The History of Food Service Management

Food service industry in actionFrom the street vendors and caterers of ancient Rome to the modern food service industry, food service skills have traditionally been taught through apprenticeship.

Many colleges offer food service management programs, but 66 percent of people currently working as servers and managers hold a high school diploma or less and were trained on the job. Sweeping changes in how food is shipped, stored and prepared mean that food service managers need to use the newest technological resources and to balance cost-cutting and effective food storage with the public demand for fresher food with fewer additives and preservatives. Other People Are ReadingCareers in Food Service Management Food & Hospitality CoursesEarly HistoryIn the Middle Ages, the cooks employed by nobles and religious orders served large numbers of people every day, and medieval travelers ate at inns, taverns, monasteries and hostelries. The earliest recorded guild for cooks was formed around 1311 to protect the cooks' secrets.

The tricks of the trade were only taught to guild members. West and Wood's Introduction to Foodservice notes that "strict cost accounting was necessary, and here, perhaps, marks the beginning of the present-day scientific foodservice cost accounting....

"The Industrial RevolutionDuring the thousands of years when most of the population lived in or very near farming communities, food did not travel far to reach the people who ate it. The Industrial Revolution and the mass migration of workers to cities meant there was increased demand to ship food longer distances. Trains, automobiles and trucks provided transport, while new preservation treatments and better storage devices such as refrigeration made it possible for the food to stay fresh longer. Food RegulationDIFFERENT TYPES OF FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRY BUFFET SERVICE* A buffet is typically a self service presentation of food.

Guests are invited to help themselves. * It is a type of service where guests help themselves from the food at the buffet table.COUNTER SERVICE* Counter service is a type of hospitality strategy that is used in bars, pubs, and some restaurants. Sometimes referred to as bar service, this approach to serving customers involves providing food and drink at a counter or bar, rather than at a table. Over the years, two specific forms of counter services have evolved, with both approaches used around the world.

* One approach to counter service involves seating a customer at the bar or counter. The customer then places an order, which is prepared and served at the bar. With this model, the customer remains seated at the counter to consume the food and drink. * A second type of counter service applies a slightly different strategy to customer care. The customer still approaches the counter, and places an order, but is likely to remain standing.

The order is prepared and placed before the customer, often on a tray. Instead of remaining at the bar, the customer takes the food-laden tray and proceeds to a dining area, where tables and chairs are available.TABLE SERVICE* “Table Service” is a restaurant industry term that can mean either the presentation of food to patrons by waiters, or the place settings present on each table. Restaurants without either are usually referred to as “counter service” establishments. Most fast-food chains fall within this category, as patrons must place their orders, collect their food, and pick up any needed utensils at a centrally located counter.

Table service establishments are usually more expensive, but more work is involved on the restaurant’s part both to set and clear tables and to present food to order.