Every front-of-house role needs menu knowledge, from host to banqueting assistant. You learn each dish, the daily changes and what is 86'd (sold out or unavailable). You also know where to find allergen information and how to prevent cross-contact after food leaves the kitchen.
Why it matters
Accurate answers build trust with guests. Serving the wrong plate to a guest with an allergy can cause serious harm.
Key ideas
The pre-shift briefing
Where specials, recipe changes and 86'd dishes are shared, so note anything new.
86'd dishes
Sold out or unavailable. Tell the host and other servers straight away.
Allergen information
Records of the main allergens in each dish (for example the 14 declared in the EU and UK; other countries have their own lists). Use them or ask the kitchen.
Step by step
- 1
Study the menu and allergen information before your first shift.
- 2
Note specials and 86'd dishes at every briefing.
- 3
For events, match the dietary list to each seat.
- 4
Carry allergy dishes separately and clearly identified.
- 5
Take any question you can't answer to the kitchen.
Do
- Taste dishes whenever you can.
- Handle allergy dishes with clean hands and equipment.
- Pass on any cross-contact risk the kitchen flags.
Common mistakes
- Don't guess about allergens. Always check with the kitchen.
- Don't move garnishes or bread between plates.
- Don't keep offering a dish that has been 86'd.
The situation
At a banquet, seat 7 needs a gluten-free main, but the plates at the pass look identical.
What a professional does
You don't guess. 'Chef, which is the gluten-free main for table 14, seat 7?' You carry the marked plate on its own and tell the guest, 'This is your gluten-free main.'
Useful phrases
“Heads up, everyone: the fish special is 86'd.”
“Sorry, the fish has sold out, but I can recommend the chicken.”
Pro tip
Keep a notebook of dishes and key ingredients, and review it before each shift.
Quick check
What does it mean when a dish is 86'd?
Think about it, then show the answer
It has sold out or can't be served, so stop offering it.