Application
This unit applies to all hospitality and catering organisations which serve buffet food including restaurants, hotels, clubs, event and function venues. The buffet could be a one-off for a special event or function or a series of regular buffets offered by the organisation.
This unit applies to those people who operate independently or with limited guidance from others such as senior and supervising cooks and chefs, catering supervisors and managers.
Prerequisites
This unit must be assessed after the following prerequisite unit: | |
SITXFSA101 | Use hygienic practices for food safety |
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide. |
1. Design and plan a buffet. | 1.1 Design total buffet concept in consultation with other people to ascertain requirements. 1.2 Design buffet menu according to season, budget, occasion and customer requirements. 1.3 Identify quality, price, customer requirements and plan the purchase of a range and quantity of food items. 1.4 Plan the layout and display of buffet according to type of food, occasion and theme. 1.5 Incorporate the design of showpieces and decorations to enhance the buffet display. 1.6 Prepare food preparation lists and display plans for use of operational kitchen personnel. |
2. Prepare for the buffet. | 2.1 Supervise the preparation of food. 2.2 Select appropriate service equipment, serviceware and linen to display food and decorations. 2.3 Plan food service points for efficient and safe customer and staff accessibility. 2.4 Install and attractively present appropriate buffet showpieces and decorations. |
3. Display food items and supervise service. | 3.1 Display buffet food items with a sense of artistry to create customer appeal. 3.2 Display garnishes and accompaniments to enhance visual appeal. 3.3 Supervise buffet service to ensure replenishment of food items and neat and attractive display throughout buffet service period. 3.4 Ensure appropriate service standards for all food items. |
Required Skills
Required skills |
communication skills to: liaise with customers to ascertain requirements discuss concept proposals with other people involved in the planning of buffets to finalise the design critical thinking skills to evaluate all requirements for the buffet and develop a design and plan to meet those requirements initiative and enterprise skills to develop creative ideas and explore a range of designs for the display of buffet foods literacy skills to: read and interpret supplier information to decide best purchasing option write comprehensive food preparation and display plans numeracy skills to: calculate required quantities of buffet food for expected customer traffic calculate supplies for food production planning and organising skills to access and sort all information required for buffet design and to coordinate a timely and efficient planning process problem-solving skills to recognise potential customer traffic flow issues and design a layout for efficient and safe customer and staff accessibility self-management skills to take responsibility for the design of and planning for buffets teamwork skills to invite and consider the input of staff members and external professionals in the buffet planning process technology skills to use computers and software programs to produce food preparation lists and display plans. |
Required knowledge |
suitable types of foods and dishes for buffets and their characteristics: culinary terms for a variety of classical and contemporary buffet items appropriate conditions and temperatures for display and service to maintain optimum quality and food safety appropriate portions presentation techniques for food items that make up a buffet, showpieces and decorations design considerations for buffets, including: appropriateness of food items for buffets balance of dish types colour and style costing issues nutritional value of food operational constraints themes of occasions use of showpieces and decorations. |
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the ability to: design, plan and display multiple buffets to meet a diversity of service requirements present buffets attractively with artistic flair document operational requirements and supervise food preparation and service integrate knowledge of: suitable types of foods and dishes for buffets presentation techniques for food items, showpieces and decorations develop buffet designs and plans within commercial time constraints. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure use of: a buffet display and service area with specific equipment for buffet service including display crockery and chafing dishes and workplace documentation defined in the Assessment Guidelines; this can be within a: real industry workplace simulated industry environment such as a training food and beverage outlet servicing customers computers and software programs to produce food preparation lists and display plans food preparation lists and display plans. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: evaluation of the content and presentation of a buffet planned and displayed by the individual projects that allow assessment of the individual’s ability to design, plan and display a buffet for an event, function or meeting within designated deadlines written or oral questioning to assess knowledge of culinary terms, suitable types of foods and dishes for buffets and presentation techniques review of portfolios of evidence and third |
Guidance information for assessment | The assessor should design integrated assessment activities to holistically assess this unit with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role, for example: BSBWRT401A Write complex documents SITHCCC304 Produce and serve food for buffets SITHKOP501 Design and cost menus SITXFSA401 Develop and implement a food safety program SITXMGT401 Monitor work operations. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Total buffet concept may include: | candles and lighting showpieces decorations linen menu design food and food items service equipment serviceware table arrangements themed foods. |
People may include: | customers display artists and decoration wholesalers event or function coordinators event stylists floral stylists food and beverage managers interior designers and decorators other cooks and chefs service staff. |
Buffet may be for: | a venue: indoor outdoors breakfast dinner events functions lunch. |
Showpieces and decorations | bread candles carved, moulded or assembled items chocolate decorated cakes and display cakes edible or non floral arrangements fruit and vegetable displays glassware and serviceware ice, fruit or vegetable, chocolate, salt or margarine carvings special occasion cakes special theme items sugar. |
Buffet food items may include: | breads cheeses classical or contemporary recipes cold breakfast foods: cereals fruit pastries yoghurt foods selected to meet special dietary requirements glazed foods, galantines and forcemeats hot breakfast foods: eggs bacon beans sausages tomatoes hot and cold dessert and pastry items meats poultry salads seafood selection of hot and cold dishes smallgoods themed foods. |
Sectors
Hospitality
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Licensing Information
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.