Quantity food production is defined as the preparation of food in large amounts to serve people within a designated period of time. It is an activity of preparing food on large scale and all the operations pertaining to it. Food production and its related operations are integral elements of hospitality management and it requires skilled staff to produce a wide variety of quality foods. In addition, the culinary staff of a hotel or a restaurant are also required to produce food in large quantity.
Factors responsible for Quantity Food Production:
☆Type of food service operation – Commercial (E.g.. Airline catering) or non-commercial (E.g.. School canteen) the customer for quantity food production.
☆Customer turnover – The average number of customers visiting the food service operation.
☆Food production for various occasions – Each occasion has a specific kind of menu chosen and prepared.
☆Size of the food service operation – Catering to below 100 clients is small size, 100-300 is medium size and more than 300 is large size.
☆Menu – The list of food items chosen by the food service operation or the customer for quantity food production.
The most important function of a foodservice operation is to prepare food from the raw ingredients and serve them in the most desirable way to satisfy the customers. The food service personnel needs combination of science and art at all stages of production and serving the food. Hence, in quantity food production adequate planning is essential.
Steps in planning:
•Selecting the menu
•Preparing the market list and purchasing the raw ingredients
•Receiving and storage
•Standardization of the recipes
•Portion control
•Serving and packing of the finished product
Sections in Production Department:
The production department is the most important part of the food service operation. A variety of food items are prepared here. A large-scale food service production in a Five Star Hotel it is made of several sections.