Origin
of Food & Beverage Service Industry
The origin of Food
& Beverage Service Industry can easily be understood by studying the origin
and history of the same, which are detailed below:
1.1
Introduction to Food & Beverage Service Industry/Hospitality Industry
A very warm welcome,
friendly actions - people who really care - departure with wishes to meet again
- behind these images, there is a highly trained professional for whom
hospitality is not a tradition, but a way of life. We are discussing regarding
travel and tourism industry in which one out every 15 individuals living in the
world is associated with. One major division of the said industry is
hospitality sector, which comprises mainly of lodging, and food and beverage
divisions.
The word
‘hospitality’, according to Oxford English Dictionary, is the friendly
reception and treatment of friends, guests and strangers. Even though this
sector comprises mainly of lodging and F & B division, in a wider sense the
word can be used as a synonym for travel and tourism industry.
1.2
History of Food and Beverage Industry
The ancient travelers
were mainly pilgrims, traders and military men, but whenever there was a
military movement they used to carry accommodation and food with them. It was
the traders and the pilgrims who wanted the provision of food and
accommodation. The first Inns had nothing more than a cot or a bench towards
the corner of the room or the stable. Here sanitation and privacy were
non-existent. People used to share room with livestock. In the 3rd
century, Roman Empire built roads in Europe to facilitate the traders. Soon a
chain of roadside Inns was constructed from Spain to Turkey. This continued to
be same till the end of 17th century for common men. The wealthy
used to stay at their friends’ place or with relatives, but soon they too
realized the need for accommodation for their class. Thus the European
castle-like structure sprung up. This had the provision of sanitation, privacy
and all the luxury that they demanded. This structure came to be known as
‘Hotel’, the French equivalent for Mansion. Colonial American Inns were modeled
after the Europeans and the practice of sharing was common.
Towards the end of the
17th century, the concept of Hotel with a living room and a bath
attached for common men came into existence. The American innkeepers improved
the quality of service by providing comfort and sanitation at affordable rates.
A giant leap in this direction was the establishment of City Hotel in the year
1794.It was the largest hotel in New York, exclusively used for lodging purpose
and inspired the construction of other pioneer hotels. Another milestone was
the establishment of Tremont House in 1829 that was offering a private room
with locking facility, washbasin, water pitcher, soap in the bathroom and above
all, a full time service staff. Palace Hotel established in 1874 had A.C, fire
sprinklers, plumbing system and other luxurious facilities. This was followed
by the transformation to different forms of hotels like budget hotels, resorts,
motels etc.
1.3 Classification of Catering Establishments
Classification chart of catering establishments:-
|
Classification
Commercial/Business Industrial/Corporate Welfare/
Subsidized
Catering Catering Catering
Hotels Canteens Old
age homes
Restaurants Cafeteria Prisons
Pubs Packed
food outlets Orphanage
Kiosk Tiffin’s destitute
homes
DRIVE
– INS/ takeaways transport ashrams
Event
Management Hospitals disaster
catering
Fast
food Institutional
Automatic
vending machines Armed
forces
Cyber
cafe
|
These may also be divided into:
|
Classification
Commercial/Business Industrial/Corporate Welfare/
Subsidized
Catering Catering Catering
Hotels Canteens Old
age homes
Restaurants Cafeteria Prisons
Pubs Packed
food outlets Orphanage
Kiosk Tiffin’s destitute
homes
DRIVE
– INS/ takeaways transport ashrams
Event
Management Hospitals disaster
catering
Fast
food Institutional
Automatic
vending machines Armed
forces
Cyber
cafe
|
There are two sectors that work in the catering market. They
are:
1. Commercial Sector
2. Non – Commercial or Welfare Sector
Commercial Sector
It is the sector, which is, profit / business oriented.
It is categorized into:-
1. Restricted Market
2. General Market
Restricted Market:
In this
type of market the choice of the items, is very
less or no choice at all. This market may be classified
as:
1.
Transport
2. Clubs
3.
Industrial, etc.
General Market:
In this
type of market the choice of the items, is varied,
i.e., they have full choice. This market may
be classified as:
1. Hotels
2. Pubs
3. Take
Aways, etc.
Non - Commercial Sector or
Welfare Sector
It is the sector, which is, profit / business oriented. This
sector mainly caters for the welfare of the Public through Government or Non –
Government Organization. It includes:
1. Institutional,
2. Armed Forces,
3. Industrial,
4. Hospitals, etc.
The catering establishments may also be categorized by the
nature of the requirements they fulfill:-
a.
Restaurant
b.
Transport Catering
c.
Airline Catering
d.
Railway Catering
e.
Marine Catering
f.
Surface Catering
g.
Outdoor Catering
h.
Retail Store Catering
i.
Club Catering
j.
Welfare Catering
k.
Industrial Catering
l.
Leisure-Linked Catering
Let’s understand them better
Restaurant:-
It’s an establishment that serves the customers prepared
food and beverages to order, to be consumed on the premises.
Transport Catering:-
The provision of food and beverages to passengers, before, during
and after a journey on trains, aircraft and ships and in buses or private
vehicles is termed as transport catering. The major forms are:-
Airline-catering, Railways Catering, Ship Catering and
Surface Catering
Airline Catering
It caters
to airline passengers on board the air craft, as well as at restaurants
situated at airport terminals.
Railway
Catering
It caters to railway passengers both during the journey as well as during halts
at different railway stations.
Marine
Catering
It caters to cargo crew and passenger ship passengers. Ships have kitchens and
restaurants on board.
Surface Catering
It caters
to passengers traveling by surface transport such as buses and private vehicle;
e.g. dhabas on the highways.
Outdoor Catering
Catering includes the provision of food and drink away from
home base and suppliers. The venue is left to the peoples’ choice.
Retail Store Catering
Apart from carrying on their primary activity of retailing their own wares,
provide catering as an additional facility.
Club catering
The provision of food and beverages to
a restricted member clientele. Examples - turf clubs, golf clubs, cricket clubs
etc.
Welfare Catering
The provision of food and beverages to
people to fulfill a social obligation, determined by a recognized authority.
Industrial Catering
The provision of food and beverages to ‘people at work,’ in industries and
factories at highly subsidized rates.
Leisure-Linked Catering
The provision of food and beverages to people engaged in ‘rest and recreation’
activities. Example - exhibitions, theme parks, galleries and theatres.
1.4 Sectors
of Food and Beverage Industry
There are different sectors into which the food and beverage
industry may be classified. The list however is not exhaustive, but includes
most of the sectors that are found today.
These sectors are:
Sectors
of Food and Beverage Industry
|
S. No.
|
Sectors
|
Description
|
Example
|
|
1.
|
Hotels and other tourist
accommodation
|
The
purpose of this sector primarily is to provide accommodation along with food
and beverage facilities
|
The
Oberoi’s, Taj Mahal Mumbai, etc.
|
|
2.
|
Restaurant (conventional, specialty,
theme and ethnic)
|
The
purpose is to serve food and drinks, from medium to high price and medium to
high levels of service
|
Mainland
China, Delhi Darbar, Bukhara, etc.
|
|
3.
|
Popular Catering (Coffee shops, pizza
deliveries)
|
These
are run with a purpose of provision of food and drink at low to medium price
with limited levels of service
|
Indian
Coffee House, Pizza Hut, Barista, Café Coffee Day, etc.
|
|
4.
|
Fast Food Outlets (Mc. Donald, Burger
King)
|
Provision of food and drink in highly
specialized environment with high investments and operational costs and high
customer turnover.
|
Mc.
Donald, TGI Fridays, etc.
|
|
5.
|
Take Aways
|
Provision of food and drinks to
people quickly so that they may consume it at some other place.
|
K.F.C’s, Pizza Huts, etc.
|
|
6.
|
Retail Stores
|
Provision of food and drinks to
people as an adjunct to the main business of retailing.
|
The Great India Place, Mega Malls,
etc.
|
|
7.
|
Banqueting, Conferencing,
Exhibitions, and other Business activities.
|
Provision of food and drink to people
engaged in business related activities on large scale. It is usually
pre-booked.
|
Habitat
World, The Ashok Delhi, etc.
|
|
8.
|
Leisure Attractions (theme parks,
theaters, amusement parks)
|
Provision of food and drinks to
people who are engaged in leisure activities.
|
Wonderla,
Essel world, Ramoji film city, Fun n Food Village, etc.
|
|
9.
|
Motorway Service Stations
|
Provision
of food together with retail and petrol services for motorway travellers
often at isolated locations.
|
Reliance
A-1 Food Plaza, Midway Restaurants, etc.
|
|
10.
|
Welfare
Catering (Schools, Universities, Hospitals, Prisons)
|
Provision of food and drink to people by
Organizations (Private, Government and Non – Government)
|
R.K.H.S, etc.
|
|
11.
|
Industrial
Catering (Industries and Companies)
|
Provision of food and drink to people who
are engaged in activities related to work.
|
|
|
12.
|
Licensed
Trade
|
Provision of food and drink in environment
governed by licensing requirements.
|
Bars and Pubs, etc.
|
|
13.
|
Transport
Catering (Airlines, Cruise/ Marine, Road and Rail)
|
Provision of food and drink to people on
the move.
|
IRCTC, Star Cruise, Royal Caribbean,
Princess, etc.
|
|
14.
|
Outdoor
Catering or Off – Premises Catering
|
Provision of food and drink away from the
home and suppliers of food services.
|
The Grand Bhagwati, Maharaja Caterers, etc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.5 Types
of Food Service Operations:
There are different types of food service operations. These
may be classified on the basis of area, service practiced and food served. The
classification is as follows:
Types of
Food Service Operations
|
S.N.
|
Types
of Operations
|
Description
|
|
1.
|
Bistro
|
It is
a smaller establishment with check table cloths, bent wood chairs and
friendly informal staff.
|
|
2.
|
Coffee Shop
|
It is
open 24 hours and serves all meal types from Breakfast till Dinner and
Mid-night Snacks.
|
|
3.
|
First Class Restaurant
|
It is
a formal dining restaurant with classical preparation and presentation of
food offering a high level of table service.
|
|
4.
|
Restaurant
|
In
this type of establishment; price, level and type of service, décor and
choice of menu depends on the type of operation.
|
|
5.
|
Ethnic Restaurant
|
The
type of food and design of the restaurant depends on the demographic origin followed, i.e.,
Indian, Oriental, French, etc.
|
|
6.
|
Theme Restaurant
|
It
includes themes such as jungle, rainforest, opera, etc. in which the waiting
staff, the ambience and the food served depends on the theme followed.
|
|
7.
|
Cafeteria
|
Primarily,
it is self-served with customers choosing their food or drinks selection from
the counters mend for the purpose.
|
|
8.
|
Public Houses / Pubs
|
These
are licensed establishments mend for the provision of drinks. It may be a
simple bar with a standing room or the customers may have a plush surrounding
offering a varied selection of food.
|
1.6 Important
Questions
- Classify catering
establishments with examples.
- What do you understand by
Welfare catering? Enlist its components
- What do you understand by commercial
catering? Enlist its components
- Explain the catering
establishment by a suitable chart
5. State whether true
or false:-
(i) Food service industry and catering
industry are different from each other.
(ii) Provision of Food at
entertainment parks comes under Leisure linked catering.
(iii) Bar does not supply food.
(iv) Provision of food to passengers
is termed as transport catering.
6. Classify the different sectors of food service
industry.
7. What are the two main types of catering?
8. What is industrial catering?
9. What is leisure catering?
10. Name five examples for the non-commercial
catering segments.
11. What
is transport catering?
1.6 Practical Exercise:
1.
Visit the different food
service outlets in and around your city and make a note of the service methods
practiced and the menu served.
2.
Make a visit to a leisure
linked catering area and find what type service is followed and how is it done?
Reference books to be consulted:
Dennis R. Lillicrap, John A Cousins ,
Food and Beverage Service,
Manoj Kr. Sharma – Food and Beverage Service
