thing else objectionable should be about breath or garments. His linen should be spotless. For breakfast and luncheon he should wear a Tux- edo coat with black trousers, and well polished shoes with rubber heels. For dinner, full THE AMERICAN WAITER. 21 dress black suit with white linen and black necktie, is the regulation dress. Be particular to wear cuffs. * * * THE CAPTAIN. To the head waiter the captain is a very important man, more especially in houses where a second waiter is not employed. The captain's duties are many and trying, and much responsibility is vested in him to carry out the instructions of the head waiter. There are generally three captains — the Morning Watch captain, the Day Watch, and the Middle Watch captain. The morning watch captain is the most important one, and, in a house where there is only one captain, he ia the backbone to the head waiter. The morning watch captain's duty is to open up the dining room, and he is in full charge of the room until the head waiter comes on duty. Each captain has under his personal charge a number of men, say from six to twenty. Tlie morning watch captain and his men are due in the dining room at the hours indicated in Diagram No. 1. Their first duty is to raise the windows to air the room. Each watch is so regulated by the captain that each man, or squad of men, know their particular duty to perform without being told each day. For in- stance, three men may be detailed to sweep, two to dust chairs, windows, etc.; two men on water bottles; one man each to run on knives, forks and spoons; a man to trim and polish salt and pepper shakers; and then the linen man (who generally works on the morning watch) : he folds all napkins and places them on the tables. After the above side work has been per- formed, it is about time to open the dining 22 THE AMERICAN WAITER. room proper, or the ordinary, to serve early- breakfast. The morning watch serves all early break- fasts and up to 9.30 a. m., or as indicated in Diagrams Nos. 1 and 2. Then they are sup- posed to be off watch; unless there is some special side work to be done, such as polish silver or clean windows, as such work generally falls on the morning watch to do. The day watch is responsible for the condi- tion of the room the balance of the day. The middle watch generally sweeps, dusts, re-fills water bottles, empties finger glasses, re- fills sugar bowls, and is then off duty until the next meal hour or roll call. The day watch serves all late meals, changes all cloths that the previous watch failed to change, and puts room in perfect condition. Each captain is held responsible for the condition of the room each day that he is on watch, and the headwaiter looks to him to carry out instructions to the minutest detail. The captain is the one to suffer for any neglect on the part of his men. But the captain's job is a stepping place to higher position. THE BUSSMAN. The bussman has no particular fancy line of duty to perform. Generally his work is to break ice and place it in the dining room at each meal hour; keep the ice bowls filled at all times and remove them from the dining room after each meal, washing and taking special care of them. Generally he sweeps, mops, washes windows, carries soiled dishes in but- ler's trays from dining room, removes all broken dishes that are accidentally broken by waiters, keeps all water or muss from dining room floor during meal hours, and makes him- self generally useful around the dining room. In fact, he is generally the head and second THE AMERICAN WAITER. 23 "waiter's messenger boy between dining room and kitchen. He also keeps the water bottles filled during meal hours, removes all soiled napkins from tray racks, assists waiters to give prompt service by returning to the kitchen for any article forgotten by waiter. He gen- erally works with the morning watch. By be- ing bright, quick-witted and neat, he is in line for promoton as waiter. THE WATER BOY. Many first-class hotels employ a water boy. His duty is to serve the guests with water. "When the head waiter seats a guest, it is the boy's particular duty to serve each guest with a glass of water. But I have found the water boy, in a great many instances to be detrimen- tal to good service, and, for my part, I would rather not have him. It makes a waiter for- getful of his first duty; for in a house serving one to three hundred persons at a meal, it is impossible for one boy, or three boys, to give good water service. And a great many times the head waiter is reprimanded for the wait- er's neglect to serve water. A glass of water answers as a flag of peace to the head waiter. It indicates that the waiter has been at his station. But sometimes the water boy may serve water, and the waiter may not return to his station for fifteen min- utes, which causes a complaint from guest. A good bright boy is worth while more especially when he has a good knowledge of wine service; for his duty then is generally to go to and from the bar and serve drinks. I knew of one, only one, boy worth while. THE LINEN MAN. The linen man is a serviceable man indeed to a head waiter, as much trouble may be had from this important line of branch work, if not properly attended to. The housekeeper, pro- 24 THE AMERICAN WAITER. prietor, manager and steward are continuously finding napkins and side towels in the kitchen, halls and coat room; and the housekeeper is generally short on her inventory of table linens each month, which ischargedto the dining room. The linen man, who is assigned from the morning watch, should be a painstaking, trust- worthy man. His duty is to carry all linen to and from the dining room, and it should be counted to him each way. He should buy (ex- change) his clean linen piece for piece for the soiled linen that he turns in. A general shortage seems to always exist in linen, and the dining room linen man is re- sponsible for it^ as being careless, or not look- ing after it properly. I have found the care- lessness is sometimes due to the girl employed in the linen room who issues out the linen. The laundry sends all linen to the linen room in stacks of ten, and the girl issues out as they come from the laundry, without first counting. Often these stacks are short; and sometimes they have more than ten napkins to the stack. The linen man's duty is to look after all linen that is used in the dining room, gather it up after each meal, look for it also in the waiter's coat room, the halls and kitchen. He superintends the changing of cloths and table felts, folds all napkins for parties and ban- quets, issues all side towels and gathers up the same after each meal, issues all rags for clean- ing, and tray cloths for private orders or parties. » ♦ • TO SET THE BREAKFAST TABLE. Spread felt, then cloth. Lay the table as indicated in Diagram No. 5. Napkins folded about six-inches square, placed straight at edge of table. Lay fork tines up; lay knives with sharp edges toward napkin. THE AMERICAN WAITER. 25 DIAGEAM NO. 5. The BREAKFAST TABLE: 1, Napkins; 2, water bottle; 3, loaf sugar; 4, soft sugar; 5, vinegar; 6, oil; 7, water glasses; 8, tea spoons; 9, salt, pepper; 10, knives (1 steel, 1 silver); forks. TO SET THE DINNER TABLE. Same as Breakfast table (diagram No. 5), except placfe soup spoon between knives. If oysters in season, oyster fork next to knife. BREAKFAST ORDER (1). Fruit in season Oatmeal Panned oysters Broiled white fish In serving an order of this description the fruit and oatmeal are brought in first ; the fruit in a compote with a fruit plate; the oatmeal in oatmeal bowl or saucer with small plate be- neath, with similar saucer or bowl on plate for service. The accessories are cream, soft sugar, fruit knife, spoon and finger bowl. TTie knife 26 THE AMERICAN WAITER. and spoon are of course placed at the right of. the plate, finger bowl to the left. While the guest is disposing of this course the waiter should return to the kitchen and get the panned oysters and broiled whitefish, hot roll and piece of butter. These should be placed on the table in the following order, the soiled dishes of the first course having been first removed : Place service plate. Serve oysters on platter; table spoon to the right. Eemove oyster service. Place clean service plate. Serve fish on platter. Then pass Worcestershire sauce, taking care not to shake the bottle. (The waiter should never under any circumstances take the cork from a bottle of Worcestershire sauce. The reason for this is that the guest, not noticing the removal of the cork, is more than likely to shake the bottle and treat himself to a most unwelcome spattering.) BREAKFAST ORDER (2). Bouillon Fruit in season Cracked wheat Panned oysters Serve bouillon first in cup and saucer, with six-inch plate under saucer; pass crackers, salt and pepper. Remove. Serve fruit in season in compote; fruit plate, finger bowl, etc. (See breakfast order No. 1.) Remove fruit service. Serve cracked wheat. (See " oatmeal, '* breakfast order No. 1.) Remove cracked wheat service. Serve panned oysters; place service plate, then oysters on platter, with table spoon to right. Pass salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, bread. THE AMERICAN WAITER. 27 BEEAKFAST OEDER (3). A breakfast order in a strictly fashionable hotel, with silver service, -would be rendered in the following manner: Fruit in season Hominy grits Broiled shad, maitre d'hotel Broiled spring chicken French fried potatoes Plain bread Coffee Fruit in season is served in individual com- pote, the fruit plate and knife being placed on the table first, with soft sugar, etc., at the right and finger bowl at the left; after which the waiter proceeds to serve the hominy grits and cream. In a service of this description nothing should be served directly from the hand. Each article should be placed on the table from a small silver server. The habit of using both hands at once in serving should be guarded against as it is both awkward, and, except in rare cases, unnecessary. All small dishes can be served from the tray with the right hand, and large dishes should be passed from the left hand to the right and from the right to the table; consequently, serve from left side of guest. While the guest is engaged with the fruit course the waiter should go to the kitchen and order the shad and chicken. The shad would undoubtedly be prepared and he should set the tray with the fish on platter with silver cover, eoifee in pot, cream, etc., one slice of plain bread, one roll, one piece of butter. Then re- turn to the dining room and remove fruit serv- ice from the table. Serve the coffee, passing cream, etc. Then place service plate, knife and fork, and return to the tray and bring shad and place the platter crosswise on the table and in front 28 THE AMERICAN WAITER. of service plate. Pass salt and pepper. TLe shad should be garnished with parsley and a slice of lemon. The waiter should now return to the kitchqn and get the broiled chicken and potatoes. Eemove fish service; place breakfast plate. Go to tray and get chicken and potatoes: Place platter lengthwise on the table in front of breakfast plate with potatoes on opposite side. Pass salt and pepper, and offer to get a fresh pot of coffee. (In regard to this service I will say that a waiter of ten years' experience could serve it with comparative ease, but it would certainly be hard for a waiter with only the experience of a country hotel to acquit himself. The waiter should not use a side towel or have one in sight while serving a meal in this manner. Eoller towels will be found in the kitchen from two to three yards long. The dishes must be so hot that they can be barely held in the hands.) BEEAKFAST OEDEE (4). Sirloin steak French fried potatoes Omelet Co-ffee In many of the hotels of the country a sys- tem of economy is practiced that decrees that a sirloin steak shall be cut down very small, and the greatest art on the part of the waiter is necessary in serving it to make it satisfac- tory. Care must be taken that it is hot and; nicely garnished. The steak platter should be placed to the right front of the service plate; the omelet next on the left and the French fried potatoes next. If two or three orders are to be served at the THE AMERICAN WAITER. 29 same table the same care must be exercised in placing the dishes so that they will not have to be moved or replaced BEEAKFAST OEDER (5). TO SERVE FOUR PERSONS, FAMILY STYLE. Fruit Oatmeal Chops Omelet Fried potatoes Cofee Instructions on fruit and oatmeal (see breakfast order No. 1). Place four breakfast plates in front of guest at head of table. Place one large platter of chops to right of plates; place omelet; then fried potatoes. As host helps each plate, serve ladies first. Pass salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, rolls. Place cups and saucers. Pass sugar and cream to each guest. Serve coffee. Refill water glasses. (The same service may apply to a party of ten or more.) But to make service quick, (if, for ten persons, for instance) place five plates at each end of table. BEEAKFAST OE SUPPER. Service of Chops Hash Potatoes Boiled eggs Toast Cofee W THE AMERICAN WAITER. . i to SERVE BREAKFAST OR SUPPER. DIAGRAM NO. 6. 1, Breakfast plate; 2, chops; 3, fried pota- toes; 4, hash; 5, boiled eggs; 6, toast; 7, but4 ter; 8, cup and saucer; 9, water glass; 10, cream; 11, sugar bowl; 12, coffee pot; 13, pepper; 14, salt; 15, one steel knife and one silver knife; 16, two forks; 17, tea spoons. DINNER. Caviar Blue-points Celery and olives Boast heef Capon Mashed potatoes Asparagus Green peas Ice cream and cake Nuts , • . . V Cheese Crackers Cofee Caviar is served before the oysters, as it is in the nature of an appetizer. The service plate should be on the table when oysters are served, and celery and olives should accompany them. The waiter should then pass the relishes, horseradish, catsup, vinegar, etc., service being from the left. Remove oyster and service plate, place hot service plate in front of guest. THE AMERICAN WAITEE. 31 TO SET: A TABLE FOK DINNER SEEVICE. 6 6 © ( ■« ) © © ©" DIAGRAM NO. 7. 1, Napkins ; 2, water bottle ; 3, soft sugar ; 4, hard sugar; 5, bread tray; 6, crackers; 7, tea spoons; 8, water glasses ; 9, three forks; 10, one steel knife next to napkin, and one sil- ver knife; 11, soup spoon, butter spread; 12, salt, pepper; 13, oil; 14, vinegar. Then serve roast beef to the right front of the service plate, capon next on the left, pota- toes, green peas, and asparagus on the left side. In serving the dessert order the ice cream is placed down first directly in front of the guest, the cake in front of that, with nuts to the right, crackers and cheese to the left, and coffee at right of plate. 32 THE AMERICAN WAITER. Coffee with dessert is always served in small cups, unless otherwise requested. When several guests are to be served with coffee at the same table the coffee should be poured into the cups while they are on the tray and served from the tray. It is very necessary for a waiter to know ex- actly the proper order in which to serve a din- ner according to the best established usage, and having performed his duty in this respect he need not be concerned as to the method in which a guest chooses to dispose of the various dishes. DINNER FOR FOUR, FAMILY STYLE. If the above menu is served to a party of four in family style, with soup instead of oys- ters, four soup plates are placed in front of the host. The soup tureen is then placed in front of the plates, with ladle to right of plates, and the host proceeds to serve his guests passing the soup plates to the waiter, who stands at his left side, who serves it to the guest farthest removed from the host on the right. On placing the tureen the waiter should re- move the cover, taking care that it is placed bottom upward on the tureen plate. This seems a small item, but if it is not observed an unsightly spot on the table linen is sure to result. The meats and mashed potato are served in the same way by the host. If instead of all grown people this party should consist of two adults and two children, the waiter who has the interests of the house at heart will exercise discretion in judging of the proper amount to be served to the party, as very small or half grown-children would not require a full-sized cut of beef or capon. THE AMERICAN WAITER. 33 A safe rule to follow where children are at table in a party of this size is to serve three full sized cuts of both beef and capon. DINNER FOR FOUR, FAMILY STYLE. Boast beef Oyster patties Mashed potatoes Asparagus Peas Punch Place four dinner plates in front of guest at head of table, with sufficient silver, table- spoons, etc. Then place large platter with four cuts of beef to the right of plates. Patties next to left of beef on a size smaller platter. Next place the mashed potatoes. Then place four 6-inch plates in front of lady, with one large platter of asparagus from which the lady will help each plate, to be passed by the waiter. Peas to be served same as asparagus, only in sauce dishes. Next serve punch to the right side, with small plate nnder glass. Teaspoon. Pass salt, pepper, bread. Refill water glass. NOTES. In serving fish for dinner always serve on small plates. You have been instructed to serve asparagus on 6-inch plates in serving a party of four. The same service may be applied to sweet entrees, small patties, corn on cob, etc. Serve all stewed vegetables in vegetable dishes. When serving family style use sauce dishes. 34 THE AMERICAN WAITER. DINNER. (SIX ORDERS.) Mock turtle soup Sliced tomatoes Cucwnibers Fillet of red siiapper Boast heef Turlcey with cranberry sauce Peach fritters Mashed potatoes Asparagus Green peas St. Julien punch Shrimp salad Ice cream Bates Mince, pumpkin and apple pie Edam Cheese Small coffee This lesson is to illustrate the method of serving well and quickly six guests separately, coming to table at different intervals. See Diagram No. 9 — Table of trips to kitchen. DIAGRAM NO. 8. . Let it be supposed that No. 1 comes in and takes his place first. The waiter places glas^ of water, etc., and takes order for soup, fish, sliced tomatoes, etc. Soup is served first with fish to the left; sliced tomatoes and cucumbers to the left in sauce dishes or on small plates. These being placed, the waiter passes vinegar, oil, soft sugar, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, crackers, bread, etc., and then takes THE AMERICAN WAITER. 35 TRIPS TO KITCHEN SOUP AND FISH ORDER DINNER ORDER DESSERT ORDER IstTRIP FO."^ NO. 1 2nd " NO. 4 3rd " NOS. 5and6 NO. 4 NO. 1 4th ■' NOS. 5 and 6 5th " NO. 2 NO. 4 6th " NO. 2 NOS. Sard 6 7th " NO 3 8th " NO. 3 NO. 2 9th " NO. 3 DIAGRAM NO. 9. ILLUSTRATING TRIPS TO KITCHEN, This diagram may serve to illustrate more clearly the waiter's work in the nine trips he makes to the kitchen during the time he is waiting on the six diners at his table, as de- scribed under head of ''Dinner, six orders." dinner order from No. 1, and soup order from No. 4. Goes to kitchen and returns with roast beef, turkey, mashed potatoes, green peas, punch, etc., for No. 1, and soup order for No. 4. Serves soup to No. 4, then removes soiled dishes and serves dinner to No. 1. Takes dinner order from No. 4, and soup order from 5 and 6. By this time No. 1 is 36 THE AMERICAN WAITER. ready for dessert. Waiter removes all soiled dishes from before him and crumbs table. No. 1 orders ice cream, mince pie, cheese, dates and small coffee. On returning to kitchen he stops first at the pantry and leaves dessert order, and he should see that knife for cheese, fork for pie and spoons for coffee and ice cream are on the tray. Eeturning to the dining room he first places dessert order for No. 1, and then quickly re- moves soiled dishes from No. 4 and serves dinner order, then serves soup order to 5 and 6. Goes to kitchen for dinner orders for 5 and 6. Eeturns to dining room and serves din- ner to 5 and 6. Guest No. 2 arrives and orders soup, fish, etc. No. 4 is now ready for dessert and the waiter removes soiled dishes, crumbs table and takes his order. Waiter returns to kitchen, brings dessert for No. 4 and soup and fish to No. 2. Serves dessert order to No. 4 first, then serves soup and fish to No. 2. Nos. 5 and 6 are now ready for dessert. Eemoves soiled dishes, crumbs table and takes dessert order from 5 and 6, and dinner order from No. 2. Eeturning to kitchen, stops at pantry, gives dessert order for 5 and 6, then proceeds to get dinner order for No. 2; on his return to pantry picks up dessert order. Eeturning to dining room serves dinner order to No. 2, then serves dessert order to Nos. 5 and 6, passing finger bowl, etc. No. 3 has now arrived, orders soup, fish, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. Waiter takes soup order to kitchen. Eeturning to dining room he serves No. 3 soup, etc., and removes all soiled dishes from Nos. 1, 4, 5 and 6, and sets up table. THE AMERICAN WAITER. 37 No. 2 is now ready for dessert and No. 3 for dinner. Waiter takes both orders as illus- trated, returns, serves dessert to No. 2, then dinner to No. 3. After No. 3 has been served with dessert and the table is empty the waiter proceeds to change the table eloth^ if the house is abun- dantly supplied with linen; if not and the cloth is not nuich soiled, it should be turned over and table set up for the next meal. Ev- erything about the table should be as spot- lessly clean and bright as it is in the power of the waiter to make it. * * ■* REFILLING WATER GLASSES. The waiter should remember never to remove a glass from the table to refill it. Always fill it after the first service, while it is on the table. The reason for this is that should a waiter remove several glasses at the same time irom the table he is quite likely to mix them up in returning them, the mere suggestion of which is very distasteful to the guest. » * # DON^T BRING MORE THAN GUEST ORDERS. Another point to be observed is to take ord- ers with exactness and never bring to a guest anything he does not order. It sometimes oc- curs that a guest does not know how to order from a menu card, but even so, the waiter is more apt to give offense than to receive thanks should he attempt to enlighten him. Again, a guest may be of a dyspeptic nature and very whimsical about his meals. He may order only one or two articles from a bill of fare and will be angry if more are brought to him; so that the rule to always observe is to do exactly as bidden. Should a guest glance at the bill of fare and say ** Bring me tha 38 THE AMERICAN WAITER. whole thing,'* the waiter may do so, but limit himself to a small quantity of each article, as a full order of everything on the Mil of fare would result in unnecessary waste and loss to the house. Here as in CYery detail of dining room service a waiter must exercise judgment if he would be sure of success. Should a guest order something that is not on the bill of fare, the waiter must go to the head waiter for an order for the article before taking it to the kitchen. cp ® ® DIAGRAM NO. 10. Service of Oyster Cocktail Previous to Dinner Order: 1 — Six-inch plate; 2 — Cock- tail; 3— Crackers; 4— Butter ; 5— Water ; 6— Vinegar; 7 — Tabasco sauce; 8 — Salt, pepper; 9 — Two forks; 10— Steel knife, silver knife, soup spoon, butter spread, oyster fork. ?)® DIAGRAM NO. H. THE AMERICAN WAITEE. 39 Service for one of Soup Fish Celery Cucumbers 1, Base anfl soup plates; 2, soup tureen; 3, fish; 4, bread and crackers; 5, celery; 6, cu- cumbers; 7, butter; 8, soup ladle, steel knife, silver knife, soup spoon; 9, water; 10, table sauce; 11, oil, vinegar; 12, salt, pepper. DIAGRAM NO. 12. DINNER. Soup Fish Celery Cucumbers Service for four. 1, One service and four soup plates; 2, large soup tureen; 3, service plates; 4, celery; 5, cu- cumbers; 6, fish; 7, tray of bread; 8, crackers; 9, water glass; 10, butter; 11, oil and vinegar; 12, salt and pepper; 13, soup ladle; 14, three forks; 15, one steel knife next to napkin, one silver knife, table spoon, butter spread. 40 THE AMERICAN WAITER. DINNER FOR FOUR, FAMILY STYLE. Chiclcen Oyster patty Peaches a la conde Asparagus Potatoes Peas Corn Tomatoes Sherbet DIAGRAM NO. 13. 1, Four dinner plates; 2, roast chicken; 3, oyster patties; 4, potatoes; 5, asparagus; 6, peaches a la conde; 7, four 6-inch plates for entree; 8, where dinner plate should be placed after helped by host; 9, where entree should be placed after helped by hostess; 10, to take the place of No. 5 after asparagus platter has been removed; 11, glass of water; 12, butter; 13, water bottle; 14, soft and hard sugar; 15, oil and vinegar; 16, salt and pepper; 17, bread; 18, four forks; 19, one steel knife, one silver knife, one butter spread; 20, three table spoons; 21, two forks; 22, three forks; 23, one steel knife, one silver knife, one butter spread; 24, one table spoon; 25, tea spoon; 26, sherbet; x, peas, corn, tomatoes.: THE AMERICAN WAITER. DIAGEAM NO. 14. 41 PA < KEY TO DIAGRAM NO. 14.— A, artistic service; B, bad service. 1, Dinner plate; 2, roast beef; 3, chicken; 4, fritters; 5, asparagus; 6, potatoes; 7, peas; 8, tomatoes; 9, corn on cob; 10, bread; 11,^ but- ter; 12, water; 13, sherbet; 14, salt, pepper j 15, tea spoons; 16, forks; 17, knives. 42 THE AMERICAN WAITER. CONTEASTING ARTISTIC AND BAD SERVICE. (See diagram No. 14.) Service for one of Boast 'beef Chicken \ Asparagus Fritters Potatoes : Tomatoes Peas Corn on cob Sherbet DINNER PARTY OF TWELVE SERVED BY ONE WAITER. Each year brings to the head waiter new problems of service to master with a small crew of waiters. Many hotels have several party rooms in ad- dition to the main dining rooms, and the man- agement caters to small parties, which gener- ally take place during the busiest hour of the dinner meal. Such parties, from the proprie- tor 's view, are never so profitable as to war- rant the hiring of an extra waiter or waiters to serve; and often one waiter will be as- signed to serve a party of ten or twelve per- sons. It takes a waiter of years' experience to carry out such service without some one to continuously post him, and a waiter who is capable of rendering such service is a jewel. For illustration: Mr. and Mrs. B. have ar- ranged for a party of twelve persons at 7 p. m. sharp in Room No. 3, to be served in courses, and this is the menu: Canape Salted almonds Olives Blue Points Bouillon en tasse Planked shad Cucumber Champagne English mutton chops Potatoes, Fits William broiled mushrooms, under glass Head lettuce salad Neufchatel cheese bar te due crackers CI6ABS Coffee THE AMERICAN WAITER. 43 The head waiter received notice of the party about 10 a. m., together with all instructions as to service, decorations, wine, cigars, and time of service, and that one waiter only is to do the serving. After selecting a waiter capable of serving such a party, instructions are given him, and, after luncheon, the party table is put in order. The private rooms should have a buffet and a small service table about 2x4 feet. The party table should be round, oval, or square. Your requisition for. such service would be: SILVER. 16 steel knives 16 fish knives 16 butter spreads 16 cheese knives 16 small knives 16 heavy forks 16 small forks 16 fish forks 16 salad forks 16 oyster forks 2 olive spoons 2 nut spoons 16 bouillon spoons 16 A. D. spoons 1 large fish knife, serving 1 large fish fork, serving 2 large forks, carving 2 large knives, carving LINEN, ETC. 1 table felt 1 linen cloth large enough to cover table 16 napkins 3 doilies for bread and wafers 6 side towels 1 center piece (guest's property) 1 large flower vase 12 water glasses 12 champagne glasses 6 salt and pepper shakers 1 bottle Worcester sauce 2 bottles tabasco 1 horse radish 12 finger bowls 2 service trays 44 THE AMERICAN WAITER. 1 ice bowl 1 ice tongs 2 tray rests At 2 p. m. proceed to set the table in the following way: SEE DIAGRAM NO. I5. All table sauces should be in the buffet out of sight. THE AMERICAN WAITER. 45 DIAGRAM 15. Table Set for Dinner Party op Twelve Persons: A. Flower vase; B. Linen center piece; C. Napkin; D. Service plate; E. Steel knife, fish knife, butter knife, oyster fork; F. Teaspoon; G. Eoast fork, salad fork, two amall forks; H. Water glass, champagne glass; J. Salt and pepper; K. Ferns and roses. 46. THE AMERICAN WAITER. ooooo®ooo@oo E) H ^ /^ DIAGEAM NO. 16. Buffet, Service Table and Tray Eests: A. Buffet; B. Service table; C. Tray rests CI and C2; D. Fiuger bowls; E. Fish knife and fork; F. Service fork; G. Bread tray, cracker tray; H. Service trays; J. Ice bowl and tongs; K. Water bottle; L. Extra silver; M. Closets for linen underneath ; N. Where wine cooler stands underneath; P. Matches, cigars, ash tray; E. Twelve ten-inch dinner plates. At 6 p. m., your table all set and decorated, proceed to arrange the silver, wafer and bread trays (with doilies on) ; then get salted almonds in two cut glass dishes ; also the olives, and place them on the party table, •with ice on the olives. THE AMERICAN WAITER, 47 At 6:30 proceed to fill water glasses with block ice. Get one bowl of ice and place it on buffet (as in diagram No. 16). Then put butter on plates and place thera on table at point of knife. Get wine cooler and place it under buffet (as shown at N in diagram No. 16). Fill glasses with water. As the hostess generally does her own floral decoration, you seldom have such work to do; but sometimes flowers are sent and left for the head waiter to arrange upon the table. You are now ready for service and the guests are seated (you have previously notified the steward and chef that the party will seat at once). Now, Mr. Waiter, keep a cool head and let me carry you through to success. Proceed to the kitchen for canape; return to dining room; place tray on tray rest CI. Take silver service tray; place on as many canapes (which are on eight-inch plates) as it can hold. Serve the canape on the service plate D, as in diagram No. 15. Eefill water glasses. Leave the tray on which you brought in the canapes on tray rest CI. Eeturn to kitchen for Blue points. Eeturn to dining room; place Blue points on tray rest C2. Proceed, if through, to remove canape serv- ice, placing soiled dishes on tray CI. Serve Blue points. Pass tabasco sauce only; other sauces if asked for. Pass almonds and olives; then wafers, salt and pepper. Eefill water glasses. Take tray CI with soiled canape dishes; 48 THE AMERICAN WAITER. proceed to kitchen; return with bouillon; place tray with bouillon on tray rest CI. Kemove Blue point service; place on tray C2. Serve bouillon, and, as in previous course, pass wafers, salt, and pepper. Refill water glasses. NOW YOUB TEOUBLE BEGINS. Eeturn to kitchen with tray C2 for planked shad and cucumbers. (The shad should be on two large planks about eighteen inches long.) Get twelve hot plates and twelve cucumber portions (which should be on eight-inch plates, dressed). Eeturn to dining room; place plates and cucumbers on service table as shown in dia- gram 16. Put the plates in one stack. STEP LIVELY. Back to kitchen and then return to dining room with two planked shad on tray C2. Proceed to remove bouillon service, also serv- ice plates, and place them on tray CI. Stretch out the twelve plates as shown in diagram No. 16. Take large fish knife and fork; cut each shad in six equal pieces, as shown in diagram No. 17. Serve each plate with the sixth part of a shad ; also with potato, parsley, and lemon arranged on plate as shown in diagram No. 17. After serving all twelve plates, proceed to serve the cucumber (which is ready dressed) ; then pass salt, pepper and bread. Refill water glasses with ice and water. Eeplenish ice bowl. A little time can be taken between this course. Return to kitchen with tray CI (not forgetting to take with you the planks the fish were on, and the bouillon service also). THE AMERICAN WAITER. 49 DIAGEAM NO 17. Service Planked Shad with Mushrooms UNDER Glass: A. Plank; B. Fish (dotted lines show where to cut) ; C. Lemon; D. Border of mashed potato; E. parsley; F. Eight-inch plate, with helping of fish, potato, parsley, and lemon on it; G. Mushrooms under glass cover. Eeturn to dining room with mushrooms un- der glass. Eemove fish course, placing it on tray C2. Then serve mushrooms. Pass wafers and bread. Eefill water glasses. Eeturn to kitchen with tray C2 for '* chops and potatoes." Double right back to dining room, as you did when you carried the fish plates in, bringing back twelve dinner plates for the chops, and twelve six-inch plates for the potatoes. STEP LIVELY. Eeturn to the kitchen for the chops, which will be on a large platter; and the potatoes, also on a platter. Serve chops on a large dinner plate about 50 THE AMERICAN WAITER. as you did the fish, only that each chop is to be served whole — no cutting. Decorate with parsley and lemon (which is on the platter when the cooks deliver it to you). Then stretch out the six-inch plates for potatoes; place a paper doiley on each plate, then the potato. Serve to left of chop plate. Pass salt, pepper, Worcester sauce, bread. BE LIVELY. Serve champagne. (Eemove cork from bot- tle, as per instruction in chapter on wine service.) Serve host first by pouring his glass one fourth full; then proceed to serve the balance of the guests. Finish by filling the host's glass, EefiU water glasses with ice and water; then replenish the wine glasses. Now carry out any soiled dishes or silver that has accumulated. Eeturn to pantry for salad, which should be in a large bowl. Get twelve cold plates; return to dining room.; lay the plates out as you did in the previous service and proceed to divide the salad into twelve equal parts. Guests are now about through with the chop?:. Do not forget to keep wine glasses replen- ished often. Eemove chop service. Crumb your cloth. Serve the salad. Pass the wafers. Eeturn to kitchen with tray CI for cheese and crackers (which should be on six-inch plates). Eeturn to dining room; remove salad course. . Serve cheese; pass wafers or hard crackers. THE AMERICAN WAITER, 51 Eeturn to kitchen with tray C2 with the salad course dishes. Eeturn to dining room with coffee en tasse. Eemove cheese course. Serve coffee. Pass sugar and cream. Place ash trays to gentlemen. Pass cigars, also matches. Then serve finger bowls. SUBSTITUTES FOR FRESH FISH. I have often been asked what to serve in the absence of fresh fish; and as I suppose other waiters will have to answer the same ques- tion I will say, that in the absence of fresh fish, which if often out of reach in inland towns, the best substitutes are sardines, caviare on toast, fried scallops, soft shell crabs, deviled crabs, panned oysters, shrimps, terrapin in cases, broiled live lobster, lobster a la New- burg. With raw oysters serve horseradish, sliced lemon, tabasco sauce, vinegar, salt, pepper, cat- sup, crackers. With oyster stew serve pickles, cold slaw, bread, butter, catsup, salt, pepper. With raw clams serve lemon, crackers, vine- gar, tabasco sauce, salt, pepper. With steamed clams serve drawn butter, salt, pepper. With steamed oysters serve drawn butter, crackers, lemon, salt, pepper. With scallops serve bread, butter, pickles, salt, pepper. With broiled live lobster serve drawn butter, English mustard, Worcestershire sauce. Boiled lobster same as broiled live lobster. The foregoing is given for the benefit of waiters who may be so placed that they have no chef to rely on for proper execution, many third rate cooks having no idea whatever of the accompaniments of the dishes above men- tioned except in a general way. 52 THE AMERICAN WAITER. CHRISTMAS DINNER. To me, the Christmas dinner seems a per- plexing meal for the average waiter to serve with dispatch and without confusion. I offer the following menu for illustration: Blue points Celery Salted almonds Olives GherJcins Consomme Green turtle soup Bisque of oyster PlanJced shad TVhitebait Fresh mackerel Cucumbers Sliced tomatoes Spanish onions Boiled leg Canadian mutton Currant jelly Fillet of teef larded Boast Christmas turJcey, cranberry jelly Mashed potatoes French peas Young suclcling pig Browned sweet potatoes Stewed carrots Piclled beets Bom an punch Boast venison Opossum Celery and nut salad Endive and cress salad Ice cream Calce Confections Nuts Mince pie Pumplcin pie Apple pie Boquefort Brie Swiss Edam Cofee Tea Milk The above is an idea of what some Christ- mas bills are, and they have a tendency to ujjset the waiter. When a guest has had oysters, soup, fish, turkey and vegetables, the average waiter, after crumbing his cloth, presents his menu only to find a fresh order coming as "roast pig with sweet potatoes, roast venison, celery salad, punch, etc." Such an order seems to completely upset a waiter and he scarcely knows what to do. A word of advice: Proceed to reset the table with silver sufficient to complete the service, and carry out the second or supple- mentary order as you did the first; then, when THE AMERICAN AVAITER. 53 this is finished, remove the dishes, crumb the cloth, and present bill for a further order. You may then get an order for dessert. Remember that the Christmas dinner affords opportunity for the guest to feast at the ex- pense of the proprietor, and that such dinners are more of an advertisement than a money making venture for the house. # * » SERVICE OF RELISHES, SALADS, PRE- SERVES, PUDDINGS, ICE CREAMS, CAKES, CHEESE, ETC. CUCUMBEES. Serve on small plates or sauce dishes; pass salt, pepper, vinegar, oil. TOMATOES. Same as cucumbers, except serve soft sugar. YOUNG ONIONS, CELERY, RADISHES. Serve in celery dish; small plate; pass salt, pepper. OLIVES, MIXED PICKLES. Serve in cut glass dishes or celery dish. COLE SLAW. Serve on small plate; pass vinegar, salt, pepper. CRANBERRY SAUCE. Serve in sauce dishes, to the left side. JELLY, PRESERVES. Serve in cut glass sauce dishes. Serve all relishes to the left of service plate. CHEESE. [Butter spread or silver knife with all cheese service.] AMERICAN CHEESE may be served on small plate with doily; cheese knife and cracker. EDAM CHEESE can be served from ball or scooped on small plate, but the proper way is to serve it from cheese stand with cheese knife. 54 THE AMERICAN WAITER. PINEAPPLE CHEESE may be served from ball or plate, with crackers. WAUKESHA CEEAM CHEESE is served on plate with doily. VERMONT SAGE CHEESE is served the same as Waukesha. SCHWEITZER CHEESE is served on plate with doily and cheese knife. CLUB HOUSE CHEESE is served from jar in which it is sold, with small plate. PARMESAN CHEESE is served from jar in which it is sold, with small plate. SAPSAGO CHEESE is served grated on small plate with butter. FROMAGE DE BRIE is served on small plate with crackers. ROQUEFORT CHEESE is served on small plate with butter. COTTAGE CHEESE is served on small plate or sauce dish, with cream, salt and pepper. NEUFCHATEL CHEESE is served on small plate with butter. DIAGRAM NO. 18. A. Platter; B. Jelly; C. Cheese. THE AMERICAN WAITER. 55 NEUFCHATEL CHEESE AND BAR LE DUG JELLY. Take as many portions of cheese as desired. Mix to a paste with one teaspoonful of corn- starch to the roll of cheese. Add about half a teacupful of cream to every four rolls of cheese. Mix well together so that it will pass through a piping bag by squeezing. Place in a piping bag made of paper, and pipe around the platter a pretty border of cheese. Then empty four glasses of bar le due jelly in the center as shown in diagram No. 18. NEUFCHATEL CHEESE AND BAR LE DUG JELLY. INDIVIDUAL ORDER. Make cheese in paste as above. Put a por- tion on a leaf of lettuce on small plate. Serve jelly in jar from which it is sold. Pass wafers. NEUFCHATEL CHEESE WITH WATER- CRESS. Place a ball of cheese (made by rolling it together) in center of the plate. Place water- cress around the cheese. Serve. COLONIAL CLUB CHEESE. 2 portions of Roquefort cheese. 1 tablespoonful of butter. A wineglassful of cream. Mix to a paste: then add 1 jigger of cognac, and continue to mix to a good stiff paste. If too thin add more cheese. Serve on a small plate with lettuce leaf, hard crackers and cheese knife. 56 THE AMERICAN WAITER. SALADS. Salads are becoming more popular each year with the American people. No dinner or luncheon seems complete without a good salad. A number one oil should be used in mixing salad dressings and every waiter should be an artist in the line of mixing; for many ladies and gentlemen who frequent dinner parties or after theater repasts pride themselves on their skill in the mixing of some particular dress- ing; and it is interesting to watch them do the mixing, for the chances are a new wrinklo may be learned. * * * ENGLISH MUSTAED. Two tablespoonfuls dry mustard. One pinch of salt. Juice of three lemons. One-half teaspoon soft sugar. Mix to a paste with one tablespoonful olive oil. Add very little vinegar. To make a light color, whip one-half teacup of cream until thick; add to the above until you have a light color. [Also one tablespoon- ful Durkee's salad dressing will produce a light color.] MUSTARD FOR ENGLISH OR FRENCH PERSONS. Mix with clear water. • • • FRENCH DRESSING. The ingredients: A pure olive oil (which seems hard to get. The sweet pure oil is tasteless.) A good salt (that has not been doctored). White pepper (for black pepper has the ap- pearance of dirt in oil). Vinegar (cider or tarragon). Tabasco sauce. THE AMERICAN WAITER. 57 Onion juice. Garlic. The above are the different articles which can be used to mix French Dressing, impart- ing different flavors according to taste of guest. I find it best to avoid the measure idea. Good cooks use the fingers for salt and pepper when mixing small amounts such as a waiter would have to mix. But as the waiter's work of this kind is generally done in the dining room it is better to use the shakers; but not when the salt has been doctored with corn starch. Use white or red pepper or paprica. « * « TO MAKE FRENCH DRESSING. Use soup plate. Half teaspoonful good salt. Pinch of pepper. A dash or two of tabasco sauce. Two tablespoonfuls good vinegar. Stir well together until the salt, pepper and tabasco sauce are thoroughly incorporated ; then add 3 tablespoonfuls good oil, whipping untU it thickens. You should then have a dressing fit for a king! The dressing should be smooth (no sign of salt or pepper) and the ingredients so blended together as to make one wholesome taste and no bad effect of oO. If garlic is used, take one button on the tines of a fork and rub it on the inside of the mixing bowl for a few minutes, which will impart the flavor to the dressing. . • • Or, take a crust of bread and rub the garlic on the bread. After placing the salad in the bowl pour on the dressing, throw in the crust 58 THE AMERICAN WAITER. of bread (which is called a ehapon) and lightly toss the salad about until each piece is sat- urated with the dressing. Do not press the salad down, but let the leaves or vegetable fall as gently as they will. * * * Or, use the same dressing, add a piece of Roquefort cheese; incorporate well until there are only particles of cheese visible; and you have added a flavor much relished by those who are fond of Eoquefort cheese. TO MAKE ENGLISH DEESSING. Add made mustard to French dressing, and it becomes English. * French dressing may be served on the fol- lowing salads: Head and leaf lettuce, endive, esearole, tomato, cucumber, combination, water- cress, chicory, cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and many other green salads too nu- merous to mention. MAYONNAISE. "difficult to make.'* One large bowl. Two yolks raw eggs. One teaspoon dry mustard Stir round and round, always one way, to prevent breaking the grain, incorporating drop by drop, oil, then lemon juice. Continue to thicken by adding oil and thin- ning with the lemon juice, using twice as much oil as lemon juice. Be careful to stir as you drop oil. Add pinch of salt, one teaspoonful soft sugar and a dash of cayenne to finish. Stand in ice box. ♦ * » SALADS SERVED WITH MAYONNAISE. Chicken, turkey, potato, plain celery, water- cress, celery and apple^ celery and radish, THE AMERICAN WAITER. 59 celery and walnuts, Waldorf, grape fruit and lettuce, lobster, shrimp, salmon and others. TO SERVE GREEN SALADS. All green salads such as lettuce, endive, escarole, tomato, cucumber, watercress, com- bination, chicory, cabbage, cauliflower, brus- sels sprouts, etc. Serve on eight-inch plates. Pass salt, pepper, wafers, or plain bread, or rye bread and butter sandwiches. These salads served in the American plan hotel are generally dressed in the kitchen. TO SERVE FRUIT SALADS. All fruit salads are served on eight-inch plates with sweet wafers or sandwiches. In the cafe, fruit salads are usually served from a glass dish in cut glass bowls. TO SERVE MEAT AND FISH SALADS. Serve all meat or fish salads on eight-inch plates. SERVICE OF DESSERTS. As very few waiters seem to have the right idea of the proper way to place a dessert order on the table, the following instructions should be observed: DESSERT ORDER NO. 1. Fudding Apple pie Ice cream Watermelon First, serve apple pie on 6-inch plate; des- sert fork. Second, serve pudding in sauce dish, with 6-inch plate under sauce dish; teaspoon. 60 THE AMERICAN WAITER. Third, serve ice cream in ice cream saucer, or on 6-inch plate; fork or teaspoon. Fourth, serve watermelon from compote or platter, with cracked ice; dessert plate, knife, fork, salt and soft sugar. Finger bowl to the left. DESSERT OEDER NO. 2. Ice cream Charlotte russe Apple pie Floating island First, serve apple pie as in dessert order No. 1. Second, serve floating island in sauce dish, with 6-inch plate under sauce dish; teaspoon. Third, serve charlotte russe on 6-inch plate; dessert fork. Fourth, serve ice cream last, as in order No. 1. Finger bowl to the left. DESSERT ORDER NO. 3. Ice cream Wine jelly Custard pie Cofee First, serve custard pie as in order No. 1. Second, serve jelly in sauce dish, with 6-inch plate under sauce dish; teaspoon; offer cream. Third, serve ice cream as in order No. 1. Fourth, serve coffee in A. D. cup and saucer; cream, sugar; A. D. spoon. Finger bowl to the left. DESSERT ORDER NO. 4. Ice cream CaJce Mince pie Fruit Mixed nuts Cheese, Crackers A. D. Cofee First, serve mince pie as in order No. 1. THE AMERICAN WAITER. 61 . Second, serve ice cream as in order No. 1. Cake to left, in cake basket or fancy plate. Third, serve fruit in compote with 6-inch plJile; fruit knife, soft sugar; finger bowl. fourth, serve mixed nuts from compote, with 6-ineh plate, nut crackers and nut pick. Fifth, serve cheese and crackers on 6-inch plate with small knife. [Note Service of Cheese when butter required] ; A. D. Coffee in A. D. cup and saucer; cream, sugar; A. D. spoon. Finger bowl to the left. DESSERT OEDER NO. 5. Strawberry shortcake Ice cream Chocolate eclairs First, serve shortcake on 6-inch plate; cream,. soft sugar; fork and teaspoon. Second, serve chocolate eclairs on 6-inch plate with dessert fork. Third, serve ice cream as in order No. 1. Finger bowl to the left. SHERBET AND CAKE. Serve sherbet in sherbet glass with 6-inch plate under glass; teaspoon; cake on fancy 6-inch plate; finger bowl. • » » LUNCHEON. As Luncheon is near on the order of Dinner, the service is but very little different; so in order to give the inexperienced waiter a few instructions in regard to serving Lunch, I offer the following menu: Bouillon Cucumbers Olives Fried smelts Boast heef, au jus Browned potatoes COLD. Boast heef Ham Turkey Sardines Lettuce salad Boman punch Gingerbread Cottage pudding Tea Co fee Chocolate 62 THE AMERICAN WAITER. • Serve bouillon in cup, with saucer and small plate under it; pass salt, pepper, crackers; butter to the right. Remove bouillon. Serve smelts on 6-inch plate, with cucumbers and olives to the left side; pass salt, pepper, vinegar, oil, bread. . Eemove smelts. Place dinner plate on table. Serve roast beef on 10-inch platter, with brown potato on same platter. Place punch to the right side. Remove roast course. Serve lettuce from compote vdth 6-inch plate; pass oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, soft sugar and crackers. Remove salads. Crumb table. Serve pudding in sauce dish with plate un- der it. Chocolate in pot; cup, saucer, teaspoon; pass cream and sugar from small silver server. Remove dessert order. Finger bowl. TIPS. As a rule all waiters, as well as other em- ployes in public service look for, and receive, tips — fees. Much has been said in the past few years in regard to the practice of giving tips on the one side and receiving them on the other, and steps have been taken by some hotels to stop it altogether. Some proprietors have gone so far as to place signs in their dining rooms forbidding waiters to accept tips. The matter of tipping is the guest's own desire, and it may be said here that it is not usually the wealthiest people who practice it. The man working for a salary of $150 per THE AMERICAN WAITER. 63 month is, on tne average, more liberal with those who serve him than those who are worth much more. The man on a salary has taken the trouble to figure out that a waiter's wages are not sufficient to . support a family, and that if he has one he must depend on the kindness and consideration of the traveling public to help him out, and he consequently knows that every waiter in American and European plan hotels does not depend on his wages for his support, but figures on the amount of tips he can make per day. Take for instance a waiter working for the small sum of twenty dollars per month. He has to pay at least four dollars a month for room rent, three dollars for car fare and incidental expenses, to which is added charge for *' break- ages" and fines for "late" and it can readily be seen that there is not much left for the support of himself and family, and tips become an actual necessity for him. The waiters who receive the most tips are usually those who have everlasting and Job- like patience; those who do not easily take an insult, who ever have a pleasant smile for their patrons, who try earnestly to please them and are always ready to accommodate everyone. A waiter should never place himself in a position of expectancy in the matter of re- ceiving a tip, and should avoid approaching a guest if he sees him in the act of drawing change from his pocket. A waiter should never pose as on object of pity with a view to securing a tip. If he deserves a tip he should let the guest feel within himself that he deserves it, and if the guest wishes to give him a tip he will usually manage to catch the waiter's attention or leave . the tip beside his plate. Should the waiter receive a tip previous to waiting on 64 THE AMERICAN WAITER. the guest he should leave it lying on the table and then do his level best to earn it. A waiter should never make any demonstra- tion of gratitude when receiving a tip, beyond a polite acknowledgment; for if the attention of other guests is attracted to the circum- stance of his receiving it they will feel that they are not likely to receive as good treat- ment at his hands as the giver of the tip, and will consequently be on the lookout for some- thing to find fault with. In first class hotels every man has his own particular station and is expected to wait on his own guests and nobody else; but it some- times happens that the head waiter has an impatient guest and signifies to a waiter to give him a glass of water or some little atten- tion to make the time seem shorter while he is waiting for his order; in which event a waiter, no matter whether the guest is under his jurisdiction or not, must do as the head waiter directs. ♦ * * I have always been opposed to the accepting of tips. Only once have I had opportunity to work under the NO TIP system. It was some years ago, when I was so fortunate as to be in charge of a club where tipping was forbidden. I found there almost ideal condi- tions for the waiter and secured uniformly good service in the dining room. To me, the tip seems more in the nature of a bribe; or, rather, it is so given in many instances, the waiter being expected to favor the party who tips him. This certainly works to the disadvantage of the house, for, when the waiter is reciprocating the tip, he is doing so at the expense of the house. Also he is doing another thing very detrimental to the house, which is, that the guest who does not tip sees the other guests receive more atten- THE AMERICAN WAITER. 65 tion and better service than himself, which causes dissatisfaction in the dining room service. I have been asked many times to suggest a solution for the tipping evil. The only one I can suggest is for the house to pay the waiter suflScient w^ages so that he can live without the tip. And in order to do this the house must raise its rates, both on rooms and board: for I would class bell boys, porters, and others who now accept tips, the same as the waiters, and run the house throughout on the NO TIP principle. I think if the house charged higher rates and then took, say ten per cent of the receipts and put it onto wages, distributing such among those who now accept tips, and rigidly enforce the NO TIP rule, that it might be a satisfactory cure of the tipping nuisance. The traveler now has to tip the waiter, the bell boy, the porter, and many others to get good service. What he pays in tips, he can often ill afford and seldom sees where he gets returns in service for the tip he gives. It may be that the tipping evil is so deeply intrenched (especially in the public who have got accustomed to it), that it is impossible tp eradicate; but it might be worth while to make the effort to do away with it. PRIVATE ORDERS. I have found that very few waiters can serve a private order well. Waiters with years of practical experience in the best hotels in the land are often ignorant of the proper way to serve a private order. They neither know how to set a tray or to serve it. Whatever articles guest uses at the table in the dining room is what he should have on a private order 66 THE AMERICAN WAITER. tray. The main things to observe in setting the tray are: SETTING TEAY FOR PEIVATE ORDER. First, take a tray large enough to hold the order to be served. Place a felt on the tray. Lay the tray cloth. Place salt and pepper shakers. Loaf sugar and soft sugar in separate sher- bet glass. Butter shell, with piece of butter. Glass of iced water. Cream. 3 forks, 1 steel, 1 silver, 1 butter, and 1 fruit knife ; 3 teaspoons, 1 tablespoon. Bottle Worcester sauce. Coffee or tea pot. Napkin. A cloth to cover tray. If meal is to be served on table in room take extra table cloth. THE PRIVATE WAITER. In all first class hotels there is a private waiter's stand, and from one to seven or more private waiters with one private head waiter. The private waiter's duty is to serve meals in rooms, and he does no waiting in the dining room unless on extraordinary occasions. The private waiters' department is equipped with its own silver, linen, coffee pots, water glasses, etc., and it is his duty to take care of them, count them and keep them clean. Orders that are to be served in rooms are first sent to the hotel office and from there to the steward, who O. K. 's and sends them to the private waiters' stand. In houses where there are six or more private waiters there is a head private waiter who directs his subordinates, and who is held THE AMERICAN WAITER. 67 responsible for everything pertaining to his department. He keeps account of all articles sent out with the trays — silver, linen, etc., and sees to it that all are returned from rooms. A private's time is a little different from a regular waiter's. His hours are late in the morning, and he is consequently the last one off duty in the evening, as he is not at liberty until all trays are brought in and silver and linen cheeked up. In order to be a first class private waiter the utmost nicety must be observed in all things. The private waiter must know how to cater to the sick and know how to put up meals that will tempt delicate appetites by their very appearance. In fact the private waiter, more than any other, must study serv- ice as an art. DIAGEAM NO. 19. (See menu Private Tray Breakfast Order, page 68.) 1, Napkin; 2, breakfast plate; 3, steak; 4, omelet ; 5, potatoes ; 6, oatmeal ; 7, fruit ; 8, hot rolls; 9, salt, pepper; 10, butter; 11, cup, saucer; 12, coffee pot; 13, glass of water; 14, cream; 15, soft sugar; 16, coffee sugar; 17, tray cloth; 18, tray cover; 19, tray. 68 THE AMERICAN WAITER. PEIVATE TRAY, BREAKFAST ORDER. (See Diagram No. 19.) Fruit Oatmeal Omelet Steak Potatoes Bolls Cofee. PRIVATE TRAY, DINNER ORDER. Soup Fish Cucumbers Beef Asparagus Potatoes, Tomatoes, Peas Peach fritters Ice cream, CaJce Fruit DIAGRAM NO. 20. 1, Soup; 2, dinner plate; 3, roast beef; 4, asparagus; 5, fish; 6, peach fritters; 7, cucum- bers; 8, salt, pepper, oil, vinegar; 9, bread, crackers; 10, peas; 11, tomatoes; 12, pota- toes; 13, ice cream; 14, cake; 15, fruit; 16, ooflPee pot; 17, cup and saucer; 18, hard sugar, soft sugar, cream; 19, glass of water; 20, soup ladle; 21, butter; 22, napkin; 23, tray; 24, tray cloth; 25, tray cover. THE AMERICAN WAITER. 69 LUNCH TO BE SERVED IN ROOM. Bouillon Caviar on toast Spring lamb Mashed potatoes Sherbet Strawberries and cream Hot ginger bread Iced tea Set tray with silver, butter, crackers, bread, glass of water. Then proceed to place on tray for this lunch: one dinner plate; one cup of bouillon with saucer, and 6-inch plate under saucer: set in dinner plate; one sherbet in sherbet glass with saucer under it; caviar on 6-inch plate; one 12-inch platter with spring lamb; mashed potatoes in vegetable dish; an extra glass for iced tea; small pitcher cream. Serve iced tea in pitcher decorated with large slices of lemon with parsley run through it; hot gingerbread in napkin; one large lemon; strawberries in sauce dish; silver and other accessories all to be placed so as to occupy as little space as possible, and at the same time arranged in the order in which the various dishes would be placed on the table. The hot dishes of course are to be covered. PRIVATE SERVICE OF Strawberries, Oranges Cracked wheat Broiled whitefish Mutton chops Hot rolls Co fee Place on felt covered and cloth laid tray: a glass of iced water; hard sugar and pow- dered sugar in separate sherbet glass; butter cream and sufficient silver for use in the order. Everything should be well covered to retain the heat, and a napkin spread over the order when it is on the tray ready for delivery. 70 THE AMERICAN WAITER. PRIVATE ORDER FOR ROOM S.04. Celery Puree of tomato Broiled wMtefish Boast beef Chiclcen croquettes Peas, Mashed potatoes Dressed lettuce Ice Cream Cofee Serve puree of tomato in soup bowl covered ■with a small, plate; broiled fish on six-inch plate; roast beef on twelve-inch platter; chicken croquettes on six-inch platter; peas and mashed potatoes in vegetable dishes; celery in small celery dish; dressed lettuce in small bowl; ice cream in water glass, placing the same in small bowl with cracked ice and salt. Coffee in pot. COLD, LUNCHEON, PRIVATE ORDER. Cold lunch to be served to theatrical party of six, lunch to consist of: Cold roast heef Cold ham Cheese, CracTcers, PicTcles, Fruit, Bread Beer To serve a lunch of this kind to a party of six or seven, place ham and cold beef on one large platter and decorate with parsley, lemon or pickled beets, making the dish look as artistic as possible. A platter of cheese and crackers, with napkin on platter, one compote of fruit, twelve slices of bread, a small plate of butter, one bottle of English mustard, a glass dish of pickles, twelve six-inch plates, twelve knives, seven forks, seven napkins, one lunch cloth. Place all of these articles on a tray , and proceed to room. Spread lunch cloth and place decorated meat dish in center of table. THE AMERICAN WAITER. 71 Place plates with 1 knife and 1 fork at each plate. Place compote of fruit to the left center and plate of bread to the right center with crack- ers, cheese, pickles, etc., in proper places. It is not necessary to put a cloth on tray in carrying this service to the room, as the order is to be removed from the tray. Beer and beer glasses are brought on a separate order. WELSH EABBIT FOR A THEATRE PAR- TY, WITHOUT A WAITER. The proprietor, manager or steward gives the order to the headwaiter, who thereupon details a waiter at eight o'clock to prepare a lunch to consist of the following: Toasted crackers Cheese Olives Fruit Assorted caTce Beer The head waiter makes a duplicate of this order, and the waiter who is detailed to look after the lunch proceeds to set two six-foot tables together. 24 six-inch plates will be required for this luncheon. 24 knives, also 1 steel knife; 24 forks; 3 tablespoons. 2 compotes of fruit. 1 basket of assorted cake. 8-inch block of ice. 12 beer glasses. 3 water bottles of water. 6 finger bowls. 1 bottle of Worcester sauce. Red pepper, paprica. English mustard. 12 napkins. Corkscrew. The beer is placed in bucket of water with ice. 72 THE AMERICAN WAITER. The napkins may be folded square or in fancy shapes and one is placed at each plate with two knives and one fork at the right of it; beer or water glass is placed beside plate. A fruit compote is placed about two feet from each end of the table, and the block of ice containing olives is placed in the center. (The ice has been hollowed out enough to hold the olives and is placed on four thicknesses of paper over which two old napkins have been spread to hide the paper. The whole is placed on a small tray and put upon the table last. The paper and napkins will absorb the water from the ice for four hours.) Place chafing dish at the head of the table, with alcohol in bottle, and a few matches at the left. Next, place a large platter with one and a half pounds of American cheese beside the chafing dish; also one steel knife, one silver knife, three table spoons, one piece of butter, one bottle of Worcester sauce and twelve pieces of toast, brown but not dried out, to the right. One six-inch plate and a plate of toasted crackers, and one bottle of beer, with cork- screw, to the left of chafing dish. When the party arrives from the theatre they march to the ordinary or dining room as the case may be and the hostess proceeds to prepare the rabbit, each guest assisting in the service. Finger bowls with slices of lemon are placed between the plates. THE AMERICAN WAITER. 73 BEVERAGES. TO MAKE LEMONADE. For one glass of lemonade, use half a lemon, squeeze in glass, add soft sugar, fill glass with water, shake or stir, decorate with fruit; serve with straw. LEMONADE FOE DANCING PAETY FOE 150. 5 dozen lemons, squeeze and strain. 4 boxes of blackberries, press through china cap, using a little water to moisten the berries as you press them. Place juice of lemons and berries in mixing tub or bowl. Add 5 pounds of granulated sugar, then stir until well mixed, adding 3 gallons of water. Place cake of ice in punch bowl, decorate with fruit, sliced oranges, etc. Put lemonade in bowl as needed. Serve in sherbet glasses. Eed raspberries, bananas, canned or fresh peaches, may be substituted for blackberries. MADONOCK PUNCH. For five gallons use: 314 gallons burgundy. 1 pint brandy. 1 pint medford rum. 1 quart maraschino. 1 pint wild cherry. 6 syphons. 3 pounds cut sugar, boiled down and skimmed. Juice of 17 lemons strained. 1 pint of black tea. Let stand for six hours before using. CLAEET PUNCH. 314 quarts best claret. 1 pint maraschino. IV2 pounds cut sugar. Eind of one cucumber. 1 quart apollinaris water. Decorate with sliced oranges. ii THE AMERICAN WAITER. ^ TO MAKE SANDWICHES. In the making of sandwiches much care must be taken. Use bread from one to three days old, trim sides, cut in thin slices, lay all slices out on table together; make a paste of melted butter, spread each slice, then place layers together, trim square or diamond shape; place damp napkin over them to keep moist until ready for use. Minced ham, chicken, turkey, cold roast beef, English walnuts, lettuce and celery may be made into sandwiches. White, brown, graham or rye bread cut very thin, make a very pretty sandwich. Clf..^^^ DIAGRAM NO. 21. A. To cut slices: hold bread in left hand at D. Cut in desired slices, operating knife in saw motion; B. To cut bread triangle shape j C. To trim edges. THE AMERICAN WAITER. 75 • It is a very difficult matter for a head waiter to find a waiter who can make a sandwich. It seems simple, but few know how; and, as a rule, the chef generally makes such, things. But it is necessary, very much so, that a waiter should be able to make a good sand- wich. The greatest trouble about sandwich making is the cutting of bread. But very few waiters can take a knife and cut a thin slice of bread. No matter how sharp the knife may be, he seems to be unable to cut a perfect thin slice. With his left hand he squeezes the loaf out of all shape; with his right hand he attempts to push the knife through the loaf, instead of cutting. TO CUT BEEAD, OLD OE NEW. Have a keen edge on your knife. Hold bread with left hand at D. Cut off the first end, then slice. Draw knife through the bread as you would a saw, taking full strokes the length of the knife. Put about four ounces of pressure to the knife and you can get a perfect cut. Don't bear down on the knife or take short strokes. After cutting as many slices as you want, make a paste of butter. Have a silver knife, spread the bread, and then proceed to butter each slice. After each slice has been buttered, double, or put one slice upon the other. I Your next task is to trim the edges. Stack I about eight sandwiches together (which should be about four aAd one-half inches square by eight inches high as shown in C, diagram No. 21). Then hold the top of the loaf, or sand- wiches with left hand ; place knife about quar- i ter of an inch from edge, and proceed to trim 76 THE AMERICAN WAITER. down all four sides, using the knife same aa for slices. If you desire triangle shape cut as shown in B., diagram No. 21. ** * Many other sandwiches may be made under the same directions, as, white, rye, graham, and brown bread may be used mixed, that is, one slice of one kind and a slice of another kind of bread to the sandwich. * * it TO PUT UP LUNCHES. Consisting of hard boiled eggs, cold ham, ' chicken, turkey, cheese, crackers, bread, butter, olives, pickles, cake. The above can be made into sandwiches, wrapped in oil paper and put up in small boxes. » » » COLLATIONS. A Collation in Honor of Rear Admiral Bounce, U. S. N. Given hy the Florence High Club — To he served to four hundred persons — Time -fifty-five minutes — Tiventy waiters. Service of: Chiclcen salad Olives Sandwiches Ice cream CaTce Coffee ■ It requires a waiter of long and varied ex- perience and, above all, one who is level headed and not easily thrown off hi^ balance by the hurry and absence of ceremony. e Where lunch is taken on the lap, there is seldom much order in the arrangement of the chairs. They may be placed so as to be .' THE AMERICAN WAITER. 77 divided into sections at first, but guests will make little parties of different sizes by them- selves; but a cool headed waiter will manage by starting at the same point each time and following the same route, to serve with the necessary dispatch. A collation to be served to a party of four hundred persons would require two buffet tables about sixteen feet long, on which should be placed: 400 napkins. 400 forks. 400 six-inch plates. 400 dinner plates. 10 half -pint pitchers of cream. 10 compotes of olives 20 small trays. 20 baskets of cake. 10 sugar bowls and tongs. 20 plates with sandwiches sufficient for the party. 20 or more platters of salad. 20 tablespoons. "When a head waiter gets an order for a collation of this kind and size, he details one waiter to look after plates; another to look after forks and tablespoons and teaspoons; an- other for cream pitchers and trays, and another for napkins, and so on. To serve £, collation to four hundred people, a dining room 250 feet long would be neces- sary; though that, of course, is a matter that cannot be governed by the waiters. Chairs should be placed in two straight rows and the head waiter will divide them into sections and half sections, assigning one waiter to each half section of twenty chairs, and each waiter should be numbered according to the half sec- tion assigned to him. 78 THE AMERICAN WAITER. / / t i 1 h 1 1 1 » / J f 7 // /) /f /7 sr in 1 1 1 Ti . Bt/rr£T TABLE ''N^x..e 2. u (f f /6 n /A /6 /9 £0 DIAGEAM NO. 22. Thus, as shown in iliagram No. 22. Waiters No. 1 and 2, section 10. Waiters 3 and 4, section 9. Waiters 5 and 6, section 8. Waiters 7 and 8, section 7. Waiters 9 and 10, section 6. Waiters 11 and 12, section 5. Waiters 13 and 14, section 4. Waiters 15 and 16, section 3. Waiters 17 and 18, section 2. Waiters 19 and 20, section 1. The horizontal lines of figures alternating THE AMERICAN WAITER, 79 1 to 19 and 2 to 20, represent waiters at buffet table. The vertical line of figures num- bering 1 to 10, consecutively, in the center of the diagram, indicate the ten full sections of forty seats each. The vertical line of figures alternating 1 to 19, represent ten half sections of twenty seats each, or 200 seats in all. The vertical line of j figures alternating 2 to 20, also represent ten j half sections. The tree and arrows indicate waiters leav- ing buffet table for their respective half sec- tions, as shown by corresponding numbers. A to B, waiters returning to buffet table ; A to E, waiters going to kitchen; C to D, waiters returning from kitchen. Ten minutes before guests are seated, all waiters should be at buffet table, where twen- ty small trays have been laid, with twenty small plates and napkins ready to pass to guests. The head waiter, who looks after the seating, will give signal as soon as all are com- fortably seated and there is a clear passage between the chairs. Waiters Nos. 1 and 2 lead, each going di- rectly to his section and commence to place plates and napkins on each guest's lap in his section. All other waiters follow, performing the same service in the section assigned to them. Plates have now all been served; re- turn to buffet table for forks, repeating the same service as you did when you served , only lay one fork on each plate. When guests have all been provided with plates, napkins and forks, waiters proceed in a line to the buffet table and serve salad in the same order that they passed the plates, putting one large tablespoonful of salad on each plate. Do not offer the salad to guests jto help themselves. In the first place, it would take too long to get around and in the next place, if the guests are talking they do Qot want to be interrupted. As soon as the 80 THE AMERICAN WAITER. salad is passed, waiters proceed in line to the buffet table and get platters of sandwiches. Each guest helps himself to sandwiches. Eeturning to buffet table in regular farm, each waiter takes one compote of olives and one tablespoon and places three or four olives on each plate. You have now served salad, sandwiches and olives. Coffee, cream and sugar next to be served. In different localities different ideas prevail as to the manner of serving. In the Central States and the far West it is a common prac- tice to serve salad and coffee on the same plate. That is, the cup being placed on the same plate with the salad. The English, the French and persons who desire a much neater service will not have their food mixed in this way, and a coffee cup on a salad plate certain- ly does not look well served in this way. But remember to do as you are told, no matter how it looks. If the coUation is served in this i way, when the time comes to remove the salad I course, the head waiter should notify the stew- ard to have coffee ready. Then waiter No. 1 takes a large tray cov- ered with a tray cloth and proceeds to his section and holds tray in both hands, while waiter No. 2 takes up salad course and places it on the large tray. All other waiters follow i same instructions and take up soiled dishes. The waiters that hold the tray return to kitchen vdth soiled dishes, while those who take up the plates return to buffet. There, each waiter takes forty dinner plates, goes to his section and places one plate on each guest 'g lap. By this time the waiters who went to kitchen, return and follow right up and place two teaspoons on each plate. Waiters whc passed the dinner plates return to kitchen ami THE AMERICAN WAITER. 81 get coffee on tray and return each to his par- ticular section in regular order, holding tray in both hands, while the waiters who placed spoons proceed to set coffee cups in each plate. Next pass cream and sugar. Do not stop to ask: ''How many pieces of sugar will you take?" but place one lump on side of plate; if any one should wish more, guest will inform you. As the waiters who pass sugar will get out before those who serve cream, those of you will proceed to buffet, and each get a large tray ready to remove coffee service as you did the salad service. As soon as you commence to remove coffee, the head waiter notifies steward to dish up ice cream. Coffee service having been removed, proceed in regular form to serve ice cream as you did coffee, leaving the dinner plate in guest's lap to place the ice cream saucer on. Eeturn to buffet; proceed to pass cake. Tliis course completes the service. The guests will then more than likely rise to leave; in which event they generally place the plates and saucers in the chairs, while sweet music plays and they are dancing again. Time, fifty-five minutes to serve. A NOTE TO HEAD WAITER— In serving this collation, when plates and napkins have been passed, perhaps your sections have been broken, which may cause confusion with wait- ers. Before forks are put on, note particu- larly that each guest has a plate. If not, then inform the waiters of the various sections that are lacking. When your first service is com-' plete you will experience no trouble there- after. 82 THE AMERICAN WAITER. COLLATION No. 2. For a Dancing or Euchre Party to i&e served in the Ordinary. Service of . Oyster patties Chicken Salad Sandwiches Ice cream CaJce Cofee To serve a collation of this kind it is nec- essary to have the best waiters that can be had, who have had years of experience. Uniform: Full dress, with white gloves; or black jacket and pants, white gloves. The ordinary should be set in the following way: One large table in center of room, with a very fine cloth. In the center of the table place one large vase of cut flowers. At each corner place a cut glass dish of bon- bons. Ten small tables seating four persons each; small lunch cloths and napkins. Place one plate of sandwiches on each table, also one small cream pitcher and cut loaf su- gar bowl and tongs. One fork and two teaspoons at each plate. When the time arrives to serve, the door should be opened and guests enter. As soon as all seats are occupied, a ribbon should be stretched across the entrance to pre- vent any others from coming in. Ten waiters required to serve. When the head waiter gives signal, waiters enter the dining room with four plates each, with salad and oyster patties on same plate and serve ; returning to kitchen for coffee. Serve coffee, pass sugar and cream. THE AMERICAN WAITER. 83 As soon as all have finished salad and pattie^ remove and crumb table, then return to kitchen for ice cream and cake. When all have finished and leave the room, change the cloths that are soiled and reset the tables for a second time. Eepeat for the third and fourth time if necessary. COLLATION No. 3. For Dancing or Euchre Tarty, served from Small Tables in Parlor, Halls, or Main Dining Boom. Two hundred Guests. Service of Oyster patties ChicJcen salad Sandwiches Ice cream CaJce Cofee To serve a collation of this kind it is neces- sary to have waiters of the very best descrip- tion, v^ho have had years of private party ex- perience. Great care miist be taken that noth- ing is spilt or upset or particles dropped on the floor. If the collation is served to a dancing party in the same room it would be necessary to have the tables ready to place on short notice. For a party of 200, all sitting at one time, it would require 50 tables 24 inches square 50 lunch cloths 200 napkins 200 forks 200 teaspoons 200 a. d. spoons. Seventeen waiters would be required. When the time arrives for the collation to be served, waiters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 place the tables in position. Waiters 7, 8, 9 and 10 place the cloths. 84 THE AMERICAN WAITER. Waiters 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 place one fork, one teaspoon and one a. d. spoon at each seat and Waiters 16 and 17 place one plate of sand- wiches on each table. Waiters 1, 2, 3, and 4 place napkins at each plate. Waiters 5 and 6 place small pitcher of cream and small sugar bowl on each table. When the party is seated the waiters stand at attention, and when signal is given file to the kitchen or buffet and place as many plates on small tray as convenient, each plate hav- ing oyster pattie and salad on it. As soon as these are served pass coffee at once. As soon as any of the party are through with salad and pattie, the waiter who has their table in charge at once removes soiled dishes and passes ice cream and cake. The waiter should not begin to remove dishes until he sees that all at that table are through, and he should be careful to serve all guests at a table at the same time. As soon as the party are through eating; the waiters proceed to quietly and rapidly re- move dishes and tables and restore the room to its previous condition for dancing. ♦ * * SERVING A PICNIC PARTY. A Moonlight Picnic given by C, N. J), at Two waiters to serve. In many of the summer resorts the headii waiter has responsibilities that in city hotels ^ belong to the steward. At the summer re- sort the head waiter often has full authority^^ over everything pertaining to the dining room.. The picnic which I give as an illustration for: this lesson was for thirty people, including the ■ host and hostess. The menu was as follows: THE AMERICAN WAITER. 85 Hard boiled eggs Mutton chops with bone in Bread and butter sandwiches Mixed pickles Olives Cheese Crackers Oranges Assorted cake Cofee The amount of food and the articles with which to serve the supper are as follows: 35 hard boiled eggs 35 mutton chops with bone in 90 bread and butter sandwiches % gallon mixed pickles % gallon olives 2 pounds of crackers 3 pounds cheese 3 pounds loaf sugar 35 oranges % gallon cream 2 pounds ground coffee 1 five-gallon can ice water 1 five-gallon lard can for making coffee 1 ordinary wire broiler 3 old table cloths 35 napkins 3 large trays 2 pitchers 35 cups % dozen water glasses 35 teaspoons 1 dipper Salt, pepper, etc., etc. 3 soup plates to serve eggs 3 large platters to serve chops 5 dinner plates to serve sandwiches 5 plates for cheese 5 plates for cake 10 bowls to serve pickles 10 bowls to serve olives 10 bowls to serve crackers 10 bowls to serve cut sugar. 86 THE AMERICAN WAITER. The start is made in wagons, ample time be- ing allowed for the wagon with provisions to arrive in advance of the rest of the party. Ar- riving at the camp ground, the first thing is to build a fire and put water on for coffee. Next the cloths are spread on the grass and a napkin placed for each guest with a cup and spoon. The sandwiches are placed in the mid- dle of the cloth, and pickles, olives, cheese, crackers ranged in line. As soon as the coffee is made a waiter pro- ceeds to broil the mutton chops and the host announces that lunch is ready. After the guests have reached their places, a waiter passes the mutton chops, which the guests receive in their fingers, taking hold by the bone. The salt and pepper are passed to one per- son, who passes them on. The sandwiches are then passed and coffee is poured from pitchers into cups. Sugar and cream are then passed, the cream being in or- dinary beer bottles. Olives, cheese, etc., are also passed. The host will toss the boiled, eggs to each guest as if they were balls, and in due time the oranges are thrown in the same manner. While the company are finishing their lunch the waiter looks after the fire, piling it high with wood, removing all signs of cooking uten- sils and making it as comfortable as possible for the company to assemble around later on, to pass the remainder of the evening telling stories, etc. While they are thus engaged the waiters pack up the picnic equipment and return to the hotel without waiting for the rest of the company. Eight here I will say that a waiter in charge of a picnic party will do well to look out for himself in the matter of lunch, as there is seldom more than enough to satisfy the appe- THE AMERICAN "WAITER. 87 tites of the hungry picnickers. He should pack his lunch separately, putting up as much as he thinks will satisfy him of whatever is most convenient. INFOEMAL LUNCHEON FOR LADIES' CLUB. Informal Luncheon for Ladies' Club, to he served in parlor or reception room. Service for fifty. Menu: Olives Bread and butter sandwiches Claret punch Chicken salad Lobster salad Lemon ice Bon bons DIAGRAM No. 23. ROUND TABLE. 1, Chicken salad; 2, lobster salad; 3, bread md butter sandwiches; 4, bon bons; 5, olives; six-inch plates, piled; 7, tablespoons; 8, forks; 9, large vase of cut flowers; x, roses; ), ferns. 88 THE AMERICAN WAITER. Luncheon table in center of room. Two waiters; uniform full dress, white gloves. Ladies to help themselves as they feel dis- posed. Waiters to remove soiled dishes and cater to individual wants of guests. Lemon ice to be served in the same room luncheon is served. One waiter in full dress, white gloves. J^^ill glass only about half full. Use a. d. spoons. It is not necessary to use plate or sauce dish under sherbet glass in this service. Service from silver server. o o /o /o /o /q 'M ^q ^g> ^ ' ^ ^ <^A 0/ Q/ >/ 0/ (?, •' Q/ «>/. Q/ Q>/.^/9/ .- ^ 'OCtX^ J'^''( s )\'-t> i .QOXXO .00, li^#5m o8oO°!f!l OyiJbij. O DIAGKAM NO. 27. Key to Table Set for Banquet: 1, base plate; 2, butter plate; 3, sprig of fresh pars- ley; 4, napkin; 5, guest card; 6, rose or carna- tion; 7, fork for fish; 8, fork for entree; 9, fork for roast; 10, fork for game; 11, steel knife for game; 12, steel knife for roast; 13, ilver knife for fish; 14, soup spoon; 15, but- ter spread; 16, oyster fork; 17, salt and pep- ner; 18, two tea and one a. d. spoon; 19, can- ilelabra or vase of cut flowers; 20, plate of crackers; 21, olives, salted almonds. 92 THE AMERICAN WAITER. Glasses: A, eocktail; B, water; C, sau' terne; D, claret; E, sherry; F, champagne; G, brandy. Decoration: ferns, roses, carnations. Decorate with one tall vase of cut flowers in center of table, with smilax and ferns, also with a rose or carnation at each plate. Fes- toon chandeliers; decorate sideboards and win- dows with potted plants. Vinegar, catsup, oil, bread, horseradisu do not belong on banquet tables. Place horserad- ish on sixth oyster shell (or pass it after oys- ters are placed). Other articles mentioned, on sideboards, pass at proper time. BANQUET SERVICE, SETTING TABLE FOR BANQUET. There are many different ways. Every giver of a banquet or party has his own diagram, or has come to some conclusion how he wants the tables arranged, so I shall give a few ideas. The ** straight long table, '^ the ^'U," ''V," "E/-- ''L," ''T," ''hollow square," "horse- shoe" and "round." If your room is square, f;eparate six or eight-seat tables can be ar- ranged in V shape, with the point for the en- trance, with one long table at the head for guests of honor, and one round table in center for the press. BANQUET SERVICE. Banquet service is a very delicate matter for head waiter and side waiters. The head waiter must have many years of experience before he can go into a house and give general satisfac- tion to all concerned. A banquet of 150 peo- ple in a strange place is difficult for the head waiter to handle because he has to feel arounc) in the dark for something that he cannot place. He does not know anything about the arrangement of the house and, in fact, if? blindfolded. The manager will p/-^ the din- THE AMERICAN WAITER. 93 ing room door and give orders on orders, as will also the wife and daughters, if there are such; and unless a head waiter has had many years of experience he is very likely to do something, or to leave something undone that will be to his detriment; and he must under- stand the wishes of proprietor, daughter, wife, son, manager and steward, and know how to eater to the individual wants of each one with- out becoming bewildered. To illustrate a banquet service I have se- lected the following menu: Blue points Celery, olives, salted almonds Green turtle soup FUlet of hlack bass Sweetbread patties Larded fillet of beef Siberian punch Soast prairie chicTcen Tomato mayonnaise Nesselrode ice cream Cake Cafe noir In serving a banquet it is necessary that waiters should act as one man, and to secure that result a thorough drill is required. Some head waiters strike a bell for the different moves, some wave the hand, and others indi- cate what is to be done simply by either fold- ing their arms or dropping them to their side. My preference is for this latter method. BANQUET OF 150 COVERS. To set a banquet table for 150 covers, it would require 150 oyster forks 450 service forks, witk 300 additional forks to bo used when th« others have becD jeo^QX^ ^[consequently 750 94 THE AMERICAN WAITER. forkis would be used to serve the above mien- tioned number) 150 butter spreads 150 silver knives for fish 300 steel knives for fillet of beef and prairie chicken 150 dessert spoons for soup 300 teaspoons for ice cream and punch 150 a. d. spoons for small cpffee 150 base plates 150 butter plates 150 napkins folded six-inch square 150 water glasses. After your tables have beeij properly ar- ranged, proceed to spread felts and cloths, smooth and straight. , Next place your base or service plates. Then place your napkins directly in front and under edge of base plates. Then place your butter plate to the right side of base plate and at end of napkin. Then marshal your forks on first, two heavy and one small fork. Then two steel knives with sharp edge turned toward the plate. Then place silver knife for fish. Then your soup spoon. Next place butter spread. Then your oyster fork. Place two teas and one a. d. spoon in front of napkin. (See diagram No. 27.) Then place your water glasses about eight inches to the right front of each seat. Place salt and peppers within easy reach of guest, as well as yourself. Celery, olives and salted almonds should het placed within easy reach of guest, if they are on the table. Place butter on plates, decorate with sprig of parsley, about 30 thirty minutes before tima THE AMERICAN WAHER; 95 for guests to be seated, and place ice and wa- ter in glasses also. Bread, horseradish, vinegar, sauces, in bot- tles, should never be placed on the table, but should be on sideboards and passed at the proper time. Your table is now about complete. The head waiter should give each waiter his sta- tion ; and to give good service, thirty waiters should be required, each waiter carrying five orders. In entering the dining room waiter No. 30 leads, and returning to kitchen waiter No. 1 leads out. When the guests enter the dining room the waiters should all be standing, fifteen on each side of the room, facing the tables so as not to obstruct the passage of guests. When all guests are seated (and, let it be understood, do not attempt to assist the guests in seating themselves) , remain in line, WATCH the head waiter for signal. The moment he brix^gs his arras in front of him, face toward the kitchen promptly. When- he drops his arms to his side, move off quickly, but do not make any unnecessary noise, with your, feet to at- tract attention. SERVE THE OYSTERS : Returning to the dining room with oysters, each waiter marches to his station, places tray on rack, takes a plate of oysters in each hand, moves /quickly to his station and about one foot from the guest he is to serve first. . . ALL waiters must watch the head waiter, who will be standing in a conspicuous place. When he drops his arm to his side, place the oyster plate in the base plate, and proceed to serve the other three plates of oysters with- out ceremony. - Pass salt, pepper, then crackers. . Next pasa 96 THE AMERICAN WAITER. celery and olives. Then take the position of a waiter. With oysters serve any dry white wine. TO REMOVE OYSTEES: The head waiter should walk up and down the aisles to ascer- tain when all guests have finshenti6iL THE AMERICAN WAlTEsi l'23^ RESTAURANT WORK. This book, up to this page, has been mit- ten for exclusively American plan hotel serv- icie. But, as I have said, each year brings the proprietor face tO face with new ideas along the line of service; and in tlie niany changes from one service to another he nat- ui'ally expects to find the waiter progrisssive as well as himself, and expects him* to be able to masster such new ideas as they present themselves. ■ • A few preliminary remarks along the line of Cafe or Eestaurant servic!e may b6 of im- portance to the reader. While the Service may^' not be applied to all places, it will 'be a ** bright' light" for you, should you be' sb' fortunate as to ^'need a light'"' at any time. In most every cafe, restauraiit or club into whose service you enter you will find some kind of checking system. - - . ' .■ In order to be a first-class short order man; (a waiter for cafe, restaurant, diniiig car or club) you should be able to read at sight, be a- fairly good penman, and quick at figures;, also level headed, broad minded,; a salesman of no small, ability, quick on foot, a: good ^mixer of salads and their dressings; be knoweldger able in the suggesting of what is goodto «atf be a good carver of steaks, fish, lobsters,- d.UGkg, and birds. generally, and, you should also be a j^irly good short order cook. XJntjl you have, mastered all of these points in general,.' yo.u. may not, according to my observation apicl! ex-, perience, be classed as an all-round .first-class waiter. , ,.,,..,, , ., * * * CHECKING. In a European plan dining room -you will have to work under some kind of a checking system/ There ar€- several systems, 'but fo* 124 THE AMERICAN WAITEE. purpose of illustration I will give a brief de- scription of only one, that known as the Lock Stub, which protects the employer as well as any system I have observed; and also is fair to the waiter, for if any waiter makes a mis- take, thia system identifies which one, so that the blame goes to the proper party only. The Lock Stub is a package of twenty checks securely locked in a metal holder. (See illustration No. 36.) These packages have printed numbers on the face of the check, also on the stub (which is locked in the holder), and these correspond with the waiter's num- ber. Also these checks have other numbers in duplicate on the check and stub, which are printed in consecutive order, so that every check has a separate number. The illustration shows the check number on top and the wait- er's number at the bottom. The checker has a number of record slips, printed in series to correspond with the wait- ers' numbers, the slips for each waiter's num- ber bearing also printed consecutive numbers, so that there can be no mistake made. (See illustration No. 37.) Also the checker controls other slips for the wine room and cigars, with lock stub feature, which bear the checker's number and a con- secutive number, and upon which the checker writes the waiter's number and the number of the guest's check, when it is necessary to use one of these for departments other than the kitchen. (See illustration No. 37.) In operation a check is detached for each person, or party, as the case may be, which the waiter serves. The articles are written in on the check as shown in the illustration. The checker stamps the price alongside each article in the dollar and cents column; also stamps the price on his record slip, which, it THE AMERICAN WAITER, 125 1 m ELMS p..-.— — — — --.' f ^ No. 69 £ W^e^J^^r/&^ 25 J. ch-^a^a^ 40 / -d^^Xo-c^^ -XHZo^ 90 / UimC ^fh^ihu^ (f^a^^-^j 20 ^ ^^Ut6i^ >feX.t.^x, 30 JL (b^^JL^uL. 20 ^A^ 25 / 1 1 Waiter No. 26 DIAGEAM NO. 36. will be noticed, is dissected into the depart- ments of Food, Wine, and Cigars. Also he stamps the price on the checker's slips which procure Tvines or cigars. It is the business of the checker to inven- tory the filled trays as brought before him and to see that the articles served correspond 126 THE AMERICAN WAITER. o 26 "' "26 «" 40 win. Clwfi ?5 25 90 30 20 20 \ V.V V* ^ \ ^-^ THE ELMS W v/1 ^?| Checker N.:2 ^M fflrt V((.n« CIgtft 25 1 DIAGEAM NO. 37. to what the check calls for, no more and no less. A check of this kind is a good thing, in my opinion, for the waiter, as it promotes system in his work and accuracy, and, as there is very little chance of beating it, the waiter does not waste his time or take the chances trying. You may find a different checking system in THE AMERICAN WAITER. 127 each place you secure employment, so it is necessary to be able to adapt yourself to any and all. THE RESTAURANT WAITER AT WORK. I have observed in the European service that the majority of waiters who go from place to place looking for European work, when asked: ''What is the preliminary work to a la carte service?" they are unable to answer the question. First: The most essential point of succisss along the line of how to master the a la carte service is the set-up. Serve water first. In a great many cafes and restaurants there is objection to the set-iap of bread and but- ter, but allow the silver to be put on the table; that is, place knives and forks, but no bread and butter until such food as ordered is ready to be served, the reason given being that too much bread and butter are consumed by such methods. But if the management would take time to figure out how many guests a waiter can handle by using the bread and butter set-up, which, to my mind, is the pre- liminary to good service just the same as a foundation is to a great building, he would say: "Make the bread and butter set-up, by all means. '^ For illustration, we will take up a few or- ders for a waiter to handle using the bread and butter set-up: You are at your station and the first man up. The head waiter seats a party of two persons at your station. (In the following description of the waiter's work this party will be referred to as party No. 1.) If he does not present them with blank check for writing the order on along with the bill of fare, it is your duty, before serving water. 128 THE AMERICAN WAITER. to place your check book (or a blank check, as the custom of the house may be), together with a lead pencil on the table at the seat of the guest who will do the ordering. If the diners wish to pay their bills sepa- rately, then each one should be provided with, a blank form on which to write his order. The checks will be numbered in consecutive order, so (in case your check book is left on the table) take particular notice of the num- ber of the top check so that said guest may not destroy a check during your absence in serving water without your knowing it. Should any check issued to you be lost, mis- placed, or destroyed by guest or waiter, unless you, the waiter, can produce the torn pieces of said check or can give satisfactory account of the loss, you will be responsible for its face value, usually a stipulated sum which the management fixes as reimbursement. A loss of this kind is liable to cause you immedi- ate dismissal for tampering with the book. After serving water, your next duty is to remain within speaking and hearing distance, ready to give any information in regard to prices, portions, how much one order or a half portion will serve, tell of any new articles that may have been added to the bill, how such and such dish is cooked, whether it is good, which dish may be specialized and is always good, etc. After the patron has written his order (for illustration after the manner as indicated in diagram No. 36) you remove top check from lock and ask any questions about the order that you may not understand. Party No. 1 orders: Steak Potatoes Cofee Proceed to the kitchen, place the order with THE AMERICAN WAITER. 129 the outside checker (who generally has a desk near the door). He calls off the order to the chef. You listen to see if he calls the order correctly. The checker retains your check and sets prices to articles ordered. You should then return immediately to din- ing room and make your set up. 2 steel knives Carving knife and fork 2 table spoons 3 tea spoons 1 tray of bread 2 butter plates each with a print of butter (if summer time place a few pieces of broken ice on the butter) Place the carving knife and fork at the plate of the guest who did the ordering; also large spoon. Place a bottle of Worcester or chili sauce on the table. The head waiter has now seated another party at your station (which we will call party No. 2) ana iralls your attention to the fact that it is your up. You should place your check book (or blank checks) and pencil as in previous instruction. Serve water, and you are ready to receive this order. Party No. 2 consists of four persons. While this party are making out their orders return to kitchen to find your steak and po- tatoes ready. Return to dining room with steak and po- tatoes, pot of coffee, and pitcher of cream. Present steak to guest. Uncover it. Ask ''Shall I carve your steak. Sir?'* If he de- sires to carve it himself, he will tell you. Place it on the table as shown in diagram No. 38. After completing your service, as in dia- gram No. 38, refill water glasses. 130 THE AMERICAN WAITER. DIAGEAM NO. 38. A. Steak platter with cover; B. Potatoes platter with cover; C. Service plates; D. Carv- ing fork and small fork; E. Dinner knife, steel, carving knife, butter knife, tea spoon, service spoon; F. Cup and saucer; G. Sugar; H. Water glass; J. Cream; K. Butter; M. Salt and pepper; N. Table sauces; O. Bread» THE AMERICAN WAITER. 131 Ask guest if anything else is wanted. If he says *'No" then you can say to him that you will return soon^ should he need your service. Step to party No. 2 and say ''I am at your service, please. ' ' They will give the necessary instructions in regard to their order, which is Oyster cocMail Chicken en casserole Potatoes au gratin Neufachtel cheese Crackers Coifee Remove check as instructed above, and pro- ceed to kitchen as before. After hearing your order called to chef, return to dining room and take notice of party No. 1. Eeplenish water glasses and see if anything is needed. Return to kitchen. Get four orders of but- ter, bread and wafers, four steel knives, four large forks, four cheese knives, four oyster forks, four salad forks, ladle, one large spoon, one serving fork. Return to dining room and make set up according to diagram No. 39. Party No. 1 is about through. Offer bill of fare. Nothing wanted. Remove soiled dishes. Crumb cloth. Serve finger glasses. Proceed to kitchen; and don't forget to take the soiled dishes with you. Say to checker ''Let me have check No. 1." He will at once foot your check up. Meanwhile get four oyster cocktails for party No. 2. Return to dining room. Present check to [ guest on silver tray, placing tray on the table, ! and proceed to serve party No. 2 with the oyster cocktails. Pass salt, pepper, tabasco, and wafers. Then return to party No. 1 to collect the check. 132 THE AMERICAN WAITEE. DIAGRAM NO. 39. A. Seat of host; B. Service fork, dinner fork, oyster fork; C. Steel knife, butter knife, service spoon, ladle, teaspoon, oyster fork; D. Water glass; E. Butter; F. Napkin; G. Sil- ver tray of wafers; H. Silver tray of bread; J. Water bottle; K. Tray with tabasco and horseradish; L. Salt and pepper. After paying cheek to cashier, if party No. 1 have left your station, change the table cloth and place napkins. Party No. 3 (one person) has now arrived. Place check for order book to be written on as before, serve water; then step to party No. 2 and replenish the water glasses. turn to party No. 3 and receive an order for cut of: Boast heef Mashed potatoes Pot of cofee Eeturn to kitchen taking cocktail service with you. Place order No. 3 in checker's hands. Then THE AMERICAN WAITER. 133 DIAGRAM NO. 40. Casserole Service on Service Table: A. Casserole; B. Au gratin potatoes; C. Ladle; D. Fork; E. Service spoon; F. Service plates. get wise: Step over to the chef and ask about your chicken en casserole. Ten minutes more! — Return to dining room and make the set up for party No. 3: One steel knife, one butter knife, two table spoons, one fork, one plate with butter on it, one tray of bread. After placing set up for No. 3, step back to party No. 2. Replenish water glasses. Return to kitchen for order No. 3, and serve about the same as you did in diagram No. 38 illustrating steak service. Return to kitchen for party No. 2, order of chicken en casserole, which is ready. Return to dining room. Present it to guest. Ask if you shall serve it. If they desire you to serve, then you will remove the service you had placed on the table to serve with to the 134 THE AMERICAN WAITER. side table and proceed to serve as in diagram No. 40. After helping all four plates as above shown, proceed to serve to each guest a plate, the host last. Pass salt, pepper, bread. Eeplenish water glasses. Then return to party No. 3 and say '^I am at your service, Sir." If he cares for nothing else remove soiled dishes. Serve finger bowl. Take soiled dishes to kitchen. Ask for check for party No. 3. Present check to guest as before, paying same to cashier. Now give your attention to party No. 2. Eeplenish water glasses. Offer to serve more chicken, if any left. After the party has finished the chicken, re- move soiled dishes, crumb cloth, taking notice if any of the silver has not been used; re- plenish that which has been used. Then pro- ceed to pantry for cheese and crackers, and serve as in instruction previously given for Neufchatel Cheese, Bar le Due Jelly. Then pour coffee in A. D. cups (or large cups as may be ordered) from pot and serve. Pass sugar and cream. Guest may now order cigars. If so, procure special cigar check slip from checker and pro- ceed to cigar stand for them. Eeturn, pass cigars, strike match, pass ash trays. Proceed to kitchen with soiled dishes. Ask for check for party No. 2. Present to guest on silver tray. Pay check to cashier; and you are ready for party No. 4. • « * STEAKS. Few American plan waiters, and some, even, who class themselves as European plan waiters, know how to serve or carve a large steak, in event they are trusted to remove it to a side THE AMERICAN WAITER. 135 table to carve. A few remarks, therefore, along the line of steaks, should be of value to the aspiring student for European service. There is a great difference between a Short Steak, Eib Steak, Sirloin, Double Sirloin, Extra and Specal Extra Sirloin, Porterhouse, Double Porterhouse, Extra and Double Extra Porter- house. The average American plan waiter is so accustomed to serving small steaks, thin and tough, that when he meets the above named steaks in all their splendor with the natural juice oozing from them and plenty of fat attached, his first thought is to trim all the fat from the steak as one would the rind from a slice of bacon or ham. Should the waiter be told to carve it, it is probable that ninety per cent, of the American plan waiters would cut such steaks into thin strips as one would slice bacon or ham. The average guest who invests his money in a good steak wants it cut and served to him in strips; but his expectations are to have it so carved that each cut retains its natural juice, which makes all beef worth while to eat. To carve sirloin steaks, club steaks, porter- house, double and extra porterhouse, much care and judgment should be exercised to get as many portions out of the steaks as will give each person you are serving a perfect cut. The ordinary Club steak will serve two per- sons, but is generally sold for one. When two persons partake of such a steak an extra charge, say fifteen cents, is customarily made for service (unless other articles are ordered to offset such charge for extra service of second party). An Extra Sirloin can be served for two or three persons. It is usually served to two persons. 136 THE AMERICAN WAITER. A Double Extra Sirloin can be served to six persons with plenty to go around. In carving such steaks a waiter should size up his steak well before drawing his knife through it, for, once cut too thin or too thick, it cannot be replaced in its proper form. The Porterhouse, single, is easy to carve. The Double Porterhouse which comes thicker, and the Double Extra, which is very thick (and sometimes carelessly cooked) as well as the other steaks, can be most miserably served, unless the carver is quite smart with the knife. One great drawback to the service of such steaks is that so many American people are nervously impatient and give the hurry up order. They seldom want to wait or take the time for such steaks to be perfectly cooked, consequently, the steaks are burned, scorched, in fact very badly broiled. But the service must make up for the bad broiling; and it takes a mighty good waiter at times to keep such guest from complaining and refusing to accept steak. TO CAEVE A CLUB STEAK. If you are asked to carve a Club steak (which is about three-fourths of an inch thick), cut it in strips about one inch wide. See diagram No. 41. First trim off the butt end at point A, then cut through as indicated by the dotted lines. The ends marked B are discarded by some persons, and by others are considered the best part of the steak, especially when cooked crisp. TO CAEVE AN EXTEA SIELOIN STEAK. Carve an Extra Sirloin steak same as Club steak. TO CAEVE A DOUBLE EXTEA SIELOIN. The Double Extra Sirloin is one large steak cut about five inches thick, then split through THE AMERICAN WAITER. 137 PORTERHOUSH DIAGRAM NO. 41. the middle from A to B as indicated in dia- gram No. 41, not quite through, but sufficiently so as to lay it open to make broiling quicker; which, if left as first cut, would be near a 138 THE AMERICAN WAITER. roast. The dotted lines show where to carve the steak. From C to C is practically all fat. It is here where the Tininformed guest and waiter make a great mistake in the carving, thinking that this end is solid meat. TO CAEVE THE POETEEHOUSE— SINGLE OE DOUBLE. Stick knife point almost perpendicular at point A, (see diagram 41) which is into the corner of the T bone. Cut along dotted line to point B. Then place knife point at point C and cut down the other side of the bone to point B also. Place knife at point A and cut through to point D. Place knife at point G and cut through to point E and you have your steak separated from the bone. Cut the meat into portions according to number of persons to serve, dividing the Sir- loin and Tenderloin into equal parts. TO CAEVE MALLAED AND TEAL DUCK. Mallard and Teal ducks, when in season, are much in demand by lovers of the webb foot. As the breast is all that is cared for of the Mallard and Teal, it is well to be able to re- move the breast intact, or without resort to slicing more especially when serving a half breast or a whole duck to a person. Turn the duck on its back. Insert knife and cut down close alongside the breastbone^ first one side and then the other. * * # TO CARVE FISH. Planked fish, or fish that are served whole, such as White fish. Shad, Black Bass, and Trout, should be carefully carved and served without breakijDg the flesh. THE AMERICAN WAITER. 139 DIAGKAM NO. 42. To carve a white fish: (See diagram No. 42.) Eun a regular fish knife into back of fish at point A, directly over the center bone to point B and slide knife along over the bone to points C and D. (If the fish is cooked thoroughly your knife should follow along the bone very easily; if not well cooked you will not be able to successfully separate the flesh from the bone.) Draw the knife out and cut across at point C and D, then cut into as many portions as desired, placing on plates. Turn the fish over and perform the same operation, which will leave fish as shown in diagram No. 42. OYSTERS AND CLAMS. For many years the only customary ac- companiment to the service of raw oysters was a plate of crackers, salt, pepper, and horse- radish; but, as time has advanced, custom has made it necessary in many places to serve bread, butter, tabasco sauee, horseradish, and catsup. The proper accompaniment to raw 140 THE AMERICAN WAITER. oysters is tabasco, horseradish, salt, pepper and wafers; but, to meet the requirements of all, you will do well to follow the custom of the place in which you are employed. TO SERVE OYSTEES ON THE SHELL. Oysters may be served on regular oyster plate or on soup plate with shaved ice and a paper doily on the ice. They should be on the deep shell. Serve wafers, tabasco sauce, horseradish, salt, and pepper. Place tabasco and horseradish on a silver tray. OYSTER STEWS. Serve in bowl or silver soup tureen. Serve crackers, catsup, cold slaw. CLAMS. Service same as oysters. » » » LOBSTERS. The lobster, a shell fish much esteemed, is served in many ways, but more particularly ''Live Broiled'' and ''Cold Boiled." Often you may be left alone, or sent to some place of stag entertainment, or a fish dinner, and have to serve lobster. To split a lobster is an easy matter and every waiter should know how. I once was in charge of an up-to-date cafe in a far inland town and it was the desire of the manage- ment to specialize sea foods. A chef of no small ability was employed, but, to my sur- prise, he was afraid of the live lobster — knew not how to boil a lobster, or split one open. He was perfectly ignorant of its service and I had to help him out. So you may see that occasionally a waiter may possess a knowledge of cookery in some lines that a high priced chef may be weak on; consequently a few i«- THE AMERICAN WAITER. 141 marks on How to Serve Lobster will, I hope, prove useful information. To split a Cold Boiled Lobster (which, after boiling, is red) : Kun cold water on it to remove any slime or undesirable particles that may be clinging to the shell. Lay the lobster on the table straight out as in diagram No. 43. Grasp, with left hand, the fingers at point A and the thumb at point B. Have a French knife (about twelve-inch) with sharp point. Stab the lobster through to the under side at DIAGEAM NO. 43. point C. Then rip straight through the back from point C to point D. Turn the lobster around: that is, put his head where his tail was. Then place the knife in point C and rip to point E and the lobster is split in half. With your knife crack the claws at points F, G and H. Kemove the intestines. If COLD BOILED LOBSTER, place a nap- kin or fringed doily on a large platter. Place the lobster on the platter flesh side up, with half a lemon at points J and K. Serve with service plates in front of gueat; the platter in front of plate, also a service 142 THE AMERICAN WAITER- plate to tlie left of guest for debris from the lobster. Serve bread and butter, English mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chili or catsup, as desired. Finger bowls at once. * * * In splitting a Live Lobster for broiling,, beware of getting your fingers pinched in the 3 handling. Split same as directed for cold lobster. Serve Broiled Live Lobster same as Boiled I Cold, except serve drawn butter along with the) chili sauce. » * » CHAFING DISH AND APPOINTMENTS. The regulation spoon and fork, both with i long handles, the spoon with a broad bowl, the ! fork with long and wide tines. A flagon or small pitcher for the alcohol, , with which to replenish the lamp. A silver tray to set the chafing dish on, to ' guard against accident ; for the least draft of air may cause the blaze to flare, sometimes setting fire to the table cloth. The dishes that can be prepared with the chafing dish are too numerous to mention; but I will give an illustration of its use. Alcohol evaporates very fast and the ordi- nary lamp holds only a small portion; conse- quently, when the food to be served in the chafing dish is prepared in the kitchen, you should delay lighting the lamp until ready to return to the dining room; or when the food is about to be turned into the blazer (which is the top pan). The lower pan, which is for hot water, should be filled only about half full, and in time to keep its heat after light- ing the lamp. If you put in too much water it may boil over, causing delay, soiling the cloth, etc. THE AMERICAN WAITER. DIAGEAM NO. 44. A. Chafing dish; B. Tray; C. Flagon of alcohol; D. Tray of toast; E. Service plates; F. Spoon; G. Fork. Diagram No. 44 illustrates service of the following named dishes, -which, with many others, are popular for the chafing dish: Chicken hash with peppers. *Welsh rabbit. *Golden buck. Southern hash. Lobster Newburg. Oyster stew. Soups. Oysters, Poulette. Frogs legs, Poulette. Poached eggs. *Scrambled eggs. Scotch woodcock. Roast squab. Roast quail. *Salmi of game, and others. *Indicates dishes with which toast may be served as accompaniment. 144 THE AMERICAN WAITER. THE HEAD WAITER. There seema to be all the time a scarcity of good head waiters — men with the necessary ability, tact, energy, and the generalship to suit the present requirement. Twenty years ago the " wall-flower ' ' head waiter (I speak of the class of head waiters who never had any business two feet away from the dining room door) was a man of great size, portly, stout. He was not fitted for the position unless he possessed a handsome appearance, wore side whiskers, also a mus- tache, which he took great pride in twisting and fumbling with. This wall-flower type of head waiter is fast fading away. Today size and good looks do not count for nearly so much as ability to handle a crew of men and *' deliver the goods" in the line of up-to-date service. The '* working head waiter" idea may not suit the notion of some of my readers, espe- cially those of the wall-flower type. Experi- ence in traveling, however, has taught me that the modern head waiter must adapt himself to conditions as he finds them. I do not mean by this that he should perform the duties of a side waiter: but there are a thousand things in which he can serve his employer's interest without sacrificing his dignity. Upon occasion he can handle the saw, nail and hammer (as outlined in chapter or fixing the banquet ta- bles), assist in the matter of setting out plates, garnishing, etc., to facilitate the service from the kitchen and pantries. He should not be so proud that he can not serve a glass of water, pass a spoon, bread, salt, or pepper. Use forethought in your work. Don't trust to chance. Cultivate pleasant relations with the steward and chef, that you may be mutu- ally helpful in your several departments. THE AMERICAN WAITER. 145 The skilled head waiter who has demon- strated himself trustworthy should command a smart salary. To be a head waiter one must first have many years' experience in hotels, cafes and restaurants as a side waiter. You become a head waiter by demonstrating your ability, or rather, by having your fitness recog- nized by the employer who is looking for a good head waiter. The first promotion to executive position is when you are made cap- tain. As a captain you learn to handle men, good and bad. Never aspire to the position of head water. Let it come to you unexpected. But once in harness take right hold of the reins and tighten up. Keep your crew right in front of you. Let them know that you are the general and that you are watching every move. Let them know that their faithfulness to duty is the only reprieve from dismissal. Have no favorites, pets, or spies. Let all look alil^e to you. Trust no one to do that which is entrusted to you to do. Watch all points. Watch the steward and the manager: note their peculiarities, study their wants. Be a mind reader. Know when to move away, and when to come forward. Don't butt in, but keep out. When you are wanted, you will be told. Don't be contrary. Do as you are told, then offer suggestions, if they will be consid- ered. Don't get uneasy if the proprietor don't say ''Good Morning" to you. Don't think every time he is talking to one of your wait- ers, he is talking about you. Don't be super- stitious. Don't draw money between pay days, or be garnisheed. Don't gamble, play cards, or checkers with your crew, or room them at your house, or ask them to tip you, or sell them a jacket or a vest. All these things bring on a familiarity which breeds contempt, and results in loss of control of your crewj 146 THE AMERICAN WAITER. and sooner or later will be the cause of yonr own dismissal. Take notice when the proprietor enters the dining room. His eyes see every defect at a glance. Generally you are the first one he meets, and he sizes you up from head to foot, your shirt, collar, your cuffs, your trousers and your shoes. Keep neat and clean yourself, and your crew may follow suit. Give dining room plenty of air and ventilation at all times. Fresh air is necessary. See for yourself that all side work is properly done, that sideboards are clean, also the finger glasses and crumb trays. Don't talk too much to the proprietor. When he comes to the room, let him alone. Stay away from him. Say "Good Morning" to him as you would to a guest, for you have plenty of business, without trying to entertain him. Do not be afraid of him, his wife, son or daughter. There is no occasion to be, so long as you are doing your duty. Treat them as the guests, with becoming respect. Give prompt service, which indicates that the guests get the same. Serve them as soon as possible. Don't be afraid to use the family waiter in case you are short of help: but it is best to always get rid of the family first. (It is often diflScult nowadays to keep a '^family" waiter. Why? I cannot tell — unless tips!) Don't imagine the proprietor wants you every time he comes to the dining room door. Stay away. If he wants you, he will tell you by a sign. It is his place, and he has a right to look into his own place. * * * The steward is the man who can make your position pleasant or unpleasant. The head waiter and steward should be on good terms at all times. Work to each other's THE AMERICAN WAITER. 147 interest. Keep the steward posted as to the pleasure of the guests, how they are pleased with the furnishings of the table, etc. The steward can save you much trouble, as, for instance, he can often reach the proprietor in a help proposition better than you can. Honor and respect him as your superior. Obey his orders; and you will find by so doing, that you may be let alone to run your own department. * * * The clerks are an important link to your position. Be as pleasant with them as you can, for they can save you much trouble; and, re- member, can also make you much trouble, if they form a dislike for you. The clerk today may be manager tomorrow, proprietor next week. A FEW DONT'S. DON'T pull your mustache. DON'T clean your finger nails in dining room. DON'T fail to report for duty without per- mission. DON'T carry packages from hotel. DON'T hang around office or bar. DON'T play or get familiar with female help. DON'T get in the steward's path. DON'T double an order for one person. DON'T refuse to accept your order in kitchen. DON'T complain about your work. DON'T strike. DON'T dictate to guest. DON'T play in the kitchen. DON'T debate with cooks. DON'T use tobacco or gum in dining room. DON'T make disturbance because you are gO' ing to quit. 148 INDEX. Page Apollanaris, to serve 115 Appearance i Apples 15 Artistic and bad service contrasted 41 Baked apples 17 Bananas 16 Banquet. 150 covers 93 Banquet in private family 108 Banquet, setting tabic for 92 Banquet service 92 Banquet service, general review of 109 Banquet tables, building 98 Banquet, table set for 91 Bass ale, to serve * 115 Beef tea 14 Berries • " 15 Beverages 73 Bill of fare, handing the 17 Bottle beer, to serve 116 Branch work 3 Brandy, to serve 119 Brass, to clean and polish 5 Bread, to cut old or new 75 Breakages and charges 121 Breakfast orders 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29 Breakfast order, private tray 67 Breakfast or supper, to serve 30 Breakfast, service of boiled eggs, toast and coflEee 11 Breakfast table, to set 24 Bufifet and service table 46 Burgundy, to serve 117 Bussman, the 22 Cakes, hot 10 Cantaloup 16 Captain, the 21 INDEX. 149 Page Carriage callers 107 Casserole service on service table 133 Cereals, service of 8 Chafing dish and appointments 142 Chair lessons 6 Champagne, to serve 117 Checking 123 Cheese, service of 53 Chocolate 14 Christmas dinner 52 Clams, to open 7 Claret, to serve 116 Clerk, the 147 Club steak 137 Cocoa 14 Coffee 14 Cold lunch, private order 70 Collations 76 Collation for dancing or euchre party 81-83 Collation for 400 77 Colonial club cheese 55 Contrasting artistic and bad service 41 Copper, to clean and polish 5 Corkage, charge for 119 Cream toast 9 Deportment 19 Dessert orders 59, 60 and 61 Dinner 30 Dinner, Christmas. 52 Dinner for four, family style 32 and 40 Dinner order, private tray 68 Dinner party in private family 108 Dinner party of twelve served by one waiter 42 Dinner service for four 39 Dinner service for one 39 Dinner service, table set for 31 Dinner, six orders 34 Dinner table, to set 25 Dip toast 9 Dissatisfied guests, avoid trouble with ig 150 INDEX. V. Page Don't bring more than guest orders 37 Don'ts, A few 147 Door men 107 Dress i Duck, mallard and teal, to carve 138 Ear and eye, training the 6 Eggs, to serve 10 English dressing, to make 58 Fish, to carve 138 French dressing, to make 56 and 57 French toast 9 Fresh fish, substitutes for 51 Fruit salads, to serve 59 Fruits, service of 14 Grapes 15 Grape fruit 15 Green salads, to serve 59 Head waiter and proprietor 145 Headwaiter, the 144 Hot cakes 10 Ice table for ladies* luncheon 88 Iced tea. 12 Lecture 119 Lemonade 73 Linen man 23 Liquors, service of 112 Liqueurs, to serve 118 Lobsters 140 Lobster, broiled live 142 Lobster, cold boiled 141 Lunch, to be served in room 69 Lunches, to put up 76 Luncheon 61 Luncheon, informal, for ladies club 87 Luncheon, stag buffet for fifty. 89 Mayonnaise 58 Meat and fish salads, to serve 59 Menu, handing the 17 Milk toast 9 Mustard, English 56 INDEX. 151 Page Neufchatel cheese and bar le due, service of 54 Oil bottles, to clean 5 Omelettes, to serve 11 Oranges 16 Outfit I Oysters and clams, to serve 139 Oyster cocktail, service of 38 Oysters, to open , 7 Peaches, pears and plums 15 Picnic party, serving 84 Pineapple 17 Planked shad with mushrooms, service of. . . 49 Porterhouse steak 137 Private orders 65 Private order, cold lunch 70 Private order for room 70 Private service of breakfast or supper 69 Private tray, breakfast order 67 Private tray, dinner order 68 Private viraiter 66 Punch, claret 73 Punch, Madonock 73 Punch table for luncheon 89 Rancid oil, a cure for 6 Receptions, public and private, and at homes 105 Relishes, service of 53 Restaurant order, party of four 132 Restaurant waiter at work 127 Restaurant work 123 Salads 56 Salads served with mayonnaise 58 Salt and pepper shakers, to clean 6 Sandwiches, to make 74 Sauterne, to serve 117 Seating problem 6 Service, requisites of first class 20 Sherry, to serve 117 Shredded wheat biscuit 8 Silver, to clean and polish 5 Sirloin, double extra 137 ^52 INDEX. Paoro Spoons, a place for iii Steak and potatoes, to serve 130 Steaks, to carve 135 Stealing and eating 122 Steward, the X46 Stewed fruits. 17 Stout, to serve 116 Strawberries . 15 Substitutes for fresh fish 51 Supper, to serve 29 Tables, building banquet 98 Table, heart shaped. , , 104 Table, round 103 Taking a guest's order 29 Tea, to make and serve 12 Tips 62 and 121 Toast, how to make 9 Training the ear and eye 6 Triscuit 8 Vinegar bottles, to clean 5 Waffles 10 Watch-duty 3 Water bottles, to clean 5 Water boy 23 Water glasses, refilling 37 Watermelon 16 Welsh rabbit for theater party, without waiter 71 Wine glasses, arrangement of 11 1 Wine, opening with loud report 115 Wine, remarks on 114 Wines, service of iii and 112 Wine, to wrap a bottle of 113 Work, when to apply for 2 American Waiter Bif John B. Goins PART 2. Copyright 1914. by John B. Goins Published by THE HOTEL MONTHLY PRESS 123 North Wacker Drive Chicago 6, lU. INTRODUCTION In writing this appendix to The American Waiter my aim has been to add chapters on European service, parties and banquets, which I trust will meet the requirements of polite service. "With the proper application of the instructions given and improving on them when opportunity presents itself, you have a fundamental principle to work from that would otherwise take many years of travel and experience to gain. There are different ways of giving good service and it is impossible to prescribe hard and fast rules. I have outlined only those methods that have proved satisfactory in places where I have been employed. The illustrations in the book are crude, but I trust they will serve to convey the ideas intended. J. B. G. THE AMERICAN WAITER 159 PORTIONS AND HALF PORTIONS: These rules will apply to any high class restaurant or club: In restaurants where they serve half portions, the half portion is intended for one person. One whole portion will serve two persons. When one whole portion is served to three per- sons, an extra charge is usually made for service, as the extra napkin, china, silver, glassware, condi- ments and the like. Two whole portions will serve four persons; three whole portions will serve six persons, etc., etc. High class hotels, restaurants and cafes now customarily serve a single portion to one person only. * * » ■ RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TO-DAY: Owing to the fact that it is impossible for all waiters to be at roll call to acquaint themselves with the "specialties for to-day,'* the head waiter is fur- nished with a list of "ready" dishes and other articles to be recommended to guest for the day. He reads this to the waiters at roll call; and for the convenience of those waiters who are not at roU call, the list is posted on a blackboard located in. a conspicuous place, where each waiter may see what the chef has specialized for the day. See accompanying illustration : RECOMMEND TO-DAY Whitefish Shad and Boe Spring TurJcey, planTced Blue Points, BocJcaways Salads of all Tcinds Desserts 3/10/12 To be a good, first class salesman, keep yourself well posted on what is specially good to-day, how it is cooked, and the price. Recommend soups, relishes, salads, desserts, as there is more profit in these than in steaks. * » » Do not fail to put the number of persons on each check that you serve. 160 THE AMERICAN WAITER SERVICE PLATES: In all high class cafes or restaurants, the use of service plates has become general. Special service plates (base plates) are provided for this purpose, and each table should be set with them. In some places it is customary to have service plates on the table throughout the service, only removing to be cleaned when soiled. But a great many guests object to having a plate under the one they are eating from, and may ask you to remove it. In such cases, you must do so; also inform your head waiter that the guest pre- fers to have the service plate removed. For illus- tration of a table set with service plate, see dia- gram No. 45. KEY TO DIAGRAM No. 45: 1 — Table; 2 — service plates; 3 — ^plate on which food is served; 4 — nap- kins; 5 — salt and pepper; 6 — water bottle; 7— water glasses. * • • CLUB BBEAKFASTS: A combination set of breakfasts which can be had at a set price for each breakfast, and are numbered from one up. Each breakfast has its particular combination, THE AMERICAN WAITER 161 and may not be changed, altered, or substituted with dishes from other combinations, but must bo served as they appear on the bill. * « * CLUB BEEAKFASTS No. 1 — 35 cents: Octmeal; rolls and coffee. No. 2 — 60 cents; Bacon; hoiled eggs; wheat calces; coffee. No. 3 — 60 cents: Ham or lacon and eggs; halced potatoes; rolls; coffee. To order any club breakfast as illustrated, simply write on the check the number of the com- bination, as ** No. 1" or "No. 3.'' » » » PAYING CHECKS AT CASHIER ^S DESK: When several are at the window at one time, never throw a check down and walk away. Wait your turn, and pay check directly to cashier. In receiving change from cashier, count it in her presence, that any mistake may be corrected at once. The cashier will foot up all checks; but it is best that you learn to foot up your own check, as it will help you in your service. After your check has been footed up, present it to your patron, that he may know what the amount is, so there can be no doubt as to the correctness of the bill, or an overcharge. « • » WRITING ORDERS FOR GUESTS: Some restaurants and cafes require the waiters to write the orders on the checks. Here it must be under- stood that you are responsible for any mistakes in your ordering. That is, should you write a whole portion when you only wanted a half portion, you will be responsible for the whole portion, and made to pay the difference in price. Experience has taught me that the safest way is for the guest to write his own order, which is evidence to settle mistakes, for the guest generally knows his own handwriting. 162 THE AMERICAN WAITER Bead all orders carefully before leaving guest, as it is very annoying to return to guest, after being in the kitchen for fifteen minutes, to ask some question you should have found out before leaving the dining room. WHEN GUEST EEFUSES TO ACCEPT AR- TICLE : Should guest refuse to accept any article ordered, and you are perfectly sure in your own mind that the article is what it is represented to be, and you have made the necessary explanations to the best of your ability, in a polite and intelli- gent way with that ''smile that won't come off,** and the patron asks you to send the head waiter to him, then say, "1 will gladly do so." But do not say to the head waiter, ''Mr. B., the party on my station would like to see you." Instead, explain the circumstances, and tell the head waiter what objection is made to the article, and whether you had offered to exchange it. By so doing, your head waiter will know just how to handle the case satisfactorily to the guest and the manage- ment. Otherwise, the head waiter is liable to undo what you were on the right road of doing. * * * ARTICLES TO BE SCRATCHED ON BILL OF FARE: Articles appearing on biU of fare sometimes run out, and it is necessary to scratch the bill. Do not scratch out the article as in Diagram No. 46-B, but use the lines as in Dia- gram No. 46-C. -^4^^i M - DluLLli !9 - ^^ ^ Broiled Halibut Steak 40 \ W^W^/(^/^0/0 ... M lf(oC Note: Waiters must not scratch articles off the bill unless so instructed by the head waiter, who should be notified by the steward or chef when to do so. * * * RELISHES: In some high class restaurants there is a charge for such accessories as salad THE AMERICAN WAITER 163 dressing, chili sauce, chow chow, chutney, may- onnaise, etc. In places where the trade is of a moderate class these relishes are served gratis; but in general only Worcestershire, horseradish, mustard and tabasco sauce are served gratis, so it is necessary to adapt yourself to the rules of the place where you are employed. * # * AEM SERVICE: In recent years many hotels have adopted the arm service, and the old-fash- ioned tray is fast passing out of existence, the only tray used being for silver service. To be an all-round waiter in the matter of carrying a tray, and doing without it, it is well that you should learn to carry dishes on your left arm. While the service is not universally used, it will eventually be so. It is useless for me to attempt to write a chapter on **How to carry dishes on your arm," for no two waiters carry them alike. It is an art that you will have to master for your- self, and the sooner the better for you. » » * ' WAITER'S SILVER CABINET AND TRAY REST: In many of the high class cafes and restaurants, each waiter has his own silver cab- inet at his station in the dining room (see dia- gram No. 47). Each waiter is responsible for every piece of silver assigned to him; also nap- kins, table cloths, service doilies, etc. In other words, a full working outfit is in his cabinet. Should you be assigned to one four-seat table, your cabinet should be equipped with: 2 double sets of silver, consisting of 16 steel knives, 16 silver knives, 16 forks, 16 butter spreads and 16 fruit knives. 2 carving knives and forks for steaks; 1 bird or duck carving set; 1 fish knife and fork; 1 salad set. 24 tea spoons; 12 bouillon spoons; 12 after dinner spoons; 6 service spoons; 12 soup spoons j 12 dessert spoons. 1 cigar lighter ; 4 ash trays ; 2 match safes. 164 THE AMERICAN WAITEE 1 mustard pot; 1 horseradish pot; 1 catsup; 1 Worcester or other sauce. 6 finger bowls; 1 crumb tray, etc. When such cabinets are used, tray rests are not used, as the tray is rested on top of the cabinet. This cabinet is so arranged as to have a sliding leaf which can be pulled out at the side, making an extension for carving and serving plates. Z] If???? ce o lO O .ixx KEY TO DIAGRAM No. 47: X — ^whcre waiter rests tray; XX — extension leaf; 1 — silver and steel knives and forks; 2 — napkins, doilies, and table cloths; 3 — table, dessert, and service spoons; 4 — oil and vinegar; 5 — tea, after dinner, and bouillon spoons; 6 — fish and salad set; 7 — carving knives and forks; 8 — crumb pan; 9 — ^Worcester or other sauce, catsup, mustard; 10 — finger bowls; 11 — aah trays, matches. THE AMERICAN WAITER 165 GOOD, POLITE SERVICE REQUIRES TIME: In order that you may be able to advise, and suggest to guest intelligently, and be a good, smart salesman, you should be posted on all subjects pertaining to your calling, especially as to the time required to cook special dishes, steaks, chops, etc. TIME REQUIRED TO COOK MINUTES Rump steak, for 1 or 2 persons 15 Club steak, for 1 or 2 persons 20 Hamburger steak, for 1 or 2 persons 20 Extra sirloin, for 3 persons 25 Extra large sirloin, for 4 persons 30 Porterhouse, for 1, 2 or 3 persona 25 Extra porterhouse, for 3 or 4 persons 30 Special porterhouse, for 5 or 6 persons 40 Planked sirloin, for 2 persons 20 Planked porterhouse, bouquetiere 30 Planked spring turkey, bouquetiere 40 Planked shad or whitefish 25 Special grills 20 Roast tenderloin beef, for 6 or 8 persons. ... 30 Chicken a la king, for 1, 3 or 5 persons 25 Chicken hash with peppers, for 1, 3 or 5... 25 Home made soups: Clam chowder 25 Vegetable soup 20 Cream of tomato 20 Onion au gratin 25 * » * HORS d'OEUVRES— APPETIZERS These are appetizers to start the meal with, as canape, caviar, anchovies, etc. Also at the head of the card are listed the vegetable relishes, as celery, olives, radishes, sweet pickles, chow chow, young onions, mangoes, etc., which should be served with blue points or clams. • « • SERVICE FOR FOUR PERSONS, WAITER NO. 16: The head waiter has seated a party of four at your station. Place your pencil and check book 166 THE AMEKICAN WAITER at host^s right, on the table. The bussman will serve water, the waiter standing within speaking distance. NO. PERSONS'^ WAITER /6 H- Gptuat / S.0 I QjIla^^ ^0 1 yi^ Qai..MrcxU^ d'O 1 Cp^cuCt lAAA.^yy^^\^^^^^^ Jf 00 2 CX^CLAy^ 30 TOTAL 13 bo When guest has completed the order and hands check to you, read carefully before you start away. Ask any necessary question regarding the order. Say to bussman: Put on service for cocktails. Then put on service for celery, birds, oysters, salad. The bussman should put on all necessary silver, bread, wafers, butter, horseradish, and ta- basco sauce (see diagram No. 48 — Check of party, with order made out). Diagram No. 49, as buss- man should set table for waiter. THE AMERICAN WAITER 16T KEY TO DIAGRAM No. 49: 1 — Table; 2 — service and four plates for caviar ; 3 — platter with caviar ; 4 — steel knife, silver knife, butter spread, oyster fork, service spoon; 5 — two forks for bird and salad, and plate for celery; 6 — ^butter, water and **X" wine glasses; 7 — small plate for cocktail glass; 8-9 — bread and wafers; 10 — ^tabasco and horseradish on silver tray. DIAGRAM No. 50 (service OP COTUITS) t 1— • Table; 2 — 12-inch platter with doily; 3 — cotuits. THE AMERICAN WAITER KEY TO DIAGRAM No. 51 : 1 — ^Planked birds as presented to guest; 2 — birds removed to service table; 3 — ^bird removed from plank to dinner plate; 4 — dinner plate; 5 — ^bird; 6 — ^toast; 7 — jelly in case; 8 — mashed potatoes; 9 — slice of lemon; 10 — asparagus; 11 — ^peas in case; 12 — parsley. THE AMERICAN WAITER 169 Go to bar and order four cocktails, and one quart of Mumm's. Say to bartender: Let mo have cocktails first, please. Leave your check with bartender that he may stamp the price. Eeturn to kitchen pantry. First order celery and rye bread; then go to cold meat room. Order one box of caviar and four half orders of cotuits. Let me have the caviar first, please. Go to roast cook. Order four planked squabs, bouquetiere. Then you are on your way back to the bar for cocktails. Eeturn to dining room; serve cocktails as in diagram 49, No. 7. Eeturn to kitchen for caviar, rye bread and celery. Stop at checker's desk for her to stamp the price. Eeturn to dining room with caviar on platter, celery in celery dish, rye bread and four six-inch plates. Present caviar to guest. Ask permission to serve it. If guest wishes to serve caviar himself, set it on the table as in diagram 49, figure 3. As host helps each plate, pass it to each guest. Pass the rye bread. Eeturn to kitchen for cotuits. Stop at checker's desk and have price stamped on check. Eeturn to station. Serve cotuits as in diagram No. 50, passing 1 tabasco sauce, horseradish, wafers, salt and pep- per. Serve water, and more butter if necessary. i Proceed to bar with check ; call for your quart of Mumm's, and four glasses. Present check; I have wine stamped on it. Eeturn to station. Place I wine glasses on table as in diagram 49, figure X. i Eemove oyster course. Crumb table. Eeplenish I silver, etc. Eeturn to kitchen for planked birds and four dinner plates. Stop at checker's desk; have price stamped. Eeturn to station and present birds. If told to serve, see diagram 51. After removing all birds from plank to dinner plates, as in diagram 51, No. 3, serve each guest, placing dinner plate on the service plate. Servo champagne at once. Artichokes next course. Eemove service of birds. Go to kitchen for artichokes; stop at checker'* 170 THE AMERICAN WAITER desk. Have checker stamp price. Eeturn t'* dining room. Serve artichoke as in diagram No. 52. DIAGRAM No. 52 : 1 — Table ; 2 — artichoke served on six-inch plate with doily (pass wafers) ; 3-- sauce dish; 4 — service plate for leaves of arti- choke; 5 — gooseneck with French dressing or may- onnaise in sauce dish; 6 — salad fork; butter spread. THE AMERICAN WAITER 171 ^ Kemove artichokes. Go to pantry for St. Jacques. Stop at checker's stand; have price stamped for St. Jacques. Eeturn to dining room. Serve St. Jacques as in diagram No. 52X: 1 — Service plate; 2 — St. Jacques on 6-inch plate; 3 — tea spoon. Remove St. Jacques. Go to pantry for four demi-tasse coffees. Stop at checker's desk. Have price of coffee stamped on cheek. Eeturn to sta- tion. Serve coffee in usual fashion. Proceed to cigar stand or bar for cigars. Have price stamped. Eeturn to station. Pass cigars, ash trays, and cigar lighter or matches. Serve finger bowls. Go to cashier's desk. Have check footed up as in diagram No. 48. Eeturn to station. Present check to guest. Eeceive cash, pay check, and re- turn change. When guest leaves your station change cloth, and reset table. Bussman should restock your silver cabinet with silver. * * » SEA FOOD TO SERVE BLUE POINTS OR OTHER SMALL OYSTERS (See diagram No. 53X) TO SERVE RO OKA WAYS, BUZZARD BAY, LYNN HAVEN, NEW YORK COUNTS, COTUITS, AND CAPE COD OYSTERS (See diagram No. 53 Y) Serve tabasco sauce, horseradish, crackers, but- ter spread and oyster fork. * * » Serve clams the same as blue points. » » # Shell or pepper roast, or steamed oysters and clams: Serve same as in diagram No. 53 Y, using napkin or doily on platter. Serve with plate. TO SERVE OYSTER COCKTAIL, CRABFLAKE, OR LOBSTER COCKTAIL (See diagram No. 54) TO SERVE FRIED OYSTERS: PlAIN FRIED, CRUMB JPRIED, BALTIMORE BROILED, OR PLAIN BROILED (See diagram No. 55) TO SERVE BOSTON STEW (See diagram No. 56) 172 THE AMERICAN WAITER KEY TO DIAGRAM No. 53X: 1 — Table; 2 — service plate; 3 — soup plate with ice; 4 — ^blue points and lemon; 5 — crackers; 6 — ^water; 7 — salt, pepper, catsup; 8 — tabasco and horseradish; 9 — oyster fork and butter spread; 10 — ^butter. KEY TO DIAGRAM No. 53Y: l--12-inch platter with ice; 2— large oysters; 3— half lemon. THE AMERICAN WAITER 173 KEY TO DIAGRAM No. 54: 1 — Service plate; 2 — silver bowl; 3 — glass vessel for cocktail; 4 — shaved ice. Or, 5 — soup plate with ice; 6 — glass for cock- tail; 7 — service plate. KEY TO DIAGRAM No. 55: 1 — Table; 2 — service and dinner plate; 3 — platter with doily and oys- 174 THE AMERICAN "WAITER ters; 4 — ^lemon and parsley; 5 — ^bread and crack- ers; 6 — catsup; 7 — salt and pepper; 8 — ^butter; 9 — water; 10 — silver knife, butter spread and service spoon; 11 — fork. KEY TO DIAGRAM No. 56: 1 — Table; 2 — ^bowl; 3 — toast; 4 — oysters; 5 — service plate; 6 — catsup. Serve with soup: spoon, butter spread, crackers and butter. Serve plain, dry, cream or milk stew the same as Boston stew, omitting toast. Serve Boston simmer or pan roast the same as Boston stew, using pan or au gratin dish in place of bowl. TO SERVE PROGS ' LEGS OR SOFT SHELL CRABS (See diagram No. 57) FISH Serve whitebait or smelts the same as in dia- gram No. 57. « « * To serve planked whitefish or shad with roe, see diagram No. 58. THE AMERICAN WAITER 175 KEY TO DIAGRAM No, 57: 1 — ^Table; 2 — ^platter with doily; 3 — frogs' legs or crabs; 4 — service and dinner plates; 5 — ^bread; 6 — tartar sauce; 7 — silver and butter knife, 1 fork; 8— water; 9 — butter; 10 — salt and pepper. KEY TO DIAGRAM No. 58: 1 — Table; 2— plank, with filigree frame; 3— oak plank; 4 — shad or 176 THE AMERICAN WAITER whitefish; 5 — service and dinner plate; 6 — ^fish knife, silver knife; butter spread; 7 — fish fork, service fork. Broiled trout, black and rock bass, finnan haddie, whitefish, bluefish, salmon steak, etc., serve on platters. « • • SEEVICE OF SOUPS, BOUILLON, AND BEOTHS: All clear broths should be served in bouillon cups. (See diagram No. 59 for service of tureen, bouillon in cup or au gratin pot for onion soup.) KEY TO DIAGRAM 59a: 1 — Table; 2 — ^bouillon cup and saucer, and service plate. diagram 59b: 1 — Soup tureen; 2 — soup plate; 3 — soup ladle. DIAGRAM 59c — Pot for onion soup au gratin: 1 — Soup pot ; 2 — ^ladle ; 3 — service plate under pot ; 4 — soup plate. All soups thick or with vegetables should be served from tureen or in soup plate, with neces- sary silver. Oyster stew should not be served as soup. When oyster stew is ordered, serve in bowl. Bisque of oyster is a soup. Serve in tureen. Serve onion soup au gratin in pot as in diagram 590. SERVICE OF STEAKS, CHOPS AND GRILLS: In serving planked steaks first serve each plate with an equal portion of the garnish. THE AMERICAN WAITER 17^ Then remove the steak to a separate platter and carve. If four, five, or six persons, always lay out all plates before you commence to serve gar- nish or carve the steak. By so doing, you are not wasting your time picking up and laying down your carving set and spoons. (See diagram 60, for planked steak, and plates helped with garnish.) KEY TO DIAGRAM 60: 1 — Servic6 table; 2 — ^plank with filigree frame; 3 — steak, a la St. Joe; 4 — 3 plates with garnish; 5 — 1 plate with garnish and 178 THE AMERICAN WAITER steak; 6 — extra platter to carve steak on. Garnish: peas, string beans, mushrooms, aspar- agus, mashed potatoes. « * » EOYAL HOESEGUAKD STEAK A three-rib roast with ribs taken out, roasted with ox-marrow, stuffed red or green peppers, po- tato croquettes, bordelaise sauce. (See diagram No. 61.) KEY TO DIAGRAM No. 61: 1— -Platter; 2— Eoyal Horseguard steak; 3 — stuffed peppers; 4 — ^potato croquettes; 5 — paper frill; 6 — where to carve steak; 7 — how steak should look on plates when carved triangle shape; 8 — stuffed peppers on plate; 9 — potato croquettes; delaise sauce. ) — ox marrow; 10 — bor- THE AMERICAN WAITER 179 TO SERVE STEAK, SQUAB, OR CHICKEN EN CAS- SEROLE (see diagram 62 A, illustrating how cas- serole dish should be placed in front of guest who desires to serve squabs or steaks; and 62B, illus- trating how casserole dish has been presented to guest, then removed to side table to be served by waiter). KEY TO DIAGRAM 62a: 1 — Guest table; 2 — cas- serole dish; 3 — dinner plates; 4 — carving knife, carving fork, soup ladle; 5 — steel knife, butter spread, dinner fork. KEY TO DIAGRAM 62b: 1 — Servico table; 2 — casserole dish ; 3 — dinner plates ; 4 — carving knife, fork, ladle, tablespoon; 5 — platter for carving chicken if necessary. 180 THE AMERICAN WAITER SPECIAL GEILL, ST. ANTHONY Serve on chop plates (see diagram No. 63), KEY TO DIAGRAM 63: 1 — Table; 2 — chop plate; 3 — ^English chop; 4 — ^baked tomato; 5 — ^baked apple; 6 — grilled potato; 7 — grilled sausage; 8 — grilled bacon; 9 — grilled banana; 10 — ^parsley; 11 — steel knife and butter spread; 12 — fork; 13 — salt and pepper; 14 — table sauce; 15 — ^bread; 16 — butter; 17 — water glass. Note: To be served on and eaten from chop plate. « • « PLANKED TUEKEY BOUQUETIEEE (See diagram No. 64) TO CAEVE WHOLE PLANKED TUEKEY: Present turkey to guest. Ask permission to carve. Eemove to side table (see diagram No. 65). After you have removed the turkey from the plank to the platter, carve and help each plate as in diagram No. 65. To carve (see diagram No. 64) : First remove leg and second joint, then carve turkey along dotted lines A to B, C to D, and C to E. Carve the other half the same as first. Serve each guest as in diagram No. 66. THE AMERICAN WAITEE 181 KEY T0> DIAGRAM 64: 1 — 24-inch platter; 2 — plank; 3 — ^whole turkey; 4 — ^peas in case; 5— afl- paragua tips; 6 — ^mashed potatoes en bordure. 182 THE AMERICAN WAITEE KEY TO DIAGRAM 65: 1 — Service table; 2 — ^plank which turkey was on; 3 — large platter which turkey should be carved on; 4 and 6 — represents dinner plates for turkey; 5— represents six-inch plates for garnish. KEY TO plates: On 4 of the plates are distrib- uted leg and second joint, wing and slices of the breast; 6 all white meat. THE AMERICAN WAITER 183 KEY TO DIAGRAM No. 66: 1 — Table; 2 — service plate; 3 — dinner plate with turkey; 4 — opiate with garnish; 5 — ^bone plate; 6 — steel knife, butter spread, water, butter, service spoon; 7 — 2 forks; 8 — salt and pepper. Remarks: The object of carving a planked turkey in large portions. The heat and flavor are retained, and to give each guest an equal part. Or, after removing the joints, the turkey can be sliced, giving each guest a part of the white and dark meat; but the first way is better, as eight portions can be made with a good-sized spring turkey. # * * TO CARVE AND SERVE DUCKS Serve currant jelly with canvas back, teal, and mallard ducks. The connoisseur generally eats the breast of the above ducks. To carve such ducks, see diagram 67. To carve a domestic duck: Remove legs and wings, then carve slices from breast on both sides. Turn over on breast and with a heavy French knife split through the back with a heavy stroke, as if chopping. Then cut the two halves of the 184 THE AMERICAN WAITER back in two portions. Serve with breast and dress- ing. Serve apple sauce, or baked apple. Carve goose the same as domestic duck. Carve chicken the same as domestic duck, ex- cept separate leg and second joint, and slice breast. Omit apple sauce or baked apple. KEY TO DIAGRAM 1^0. 67: 1— Duck on platfeFI" 2 — carving knife pressing down side of breast bone to point; 3 — cut along dotted lines to point 4; remove knife and cut from 3 to 5, and from 4 to 6; remove knife and cut from 3 to 6, and you -will have a half breast of solid meat. Eepeat on other side. GOOSE IN GEEMAN-JEWISH STYLE By permission of Mr. Ben H. Harmon, manager Neil ILouse, Columhus, Ohio Much care is taken by the German-Jewish people in fattening geese for the table. The geese are placed in a clean, small pen and fed daily. Then a goose is placed in a small box (see illustration) and a suflScient amount of food forced down into its craw, care being taken not to close its wind- pipe, or strangle it. This forcing food should be daily, in addition to feeding in pen, and should THE AMERICAN WAITER 185 "be given all the food they will take. This should continue for a week. The second week the stufang should be twice daily. Goose should then be put back in pen to prevent running fat off. After this process they are ready to kill, and you wUl notice the livers are considerably enlarged. The fat will produce an abundance of pure goose lard, which is excellent for cooking, good for rheuma- tism and colds, and used in the manufacture of Omega oil. The carcass is stewed or roasted and placed in a crock of goose lard. It can be used from time to time, either cold, or warmed up. TO COOK GOOSE (feet, neck, and wings) : Scale the scales off the feet. Then boil until softened. Add flour to thicken, season with salt and pepper. Add a beaten egg, parsley, and butter. GOOSE NECK SAUSAGE : Cut neck off close to shoulders. Care should be taken that all feath- ers be removed. Eemove the bone from the neck; close one end, and stuff with the following: Meat from neck bone, mixed with bread, sage, and enuf salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroly and stuff the neck the same as sausage. Boil until 186 THE AMERICAN WAITER thoroly well done. Eemove to a skillet and fry same in goose lard until brown. « * » GAME Broiled quail: Serve on toast, eight-inch plat- ters. Roast quail au cresson, on platter. Broiled plovers: Serve same as broiled quail, except use fried bread in place of toast. Eoast plovers: Serve on toast. Reed birds are best roasted in quantities of three. Serve on toast. Prairie hen is generally served split open and broiled like a chicken, half or whole. Serve with currant jelly. The breast is the principal part. If roasted, serve on platter and carve same as canvasback duck. Roast pheasant en plumage: Head and tail taken off and kept. Place back on with skewers after bird has been roasted. Serve on a founda- tion of toast. Squirrel — Fry and serve same as rabbit. Venison steak—Serve same as sirloin steak, with jelly. Roast Venison — Serve same as roast rump of beef with jelly. « « « RABBIT : An excellent meal may be had when a rabbit is properly cooked. I regret to say that I have met few hotel cooks who can prepare a fried rabbit like the old-time mammy cooks of Southern birth, and for this reason I offer this receipt along with the service: To fry a young rabbit: Draw and disjoint. Wash thoroly and let stand over night in salt water, changing two or three times before retiring. When ready to cook, drain all the water off, and dry each piece on a towel. Then salt and pepper and roll each piece in flour, same as chicken. Have your large skillet or spider on the range, THE AMERICAN WAITER 187 with two heaping tablespoonfuls of lard (not swimming) very hot. Place each piece in the spider, put on cover and place weight or flat iron on the cover to hold it down. Fry slowly for ten minutes. Then turn each piece. When brown turn over two or three times until an ideal brovm. Then move all the rabbit to one side of the pan. Put in a heaping tablespoonful of flour. Stir well into the hot grease until brown. Then pour in a pint of hot water (more if necessary). Keep stirring until smooth. Cover and let simmer for a few minutes. Then take the rabbit up and place it on a platter and pour the gravy over it, and you will have fried rabbit fit for a king. It is as good as milk fed chicken. To serve rabbit with fried sweet potatoes (see diagram No. 68) : KEY TO DIAGRAM No. 68: 1 — Table; 2 — splatter with rabbit; S — platter with sweet potatoes; 4 — four dinner plates; 5 — steel knife, butter spread, service spoon; 6 — two forks; 7 — salt and pepper; 8 — ^water glass; 9 — bread. 188 THE AMERICAN WAITER OPOSSUM: For many years a negro dish, but now very popular with high-class club men, hunts- men, private and stag parties. To roast an opossum. It should be hung out in the bitter cold for a night and a day after drawing. Let stand in salt and water. Make a dressing of bread, onions, garlic, sage, plenty of red pepper, and salt to taste. Stuff same as turkey or chicken. Have a good sized dripping pan. Do not lay the opossum flat down in the pan. Have some oak strips about an inch square, and lay across the pan. Then place the opossum on top of the strips, so that all the grease may drop to the bottom of the pan. Put a quart or more water in the pan also. Place in the oven and let roast slowly. Continue basting same as for turkey, and continue to turn over until brown all over. Place boiled sweet potatoes in the bottom of the pan when the opossum is near cooked. Make a gravy same as for turkey. PLANKED 'POSSUM A LA HIGGIN- BOTHAM: Have a good-sized oak board perfo- rated with holes. Split the opossum on under side from head to tail. Flatten out from 1 to 2 (see diagram No. 70). Make a small slit with your knife at points 3 so that the 'possum will lay flat on the board. Place a weight at points 4 to hold the 'possum down until it commences to brown. When brown on one side, turn the other side up, and roast slowly. Turn over again, back up. Place sweet potatoes and turnips that have been parboiled around the 'possum. Let roast until near done. Use the same dressing as for ''roast opossum," only bake the dressing in a pan, as you would corn bread. Cut dressing in diamond shape. Garnish 'possum at points 7 and 8. Place the plank on a large platter and present to guest. Serve corn bread. To carve 'possum (have a good sharp carving knife) : Carve from point 3 to A; then from B to A, then C to D, then E to D. Separate joints, THE AMERICAN WAITER 189 F to G. Carve through ribs, 1, 2, 3 and 4a. Then carve H to I. Carve other side in same manner. 190 THE AMERICAN WAITER VEGETABLES To serve grilled vegetables, sweet and Irish potatoes, Spanish or Bermuda onions, tomatoes, egg plant, and fresh mushrooms (see diagram No. 71). KEY TO DIAGRAM No. 71 (showing how thsse vegetables should be served) : 1 — Table ; 2 — plat- ter with napkin; 3 — potatoes, tomatoes, egg plant, onions, or mushrooms; 4 — six-inch plate helped with either vegetable. TO SERVE SHOESTRING- OB JTJLIEN POTATOES : Serve on a platter with napkin or doily. Use six-inch plate, as in diagram No. 71. Fancy potatoes should not be served on a plate with meat. Julien or shoestring potatoes may be eaten with the fin- gers; consequently should be served on separate plates. Baked or special baked potato : Serve on a plat- ter as in diagram No. 71, using a six-inch plate. Potatoes O'Brien: Serve on platter. Potatoes O'Brien, au Gratin: Serve in au gratin dish. (When serving these potatoes to a THE AMERICAN WAITER 191 party remove from au gratin dish to individual sauce dishes.) Service of stewed green peas, French peas string beans, cauliflower, beets, carrots, onions tomatoes, corn, brussels sprouts, turnips, parsnips kale greens, spinach, salsify, and all stewed vege tables. (When serving a party, see diagram No, 72.) Service of corn on cob (see diagram 73), Asparagus: Serve on platter, same as corn on cob, without napkin. DESSERTS To serve a whole brick of ice cream to a party, use a 12-inch platter with doily or napkin (see diagram 73 A) . To serve Alaska souffle or baked ice cream (see diagram 74). Eeceipt for those who serve at home: Have a very hot oven. Place a square of thin cake about a quarter of an inch thick on plate or sauce dish. Take a good-sized mold of ice cream that is very hard, or cut a brick into portions about 21^ by 3% inches thick. Place it on top of the cake, as in diagram 74A. Then take very stiff whipped cream, or beaten white of egg, and cover the cream completely with a thick coat. Then sprinkle it with powdered sugar, so that when cooked, it will look like diagram No. 74B, and place it in a very hot oven for about ten seconds. Eemove from the oven and place on service plate. Eush the service to the table. Serve charlotte russe on six-inch plate with doily. Serve cream puffs on six-inch plate with doily. To serve biscuit glace (which has two mean- ings) : 1st — Cake, iced or glaced with sugar. 2nd — Any kind of ice cream in a mold; or ice cream in paper cases; served on plates with paper doily. 192 THE AMERICAN WAITER KEY TO DIAGRAM No. 72: 1 — Table; 2— large vegetable dish ; 3 — individual sauce dishes for vege- tables; 4 — service spoon. KEY TO DIAGRAM No. 73: 1 — Table; 2— platter with napkin; 3 — corn on cob; 4 — six-inch plates with doily; 5 — corn on cob. THE AMERICAN WAITEB KEY TO DIAGRAM No. 73A: ter with doily or napkin; 3- 4 — 6-inch plates; service fork, DIAGRAM 73b : DIAGRAM 73c: DIAGRAM 73d i 1— Table; 2— plat- -brick of ice cream; 5 — ice cream knife service; 6 — To serve Coupe St. Jacques. To serve parfaits. To serve sherbet or water ices. 194 THE AMERICAN WAITER A 1 ^ /') ^ >^ 33 /^ i1\ ^._,.— — ' // 'A \ c^ liJ \ \ ;^> > KEY TO DIAGRAM 74a: 1 — Table; 2 — service plate; 3 — square of cake; 4 — ice cream. KEY TO DIAGRAM 74b: 1 — Service plate; 2 — plate that cream is on; 3 — ^how cream should look after baking; 4 — Maraschino or creme de menth cherry. FEENCH PASTEY, ASSORTED, as tarts, Eclairs, cream puffs, Napoleon cake, etc.: The best way to advertise and sell these is to have a waiter pass up and down the dining room with tray of French pastry, pausing at tables that guests may take notice. (See diagram No. 75, tray with French pastry.) THE AMERICAN WAITER 195 KEY TO DIAGRAM 75: 1 — ^Tray; 2 — ^Napoleon cake; 3 — tarts; 4 — eclairs; 5 — ^Boston cream pie; 6 — cream puff. Serve these on six-inch plates with doily. * * * WATER MELON AU CHAMPAGNE, OR GIN- GER ALE: Plug a good ripe melon. Have a pint or quart of champagne or ginger ale. Draw cork from bottle, and place the bottle neck up end down in the melon where plugged. Let remain in ice box until contents of bottle have pene- trated melon. It is best to treat melon at night for use next day. * w * SERVICE OF COFFEE AND TEA No. 1. Single pot for one person only. No. 2. Double pot for two persons only. French coffee pot, large size, for five persons. French coffee pot holds from eight to ten after dinner cups. Special coffee served in a chafing dish (Re- ceipt) : Prepare chafing dish in usual way with water in bain marie. Light lamp. After put- ting in a quart of ready made strong coffee, drop six cloves, and six pieces of cinnamon and let come to a boil. Place chafing dish and a small decanter of brandy in front of guest to serve. Pour brandy in the coffee, and light it. TO SERVE COFFEE IN PERCOLATOR: When gUestS order special coffee in a percolator, better say to 196 THE AMERICAN WAITER them, ''I will start the percolator now, as it will take twenty or more minutes to boil.'* Then get your coffee and percolator. Eemove percolator from bain marie; put hot water in boiler, dry coffee in percolator; replace percolator on boiler; light lamp. TEA: Serve in tea pots for one or two persons, as ordered. For complete service, serve pot of very hot water with tea. TEA AU RUM: Any kind of tea ordered, and a decanter of rum. « * • LUNCHEONS, DINNER PARTIES, AND BANQUETS A FINGER LUNCHEON: The hostess may send out invitations to a number of friends to a Finger Luncheon, everything to be eaten with the fingers. A table may be set, or you may pass your luncheon around to where the guests may be seated or standing. I offer the following menu: (Pass napTciTis) Bomllon in cup Toast strips Spring lamb chops JuUen potatoes Romaine salad, French dressing Ice cream cones Lady fingers Cocoa * * # FINGER LUNCHEON NO. 2 : Bronx cocTctail Canape caviar Stuffed olives Clam hroth in cup Fried smelts Saratoga potatoes Speared oysters with hacon Hot tea hiscuit German asparagus Bon tons Spiced coffee When guests are assembled in parlor or recep- tion room have waiters pass cocktail on service tray. Remove cocktail service when guests are finished. To serve luncheon No. 2 (see diagram No. 77) : THE AMERICAN WAITER 197 A • B D DIAGRAM No. 76 (and how to serve it) : First course, A: 1 — Cup of bouillon; 2 — service plate with toast strips. Second course, B (lamb chops) : 1 — Service plate; 2 — ^buttered roll; 3 — ^lamb chops; 4 — julien potatoes; 5 — ^parsley; 6 — slice of lemon. Third course, C (romaine salad) : 1 — six-inch plate; 2 — salad; 3 — ^wafer. Fourth course, D (ice cream cones, lady fin- 198 THE AMERICAN WAITER gers) : 1 — Service plate; 2 — cones; 3 — ^lady fin- gers. Fifth course (cocoa) : Chocolate cup and sau- cer; finger bowl. KEY TO DIAGRAM No. 77 (Ist course, E) : 1 — Service plate; 2 — canape; 3 — ^lemon; 4 — ^parsley. THE AMERICAN WAITER 199 2nd course, F: 1 — Service plate; 2 — bouillon cup and saucer; 3 — toast strips. 3rd course, G: 1 — Service plate; 2 — smelts; 3— Saratoga chips; 4 — lemon; 5 — 1 roll, buttered. 4th course, H: 1 — Service plate; 2 — fried oysters w^ith bacon, speared with skewer; 3 — buttered roll; 4 — ^parsley; 5 — lemon. 5th course, J: 1 — Service plate; 2 — German asparagus ; 3 — ^waf er. 6th course, K: 6 — Service plate for coffee cups and saucers. 7th course, L : 7 — Spiced coffee. 8th course, M: Fancy platter, with bon-bons (finger bowls). RECEIPT FOR FRIED OYSTERS WITH BACON, SPEARED WITH SKEWERS Select the smallest oysters; drain and roll in cracker crumbs, salt, and pepper. Take wood toothpicks and run through the fat part of the oyster, then through a square of bacon on the bottom. Plunge in hot grease until brown. You may use a fancy skewer and spear the oys- ters after cooking. * * * SPECIAL AFTEE THEATRE LUNCHEON FOR TWELVE YOUNG LADIES Horse necJc Fruit cocJctail Sweet wafers Tomato touillo'n, whipped cream, wafers Individual planTced whitefish Cucumbers Boast Jumbo squab au cresson Special baked potato ArticlioTce, vinaigrette Chocolate parfait Biscuit Glace Cafe noir For setting table, see diagram No. 15; for service, see diagram No. 78. RECEIPT FOR HORSE NECK: Have a tall glass, peel a lemon as you would an apple. Place a cube of ice in bottom of glass; then twist lemon rind in glass as in diagram 78N, hanging the end of rind over the edge of the glass. Fill with ginger ale. 200 THE AMERICAN WAITEE KEY TO DIAGRAM No. 78: Ist couise, N: 1 — THE AMERICAN WAITER 201 Horse neck; 2 — lemon peeling; 3 — cube of ice (fill glass with ginger ale) ; 4— -service plate. 2nd course, O: 5 — Fruit cocktail; 6 — sweet wafer. 3rd course, P: 7 — Tomato bouillon; 8 — tray with doily and toast strips; 9 — fancy bowl of ■whipped cream. 4th course, E: 10 — Planked whitefish; 11 — dressed cucumber. 5th course, S: 12 — ^Roast squab; 13 — special baked potato. 6th course, T: 14 — Artichoke; 15— extra serv- ice plate. 7th course, U: 16 — Chocolate parfait; 17 — service plate for biscuit glace. 8th course, V: 18 — After dinner cup and sau- cer. RECEIPT FOR FRUIT COCKTAIL: Fruit in season, cut in cubes, powdered sugar. Use sherry, Rhine wine, or cognac for dressing. RECEIPT FOR INDIVIDUAL PLANKED WHITEFISH: Cut fish in small pieces about five inches square. Have small oak planks about 4 by 6 inches. Fry fish to a golden brown. Place it in center of board. Put a border of mashed potatoes around edge of board, and put in oven to brown. Duck piping bags can be bought, or use manila paper twisted in cone shape, and squeeze the potato from small end. « « « A PROGRESSIVE AUTOMOBILE PARTY This party consists of twelve or more ladies who take turns entertaining six of their number to a progressive party, starting, say, from the resi- dence of Mrs. H., who serves the Martini cocktail, standing. The first stop after leaving Mrs. H. is for *'beef broth en tasse and wafers.'* Have a polished oak table set for six persons, as in dia- gram No. 79. Arriving at Mrs. A., proceed to dining room. Waiter should serve beef broth, HOT at once, pass- ing wafers. After a few minutes' chat ladies re-enter machine and proceed to Mrs. B., where 202 THE AMERICAN WAITER lake troutj grilled potatoes, cucumbers, hot rolls, are served. Eetire to parlor for fifteen minutes' chat. Proceed to Mrs. C. 's reception room. Pass Lalla Eookh punch in sherbet glass on six-inch plate with paper doily, vanilla wafer, and spoon. Chat a few minutes, proceed to Mrs. D. 's dining room and be served with salad and brown bread sandwiches. Chat a few minutes and proceed to Mrs. E.'s reception room where after dinner coffee is served. Note: Set table for fish and salad course as in bouillon course, using what silverware is nec- essary. The broth, punch and coffee course may be taken standing or as hostess desires. KEY TO DIAGRAM 79: ies ; 3 — center piece ; spoon. l—Table; 2- 4 — flowers ; -fancy doil- 5 — bouillon THE AMERICAN WAITER 203 A BEEF STEAK DINNER FOR 60 PERSONS Cape Cod oysters sauterne Celery, olives, salted almonds Oni&n soup au gratin Broiled sirloin steoJc ruin art Grilled Spanish onions O'Brien potatoes Spaghetti, Mexicana German asparagus Neufchatel cheese and Bar le duo Coffee Cognac Cigars A dinner of this description is generally given only as a stag party. The table should be set for sixty persons The decoration may be a miniature farm set upon the table, using a small fence for border. (Have the carpenter cut and make the fence of i^-inch square strips about 4 inches long, and by sawing half inch apart can be made to bend around the corners of the table.) Toy cows, horses, pigs, chickens, rabbits, ducks, etc., a pump, trough of water for cattle to water at, windmill, house, barn, etc., small stack of hay, and corn crib. These articles may be pur- chased at high class stationers or candy manu- facturers. Use green confetti for grass, and gravel for the walks. See diagram No. 80 as to how table should be set with silver and wine glasses; also where steak knife and fork should be placed for every third person to carve (marked X in diagram). 204 THE AMERICAN WAITEE KEY TO DIAGRAM No. 80: 1 — Center guest of each three indicated by x, who will carve steak (the carving knife and fork and two service spoons placed extra at his plate) ; 2 — napkin and after dinner spoon; 3 — service plate (also three dinner plates for the carver 's seat) ; 3A — service plate ; 4 — silver knife, steel knife, butter spread, oyster fork, soup spoon; 5 — two silver forks; 6— butter plate; 7 — water; 8 — sauterne; 9 — champagne; 10 — cognac glasses. The other half of diagram No. 80 (sections marked X) indicates where a carving knife and fork should be placed, making 20 carv- ing knives and forks for 60 p'ersons. Your guests are now seated; cocktails on the table. Serve Cape Cods as described in diagram 53. Pass celery, olives, salted almonds. Serve sauterne. Eemove oysters. Serve onion soup au gratin. Pass grated cheese and soup sticks. Be- move soup service. Next course: Steak, O'Brien potatoes, grilled onions, and spaghetti. See diagram No. 81 to serve steak, etc., to center (carving) guests. THE AMERICAN WAITER 205 KEY TO DIAGRAM 81 (plate to he helped for per- son at right and left of carver) : 1— Steak; 2 — potatoes and onions; 3 — one service and three din- ner plates; 4 — 1 steel and 1 silver knife, carving knife, butter spread, 2 service spoons; 5 — carving fork, and 2 silver forks; 6 — plate helped; 7 — steak; 8 — onion; 9 — ^potatoes; 10 — ^lemon; 12 — six-inch plates; 13 — spaghetti, serve 1 by waiter from side table. Serve champagne. Eemove steak service. Serve German asparagus on six-inch plates, vin- agrette sauce and wafers. Remove asparagus service and crumb table. Pass six-inch plate to each guest, also cheese knife, or small silver knife, if one on table has 206 THE AMERICAN WAITER been used. Pass Neufchatel cheese as described in diagram 18. Eemove cheese course. Pass coffee, and serve brandy from decanter. Pass cigars, matches, and finger bowls. # • « STAG BIETHDAY PAETY Martini cocTctail Canape Caviar Buzzard Bay oysters sauterne Speared hearts of celery Pecans in cases Puree of tomato, reception vmfers Broiled laTce trout, grilled potatoes PicTcled cucumhers English chop with Mdney, St. Anthony ruinart May Irwin salad Arctic souffle Coffee Cognac The host should have guests assemble in recep- tion room, and just before entering dining room waiters should pass cocktail. Eemoving cocktail service, pass canape on six-inch plates to each guest. Eemove canape service. After a few min- utes the host will announce dinner, leading the way to dining room. The table may be set as in diagram 82. THE AMERICAN WAITER 207 KET TO DIAGRAM 82: 1 — Table; 2 — ^napkin, tea and after dinner spoon; 3 — chop service plates; 4 — ^pecans in paper cases; 5 — 3 silver forks; 6 — 1 steel and 1 silver knife, butter spread, soup spoon and oyster fork; 7 — butter plate; 8 — sau- terne, champagne, brandy and water glasses; 9 — linen center piece; 10 — vase of flowers; 11 — ferns and carnations; 12 — roses; 13 — 3-inch pink rib- bon. Follow instructions for banquet service (page 92). Course 1, Oysters — Serve on English chop plate with fringed doily; no ice; have oysters and plate very cold. Pass celery and wafers (see diagram 83). 208 THE AMERICAN WAITER KEY TO DIAGRAM 83: "A," 1 — Chop plate; 2 — oysters; 3 — parsley; 4— lemon. *'B/': 1 — Celery dish; 2 — speared hearts of celery. ''C — Soup plate. ''D": l—Chop plate; 2— lake trout; 3 — ^potatoes; 4 — ^pickled cucumbers; 5 — ^half lemon. "B**: 1 — English chop; 2 — potatoes; 3 — ^baked apple; 4 — stuffed green pepper; 5 — grilled to- mato; 6 — fried banana; 7 — ^parsley. <3 J^», J ^e ^5?w..*_ // ;ti j^^ JUa^ ^a i^p.-^^..ptJh^ ' ^ -s ^ — '"^^ \ ^—-^ PIG. 103 — waiter's signature boob. When a waiter takes an order from a guest, he writes the items on the guest's check, as shown ol THE AMERICAN WAITER 213 (Fig. 104). Returning to the dining room, after having the order filled in the kitchen, the waiter stops at the checker 's stand, hands him the guest 's check, and at the same time lowers his tray, raising all covers, so that the checker can see what is on it. The checker then, selecting the proper dies, stamps the prices opposite the items on the guest's check (Fig. 105). He also stamps the same prices in the food column, under the waiter's number, on the checker's record-slip (Fig. 106) and returns the guest's check to the waiter, who then serves the guest. 1 i- 2 ■te J 3 1 4 5 a. >tn wt¥« CIOIS CI041 ncB|vui|cMU M>|«ni|eiau ■~ ^ ^ 1 — — — zz — — — — , ■ ■ — — PIG. 106 — checker's record slip w Q L Checker Ko* 1 413 FOOD WiNE CIGARS 4.00 Lock'StubCheefdn^SifStem Pat. Apr.^ *92. FIG. 107 — wine check 214 THE AMERICAN WAITER DATE ROOM No. CHECK No. 26 oi' /^ ari.^S^^-rrt^'rrxjL/ / %£€hc^yv/o4^:^Ayfcy / ^/^^*x^^^W-^.g/M on on the guest's check, opposite the wine item (Fig. 108), at the same time stamps both the duplicate and the checker's record slip with the prices. The waiter now gets the wine from the serving bar, leaving the duplicate there, and serves the wine to the guest. In some hotels, where the wine business is par- ticularly heavy, a guest check with several cou- pons at the top, usually numbered 1, 2 and 3, is used. Each coupon also has the waiter and check 216 THE AMERICAN WAITER DATE ROOM No. CHECK No. :o£ ^yuf-^'r>uyyxjty / QJuyvt^x^yJ/^eJcJi^ M. 1.25 '_m_ Aoa Waiter LOCK-STUB CHECKING SYSTEM PAT OE&29/96. FIG. 108 — guest's CHECfK WITH WINE ORDER number printed on it. With this style of guest check, transactions requiring duplicates are more quickly handled, as when drinks or any items call- ing for the use of duplicates are ordered, all the checker has to do is to stamp the amount on the coupon, instead of having to write thereon the waiter's and guest's check number. For example, if the waiter has an order for wine he goes to the checker (in some places to the cashier), who stamps the prices upon the coupon at the top of the THE AMERICAN WAITER 217 DATE ROOM No. CHECK No. ^ ^ 4rn.^^frruryvu^ Waiter LOCK-STUB CHECKING SYSTEM PAT DEC.29. 98. FIG. 109 — guest's CHECK TOTALED guest's check, as well as opposite the item in the body of the cheek and also on his sheet, under the waiter's number. The different ways of handling the wine orders depend upon the opinion of the hotel controller, or the one having charge of the systems, as to the best method required for that particular hotel. CIGAR ORDERS: When the guest orders cigars, the item is handled the same as the wine. In many hotels and restaurants the cashier also 218 THE AMERICAN WAITER runs the cigar stand. When this is the case, he or she is supplied with a set of dies, and a checker's sheet. Then the waiter secures the cigars from the cashier, who stamps the price on the guest's check and on his checker's sheet. THE CASHIER: When the guest finishes his meal, the waiter takes the cheek to the checker (in some cases to the cashier), who adds up the amount of the items, and writes the total on the check in red ink (see script figures in Fig. 109). This is done to protect the guests, who do not as a rule add up their checks and prevents the waiters overcharging guests by writing in pencil a total of more than the amount of the cheek. The guests pay the waiter, who in turn pays the cashier, leaving with him the guest checks. Some places use a guest's check with a coupon at the bottom. This coupon is used as a receipt to the waiter. When the waiter pays the cashier, the cashier signs or stamps this coupon, tears it off and hands it to the waiter. In this way, if a check is lost, the responsibility can be easily placed. The payment of each guest's check is entered by the cashier in a cashier's book (see Fig. 110). -IfJS LOCK-STUB CHECKINQ SYSTEM. f ..^.. - ■ — 1 ~,. ■r 0U«1H.« T CAM o»» IVTAt ' ' - — — — ~ - , ^S3UL^ Jf^ ^ 7-r f. /o ry J V (i J ^^ '>-( >'> ^AAJ.,.^ ^ .r. rr ^^ ^ , M ^ ^ ^ r-^ , J ^' PIG. 110 — cashier's book In the first column he enters the waiter's number, in the second column the check number, and, if the check is charged, the guest's name and room number, and in the total column, the total of the THE AMERICAN WAITER 219 check. If he has time, he also enters the amounts of food, wine and cigars, appearing on the check, in their respective columns in the cashier's book. If busj, he enters only the waiter's number, check number and the total. In restaurants where there are no charge accounts, the entries are made on i' cashier's sheet, instead of cashier's book, giving the waiter's number, check number and total amount of each check. When the cashier goes off duty he adds up the amounts in the total column of the cashier's book, and enters the total in pencil, thus showing the amount for which he is responsible. The second cashier continues to make the entries under the first cashier 's entries, and in the same way adds up separately the amount of the checks he has han- dled. The last cashier at night adds up the items for the whole day, and enters the footing, besides making a footing of the amount of the checks he has handled. The cashiers always keep the checks in the same order in which they receive them, which is, of course, the same order in which they are entered in the book. This is done to facilitate the work of the auditor. At the end of the day these used checks are turned in to the auditor together with the cashier's book. When a waiter goes off duty he returns his check holder with all unused checks to the checker, and is given credit in the book in which they were charged. The last checker on duty makes out a report of the closing consecutive number of the checks used by each waiter, and sends this, together with the checker's record-slips or sheets used for the day and their closing consecutive numbers to the auditor. AUDITING: In most hotels, the auditing for each day is done the following day; in some hotels a night force does the work. The first thing the auditor does is to verify the total of each check, to check the entries in the 220 THE AMERICAN WAITER cashier *s book hj comparing them with the guests * checks, at the same time going over the prices of food items as extended on the checks to see that they are priced correctly. The auditor then sorts the guests' checks by waiter's numbers, arranges each waiter's checks in consecutive order to see if there are any missing. The numbers of the first and last checks used are compared with the state- ment sent up by the checker, showing the number of checks used by each waiter. After this is done, the auditor checks the entries on the checker's slips with the items on the guests' checks, to see that all items are accounted for. In the event of a missing check, the unchecked items under that particular waiter on the checker's slip would be the amount called for on the lost check. After assembling and assorting the guests' checks the auditor then arranges the duplicate checks (the wine and cigar checks) by waiters' numbers, and checks them against the wine and cigar items on the guests' checks. The duplicate checks are then assembled in consecutive order to ascertain if there are any missing. If everything checks correctly, the auditor goes over and verifies the additions of the cashier 's book, and then enters the work for the day in the auditor's record book. VOID ITEMS: A transaction which oecura many times in hotels and restaurants is that known as a * * Void. ' ' This is the case where goods are re- turned. For example, a steak is improperly cooked, the cream is sour or the melon is bad. Such a transaction is handled as follows: The waiter takes the rejected food and the guest's cheek to the headwaiter, who, with a blue pencil, draws a ring around the price of that item and writes his initials opposite. The waiter then takes it to the checker who, with one of the dies, stamps the price upside down in the lower left corner of the guest's check, (Fig. Ill) and also upside down in the waiter's column of the checker's sheet. When the checker or cashier totals the guest's THE AMERICAN WAITEE 221 DATE ROOM N«, CHECK No. 28 / jlOa^t^i^^^ ^at>/c;6i2^jt / •^^^^^•^iryLA»»»^<^x^. / ^jt^'-rt^ (U^Ot>Ca-uviJ / &CUtuJ^C/i^'AiJ.i,^t^ .15 _.2Q_ 1.25 OS' Waiter LOCK-STUB CHECKING SYSTEM PAT DEC.29,'96. FIG. Ill — **A VOID item" check, this amount is always shown deducted from the total, and the auditor deducts all items stamped upside down from the amount of the checker's sheet (Fig 112). The checker enters all ** Voids" in a **Void Book'* (Fig. 113), showing waiter's number, the check number, the article returned, the price and the reason why it was returned. This book is, as a rule, shown each day to the proprietor, who thus keeps in touch with the way food is being served 222 THE AMERICAN WAITER •.'""•■■" 1 ' '1 ..ce..m.i». 1 3 1 MCO»0,UP. 4 i. 5 1 ,-oo»lwai cio&t '-I-" noil "15 t«a>|wiie|ciau «.,|«„l atu «o.|wu« a.« 40 4.00 1 i_ 1.Z5 15 — — 1 \ "If — " 20 -jr~" — 1.25 — — — ~0C ~ "~ — ■ — — — — ■-J \— - FIG. 112 — checker's sheet and cooked. If, for example, five or six steaks were returned at a meal on account of improper cooking, it shows that the chef was negligent, and the proprietor goes directly to him to find out about it. If many melons were returned because they were unripe, he goes to the steward to find out why he purchased unripe fruit. The operation and auditing of the system is practically the same whether the guest check holder and record slip be used or the loose checks and checker's sheets without the locked stubs. FIG. 113 — ^VOID BOOK THE AMERICAN WAITER 223 INDEX TO PART 2. After theatre luncheon for twelve ladies 199 Alaska Souffle, to prepare and serve 191 Appetizers 165 Arm service 163 Artichoke, service of 170 Articles to be scratched on bill-of-fare 162 Asparagus 191 Auditing , 219 Auditor, the 212 Beef steak dinner for 60 persons 203 Biscuit glace 191 Bouillon, soups and broth, service of 176 Cabinet, silver and tray rest 163 Cashier, the 218 Cashier 's book 218 Casserole, serve steak, squab, or chicken.,.. 179 Charlotte russe and cream puffs 191 Checker 's record slip 213 Checker's sheet 222 Checking, Lock-Stub system illustrated 212 Checks, paying at cashier 's desk 161 Chicken, to carve and serve 184 Chops, steaks and grills, service of 176 Cigar orders 217 Club breakfasts 160 Coffee, in percolator, to serve 195 Coffee and tea, service of . . . , 195 Corn on cob 191 Cotuits, service of 167 Coupe St. Jacques 193 Day's business, a, under the Lock-Stub check system 212 Definitions 211 Desserts 191 Ducks, to carve and serve 183 Dutch lunch ■ 209 Finger luncheons 196 Fish, service of 174 224 THE AMERICAN WAITER French pastry 194 Fried oysters, with bacon, speared, recipe. . . . 199 Fruit cocktail, recipe for 201 Game 186 Good, polite service requires time 165 Goose, to carve and serve 184 Goose, to cook, feet, neck and wings 185 Goose, German- Jewish style 184 Gooseneck sausage 185 Grilled vegetables 190 Grills, steaks, and chops, service of 176 Guests* check (illustrated) 214-217 Hors d'oeuvres 165 Horseneck, recipe for 201 Ice cream service 191 Ices and sherbets 193 Individual planked whitefish, recipe for 201 Introduction 158 Luncheons, dinner parties, and banquets. . . . 196 Novel dinner dance 209 Opossum 188 Orders, write fgr guests 161 Oysters, service of 171 Parf aits 193 Pheasant, roast en plumage 186 Planked, birds, service of 168 Planked Opossum a la Higginbotham 188 Planked turkey, bouquetiere 180 Plovers, roast, broiled 186 Portions and half portions 159 Potatoes, to serve various ways 190 Prairie hen, to serve 186 Progressive automobile party, a 201 Quail, roast, broiled, to serve 186 Eabbit, to cook and serve 187 Eecommendations for today 159 Belishes 162 Eoyal Horseguard steak 178 Sea foods, and service of 170-171 Service for four persons 165 Service plates 160 Sherbets and water ices 193 THE AMERICAN WAITER 225 Sidework for waiters 211 Silver cabinet and tray rest 163 Soups, bouillon, and broth, service of 176 Special grill, St. Anthony 180 Squirrel 186 Stag birthday party 206 Steak, squab, or chicken en casserole 179 Steaks, chops and grills, service of 176 Stewed vegetables 191 Tea and coffee, service of 195 Tea au rum 196 Time required to cook 165 Turkey, planked, to carve whole 180 Vegetables 190 Venison, roast, steak 186 Void book 222 Void items 220 Waiter's signature book 212 Watermelon au champagne, or ginger ale. . . 195 When guest refuses to accept article 162 Whitefish, individual, planked, recipe for.... 201 Wine check 213 Wine orders 214 Write orders for guests 161 Popular Handbooks for Hotel, Restaurant, Transportation Catering, Institution and Club Use Ranhofer's Epicurean: The king of cook books is "The Epicurean," by Charles Ranhofer, of Delmonico's. This book is 1,200 pages, and weighs about ten pounds. It is the most extensive, the most complete, the most readable, the most attractive, and the best all-around cook book that has ever been published. The first chapter is devoted to table service, with instruction in menu-making and the care and service of wines, the decoration of the table, the fixing of the sideboard, complete dining room instructions for the service of course dinners. French and Russian service is explained. There are lists of china, glass, and silver, etc. ; a table of supplies in which the French and English names are given, and a market list. Then follows 144 pages of menus for breakfasts, luncheons, dinners, buffet or standing suppers, _ collations, hunting parties, garden parties, dancing parties, etc. All dishes in these menus are numbered to conform with recipes for them in the body of the book. There is a chapter on elementary methods, in which even the drudgery work in the kitchen is explained, and all the work done by apprentices in the early stages of hotel kitchen work. The chapter on kitchen utensils is very full, every utensil illustrated. Then come the recipes: 200 soups, 251 sauces, 133 garnishes, 191 side dishes, 101 shell fish, 218 fish, 165 beef, 165 veal, 75 mut- ton, 109 lamb, 48 pork, 224 poultry, 163 game, 198 miscel- laneous entrees, dl salads, 172 vegetables, 100 eggs, 37 farinaceous foods, 233 sweet entrees, 170 cakes, 17 breads, 189 ices and iced drinks, 90 confectionery, and several illustrations of centerpieces. There is an exhaustive chapter on wines, several recipes for mixed drinks, and 64 pages devoted to a collection of Delmonico menus. The index occupies 44 double-column pages. There are more than 800 illustrations. A most excellent feature of The Epi- curean is that every recipe in it appears under a good honest English name, alongside of which is the translation of it into French. It is beautifully bound in Keratol Levant grain, embossed in gold. Price $7.00 The Edgewater Beach Hotel Salad Book (Shirclifife). Con- tains more than 600 tested recipes for salads and salad dressings. Mr. Shircliffe has not only given the recipes, but in many cases has supplemented them with author's notes, calling attention to special health-giving features, and suggesting diets for the different ailments that afflict humans. He also takes opportunity to preach many a short sermon on the importance of right eating and what is best for health from the cradle to old age. He also intersperses much of human interest inthe way of anec- dote, legend and historic events. In this way it is more than a cook book — it is readable to those who are not so much interested in how to make salads as in the enjoy- rnent of them. The great charm of the book js the illustra- tions, which are from direct photographs in the natural colors, SO that the dishes illustrated have the eye-appeal I and the enticing qualities of the real dish. It is a book that fits into every kitchen — home, hotel, club, hospital, restaurant, lunch room, cafeteria, steamship, dining car, industrial catering plant, institution, army mess — in fact, wherever information is desired as to the why and how to prepare for the table. Price $5.00 Salad Portfolio (Shircliffe). A set of beautiful illustra- tions of salads taken from the Edgewater Beach Salad Book. They are mounted on heavy green cover stock, 8J4 X 11 inches, each showing one or two of the salads and are suitable for framing. The portfolio may be used by the maitre d'hotel to assist him in selling party menus. The illustrations are so natural and appetizing that they make strong appeal to patrons when selecting the salad course for special menus. Also these pictures serve as a guide to pantry girls, showing them how the finished salad should look. Price $2.50 The Edgewater SandwiQh Book (Shircliffe). Supplemented with chapters on hors d'oeuvres, supremes, canapes and relishes. More than 600 recipes. This book is by the author of the Edgewater Salad Book, the most important culinary book produced in recent years. There are thirty illustra- tions of sandwiches and hors d'oeuvres. It will meet the requirements of all kinds of refreshment places from the soda fountain to lunch room, tea room and high-class restaurant. Bound in convenient pocket size. Price. . .$2.00 The Hotel St. Francis Cook Book (Hirtzler). The author was chef of Hotel St. Francis, San Francisco. Adapted for hotels, restaurants, clubs, coffee rooms, families and every place where high-class, wholesome cuisine is desired. This is the most important culinary book that has come from any press in the last twenty-five years. Mr. Hirtzler is known thruout Europe and America as one of the ablest chefs of the day. He made the cuisine of the Hotel St. Francis world-famous. A feature of the Hotel St. Francis Cook Book that will be appreciated by thousands of hotel people, caterers, families and all interested in home eco- nomics, is the selection and preparation of foods in_ sea- son ; the presentation of breakfast, luncheon and dinner menus for every day in the year — the selections appro- priate, and all dishes actually prepared and served in the Hotel St. Francis. This feature of the book gives a sugges- tive quality, a reminder attribute, and a knowledge of food economies and food attributes that is hereby brought to the aid of the proficient and the learner, also enables even the inexperienced to produce the well-balanced menu. The Hotel St. Francis Cook Book is indexed and cross indexed so that every recipe can be referred to on the instant. Price $3.00 A Selection of Dishes and The Chef's Reminder (Chas. Fellows). The book that has met with the largest sale and is in most demand from managers, stewards and cooks. Is in vest pocket form, 220 pages. The most complete and serviceable pocket reference book to culinary matters that has ever been published. It is not a cook book, in the gen- eral sense of the word, but is full of ideas and suggestions regarding bill-of-fare dishes. Chapters are devoted to en- trees of all kinds, salads, soups, consommes, fish and their sauces, sauces in general, garnishes, fancy potatoes, miscel- laneous recipes, hints to cooks and stewards, suggestions for breakfast, lunch and supper dishes, chafing dish cook- ery, menus, and a pronouncing glossary of culinary terms. Hundreds of the dishes listed are given with their bill-of- fare names only, as the cooks understand the basic work in preparing dishes, and the sauces and gardnishes are treated separately, with information as to their component parts. Thousands of men who possess a copy of this book say it is their greatest help. Printed on bond paper, bound in flexible cover. Price $1.00 The Culinary Handbook (Chas. Fellows). Presents in concise form information regarding the preparation and service of nearly 4,000 different bill-of-fare dishes; also gives much information of encyclopedic nature regarding foods of all kinds. Quick reference to every dish prescribed is facilitated with an index of 39 columns arranged in alphabetical order, and cross indexed, so that no matter what one is looking for, all he has to do is to find the initial letter and under it, in alphabetical order, for sec- ond, third and fourth letters, etc., the article wanted, with page on which it is found. Referring, for instance, to a sauce of any particular kind. Find the word Sauce in the index, and under it will be found in alphabetical order 149 different sauces; and_ under Salads, 71 different kinds, exclusive of the variations in making. Under head of Sau- sage there are 45 different kinds described, with directions for making as well as cooking and serving. In fact, the sausage information in this book is more complete than in any other published. 190 pages; 7x10 inches $2.00 Clarenbach's Hotel Accounting. In writing this book it was Mr. Clarenbach's purpose to outline a simple system of hotel accounting that would meet the needs of the aver- age hotels, particularly of hotels from 50 to 200 rooms. His first book was published in 1908 and the system was adopted by thousands of hotels. Since then there have been two revisions to meet new conditions of the more modern hotels. This is the third revision, thoroly up-to-date, and with illustrations that s:how the actual account books rul- ings and facsimile entries ; and the text matter is so clear that one need not be a practical bookkeeper to understand. The book is in four parts, these covering all departments. It shows how to get storeroom "per dollar" costs; how to handle the cigar business ; how to get an accurate state- ment of the hotel's business from month to month, and a method of auditing the front office. A "Profit and Loss" statement is shown. The text matter emphasizes the impor- tance of being accurate, of a check on every transaction, and the economy of doing things the right way, thus pre- venting vexatious mistakes that take valuable time in mak- ing corrections, and giving the operator the satisfaction that comes from being master of his business. Hotels now having workable accounting systems can find in the Clar- enbach book ideas that may be incorporated by them to advantage. Also they will find the Qarenbach system elastic, and its results can be put on a comparable basis with results obtained from other systems of hotel account- ing. The book is supplemented with a chapter headed "An outline of the front office methods of the largest hotel in the world." The book is 9x12 inches and contains 66 pages, printed on ledger paper, attractively bound in cloth cover. Price $1.00 Front Office Psychology (Heldenbrand). This is the only book that outlines rules of conduct for the people in the front office who meet the public, where a pleasing person- ality and correct habit of deportment, speeck, dress, and all-around cleanliness makes for ideal salesmanship. The suggestions^ are classified under different heads as Em- ployee relations, Your personality, Receiving and rooming 3 fuests. Handling of mail, Informatioii, Checking out, 'ront office tactics. The book is written from the prac- tical viewpoint of a student of human nature, and in this respect is a classic. It inspires to an improvement in service and can be read with profit by young and old itt the sm3.ll or the large hotel, or institution, or business house. Pocket size, 5x8 inches, 100 pages. Attractively bound in water-proof cover. (A special price is made to hotels and chains of hotels buying in quantities of ten or more.) Price $2.00 The Bell-Boyd's Guide (Heldenbrand). This book wa3 written with the object of training young men of good habits in the duties customarily performed by bell-boys. It was prepared by the author to instruct those not fa- miliar with hotels in the particular bell-boy work required for his own hotel — the Hotel Heldenbrand of Pontiac, Michigan. With slight variation this book will meet the needs of the average hotel thruout America. It is pocket si2e, 32 pages. (A package of four books for 1.00.) Price $1.00 Paul Richards' Pastry Book is the title in brief of "Paul Hichards' Book of Breads, Cakes, Pastries, Ices and Sweetmeats, Especially Adapted for Hotel and Catering Purposes." The author is known as one of the most skillful all around bakers, pastry cooks and confectioners in America, and has demonstrated the quality of his work in leading hotels. In writing this book he took particular pains to have the recipes reliable and worded in such sim- ple fashion that all who read them may readily understand and work from them. The book is in seven parts. Part I is devoted to fruit jellies and preserves; jams, jellies, compotes and syrups ; preserved crushed fruits for sher- bets and ices ; preserving pie fruits ; sugar boiling degrees ; colors. Part II, pastry and pie making, pastes and filHngs; pastry creams, patty cases, tarts and tartlets; icings. Part III, cake baking. Part IV, puddings and sauces. Part V, ice creams, ices, punches, etc. Part VI, breads, rolls, buns, etc. Part VII, candy making and miscellaneous recipes ; bread economies in hotel; caterers' price list. The recipes are readily found with the aid of 36 columns of index and cross index in the back of the book, this index forming in itself a complete directory, so to speak, of breads, pastry, ices and sugar foods. Printed on strong white paper; page 7x10 inches, 168 pages, bound in cloth $2.00 Pastry for the Restaurant, by Paul Richards, a vest pocket book of 158 pages, is, as its title indicates, espe- cially produced for the use of bakers employed in restau- rants and European plan hotels. The style of work required for the American plan hotel with table d'hote meal, and that for the European plan hotel restaurant, where each article, is sold for a separate price, has brought about a demand for a book with receipts and methods especially adapted lor the preparation of bakery and pastry goods for indi- vidual sale. The first chapter is devoted to French pastries, which are now so generally sold, yet so little understood,' because of the misnomer _ title; then follows cakes and tarts of every kind ; pies in great variety ; puddings, hot and sold; ices, ice creams, and many specialties, all set forth with ingredients, quantities, and methods of mixing and preparing, and instructions for oven or temperature control. Mr. Richards' other books have become standard the world over, and this one will be equally reliable. The index to this book makes a very complete reference to; popular pastry goods and will be found valuable as a reminder. The book is printed on bond paper $1.00 Ice Cream for Small Plants. This new book tells you how delicious, wholesome ice cream and other frozen desserts can be made economically in small quantity, such as in a hotel, club, restaurant, hospital or other institution. It contains complete information regarding the manufacture of ice creams ; also the equipment and its care. 158 care- fully standardized recipes for high grade ice creams and other frozen desserts, with 23 pages of pictures of specialty dishes. A practical handbook written in non-technical language. 180 pages, 5x71/^ inches, cloth bound. Price $2.50 Housekeeping on Parade. This book is the most complete guide to hotel and institution housekeeping that has been produced. It covers every angle for the small and the large establishment — rules and regulations; instructions for doing things the right way; recipes for cleaning; and methods of keeping track of things — all are so thoroughly explained, and the book so profusely illustrated, it makes a text book not alone for the housekeeper but for the management. 96 pages, 9x12 inches, in new plastic binding. Price .$1.00 The Vest Pocket Pastry Book (John E, Meister). This little book contains 500 recipes, includes 57 for hot pud- dings (pudding sauces, etc.; 77 for cold puddings, side dishes, jellies, etc. ; 90 for ice creams, water ices, punches, etc.; 68 for pastes, patties, pies, tarts, etc.; 11 for cake; 17 for icings, colorings, sugars, etc.; 60 for bread, rolls, yeast raised cakes, griddle cakes, etc., as well as 55 mis- cellaneous recipes. Mr. Meister wrote this book at the request of the editor of The Hotel Monthly, who had heard his work highly complimented by his employers, who said they believed him to have no superior as as first-class workman. The recipes, while given in few words, yet are easily understandable, and have helped thousands of bakers to improve their work. Book is indexed ; printed on bond paper. Price $1 .00 The Vest Pocket Vegetable Book (Chas. G. Moore), has done more to popularize the cooking and serving of vege- tables in hotels and restaurants than any other book ever published. It was written with this idea. The author took particular pains to make this little volume a classic and his masterpiece, and he succeeded remarkably well. Into 120 pages he has condensed more information regarding the history, cultivation, nutritive qualities, and approved forms of cooking and serving vegetables than can be found in any other book, no matter how large ; and it has been demonstrated to be a book without mistakes. Recipes for soups, sauces, garnishings and salads supplement the general recipes. There are 78 ways of preparing potatoes, 19 of mushrooms, 19 of onions, 15 of cabbage, etc., 27 of beans, 15 of rice, 25 of tomatoes, and others in number in proportion to their importance. The vegetables are given with their English names and the French and German translations. The book is indexed, printed on bond paper. Price $1.00 The Book of Sauces, by C. Hermann Senn, is the newest of The Hotel Monthly Handbook series. Mr. Senn is the author of the famous Twentieth Century (Dookery Book, The Menu Book, Practical Gastronomy, and ten other Cflinary books that have become standard in Europe, and that have extensive sale in America. His Book of Sauces is the most complete work of the kind that has ever been produced. It treats the subject thoroly from every angle and covers all kinds of sauces for meat, poultry, fish, and salad dishes; also sweet sauces. This book is adapted not alone for the hotel and catering trades, but also for family •use the world over. Epicures will find it invaluable for the suggestions and practical instructions, together with the culinary lore therein contained. Book is vest pocket size, printed on bond paper $1.00 The Hotel Butcher^ Garde Manger and Carver. (Frank Elvers.) The author has cultivated a new field in culinary literature, and produced a book both novel and useful. His experience as butcher, carver, chef and steward enabled him to compile facts regarding meats and meat economics, from the butcher shop to the dining-room table, that will be in- valuable to managers, stewards, chefs, and all persons em- ployed in culinary work. His book digests the subjects of buying, handhng, sale, and service of meats, poultry and fish for hotels, restaurants, clubs and instiutions. It is varied with suggestions for the use of meats and trimmings for particular dishes ; the composition of these dishes set forth in concise form. The information is clarified by the use of about 300 illustrations. The index is so comprehensive that any item may be referred to on the instant. 125 pages. Price $2.00 "The Advertising of Hotels" by Clarence Madden is the first practical, comprehensive inquiry into hotel advertising ever made available. It is the only book which treats the problem of selling rooms and service in its entirety — pro- motion, publicity, "in-the-house", "word-of-mouth", copy, appropriation, media selection, and agency contact. Mr. Madden is acquainted with both sides of the adv^tising picture. His book brings the two into sharp focus and shows their proper relationship. . . . Anyone who is in any way affected by hotel advertising should be sure to have on hand a copy of "THE ADVERTISING OF HOTELS" for study, reference, and guidance. 136 pages. Price $2.00 The Fish and Oyster Book, by Leon Kientz, for many years chef of Rector's (the noted sea foods restaurant in Chicago), is a handy vest pocket volume, the leaf measur- ing 2x6 j/2 inches. In this book Mr. Kientz tells in concise manner how to cook practically every kind of fish that is brought to the American market ; and not only explains the method of cooking, but also the making of the sauces and the manner of service. Every recipe is given with its bill-of-fare name in EngHsh and its translation into the French. The recipes include also such dishes as frogs' legs, all kinds of shell fish, snails, terrapin, and the fish forcemeats. Also there is an appendix with specimen fish and oyster house luncheon and dinner menus, with and witkout wines. The book is indexed, printed on bond paper, bound in flexible cover $1.00 'Economical Soups and Entrees (Vachon). This book was written in response to a demand for a book that would tell how to prepare savory dishes from inexpensive mate- rials at small cost ; and, in particular, how to use up left- overs; by which is meant good cooked foods not served at a previous meal, and which have not in any way lost their marketable value in the sense of deterioration of auality, but which can be served in hotel or restaurant in le game appetizing manner that leftovers arc served in 6 :^ well-to-do families. Mr. Vachon was selected to write this book because of his reputation as an economical chef. In it he has given recipes in particular for meat entrees of the savory order, stews, pies and croquettes, hash, salads and fried meats. The soups include creams, broths, bouillons, chowders, purees, pepper-potsand the like. It is two books in one, separately indexed, printed on bond paper, leaf 3x7 inches, bound in flexible cover. Price $1.06 Eggs in a Thousand Ways, by Adolphe Meyer, gives more reliable information regarding eggs and their preparation for the table than can be found in any other book. ^ Is indexed and cross indexed so that any method of cooking eggs and any of the garnishings can be referred to on the instant. The book starts with boiled eggs. Then (following the departmental index in alphabetical order) are cold eggs, 79 ways; egg drinks, 22 kinds; eggs in cases, 25 ways; in cocottes, 24 ways; mollet, 79 ways; molded in timbales, 29 ways; fried, 33; fried poached, 38; hard eggs, 32; miscellaneous recipes, 27; omelets in 210 ways; poached, 227 ways; scrambled, 123; shirred, 95; stuffed, hard, 34; surprise omelets, 9; sweet eggs, 16; sweet ome- lets 38. The recipes are in condensed form. The book is vest pocket size, 150 pages, printed on bond paper. . .$1.00 The American Waiter (John B. Coins) is the only pub- lished book that treats intelligently of the waiter's work from bus boy to head waiter, for both hotel and restaurant requirements. The author has recently completed Part 2 of this book, the new part devoted largely to European plan service, and, combined with Part 1, which is devoted largely to American plan service, has rounded out a man- ual which is very valuable to those who would give table service of the kind suited for the average hotel. Inter- spersed in the book are chapters on the care of table wares, salad making, table setting, carving, dishing up, banking of sea foods, building of banquet tables, and many other useful items of information. The book is illus- trated, vest pocket size, printed on bond paper $1.00 The Van Crman System of Hote! Control. A book illustrat- ing and describing the many forms used in the hotels of the Van Orman Chain of hotels. Price $.50 Palmer House Cook Book (Ernest E. Amiet). Recipes for world-famous dishes just as they are prepared by one o£ America's most renowned chefs. He shows how simple, ordinary dishes can be made to literally "sing" with tempting new flavor and appearance. Beautiful natural- color illustrations show how many of the finished dishes look, and the proper manner of their service. The book is divided into_ two sections. The first gives breakfast, luncheon and dinner menus, with recipes, for 76 consecu- tive days; the second part contains 339 additional recipes for dishes which may be substituted for those appearing on the menus $3.00 Candy for Dessert (Paul Richards). This book is concise, yet thorough on the subject of candy making; and in addition, offers valuable pointers for the preparation of fountain syrups, ice creams and ices. It starts out with information. on sugar boiling degrees; then follow the recipes and other basic information for fondants, caramels, fudges, taffies, nougats, crystallized candies, fruit centers, bar candies, bon bons, drops, wafers, miscellaneous candies, sugar spinning, syrups, ice creams and ices. The book is vest pocket size, bound in flexible cover., , $1.00 Drinks (Jacques Straub).^ This book contains about 700 accurate pre-prohibition recipes for mixing various kinds of popular and fancy mixed drinks as served in the best hotels, clubs and bars. There is alsa a chapter on the medicinal value of wines; how to handle and serve wines; types of wines to be served with meals; and outline sketches of correct glassware Price $1.00 ^ Hospitality (John McGovern). A series of short writings, virtually a scrap-book, written to amuse as well as inform about the hospitalities in all lands from almost Time's be- ginning to the present age. A classic in its own right, written, in a conversational tone. It is interesting, amusing and in- spirational. 200 pages, 4x734 inches $1.(b The Housekeeper's Primer (Jane C. Van Ness). This book will serve as an everyday manual and practical guide to better, more efficient housekeeping methods. It is chock full of tested and tried methods, and directions for hotel housekeeping. It gives the housekeeper's duties and respon- sibilities, suggests practical ways to save money, and helps you provide guests with clean, wholesome, attractive accom- modations in an efficient and economical way. The House- keeper's Primer was written especially for the housekeeper of the medium and small size hotel, but it also serves as a most helpful reminder to those in larger houses. The author is a practical housekeeper, and consequently she writes with full knowledge of the routine jobs (and the unexpected ones) that must be handled in every housekeeping depart- ment. 84 pages, 5x7^4 inches, cloth bound $1.00 Hotelkeeping for Profit (Reprinted from The Hotel Month- ly). A series of articles dealing with the successful oper- ating methods of a typical 100-room hotel. Includes: Should a small hotel operate its own laundry? Can a small hotel afford air conditioning? Modernizing refrigeration in a small hotel. Shall we put in a stoker? Modern Accounting in a small hotel (including illustrations of the forms used). 24 pages, 9 x 12 inches $ .50 Menu Translator (Duchamp & Jenning). This book was formerly known as the "Universal Dictionary of Menus" and served as a guide to thousands of menu-makers, stewards, and chefs. Today, it has been completely revised, greatly enlarged and lists about 12,000 translations in French, English and German. Items are carefully arranged under 25 headings, making it easy to find any item. Now in its seventh edition, and one of the newest and most com- plete works of its kind. 137 pages, 5x7^ inches $3.00 Clifford M. Lewis' "American Plan Check System" .. $1 .00 Prices subject to change, up or down, according Jo matlcetiConditions Hotel Monthly Bookshop D/V/5/ow 0/ JOHN WILLY, Inc. 123 North Wacker Drive Chicago 6, 111. ^oV^ c^^ s LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 014 759 326 •