Legal Matters, Risk Management, and Risk Prevention

This chapter highlights the importance of risk management and the need for a risk management plan to have in place in case disaster strikes. From opening a foodservice business to operating it with the possibility of expansion, the risks involved are enormous. It discusses the importance of respecting the laws when dealing with business and carefully taking all necessary steps to avoid legal pitfalls, leading to severe negative consequences. The chapter provides useful information and references about obtaining proper licenses, dealing with government agencies, and developing and implementing a “preventive risk management” plan. Finally, the chapter highlights the current business laws of the United States and should not be considered applicable internationally. The reader should refer to the governing laws of the country where the business operates.

Finance

This chapter deals with the principles of finance as applied in the foodservice industry. It discusses the concept of revenue management, financial analysis and reporting, financial control, principles of budgeting, and forecasting. Specifically, it discusses finance in general and of the financial system and the meaning and application of financial management. It introduces the basics of the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of organizations. The important topics presented are the relationship of finance to other business disciplines, basic financial information in decision-making, understand financial statements, and financial ratios. It applies several analysis tools and techniques to learn about the time value of money, interest, and interest rates.

Statistics and Analytics Management

This chapter introduces the concept of statistical analysis and analytics management in the contest of food and beverage data analysis and business decision modeling. It lays the foundation for a broad understanding of statistical analysis in general, the meaning of analytics, and the advantages of using statistical data analysis. It emphasizes the relationship between a statistical application, analysis, and business relation using basic statistical information in the decision-making process. It shows various formulas, tools, and techniques for self-conducted analysis in small and medium-size foodservice operations.

E-Commerce

The chapter outlines the importance of being connected over the internet and the opportunities the world wide web (WWW) offers to the foodservice industry. Restaurants, bars, and catering companies can significantly benefit from the exposure a website gives them internationally 24/7/365. Today's business landscape is far more connected worldwide than ever before. Not having a presence on the internet with a website and or an e-commerce business means being left out without exposure and without the possibility of expanding the business. The questions a foodservice operator should ask are not about the need for the internet and a website, but rather how much should be invested in it. Millions of businesses like restaurants worldwide have benefited from their website and presence on the WWW. The opportunities to increase revenue and compete against others have never been greater, from online table reservation systems to selling recipe books and merchandise.

Restaurant Development

This chapter discusses the concept of facilities planning, design, equipment procurement, and management within the context of restaurant development. It includes the investigation and planning of the location, equipment, long-term investment in capital expenditure, life span, durability, and business longevity and assets, among many other factors. It provides references and guidelines for opening a foodservice facility, specifically a restaurant, the process of the restaurant opening, from concept to operation and the equipment required, from FFEs (furniture, fixture, and equipment) to utensils and other operating tools necessary to run an entire restaurant operation.

Introduction to Food and Beverage Service Operations

This chapter is about the history of the foodservice industry and its scope over the centuries. It highlights the numerous types of food and beverage operations, their anatomy, style, customers' typologies, the type of menus, business location, size/capacity, and production.

Human Resources Management

This chapter presents the human resources department's critical role for foodservice operations, which are very labor-intensive by nature. The chapter introduces the reader to what it takes to be successful in human resources management, H. R. manager's role, and its role in the operation and its relationship with other departments. The content includes planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling in the context of H.R. management. Most importantly, it emphasizes the importance of knowing the federal equal employment opportunity legislation and the employee occupational safety and health regulations. It makes recommendations for developing training manuals, job descriptions, employee policy manuals, and applications. In addition, it proposes strategies as to how and where to recruit the best-qualified employees and retain them. Lastly, it shows practical examples of proficiency in forecasting human resources demand by using mathematical formulas and directions and makes the reader aware of the challenges and opportunities of the human resources manager.

Food and Beverage Operation Management

This chapter will describe the “functions of food and beverage management” and operations within a hotel/resort setting, which is the most comprehensive operation to manage due to the many food and beverage sub-departmental operations. It includes the basics of food and beverage management, the people involved, the back of the house and front of the house operations, and the equipment required for the operation and production. The reader will understand what it takes to run a food and beverage operation, will be familiar with all duties and responsibilities of a food and beverage director, understand the stakeholders involved in all aspects of the operation, including guests, and understand the equipment required to run a food and beverage operation.

Food and Beverage Product Knowledge

This chapter introduces and discusses some of the most common food and beverage products used in commercial foodservice operations. It includes herbs and spices and their application, beverage products, and application. It introduces the basic knowledge necessary about still, sparkling, fortified, and aromatized wines, distilled spirits, and liquors/cordials, cocktails, mineral and natural waters, coffee, tea, and cocoa within a bar operation.

Food Safety, Food and Beverage Preparation, Menu and Beverage List Development, Service, and Current and Future Challenges

This chapter discusses the importance of safety and sanitation in food preparation and service and the integration into the menu and beverage list development. Specifically, it discusses the current safety and sanitation requirements for foodservice facilities, including the HACCP 7 step process (hazard analysis critical control point). It introduces nutrition basics in a foodservice setting and the basics of food and beverage preservation and preparation methods. Consequently, it demonstrates how to develop menus and beverage lists and the various foodservice style and service techniques.