HOTEL MANAGEMENT

2012-04-20T01:21:00.000-07:00

LUXURIOUS LIFE

2012-04-20T01:03:00.001-07:00

RECRUITMENT-HUMAN RESOURCE

MEANING

According to Edwin B. Flippo, “Recruitment is the process of searching the candidates for employment and stimulating them to apply for jobs in the organization.”

According to Yoder, “Recruitment is a process to discover the sources of manpower to meet the requirements of the staffing schedule and to employ effective measures for attracting that manpower in adequate numbers to facilitate effective selection of an efficient working force.”

Dale S. Beach à “Recruitment is the development and maintenance of adequate manpower resources. It involves the creation of a pool of available labor upon whom the organization can draw when it needs additional employees.”

Recruitment is the activity that links the employers and the job seekers.

It is a process of finding and attracting capable applicants for employment. It begins when new recruits are sought and ends when their applications are submitted. The result is a pool of applications from which new employees are selected.

It is the process to discover sources of manpower to meet the requirement of staffing schedule and to employ effective measures for attracting that manpower in adequate numbers to facilitate effective selection of an efficient working force.

Recruitment of candidates is the function preceding the selection, which helps create a pool of prospective employees for the organization so that the management can select the right candidate for the right job from this pool. The main objective of the recruitment process is to expedite the selection process.

Recruitment is a continuous process whereby the firm attempts to develop a pool of qualified applicants for the future human resources needs even though specific vacancies do not exist. Usually, the recruitment process starts when a manger initiates an employee requisition for a specific vacancy or an anticipated vacancy.

RECRUITMENT NEEDS

Planned: the needs that arise from changes in organization and retirement policy.
Anticipated: Anticipated needs are those movements in personnel, which an organization can predict by studying trends in internal and external environment.
Unexpected: resignation, deaths, accidents, illness give rise to unexpected needs.

FEATURES

Process (series of activities)
Linking Activity
Positive Function
Basic Purpose à Locate and Attract
Pervasive
Two –way process
Complex job

OBJECTIVES

to attract people with multi-dimensional skills and experiences that suit the present and future organizational strategies
to induct outsiders with a new perspective to lead the company
to infuse fresh blood at all levels of the organization
to develop an organizational culture that attracts competent people to the company
to search or head hunt people whose skills fit the company’s values
to devise methodologies for assessing psychological traits
to seek out non-conventional development grounds of talent
to search fro talent globally and not just within the company
to anticipate and find people for positions that do not exist yet

PURPOSE & IMPORTANCE

Attract and encourage more and more candidates to apply in the organization.
Create a talent pool of candidates to enable the selection of best candidates for the organization.
Determine present and future requirements of the organization in conjunction with its personnel planning and job analysis activities.
Recruitment is the process which links the employers with the employees.
Increase the pool of job candidates at minimum cost.
Help increase the success rate of selection process by decreasing number of visibly under qualified or overqualified job applicants.
Help reduce the probability that job applicants once recruited and selected will leave the organization only after a short period of time.
Meet the organizations legal and social obligations regarding the composition of its workforce.
Begin identifying and preparing potential job applicants who will be appropriate candidates.
Increase organization and individual effectiveness of various recruiting techniques and sources for all types of job applicants

RECRUITMENT PROCESS

The recruitment and selection is the major function of the human resource department and recruitment process is the first step towards creating the competitive strength and the strategic advantage for the organizations. Recruitment process involves a systematic procedure from sourcing the candidates to arranging and conducting the interviews and requires many resources and time.

A general recruitment process is as follows:

Identifying the vacancy:

The recruitment process begins with the human resource department receiving requisitions for recruitment from any department of the company. These contain:

• Posts to be filled
• Number of persons
• Duties to be performed
• Qualifications required

Preparing the job description and person specification.
Locating and developing the sources of required number and type of employees (Advertising etc).
Short-listing and identifying the prospective employee with required characteristics.
Arranging the interviews with the selected candidates.
Conducting the interview and decision making

The recruitment process is immediately followed by the selection process i.e. the final interviews and the decision making, conveying the decision and the appointment formalities.

SOURCES OF RECRUITMENT

Every organization has the option of choosing the candidates for its recruitment processes from two kinds of sources: internal and external sources. The sources within the organization itself (like transfer of employees from one department to other, promotions) to fill a position are known as the internal sources of recruitment. Recruitment candidates from all the other sources (like outsourcing agencies etc.) are known as the external sources of recruitment.

SOURCES OF RECRUITMENT

INTERNAL SOURCES OF RECRUITMENT

TRANSFERS
The employees are transferred from one department to another according to their efficiency and experience.
PROMOTIONS
The employees are promoted from one department to another with more benefits and greater responsibility based on efficiency and experience.
Others are Upgrading and Demotion of present employees according to their performance.
Retired and Retrenched employees may also be recruited once again in case of shortage of qualified personnel or increase in load of work. Recruitment such people save time and costs of the organizations as the people are already aware of the organizational culture and the policies and procedures.
The dependents and relatives of Deceased employees and Disabled employees are also done by many companies so that the members of the family do not become dependent on the mercy of others.

Advantages: -

Motivated employees and Higher morale
Employees familiar with the organization
Higher probability of success
Industrial Peace
Relatively inexpensive
Training and skill enhancement
Overcoming surpluses and shortages

Disadvantages: -

1. Reduced scope for fresh talent.

2. Employees may become lethargic if they are sure of time bound promotions

3. Spirit of competition may be hampered

4. Frequent transfers of employees may reduce the overall productivity of the organization.

5. Political infighting for promotion

EXTERNAL SOURCES OF RECRUITMENT

PRESS ADVERTISEMENTS: Advertisements of the vacancy in newspapers and journals are a widely used source of recruitment. The main advantage of this method is that it has a wide reach.
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTES: Various management institutes, engineering colleges, medical Colleges etc. are a good source of recruiting well qualified executives, engineers, medical staff etc. They provide facilities for campus interviews and placements. This source is known as Campus Recruitment.
PLACEMENT AGENCIES: Several private consultancy firms perform recruitment functions on behalf of client companies by charging a fee. These agencies are particularly suitable for recruitment of executives and specialists. It is also known as RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing)
EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES: Government establishes public employment exchanges throughout the country. These exchanges provide job information to job seekers and help employers in identifying suitable candidates.
LABOUR CONTRACTORS: Manual workers can be recruited through contractors who maintain close contacts with the sources of such workers. This source is used to recruit labor for construction jobs.
UNSOLICITED APPLICANTS: Many job seekers visit the office of well-known companies on their own. Such callers are considered nuisance to the daily work routine of the enterprise. But can help in creating the talent pool or the database of the probable candidates for the organization.
EMPLOYEE REFERRALS / RECOMMENDATIONS: Many organizations have structured system where the current employees of the organization can refer their friends and relatives for some position in their organization. Also, the office bearers of trade unions are often aware of the suitability of candidates. Management can inquire these leaders for suitable jobs. In some organizations these are formal agreements to give priority in recruitment to the candidates recommended by the trade union.
RECRUITMENT AT FACTORY GATE: Unskilled workers may be recruited at the factory gate these may be employed whenever a permanent worker is absent. More efficient among these may be recruited to fill permanent vacancies.

Advantages: -

Qualified Personnel
Wider Choice
Fresh Talent
Competitive Spirit

Disadvantages: -

Dissatisfaction amongst existing staff
Lengthy process (Increased adjustment period)
Costly Process
Uncertain Process

FACTORS AFFECTING RECRUITMENT

The recruitment function of the organizations is affected and governed by a mix of various internal and external forces. The internal forces or factors are the factors that can be controlled by the organization. And the external factors are those factors which cannot be controlled by the organization.

THE INTERNAL FORCES I.E. THE FACTORS WHICH CAN BE CONTROLLED BY THE ORGANIZATION ARE: -

1. RECRUITMENT POLICY
The recruitment policy of an organization specifies the objectives of recruitment and provides a framework for implementation of recruitment programme. It may involve organizational system to be developed for implementing recruitment programmes and procedures by filling up vacancies with best qualified people.

FACTORS AFFECTING RECRUITMENT POLICY
• Organizational objectives
• Personnel policies of the organization and its competitors.

• Government policies on reservations.
• Preferred sources of recruitment.
• Need of the organization.
• Recruitment costs and financial implications.

2. HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING
Effective human resource planning helps in determining the gaps present in the existing manpower of the organization. It also helps in determining the number of employees to be recruited and what qualification they must possess.

3. SIZE OF THE FIRM
The size of the firm is an important factor in recruitment process. If the organization is planning to increase its operations and expand its business, it will think of hiring more personnel, which will handle its operations.

4. COST
Recruitment incur cost to the employer, therefore, organizations try to employ that source of recruitment which will bear a lower cost of recruitment to the organization for each candidate.

5. GROWTH AND EXPANSION
Organization will employ or think of employing more personnel if it is expanding it’s operations.

THE EXTERNAL FORCES ARE THE FORCES WHICH CANNOT BE CONTROLLED BY THE ORGANIZATION. THE MAJOR EXTERNAL FORCES ARE:

1. SUPPLY AND DEMAND
The availability of manpower both within and outside the organization is an important determinant in the recruitment process. If the company has a demand for more professionals and there is limited supply in the market for the professionals demanded by the company, then the company will have to depend upon internal sources by providing them special training and development programs.

2. LABOUR MARKET
Employment conditions in the community where the organization is located will influence the recruiting efforts of the organization. If there is surplus of manpower at the time of recruitment, even informal attempts at the time of recruiting like notice boards display of the requisition or announcement in the meeting etc will attract more than enough applicants.

3. IMAGE / GOODWILL
Image of the employer can work as a potential constraint for recruitment. An organization with positive image and goodwill as an employer finds it easier to attract and retain employees than an organization with negative image. Image of a company is based on what organization does and affected by industry. For example finance was taken up by fresher MBA’s when many finance companies were coming up.

4. POLITICAL-SOCIAL- LEGAL ENVIRONMENT
Various government regulations prohibiting discrimination in hiring and employment have direct impact on recruitment practices. For example, Government of India has introduced legislation for reservation in employment for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, physically handicapped etc. Also, trade unions play important role in recruitment. This restricts management freedom to select those individuals who it believes would be the best performers. If the candidate can’t meet criteria stipulated by the union but union regulations can restrict recruitment sources.

5. UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
One of the factors that influence the availability of applicants is the growth of the economy (whether economy is growing or not and its rate). When the company is not creating new jobs, there is often oversupply of qualified labor which in turn leads to unemployment.

6. COMPETITORS
The recruitment policies of the competitors also affect the recruitment function of the organizations. To face the competition, many a times the organizations have to change their recruitment policies according to the policies being followed by the competitors.

HEAD HUNTING

Headhunting refers to the approach of finding and attracting the best experienced person with the required skill set. Headhunting involves convincing the person to join your organization.

RECRUITMENT POLICY OF A COMPANY

In today’s rapidly changing business environment, a well defined recruitment policy is necessary for organizations to respond to its human resource requirements in time. Therefore, it is important to have a clear and concise recruitment policy in place, which can be executed effectively to recruit the best talent pool for the selection of the right candidate at the right place quickly. Creating a suitable recruitment policy is the first step in the efficient hiring process. A clear and concise recruitment policy helps ensure a sound recruitment process.

It specifies the objectives of recruitment and provides a framework for implementation of recruitment programme. It may involve organizational system to be developed for implementing recruitment programmes and procedures by filling up vacancies with best qualified people.

Components of the Recruitment Policy

The general recruitment policies and terms of the organization
Recruitment services of consultants
Recruitment of temporary employees
Unique recruitment situations
The selection process
The job descriptions
The terms and conditions of the employment

A recruitment policy of an organization should be such that:

It should focus on recruiting the best potential people.
To ensure that every applicant and employee is treated equally with dignity and respect.
Unbiased policy.
To aid and encourage employees in realizing their full potential.
Transparent, task oriented and merit based selection.
Weightage during selection given to factors that suit organization needs.
Optimization of manpower at the time of selection process.
Defining the competent authority to approve each selection.
Abides by relevant public policy and legislation on hiring and employment relationship.
Integrates employee needs with the organizational needs.

Factors Affecting Recruitment Policy

Organizational objectives
Personnel policies of the organization and its competitors.
Government policies on reservations.
Preferred sources of recruitment.
Need of the organization.
Recruitment costs and financial implications.

How to Select a Recruitment Consultant

If an organization decides to outsource its recruitment processes or activities, it is very important to find and select a suitable recruitment consultant or consultancies, which can deliver results according to the needs of the organization. Today, there are thousands of consulting firms (consultancies) as well as freelance consultants working independently. An organization looks for various considerations and qualities before selecting the suitable recruitment consultant.

§ The reputation of the consulting firm in the job market (based on expertise and experience).

§ Who are the consultant’s or firm’s past and present clients?

§ Consultant’s expertise and experience (from how long has he/firm been in the business)

§ Does the recruitment consultant have the requisite resources to complete the targets on time?

§ Get the idea of the effectiveness and the services of the recruitment consultant from its current and past clients.

Qualities of an independent recruitment consultant:

§ Marketing skills

§ Flexibility and adaptability

§ Wisdom

§ Exuberance

§ Ability to priorities

§ Ambition

§ Resourcefulness

§ Diplomacy/ delicacy

Selecting the right recruitment consultant is essential for the effective recruitment processes. A successful Recruitment consultant is someone who is determinative, focused, and able to create opportunities for him, works harder and smarter than competitors and continually set and achieve higher standards.

Advantages of outsourcing are:

Outsourcing is beneficial for both the corporate organizations that use the outsourcing services as well as the consultancies that provide the service to the corporate. Apart from increasing their revenues, outsourcing provides business opportunities to the service providers, enhancing the skill set of the service providers and exposure to the different corporate experiences thereby increasing their expertise.
The advantages accruing to the corporate are:

§ turning the management's focus to strategic level processes of HRM

§ accessibility to the expertise of the service providers

§ freedom from red tape and adhering to strict rules and regulations

§ optimal resource utilization

§ structured and fair performance management.

§ a satisfied and, hence, highly productive employees

§ value creation, operational flexibility and competitive advantage

2. POACHING/RAIDING
“Buying talent” (rather than developing it) is the latest mantra being followed by the organizations today. Poaching means employing a competent and experienced person already working with another reputed company in the same or different industry; the organization might be a competitor in the industry. A company can attract talent from another firm by offering attractive pay packages and other terms and conditions, better than the current employer of the candidate. But it is seen as an unethical practice and not openly talked about. Indian software and the retail sector are the sectors facing the most severe brunt of poaching today. It has become a challenge for human resource managers to face and tackle poaching, as it weakens the competitive strength of the firm.

3. E-RECRUITMENT
Many big organizations use Internet as a source of recruitment. E- recruitment is the use of technology to assist the recruitment process. They advertise job vacancies through worldwide web. The job seekers send their applications or curriculum vitae i.e. CV through e mail using the Internet. Alternatively job seekers place their CV’s in worldwide web, which can be drawn by prospective employees depending upon their requirements.
The two kinds of e- recruitment that an organization can use is –

§ Job portals – i.e. posting the position with the job description and the job specification on the job portal and also searching for the suitable resumes posted on the site corresponding to the opening in the organization.

§ Creating a complete online recruitment/application section in the companies own website. - Companies have added an application system to its website, where the ‘passive’ job seekers can submit their resumes into the database of the organization for consideration in future, as and when the roles become available.

Resume Scanners: Resume scanner is one major benefit provided by the job portals to the organizations. It enables the employees to screen and filter the resumes through pre-defined criteria’s and requirements (skills, qualifications, experience, payroll etc.) of the job.

Job sites provide a 24*7 access to the database of the resumes to the employees facilitating the just-in-time hiring by the organizations. Also, the jobs can be posted on the site almost immediately and is also cheaper than advertising in the employment newspapers. Sometimes companies can get valuable references through the “passers-by” applicants. Online recruitment helps the organizations to automate the recruitment process, save their time and costs on recruitments.

Online recruitment techniques

§ Giving a detailed job description and job specifications in the job postings to attract candidates with the right skill sets and qualifications at the first stage.

§ E-recruitment should be incorporated into the overall recruitment strategy of the organization.

§ A well defined and structured applicant tracking system should be integrated and the system should have a back-end support.

§ Along with the back-office support a comprehensive website to receive and process job applications (through direct or online advertising) should be developed.

§ Therefore, to conclude, it can be said that e-recruitment is the “Evolving face of recruitment.”

Advantages of recruitment are:

§ Low cost.

§ No intermediaries

§ Reduction in time for recruitment.

§ Recruitment of right type of people.

§ Efficiency of recruitment process.

FORMS OF RECRUITMENT

The organizations differ in terms of their size, business, processes and practices. A few decisions by the recruitment professionals can affect the productivity and efficiency of the organization. Organizations adopt different forms of recruitment practices according to the specific needs of the organization. The organizations can choose from the centralized or decentralized forms of recruitment, explained below:

Centralized Recruitment

The recruitment practices of an organization are centralized when the HR / recruitment department at the head office performs all functions of recruitment. Recruitment decisions for all the business verticals and departments of an organization are carried out by the one central HR (or recruitment) department. Centralized from of recruitment is commonly seen in government organizations.

Benefits of the centralized form of recruitment are:

§ Reduces administration costs

§ Better utilization of specialists

§ Uniformity in recruitment

§ Interchangeability of staff

§ Reduces favoritism

§ Every department sends requisitions for recruitment to their central office

Decentralized Recruitment

Decentralized recruitment practices are most commonly seen in the case of conglomerates operating in different and diverse business areas. With diverse and geographically spread business areas and offices, it becomes important to understand the needs of each department and frame the recruitment policies and procedures accordingly. Each department carries out its own recruitment. Choice between the two will depend upon management philosophy and needs of particular organization. In some cases combination of both is used. Lower level staffs as well as top level executives are recruited in a decentralized manner.

RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES

Recruitment is of the most crucial roles of the human resource professionals. The level of performance of and organization depends on the effectiveness of its recruitment function. Organizations have developed and follow recruitment strategies to hire the best talent for their organization and to utilize their resources optimally. A successful recruitment strategy should be well planned and practical to attract more and good talent to apply in the organization.

For formulating an effective and successful recruitment strategy, the strategy should cover the following elements:

Identifying and prioritizing jobs

Requirements keep arising at various levels in every organization; it is almost a never-ending process. It is impossible to fill all the positions immediately. Therefore, there is a need to identify the positions requiring immediate attention and action. To maintain the quality of the recruitment activities, it is useful to prioritize the vacancies whether to focus on all vacancies equally or focusing on key jobs first.

Candidates to target
The recruitment process can be effective only if the organization completely understands the requirements of the type of candidates that are required and will be beneficial for the organization. This covers the following parameters as well:

Performance level required: Different strategies are required for focusing on hiring high performers and average performers.
Experience level required: the strategy should be clear as to what is the experience level required by the organization. The candidate’s experience can range from being a fresher to experienced senior professionals.
Category of the candidate: the strategy should clearly define the target candidate. He/she can be from the same industry, different industry, unemployed, top performers of the industry etc.

Sources of recruitment
The strategy should define various sources (external and internal) of recruitment. Trained recruiters
The recruitment professionals conducting the interviews and the other recruitment activities should be well-trained and experienced to conduct the activities. They should also be aware of the major parameters and skills (e.g.: behavioral, technical etc.) to focus while interviewing and selecting a candidate.
How to evaluate the candidates
The various parameters and the ways to judge them i.e. the entire recruitment process should be planned in advance. Like the rounds of technical interviews, HR interviews, written tests, psychometric tests etc.

RECRUITMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Recruitment management system is the comprehensive tool to manage the entire recruitment processes of an organization. It is one of the technological tools facilitated by the information management systems to the HR of organizations. Just like performance management, payroll and other systems, Recruitment management system helps to contour the recruitment processes and effectively managing the ROI on recruitment.

The features, functions and major benefits of the recruitment management system are explained below:

Structure and systematically organize the entire recruitment processes.
Recruitment management system facilitates faster, unbiased, accurate and reliable processing of applications from various applications.
Helps to reduce the time-per-hire and cost-per-hire.
Recruitment management system helps to incorporate and integrate the various links like the application system on the official website of the company, the unsolicited applications, outsourcing recruitment, the final decision making to the main recruitment process.
Recruitment management system maintains an automated active database of the applicants facilitating the talent management and increasing the efficiency of the recruitment processes.
Recruitment management system provides and a flexible, automated and interactive interface between the online application system, the recruitment department of the company and the job seeker.
Offers tolls and support to enhance productivity, solutions and optimizing the recruitment processes to ensure improved ROI.
Recruitment management system helps to communicate and create healthy relationships with the candidates through the entire recruitment process.

The Recruitment Management System (RMS) is an innovative information system tool which helps to sane the time and costs of the recruiters and improving the recruitment processes.

2012-04-20T00:51:00.001-07:00

MANPOWER PLANNING-
HUMAN RESOURCE

Man power planning or human resource planning is “the process by which management determines how an organization should move from the current manpower to the desired manpower position. Through planning, a management strives to have the right number and the right kind of people at the right place, to do things which result in both individual and the organization receiving the maximum long range benefit.

Coleman has defined human resource or manpower planning as “the process of determining manpower requirements and the means for meeting those requirements in order to carry out the integrated plan of the organization.”

Stainer defines manpower planning as “strategy for the acquisition, utilization, improvement, and preservation of an enterprise’s human resources. It relates to establishing job specifications or the quantitative requirements of jobs determining the number of personnel required and developing sources of manpower.

According to Wickstrom, manpower planning consists a series of activities ie

forecasting future manpower requirements
making an inventory of present manpower resources
anticipating manpower problems by projecting present resources into the future and comparing them with the forecast of requirements to determine their adequacy, both quantitatively and qualitatively
planning recruitment selection, training, development, utilization, transfer, promotion motivation and compensation to ensure that future manpower requirements are properly met

thus, it will be noted that manpower planning consists in projecting future manpower requirements and development manpower plans for the implementation of the projections.

Manpower planning is a double edges sword. If used properly, it leads to the maximum utilization of human resources, reduces excessive labor turnover and high absenteeism, improves productivity and aids in achieving organizational goals. If not used properly, it leads to disruption in the flow of work, lower production, less job satisfaction, high cost of production and constant headaches for management personnel. Therefore, for the success of an enterprise, manpower planning is very important function.

For an individual it is important because it helps to improve his skills and potential to the utmost. For an organization it is important as it improves its efficiency and productivity. It is only through initial manpower planning that capable hands are available for promotion.

NEED FOR MANPOWER PLANNING

Manpower planning is essential because of the following reasons

To carry out its work, each organization needs personnel with the necessary qualifications, skills, knowledge, work experience and aptitude foe work. These are provided through effective planning.
Since large number of persons have to be replaced who have grown old, or who retire, die or become incapacitated because of physical or mental ailments, there is a constant need for replacing such persons. Otherwise the work will suffer.
human resource planning is essential because of frequent labor turnover which is unavoidable and even beneficial because it arises from factors which are socially and economically sound such as voluntary quits, discharges, marriage etc
In order to meet the needs of expansion programs hr/manpower planning is unavoidable.
The nature of the present workforce in relation to its changing needs also necessitates the recruitment of new labor. To meet the challenge of new and changing technology and new techniques of production, existing employees need to be trained or new blood injected in an organization.
manpower is also needed to identify the areas of surplus as well as shoratage of labor

THE OBJECTIVE OF HR/MANPOWER PLANNING

The objective of manpower planning is to maintain and improve the organizations ability to achieve its goal by developing strategies that will contribute its optimum contribution of human resources. Manpower planning is the responsibility of both line and staff manager. The line management is responsible to give estimate of manpower requirements and staff manager is responsible to take actions on selection and recruitment in association with line manager who needs the man power.

BENEFITS OF MANPOWER PLANNING.

Less costs because management can anticipate imbalances before they become unmanageable and expensive
More tine is provided to locate the talent
Better opportunities exist to include women and minority groups in future growth plans
Better planning of assignments to develop managers can be done.
Major and successful demands on local labor markets can be made

PROCESS OF MANPOWER PLANNING

It is a multi-step process as follows

Deciding goals and objectives
Estimating future organizational structure and manpower requirements
Auditing human resources
Planning job requirements and job descriptions
And developing human resource plan

DECIDING OBJECTIVES

In effect the main purpose is one of matching or fitting employee abilities to enterprise requirements, with an emphasis on future instead of present arrangements. The ultimate mission or purpose is to relate future human resources to future enterprise needs so as to maximize the future return on investment in human resources.

ESTIMATING THE FUTURE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OR FORECASTING THE MANPOWER REQUIREMENTS.

The management must estimate the structure of the organization at a given point of time. The number and type of employees needed have to be determined. Many environmental factors affect this determination. They include business forecasts, expansion, growth, design, structural changes, management philosophy, government policy , product and human mix and competition

Forecasting is necessary because,

The eventualities and contingencies of general economic business cycles (such as inflation, wages, prices, costs and raw material supplies) have an influence on the short range and long run plans of all organizations.
An expansion following enlargement and growth in business involves the use of additional machineries and personnel and a reallocation of facilities, all of which call for advance planning of human resources.
Changes in management philosophies and leadership styles.
The use of mechanical technology necessitate changes in the skills of workers as well as a change in the number of employees needed.

After estimating what future organization structure should be, the next step is to draw up the requirements of manpower, both for existing and new vacancies. For this requirement details should be obtained from various departments. Vacancies occurring in any department should be notified in writing to the personnel department, stating clearly the number of vacancies to be filled category or job wise, their qualification and experience and the reasons for acquisition. A statement of duties, type of jobs, pay scale and previous experience should also be made.

In determining the requirements of manpower, the expected losses which are likely to occur through labor turnover- quits, retirement, death, transfers, promotions, demotions, dismissals. Disability, resignations, lay-offs, and other separations – should be taken into account. Additional resources are gained through new employment of personnel, promotions, transfers etc.

After making all adjustments, the real shortages and surplus may be found off. If a shortage is there, efforts are made to fill up the vacancies. If there is surplus deal it by transfers, retrenchments etc.

AUDITING HUMAN RESOURCES

Once the future requirement is estimated the next step is to determine the present supply of manpower resources. This is done through what is called “skills inventory” which contain data about each employees skills, abilities, work preference which indicated his overall value to the company. Other data pertaining his performance ratings and superior’s evaluation may also be tabulated and all these are fed into computers. These details are required by personnel departments for transfers, promotions and manpower requirement filling.

JOB ANLYSIS

After having decided how many persons would be needed, it is necessary to prepare job analysis, which records details of training, skills, qualification, abilities, experience and responsibilities. Etc which are needed for the job. Job analysis include the preparation of job descriptions and job specifications.

DEVELOPING MANPOWER PLAN

This consists in finding out the sources of labor supply with a view to making an effective use of these factors.

The best policy which is followed by most organizations is to fill up higher vacancies by promotion and lower level positions by recruitment from labor market. A labor market is a geographical area from which employees recruit their workforce and labor. The personnel manager should have a thorough knowledge about labor market.

2012-04-20T00:40:00.000-07:00

WINE BOTTLES

2012-04-20T00:33:00.001-07:00

WINE

2012-03-26T05:22:00.000-07:00

FLOWERS IN HOTEL #3

2012-03-26T05:12:00.001-07:00

FLOWERS IN HOTEL #2

2012-03-26T05:02:00.003-07:00

FLOWERS IN HOTEL #1

2012-03-18T00:49:00.002-07:00

HUMAN RESOURCE PART -1

Employee Recruitment

Employee recruitment is a central feature of any comprehensive HRM strategy and plan for it implementation. This area is frequently the practical and professional domain of the human recourse or personnel department within a company. As such, this department has primary responsibility for recruiting and hiring all full-time, permanent employees. How ever, operational areas, such as banqueting department in hotels, may have the authority to manage their own part-time and casual work force recruitment.

Demographic and other labour market pressures have resulted in major changes to both recruitment methods used in the level of investment in recruitment within the hospitality and tourism industry.

Employee recruitment has a number of divers applications for the formulation of the HRM strategies. These include:

The extent to which a company chooses either to invest in the development of relatively untrained recruits or to attract skilled, and consequently, more expensive, entrants has an impact on training needs. Selecting relatively unskilled staff, of course, requires a compensatory investment in training.
The potential for promotion opportunities within a firm should influence whom the company targets for recruitment. If the company is small or family owned or managed, for example, opportunities for advancement may be limited and ambitious high – flyers may well leave after a short period. To avoid this early turnover that results from inappropriate hiring decisions, policies addressing in – company, mobility and promotion must be clearly defined prior to establishing recruitment priorities.
Recruitment strategies might be influenced by other organisational policies for example, choices regarding whom to recruit and hire maybe promoted by a company’s affirmatives action policies. These sorts of policies often require a company to achieve and maintain an appropriate ratio of, say, male/female or Asians-Blacks-Caucasians-Hispanics among its employees.
Knowledge of the local labour market can influence chooses regarding whom to recruit and how to go about this recruitment. Effective employee recruitment depends on complete and accurate information about the labour markets a company proposes to tap. For example, if a company defines its labour market ‘all hospitality and tourism colleagues on a nation wide basis’, it would be important to have information about courses, level, and the quality of gratuities at the various institutions. In other instances, where the labour market is confined to the immediate geographic vicinities, it might be important for a company to have information regarding the local education, training, and employment environment, or any of the following considerations:

· Local school and college programme provision.

· Local employment and unemployment situations.

· Local demographic matters. For example some tourist destinations are also popular retirement areas (Florida, Spain and south coast of England) this could effect the priority give to recruiting specific groups.

Collection of such information requires an element of research so that strategy planning can be based on complete and accurate labour market data.

Manpower Planning

HR is the main asset of the work organisation, especially in the hospitality industry. The high level of staff turnover, the needs for trained and experienced staff, the need for management development draw attention to the importance of effective manpower planning. It is understandable, therefore, that in recent years greater recognition has been given to the importance of planning manpower recourses as well as other economic resources.

A recent survey of steps taken to over come manpower problems in 92 organisations concludes that greater priority will need to be given to manpower planning and human resource management as the availability of people an skills becomes more critical. Employers will have to continue to identify the skills need to achieve objectives and to restructure to make best use of the skills available. In addition they will need to device human resource policies aimed at maintaining competitiveness in the labour market and to meting employees aspirations.

The importance of manpower planning has been emphasised by the hotels and catering EDC. The industry produces a service provided by people in face-to-face relationships with the customer. Manpower planning should be adopted to ensure that employment [policies from an integral part of general company policy. The type of manpower planning advocated is one, which stresses the way in which action and policy should be brought together.

A broad approach to manpower planning

Manpower planning should not be viewed in isolation but as an integral part of the broader process of strategic planning. Manpower planning is linked to the development of the organisation as a whole and should take account of external environmental factors, for example demographic changes, patterns of employment such as part-time, female or order workers, developments in the educational system, the level of competition, government initiatives on employment and training or employment legislation, and developments in information technology and automation. It will be necessary to clarify the extent and scope of the manpower plan, the target date and the length of the forecasts are to be made, and the amount to information and detail operational activities, in the case of a hotel for example, the number of cleaning staff to the number of rooms, or the number of waiting staff to the number of covers in the restaurant.

Main stages in manpower planning

Whatever the nature and scope of the manpower plan, it is possible to identify four main stages:

(i) An analysis of present staffing resources;

(ii) An estimation of likely changes by the target date –this determines the manpower supply;

(iii) A forecast of staffing requirements for the target date-this determines the manpower demand;

(iv) Measures to ensure the required staffing recourses are available as and when required.

The reconciliation of supply and demand is the basis of the manpower plan and a personnel management action programme.

Manpower supply forecast

In order to determine an accurate forecast of manpower supply, it is necessary to have an effective staffing inventory and system of personnel records including details of occupational structure and staff turnover. It is important what the record system is kept up to record system should be able to indicate readily both more basic details, such as the age able to converse in a foreign language.

The supply forecast must also take account of changes, additions and losses, incremental improvements in staff experience and training, and current programmes of management development.

Application of manpower planning

The underlying concepts of manpower planning are basically straightforward. Although there are a number of sophisticated quantitative techniques and computer programmes available, these should be applied only when really necessary and most probably only in the larger units. Manpower planning can take a number of different forms in different organisations. In smaller hotels for example, it can be undertaken at a move basic level. The important points is the recognition of the need for an effective system of manpower planning appropriate to the demands and requirements of the particular hospitality organisation.

Potential benefits

The use of manpower planning offers many potential benefits. An effective manpower plan will provide:

· Links between objectives and organisation structure, and clarification of personnel policies;

· Information on staffing requirements for forward planning at both the strategic level, for example a major extension to a hotel, and at the day-to-day operational level;

· Indication of trends and likely changes in staffing recourses in order to anticipate potential future difficulties while there is still a choice of action;

· A trigger for the development of effective personnel strategies and procedures, and a personnel management action programme for such activities as recruitment and selection, training and retraining, wage/salary levels, management development, transfers and redeployment, early retirements and accommodation requirements.

Manpower planning involves considerable uncertainty and mistakes are bound to occur. Forward planning is particularly difficult in the hospitality industry, which is susceptible to changes in the external environment and customer tastes, and seasonal patterns of demands. But manpower planning is therefore even more important. Coupled with good communications and meaningful participation, effective manpower planning will help to alleviate effects, which are potentially harmful to members of staff or to organisational performance.

Staff recruitment and selection

The nature of the hospitality industry and its pattern of staffing are such that most managers are likely to be faced frequently with the need to recruit and select For example, the recent HCTC study has forecast that the hotel and catering industry will need to recruit an average of 13.000 new staff with 3,000 of these skilled supervisory and management levels. The need is for effective methods and procedures of recruitment and selection. It is questionable, however, to what extent performance matches the ideal .A major report by the hotels and catering EDC was highly critical of recruitment and selection methods. According to the report, selection methods are unsophisticated and lacking in objectivity. Managers should adopt more systematic problem-solving methods for determining their recruitment policy. Although the report was published some years ago, it appears that improvements still need to be made. From a recent study of the management of human recourses is four large hotel groups Crony found that:

The recruitment and selection process tended to be ad hoc and informal in the majority of the groups, and even where formal procedures existed implementation

At the unit level tended to be informal. Such an approach runs contrary to the ‘human recourses management’ approach because a key feature of ‘human recourses management’ is the importance attributed towards having sophisticated and effective recruitment and selection procedures.

· Recognise the importance of a planned and systematic approach to recruitment and selection;

· Assess the effectiveness of present policies and design new procedures as necessary and

· Review the methods, skills and techniques of staff selection.

A planned and systematic approach

It is possible to identify five basic stages in planned and systematic approach to recruitment and selection.

Stage 1 – The need to know about the job to be filled

Is the job really necessary, or can it be covered adequately by reorganising or reallocating other jobs? If the job is necessary, what does it entail? What are the duties and responsibilities attached to the job?

Stage 2- The need to know about the type of person to do the job

What qualities and attributes are required for a person to perform the job?

effectively?

Stage 3-The need to know likely means of attracting applicants

It is necessary to recruit outside? If so where are suitable applicants most likely

to be found? Which are the best sources of labour and methods of recruitment?

Stage 4- The need to know how best to access the candidates likely suitability for the job.

How best should information be collected about the candidates? How should the selection process be planned?

Stage5-The need for induction and follow-up

How best should the socialisation process be undertaken? How should new members of staff be introduced to the `policies, procedures and working practise?

Degree and application

In the smaller hospitality units an elaborate selection procedure may be neither readily practicable nor appropriate, but there is still the need for a planned and systematic approach. This provides a framework and set of principles, which should underline all recruitment and selection. Between the larger and the smaller unit there is the difference only of degree and application.

Underlying considerations

Whatever the procedures for the selection of staff there are 3 fundamental considerations, which should underlie recruitment policy.

· Recruitment and selection should not be considered in isolation, i.e. simply finding someone to do a particular job, but in the context of the overall manpower plan and personnel management action programme. It maybe necessarily to consider, for example, the potential for training and future promotion, and adaptability to possible future changes in working practices.

· There is a need to consider not just technical competence and the ability to perform certain tasks, but also sociability. In the hospitality industry it is especially important to consider how new members of staff are likely to fit into the social structure and membership of work groups.

· Recruitment must comply fully with all legal requirements related to employment and follow recommended codes of practice. It is important to ensure justice and fair treatment to all applicants, and the exercise of ’social’ responsibilities, for example the employment registered disabled people and ethnic minorities.

2012-03-14T00:54:00.000-07:00

COVERS

LAYING COVERS FOR TABLE SERVICE

One of the technical terms very often used in the hospitality industry is a "cover". What does this mean? There are 2 definitions according to the context

1) When discussing how many guests a restaurant or dining room will seat or how many guests will be attending a certain cocktail party, we refer to the total number of guests concerned as so many "covers".

2) When laying a table in readiness for service there are a variety of place settings, which have to be laid according to the type of meal and service being offered. This place setting is a type of cover being laid. In other words a cover denotes all the necessary cutlery, flatware, crockery, glassware and linen necessary to a lay a certain type of place setting for a specific meal.

A LA CARTE COVER

This cover follows the principle that the cutlery and flatware for each course will be laid just before each course is served. The traditional cover given below represents the cover for hors d' oeuvres which is the first course in a classic menu sequence.

· Fish plate
· Serviette
· Fish knife
· Fish fork
· Side plate
· Side knife
· Wine glass

When an a la carte cover is being laid, the cutlery and flatware required by the guest for the dishes ordered will be placed course by course. In other words there should not be at any time during the meal, more cutlery and flatware on the table than is required by the guest at that specific time.

TABLE D'HOTE COVER

This cover follows the principle that the cutlery and flatware for the entire meal will be laid before the first course is served. The traditional cover is given below:

· Serviette
· Soup spoon
· Fish knife
· Fish fork
· Meat knife
· Meat fork
· Dessert spoon
· Dessert fork
· Side plate
· Side knife
· Wine glass

When a Table d’hote cover has been laid, the steward should remove, after the order has been taken, any unnecessary cutlery and flatware and really any extra items that may be required.

After the above covers have been laid, the table-layout should be completed by the addition of the following items:

· Cruet set
· Ashtray
· Bud vase

All applicable cutlery and flatware should be laid 1.25 cm from the edge of the table. Water goblets after polishing should be placed at the top right-hand of the cover.

DEFINITION: One cover denotes all the necessary cutlery, flatware, crockery, glassware and linen necessary to lay a certain type of place setting for a specific meal, for a single person.

Size Of One Cover = 18x24 Inches.

Dimensions

Standard Table Setup

C. Central Appointments

· Ash Tray
· Flower Vase
· Cruet Set

D. For One Cover

· Cheese Plate
· Butter Knife/Side Knife
· All Purpose Fork
· All Purpose Spoon
· All Purpose Knife
· Dinner Napkin
· Water Goblet

Dimensions

· Round Table (4 Covers) 3 Feet In Diameter
· Round Table (8 Covers) 5 Feet In Diameter
· Rectangular Table (4 Covers) 4 Feet 6 Inches x 2 Feet 6 Inches.
· Square Table (2 Covers)2 Feet 6 Inches Square
· Square Table (4 Covers) 3 Feet Square

Dimensions
Tablecloths

· Round Table (4 Covers) 54 Inches x 54 Inches
· Square Table (2 Covers) 54 Inches x 54 Inches
· Square Table (4 Covers) 72 Inches x 72 Inches
· Rectangular Table (4 Covers) 72 Inches x 54 Inches

Dimensions

· Dinner Napkin 18 Inches Square

· Cocktail Napkin 06 Inches Square

Dimensions
· Height Of Chair 18 Inches From The Ground to Base and 39 Inches
· Height Of Table 02 Feet 6 Inches From Ground To Top

Dimensions

· All Purpose Spoon 8 Inches
· All Purpose Knife 10 Inches
· All Purpose Fork 8 Inches

2012-03-14T00:43:00.000-07:00

BREAKFAST SERVICES

There are basically two types of breakfast offered in hotels and restaurants. The Continental Breakfast and the English breakfast. The Continental Breakfast originated in Europe. It is a light meal as the Europeans normally have a heavy mid-day meal. The English breakfast is heavy and is a major meal of the day. A traditional English breakfast runs into six or seven courses.

Continental Breakfast

Consists of bread rolls or toast with jam, honey, or marmalade and rounded off with tea or coffee. Better hotels may serve brioches and croissants. The cover layout consists of

(a) A side plate and a side knife
(b) A butter dish and a butter knife on a quarter plate
(c) A tea cup and saucer with a teaspoon
(d) A sugar pot with tongs
(e) A bread boat or toast rack
(f) Serviette
(g) Jam, marmalade and honey pots

Note: There are variations to the Continental Breakfast. Cafe com- plate refers to Continental Breakfast with coffee (or tea) while cafe simple refers to just coffee or tea with nothing to eat.

English Breakfast:
Is more elaborate and offers a choice of juices (or fresh or stewed fruits), cereals, fish course, choice of eggs, meat course, toast with jam, marmalade or honey, and finally, tea or coffee. The cover consists of :

(a) A side plate and a side knife
(b) A butter dish and a butter knife on a quarter plate
(c) A tea cup and saucer with a teaspoon
(d) A sugar pot (a tongs, if there are sugar cubes)
(e) A cruet set
(/) A fish knife and fish fork
(g) Dinner knife and fork
(h) Jam, marmalade and honey
(i) Dessert spoon and fork
(j) Serviette

Typical English breakfast Menu:

· Chilled fruit juices : Orange, pineapple. tomato, grapefruit.
· Stewed fruit : Prunes, pears, apples, figs.
· Cereals: Porridge, cornflakes.
· Fish: Grilled herring, fried sole.
· Eggs: Poached, boiled, scrambled, fried, omelets
· Meat: Sausages, bacon, salami, kidney, breakfast steak.
· Breads: Toast, rolls, brioche, croissant, bread sucks.
· Preserves: Jam, marmalade, honey.
· Beverage: Tea, coffee, hot chocolate.
· Eggs can be served with: grilled tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, baked beans, fried potatoes.

2012-03-13T08:17:00.000-07:00

TYPES OF SERVICE

English Service: Often referred to as the "Host Service" because the host plays an active role in the service. Food is brought on platters by the waiter and is shown to the host for approval. The waiter then places the platters on the tables. The host either portions the food into the guest plates directly or portions the food and allows the waiter to serve. For replenishment of guest food the waiter may then take the dishes around for guests to help themselves or be served by the waiter.
French Service: It is a very personalized service. Food is brought from the kitchen in dishes and salvers, which are placed directly on the table. The plates are kept near the dish and the guests help themselves.

Silver Service: The table is set for hors d'oeuvres, soup, main courses and sweet dish in sterling silverware. The food is portioned into silver platters at the kitchen itself which are placed at the sideboard with burners or hot plates to keep the food warm in the restaurant. Plates are placed before the guest. The waiter then picks the platter from the hot plate and presents the dish to the host for approval. He serves each guest using a service spoon and fork. All food is presented in silver dishes with elaborate dressing.

American service:The American service is a pre-plated service which means that the food is served into the guest's plate in the kitchen itself and brought to the guest. The portion is predetermined by the kitchen and the accompaniments served with the dish balance the entire presentation in terms of nutrition and color. This type of service is commonly used in a coffee shop where service is required to be fast.

Cafeteria Service: This service exists normally in industrial canteens, colleges, hospitals or hotel cafeterias. To facilitate quick service, the menu is fixed and is displayed on large boards. The guest may have to buy coupons in advance, present them to the counter waiter who then serves the desired item. Sometimes food is displayed behind the counter and the guests may indicate their choice to the counter attendant. The food is served pre-plated and the cutlery is handed directly to the guest. Guests may then sit at tables and chairs provided by the establishment. Sometimes high tables are provided where guests can stand and eat.

Counter Service: (Snack-bar Service) Tall stools are placed along a counter so that the guest may eat the food at the counter itself. In better establishments, the covers are laid out on the counter itself. Food is either displayed behind the counter for the guests to choose from, or is listed on a menu card or common black board.

Grill Room Service: In this form of service various meats are grilled in front of the guest. The meats may be displayed behind a glass partition or well decorated counter so that the guest can select his exact cut of meat. The food comes pre-plated.

Room Service: It implies serving of food and beverage in guest rooms of hotels. Small orders are served in trays. Major means are taken to the room on trolleys. The guest places his order with the room service order taker. The waiter receives the order and transmits the same to the kitchen. In the meanwhile he prepares his tray or trolley. He then goes to the cashier to have a cheque prepared to take along with the food order for the guests’ signature or payment. Usually clearance of soiled dishes from the room is done after half an hour or an hour. However, the guest can telephone Room Service for the clearance as and when he has finished with the meal.

There are two types of Room Service:

Centralized: Here all the food orders are processed from the main kitchen and sent to the rooms by a common team of waiters.

Decentralized: Each floor or a set of floor may have separate pantries to service them. Orders are taken at a central point by order-takers who in turn convey the order to the respective pantry.

Mobile Pantries: Some hotels have pantries installed in service elevators. Orders are received by a central point that conveys it to the mobile pantry. The pantry has to just switch on the floor and give instant service. For the sake of information, in countries, which have a shortage of manpower, large hotels install mechanized dispensing units in rooms. The guest inserts the necessary value of coins into the machine, which will eject pre-prepared food and beverages for guest consumption.

Buffet Service: A self-service where food is displayed on tables. The guest takes his plate from a stack at the end of each table or requests the waiter behind the buffet table to serve him.

For sit-down buffet service, tables are laid with crockery and cutlery as in a restaurant. The guest may serve himself at the buffet table and return to eat at the guest table laid out. The waiter may serve a few courses like the appetizer and soup at the table.

Russian Service: An elaborate silver service much on the lines of French service except that the food is portioned and carved by the waiter at the gueridon trolley in the restaurant in full view of the guests. Display and presentation are a major part of this service. The principle involved is to have whole joints, poultry, game and fish elaborately dressed and garnished, presented to guests and carved and portioned by the waiter.

Gueridon Service: This is a service where a dish comes partially prepared from the kitchen to be completed in the restaurant by the waiter or, when a complete meal is cooked at the table-side in the restaurant. The cooking is done on a gueridon trolley which is a mobile trolley with a gas cylinder and burners. The waiter plays a prominent part, as he is required to fillet, carve, flambé and prepare the food with showmanship. The waiter has to have considerable dexterity and skill.
FOOD SERVICES

There are some basic principles in food and beverage service that a waiter must know:

· When food is served by the waiter at the table from a platter onto a guest plate, the service is done from the left.

· When food is pre-plated the service to the guest is usually done from the right, though modern convention permits service from the left also.

· All beverages are served from the right.

· Soups are served from the right unless it is poured by a waiter from a large tureen into a soup cup in which case it is done from the left of the guest.

· Ladies are always served first and the remaining guests clockwise. Soiled plates should always be cleared from the table from the right. Empty crockery and fresh cutlery are always served from the right. Never reach across a Customer. Hence, when a guest is present at the table, all items and equipment on the right of guest must be placed from the right and that on the left from the left.

2012-03-12T01:26:00.000-07:00

HVAC

Introduction

There are a number of new and innovative technologies, which have the potential to reduce energy consumption greatly. The essence of HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air conditioning) concept lies in keeping away from extremes i.e. to customize temperature level, air quality, air conditioning, etc. to work at an optimum level and thereby reducing operation cost on energy. The HVAC system is also known as climate control. This is because these three functions are essential in maintaining comfort in every dwelling. A well-selected and installed HVAC system can greatly enhance the comfort, productivity, improving performance and has direct impact on people’s health. Likewise, a poorly selected system will cause endless headaches for the facility executive, whether they’re hot/cold calls, indoor air quality problems or astronomical energy bills. Energy conservation and reutilization of exhaust energy is gaining momentum in HVAC operations.

Brief Description

Three Functions of HVAC:

Heating is significant in maintaining adequate room temperature especially during colder weather conditions. There are two classifications of heating: local and central. The latter is more commonly used because it is more economical. Furnace or boiler, heat pump, and radiator make up the heating system.

Ventilation, on the other hand, is associated with air movement. There are many types of ventilation, but they all function similarly. Ventilation is necessary to allow carbon dioxide to go out and oxygen to get in, making sure that people are inhaling fresh air. Stagnant air causes the spreading of sickness, usually airborne, and allergies. But it is also essential to maintain an efficient ventilation system, especially in the attics. Insufficient ventilation usually promotes the growth of bacteria and fungi such as molds because of high humidity. It will also decrease the effectiveness of rafter and roof sheathing insulation because of water vapor condensation.

The air-conditioning system controls the heat as well as ventilation. They often come in different sizes. Most air conditioners have large air ducts, so it is better to check out the building first to see if they can be installed. Or else, you can use the split system or remote coils. It is necessary, though, that air ducts are properly cleaned. Pathogens thrive in dirty air ducts. Return-air grills are also vulnerable to chemical, microbiological, and radiological elements. Thus, HVAC return-air grill height should be that it is not accessible but visible for any observation.

Reduce Electricity Usage

What are the appliances that use the most energy in you home
1. Air Conditioners / Heaters / Heat Pump
2. Lighting
3. Refirgerator
4. Freezer
5. Pool Pump / Spa
6. Washing Machine / Dryer
7. Television
8. Computers
These are the main Power consumers in the home.

2012-03-12T01:23:00.000-07:00

Energy Conservation

Introduction

Energy conservation is the practice of decreasing the quantity of energy used. It may be achieved through efficient energy use, in which case energy use is decreased while achieving a similar outcome, or by reduced consumption of energy services. Energy conservation may result in increase of financial capital, environmental value, national security, personal security, and human comfort. Individuals and organizations that are direct consumers of energy may want to conserve energy in order to reduce energy costs and promote economic security. Industrial and commercial users may want to increase efficiency and thus maximize profit.

Brief Description

Sources of energy conservation:

Sources of energy conservation are Solar Energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, wave energy, hydroelectric energy, and biomass energy.

Energy Conservation Tips:

1) Interior Lighting: [lamp/luminaries, bulb, fluorescent (standard/compact)] Good energy management can easily cut lighting energy by half.

o Use fluorescent tubes in preference incandescent bulbs.

o Consider the purchase of compact fluorescent lamps/luminaries (CFL)

o Avoid “long-life” bulbs. They are 20% less efficient than the standard bulbs.

o Dimmer switches can save energy when used with incandescent lighting fixtures

o Turn off all lights, when someone is not occupying the washroom, closets and in-frequently used area.

2) Office Equipment: [printer, scanner, photocopier, facsimile/fax, calculator, cash machine, paper shedder, detacher, transformer (power)

o All office equipment is to be in accordance with the suppliers/manufacture operational procedure manual; failure to comply can and would result in poor equipment operation and failure.

o Use as necessary or as the need arise. All nuisance use or non- work related task and assignments are to be avoided.

o Do not leave transformers plugged into the wall outlet receptacle; disconnect (turn-off the outlet switch) and isolate (remove) all transformers at the end of the working day.

o Shut off unnecessary computers, printers, and copiers that are not in use and close-down/disconnect at the end of the working day.

3) Computer & Electronic (Operational) Equipment: [personal computers, electronic (processing) equipment]

o For efficient use it is recommended that all personal computers (PC’s) utilize the power management option. Suggested Settings:

a) Monitor – 15 min.

b) Hard Disk (Central Processor Unit) – 25 min.

c) System Standby – 30 min.

d) Screen Saver – 1 min.

e) Additionally, use the automatic save feature when working in all applications, preferable at one (1) minute intervals.

o Shut off unnecessary computers, printers, and copiers that are not in use and close-down/disconnect at the end of the working day.

4) Air Conditioning: [air conditioner unit (window, split, central)]

o All office windows are to be covered by light coloured blinds/curtains or screens. E.g. white, beige, light cream, to reduce heat conduction, radiation and convection

o All doors, windows and openings are to be thermally sealed and kept closed on entry/exit to reduce unit over-work

o Depending on occupancy level and local area disposition, room air conditioners [window type units] can be replaced by more energy efficient split units or central air conditioners

o Set thermostat/temperature control to “auto”. The “fan-on” setting will increase energy use

o Do not use ceiling fans with the air conditioner unless the thermostat for the air conditioner is set higher than normal

Natural Cooling:

o Fans should not run in rooms that are unoccupied

o Open windows as wide as possible to admit cool circulating breeze and fresh breeze

5) Domestic Refrigeration, Heating & Ventilation: [refrigerator, freezer, chillers, water fountains, water heater, fans, ventilator]

o Be conscientious and mindful of the time spent with the refrigerator door open, during the entry and/or retrieval of items.

o Use as the need arise; however before opening (the door) think and decide on what item, one wish to remove from the appliance.

o Set the level on the temperature control (thermostat) at 3 or 4 depending on the quantity of the items in the refrigerator (medium level or full).

o Allow warm food to cool before storing in the refrigerator.

o Make sure that air spaces under/beneath and behind the refrigerator allows for the free escape of hot air currents

o Place refrigerator and/or freezer away from direct exposure to heat sources such sunlight and stoves.

6) Cooking, Domestic Equipment, Laundry & Clothes Drying: [oven, range/cooker, hot plate, microwave, toaster, blender/mixer, kettle, floor polisher, vacuum cleaner, dryer/blower, iron, television, video, radio/stereo, washing machine]

o All appliances must be turned off, when not in use.

o Microwave should be set at ‘medium or medium-high’ for 2 – 4 min duration.

o Kettles should be quarter filled for preparing a cup of coffee or tea.

o Stove/oven/ ranges are to be set on the medium range at 2 – 3 temperature level.

Energy Conservation

Energy conservation is the reduction of quantity of energy used. Energy conservation supports the eco friendly lifestyle by providing energy, which saves your money and at the same time saves the earth. When you decrease the amount of energy you use you automatically make efforts to reduce increasing global warming.

Source of Energy Conservation :

Solar Energy : Solar power uses the sun's energy and light to provide heat, light, and electricity for homes. It is the primary source of all energy forms on the earth. It is one such energy which helps in maintaining the ecological balance through the process of photosynthesis and green house effect. We have been using sun to dry clothes and boil food for generations. But now number of techno powers which have been developed to make full use of solar energy such as : -

Photovoltaic systems : By these systems the electricity could be produced directly from the sunlight.

Solar Process Space heating and cooling : It is the commercial and industrial use of sun's heat.

Solar Hot Water : The process to heat water with the solar energy.

Solar Power plants : Producing electricity bu using the sun's heat.

Passive Solar heating and daylighting : Use solar energy to heat buildings.

Wind energy :
Wind energy is often used to generate the mechanical power or the electricity. In the country like India, wind energy holds the great importance because of large hilly, coastal and desert areas. In the rural areas it is used to pump water and grind grain. The benefit of wind energy is that it is fully pollution free and is eco friendly too. It costs low and the generation of power is continuous. It is the most effective way to conserve the energy and prevent the environment.

Geothermal Energy : Geothermal energy is used in the form of thermal energy, electrical energy, nuclear energy, mechanical energy, chemical energy and light energy. It uses heat energy from beneath the surface of the earth. It was first used to produce electricity in the Itlay in 1903. Geothermal energy has the major environment benefit as it prevents air pollution. It is particularly important in the inland nations such as Indian Oceans and the pacific regions. Energy generation from geothermal sources is only possible in few places under unique geographic conditions.

Wave energy :
Ocean waves contain large amount of energy, which can be extracted through Ocean winds, Ocean currents, Ocean Geothermal etc. if the barrage is built across the river, electricity can be obtained by by the flow of water through turbines as the tide rise and falls.

Hydroelectric energy :
Another renewable source of energy is the hydroelectric energy, which is produced from fast flowing water. The process is pollution free. The movement of water spins the turbines which in turn generate electricity.

Biomass energy :
Biomass is the plant and animal waste which is used as the energy. Biomass energy like manure from livestock, plant waste etc can be used to generate electricity, fuel, light, and heat. We get biomass energy directly from plants and indirectly from the animal waste.

2012-03-12T01:01:00.000-07:00

JAPANESE CUISINE #2

Characteristics

} It is known for its emphasis on seasonality of food (旬, shun), quality of ingredients and presentation.

} Japanese cuisine are exotic and beautiful.

} It is easily one of the healthiest in the world, with its concentration on fresh fish, seafood, rice and vegetables.

} The Japanese love of beauty and simplicity turns slices and chunks of raw fish into miniature works of art.

} Regard their food very highly- fuel for both the body and the soul.

} is known for its emphasis on seasonality of food, quality of ingredients and presentation . Food is presented in small quantities in the right bowl or plate to bring out its distinct appearance, taste, aroma and texture.

} The Japanese eat three meals a day, and afternoon and late-night snacking is normal. Rice was commonly boiled plain and called gohan or meshi, and as cooked rice has since always been the preferred staple of the meal, the terms are used as synonyms for the word "meal."

} A standard Japanese meal generally consists of several different okazu accompanying a bowl of cooked white Japanese rice (gohan,), a bowl of soup and some tsukemono (pickles). The most standard meal comprises three okazu and is termed ichijū-sansai (; "one soup, three sides"). Different cooking techniques are applied to each of the three okazu; they may be raw (sashimi), grilled, simmered (sometimes called boiled), steamed, deep-fried, vinegared, or dressed.

· Water-based cooking gives lightness and delicateness of flavor.

· Sashimi or otsukuri, tempura, sushi and yakitori

· Sashimi- various kinds of raw fish taken with a dipping sause of soy and wasabi (green horseradish)

· Shoyu – soy sauce together with miso (bean paste is fundamental Japanese food

· Sake or tea is served with meals

· Mugicha –an iced tea made from unhusked barley brewed with tea

Major Ingredients:

} Noodles

} Soy products

} Seafood

} Vegetables

} Finned fish

} Sea mammals

} Shellfish

} Processed seafood

} Rice

} Beans

} Eggs

} Flour

} Fruits

} Fu (wheat gluten)

} Meats

} Crab (Kani)

Cooking methods

} Grilling

} Pan-frying

} Stewing/simmering

} Deep frying

} Pickling

} Stir-frying

2012-03-12T00:33:00.001-07:00

CHINESE CUISINE

Chinese cuisine is one of the greatest methods of cooking. Many elements that have influenced its development. The Chinese people enjoy eating good food at all levels of society so cooking has developed into a very sophisticated art.
There are many kinds of Chinese food from North to South, East to West. Recipes of famous dishes Beijing duck, Shanghai noodles, Sichuan soup and Guangdong dumplings actually are not sophisticated.
Many Chinese dishes are cooked with less meat and more vegetables, so the foods contain lower calories and are less rich than Western style food. Vegetables stay bright and crisp by cooking them for a short time over high heat, either in their own juice or in a small amount of water. This method retains most of the vitamins and minerals.

Chinese Cooking Methods

. Most Chinese dishes do not require a complex processing and equipment in the kitchen .Simplicity is the key to Chinese cuisine as evidently shown in their various cooking methods. When you have the ingredients, seasonings and marinades ready, you can use one of the following methods to cook in Chinese.

Roasting - Roasting is not family cooking in China, since few Chinese kitchens have facilities for roasting. Only restaurants go much into roasts . In roasting, raw ingredients are marinated in seasonings before being roasted in an oven or barbecued over direct heat from charcoal fire, with the roast turning slowly round and round. Marinades is added inside and out from time to time so that the skin remains smooth and shiny, instead of rough and flaky, and the meat remains juicy instead of powdery. The Peking duck is one of China's most famous dishes cooked this way. Families can go to food shops to buy roast meat or poultry and eat it cold. But for the crisp juicy hot roast duck, one has to go to a restaurant.

Boiling - Strictly speaking, this means cooking food in boiling water (A liquid is boiling when the surface is continually agitated by large bubbles). Violent boiling should be avoided. It wastes fuel; it does not cook the food any faster, it tends to make the food break up and so spoils the appearance; the liquid is evaporated too quickly with the consequent danger of the food burning. There are one or two exceptions to this rule; for example, when one wants to drive off water quickly from syrup or a sauce to make it thicker, then violent boiling with the lid off hastens the process.

Shallow frying - shallow frying uses a small amount of oil in a frying pan or wok at a temperature lower than stir-frying. Ingredients are usually cut into slices or flat pieces, and are used as they are, slightly coated with batter or rubbed with seasonings. Fish is ideal for this cooking method. The presentation side of the food should be fried first as this side will have the better appearance because the oil is clean, then turned so that both sides are cooked and browned. Sauces, if called for, are then added. Food cooked this way is tender inside with some crispness outside. This method is quite similar to sautéing in the West.

OTHER CHINESE COOKING METHODS

Stewing allows the cook to assemble the dish, boil it and then let it simmer, with little or no attention for an hour or more. A stew usually has smaller pieces of food that may or may not be browned first, and calls for a large quantity of liquid (enough to cover the food). Many "crock-pot" dishes are essentially stewed. Stews can be frozen and their flavors mature as they stand, so they are even better a day or so after you cook them. Vary the flavor profile of the stew dish by experimenting with seasonings (wine, broth, beer and vegetable juices) and different herbs and spices. In the final step, the sauce is thickened either with cornstarch or reduced by simmering. Cuts ideal for stewing are shoulder and pork cubes. In China, stews are usually cooked in a clay pot over a charcoal fire. The stew is cooked for a very long time, producing meat almost jelly-like in tenderness.

Red-cooking is stewing with soya sauce; some ingredients needing pre-frying, . In the final stage, the food is simmered over high or low heat till the sauce is reduced. Red-cooking is the typical family cooking. Red cooking has the advantage common to slow-cooking dishes that the leftovers keep well and can be eaten cold or warmed over. Cold red-cooked jelly of meat, chicken, etc., is especially good. If you are careful to warm it just to boiling point each time after use, the pot can keep for nearly two weeks!

Stir-frying is the most characteristic method of cooking in Chinese. It is a common feature throughout the various regional cooking styles of China. To define stir-frying in one breath would be big-fire-shallow-oil-continual-stirring-quick-frying of cut-up ingredients with wet seasoning. Because of the quickness of the process, stir frying is particularly good for preserving the vitamins of foods, especially of green vegetables .

In stir-frying, the food is cooked over high heat in a wok with little oil, just enough to lightly coat all of them. The oil is added when the wok is hot enough and the ingredients only 'go down into the wok' Butter is unsuitable. The best choices are bland-flavored vegetables oils such as peanut, soybean, corn, canola, safflower, and sunflower.

STEAMING AND DOUBLE BOILING
Steaming is a traditional Chinese cooking method that is ideal for today's trend towards healthy eating as very little or no oil is used. Steaming also results in a more nutritious food than boiling because fewer nutrients are destroyed or leached away into the water. It's simple and yet able to enhance an ingredient's natural flavor. Steaming is a test of the quality of the raw ingredient and therefore a favorite method of cooking very fresh fish by the Chinese. All sorts of foods are steamed: meats, dumplings, vegetables and buns and the fresher the ingredients, the better they are for steaming. The Chinese sometimes steam their food plain such as ham or beaten eggs with only salt and water.

Another steaming variation by the Chinese is called 'double boiling'. To double-boil, the bowl or casserole of ingredients is half immersed in water inside a large pot which is covered by a lid and the food is cooked partly by the boiling water and partly by the steam it produces. Food steamed this way comes out very soft, tender and nutritious.

Many forms of dim sum, dumplings and pastries are steamed dry. The Chinese use bamboo steamers that stack one on top of each other, up to as high as five layers. The bottom of each basket is a grid which allows the steam from the wok to rise all the way to the top of the stack. Dishes needing the most steaming are placed on the bottom, with ones needing less on the top level. Cantonese are well known for their steamed dishes. The bamboo steamers are not suitable if you wish to retain the precious sweet juices that ooze out of the food to be steamed because they will drip away through the grids unless of course if the steamers are big enough for you to put a whole plate in.

Other less common Chinese cooking methods that I will not elaborate here can be seen under cooking terms are salting, pickling, drying, meeting, splashing, plunging, rinsing & smoking.

Salting - Salting in China is about the same process as in the West, but it plays a much greater part in China . There are three reasons for this. Since there is little refrigeration or canning in most parts, perishable foods have to be salted to keep. Secondly, salted food goes a longer way in 'sending down rice' than fresh food and is therefore very economical. Last and most, many things taste better salted than fresh. For example, mustard green is good when fresh, but it becomes wonderful when salted. Salting is sometimes used as a pre-cooking process, sometimes as a complete dish-forming process. Thus, Salted Celery Cabbage is probably the one best-liked cold dish for many people.

Smoking - Chinese smoke fish, poultry, and tobacco, but not much meat. In smoking, foods are pre-cooked and then cured in smoke from burning wood or peanut shells.

Drying - Next to salting, drying is the commonest way of preserving food in China . It is more difficult than salting, since you must hope the thing will dry before it spoils. You get your dried things in Chinatown.

Plunging - Plunging is a very quick form of soup-cooking on the principle that the more surface is heated the less time it takes. Thus, you cut meat, fish, or poultry to flying-thin slices, dip them in a mixture of soy sauce, wine, and corn flour, then plunge them into boiling clear soup or water. One or two minutes, and it is done, both tender and savory. The soup also improves after the pieces have been plunged in.

Meeting - When pre-cooked materials are put together, usually with some additional seasoning, and cooked together, usually by simple boiling, the process is called meeting. Of two quantities of things, it is the thing of the smaller quantity which is said to meet the other, for example Shrimp Cakes Meet Celery Cabbage.

Eight Cuisines

China covers a large territory and has many nationalities, hence a variety of Chinese food with different but fantastic and mouthwatering flavor. Since China's local dishes have their own typical characteristics, generally, Chinese food can be roughly divided into eight regional cuisines, which has been widely accepted around. Certainly, there are many other local cuisines which are famous, such as Beijing Cuisine and Shanghai Cuisine.

Shandong Cuisine
Sichuan Cuisine
Guangdong Cuisine
Fujian Cuisine

Jiangsu Cuisine
Zhejiang Cuisine
Hunan Cuisine
Anhui Cuisine

Shandong Cuisine

Consisting of Jinan cuisine and Jiaodong cuisine, Shandong cuisine, clear, pure and not greasy, is characterized by its emphasis on aroma, freshness, crispness and tenderness. Shallot and garlic are usually used as seasonings so Shangdong dishes tastes pungent usually. Soups are given much emphasis in Shangdong dishes. Thin soup features clear and fresh while creamy soup looks thick and tastes strong. Jinan cuisine is adept at deep-frying, grilling, frying and stir-frying while Jiaodong division is famous for cooking seafood with fresh and light taste.

Typical Courses: Bird's Nest Soup; the Yellow River Carp in Sweet and Sour sauce

Sichuan Cuisine

Sichuan Cuisine, known often in the West as Szechuan Cuisine, is one of the most famous Chinese cuisines in the world. Characterized by its spicy and pungent flavor, Sichuan cuisine, emphasizes on the use of chili. Besides, garlic, ginger and fermented soybean are also used in the cooking process. Wild vegetables and animals are usually chosen as ingredients It cannot be said that one who does not experience Sichuan food ever reaches China.

Typical Courses: Hot Pot; Smoked Duck; Kung Pao Chicken; Twice Cooked Pork; Mapo Dofu

Guangdong Cuisine (Cantonese Cuisine)

Tasting clear, light, crisp and fresh, Guangdong cuisine, familiar to Westerners, usually chooses raptors and beasts to produce originative dishes. Its basic cooking techniques include roasting, stir-frying, sauteing, deep-frying, braising, stewing and steaming. Among them Steaming and stir-frying are more commonly applied to preserve the natural flavor. Guangdong chefs also pay much attention to the artistic presentation of dishes.

Typical Courses: Shark's Fin Soup; Steamed Sea Bass; Roasted Piglet

Fujian Cuisine

Fujian Cuisine is distinguished for its choice seafood, beautiful color and magic taste of sweet, sour, salty and savory. The most distinct features are their 'pickled taste'.

Typical Courses: Buddha Jumping Over the Wall; Snow Chicken; Prawn with Dragon's Body and Phoenix's tail

Jiangsu Cuisine

Jiangsu Cuisine, also called Huaiyang Cuisine, is popular in the lower reach of the Yangtze River. Aquatics as the main ingredients, it stresses the freshness of materials. Its carving techniques are delicate, of which the melon carving technique is especially well known. Cooking techniques consist of stewing, braising, roasting, simmering, etc. The flavor of Huaiyang Cuisine is light, fresh and sweet and with delicate elegance.

Typical Courses: Stewed Crab with Clear Soup, Long-boiled and Dry-shredded Meat, Duck Triplet, Crystal Meat, Squirrel with Mandarin Fish, and Liangxi Crisp Eel

Zhejiang Cuisine

Comprising local cuisines of Hanzhou, Ningbo and Shaoxing, Zhejiang Cuisine, not greasy, wins its reputation for freshness, tenderness, softness, smoothness of its dishes with mellow fragrance. Hangzhou Cuisine is the most famous one among the three.

Typical Courses: Sour West Lake Fish, Longjing Shelled Shrimp, Beggar's Chicken

Hunan Cuisine

Hunan cuisine consists of local Cuisines of Xiangjiang Region, Dongting Lake and Xiangxi coteau. It characterizes itself by thick and pungent flavor. Chili, pepper and shallot are usually necessaries in this division.

Typical Courses: Dongan Chick; Peppery and Hot Chick

Anhui Cuisine

Anhui Cuisine chefs focus much more attention on the temperature in cooking and are good at braising and stewing. Often hams will be added to improve taste and sugar candy added to gain freshness.

Typical Courses: Stewed Snapper; Huangshan Braised Pigeon

2012-03-08T00:02:00.000-08:00

TABLE LAYOUT

The one rule for a formal table is for everything to be geometrically spaced: the centerpiece at the exact center; the place settings at equal distances; and the utensils balanced. Beyond these placemats, you can vary flower arrangements and decorations as you like.

Formal

Utensils are placed about an inch from the edge of the table, with all placed either upon the same invisible baseline or upon the same invisible median line. Utensils in the outermost position are used first (for example, a soup spoon and a salad fork, then the dinner fork and the dinner knife). The blades of the knives are turned toward the plate. Glasses are placed an inch or so above the knives, also in the order of use: white wine, red wine, dessert wine, and water tumbler.

2012-03-06T00:09:00.006-08:00

CAKE..............

2012-03-03T03:02:00.000-08:00

Thai cuisine

Features:

Thai cuisine is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. In fact, several Thai dishes, such as tom yum soup, are currently under scientific study for their incredible health benefits.

Thai food is generally spicy, but there are plenty of tasty dishes suited to the western palate. Chillies have been used in Thai kitchens for the past 400 years.

it's already known that many of the fresh herbs and spices used in Thai cooking - such as turmeric, galangal, coriander, lemongrass, and fresh chillies - have immune-boosting and disease-fighting power.

The secret to successful Thai cooking lies in the preparation of ingredients ahead of time, especially when using a wok, since the actual cooking is fast and furious. Most Thai stir-fries (including noodle dishes) are cooked at high heats and for only a few minutes, which is what makes them particularly fresh and delicious. Another advantage of this method is that most of the nutrients remain in the food—vegetables, especially, maintain their vitamin content as well as their satisfying crunchiness.

Herbs and Spices are an essential part of Thai cooking. Used in combination, they help achieve a balance of the four essential Thai tastes: salty, sour, spicy, and sweet.

Regional Cuisine

Thailand can be divided into five main culinary regions, the north, the northeast, the south (including the Gulf of Thailand), the central plains, and of course, Bangkok. Each region has its own cooking style according to available ingredients and local tastes. Try sampling recipes from the various regions to get a feeling for Thai cooking as a whole. If you’re like me, you will find your culinary instincts relate better to some areas more than others. This, in turn, will give you a clue as to where you might like to travel if ever you have a chance to visit Thailand and taste Thai food at its magnificent source.

. Northern Thailand
Northern Thailand is known for its vegetable dishes due to its fertile land and cooler climate The meals are milder than in other parts of Thailand. In the North food is mild or hot salty and sour but never sweet. People use a lot of condiments but not many spices Noodles are so popular that there are many street shops selling only this noodle dish, which is normally eaten for lunch by local people.

Northeast Thailand also called E-Saan Food
Northeastern food is fiery hot. Their favorite foods include papaya salad (som tam) sour chopped meat salad "koi" sour minced meat salad (larp). Their meals generally consists of sticky rice and nam phrik pla raa accompanied by a lot of vegetables. A popular dish is Somtam (papaya salad) made with green (unripe) papaya mixed with sliced tomatoes chopped garlic and chillies to which are added finely pounded dried shrimp plus lemon juice. Other specialties include Laab (spicy meat salad) with chicken, pork, beef, or fresh blood, grilled fish or chicken, Jaew (dipping sauces), and Plara (Northeastern-style anchovy). Grilling is the preferred cooking method.

Central Thailand
In the central region food is mild salty sweet and sour. Food here is decorated very artistically with finely cut vegetables that look like flowers.. The most popular dish here is chicken green curry served with a salted egg and Thai salad. Popular here are various kinds of curries, soups and salads.

Southern Thailand
. Lots of spices are used in the South and many condiments are served. Here curries are very popular and are made hot and spicy. Red meat is rarely eaten in southern Thailand. Muslim communities of the deep south are partial to all kinds of curries and yellow and red curry is popular here. Fish and seafood are very popular here and is coated with a mixture of turmeric and various herbs and spices then deep-fried and served with an aromatic sauce. Famous curries of the South are (yellow curry (fish curry , (dipping sauce

All over Thailand
Chicken is the most popular meat in Thailand. Rice is the main stay of every Thai meal. Thai meals consist of five or six or more dishes. Vegetables play an important part in Thai cuisine and there are abundant vegetables in the Thai markets.Salads are refreshing in the hot climate and balance hot Thai food and are a must in all meals

Bangkok

It has been said that in Bangkok there are more food establishments per square mile than anywhere else on earth. And if you were to visit Bangkok, you would believe this claim to be true. The city seems to revolve around food. Everywhere there are indoor and outdoor eateries, as well as “fast food” stalls on most street corners .

In Bangkok, food from every region of the country is represented, with the addition of “palace food”. The Chinese presence is strong in Bangkok, with a thriving Chinatown that is a must-see for visitors. Here one can find Thai versions of sweet-and-sour dishes , noodles, chicken-rice, and various other traditional Chinese meals.

Palace-style cooking is more refined in flavour than Thai home cooking, and especially in presentation, with intricately carved vegetables (often made into flowers) decorating each dish or included within the dish itself.

One last food item that must be sampled on a Bangkok is Thai dessert. Here you will find hundreds of cakes, puddings, jellies, and other desserts, most made from a base of coconut, rice, egg, and sugar.

Essential Thai Ingredients :

Basil (Sweet & Spicy), Beansprouts, Celery, Chilli, Chive, Cinnamon, Coconut Milk, Coriander, Dried Prawns, Eggplant, Fishsauce, Galangal, Garlic, Kaffirlime Leaves, Lemongrass, Mint, Noodles, Oyster Sauce, Palm Sugar, Pepper Corn, Plum Sauce, Rice, Shallots, Shrimp Paste, Soy Sauce (Black & Light which is sometimes referred to as white), Spring Onions, Star Anise, Straw Mushrooms, Tamarind, Tofu, Vinegar

Bean Noodles: Noodles are an important ingredient in many Thai foods. Bean noodles or mung bean noodles are referred to by many other names such as transparent noodles, glass noodles or thread noodles. In certain dishes, the glass noodles are just plunged into hot water and quickly taken out.

Brown Rice: Rice is an important ingredient in Thai food but, what is very interesting is Thai brown rice which is infact unpolished rice. Brown rice is believed to have a high nutritional value and the most important health benefit of brown rice comes from it's high fibre content. Rice is normally polished and this is what makes rice seeds white in color.

Thai Curry Paste: The curry paste is an important ingredient in many Thai food dishes.

Coconut Milk
This unsweetened liquid made from grated coconut flesh and water , is an essential ingredient of many Thai dishes. It is available in cans, compressed blocks or in powder form.
Coriander
The leaves and seeds of the coriander plant are one of the most essential in Thai cooking. The root is also used, often pounded with garlic and other ingredients, to make a marinade.

Lemongrass. Lemon Grass is a plant that looks like grass, smells minty and tastes similar to lemon (hence the English name Lemongrass). The thick, woody base of each leaf has long been a key ingredient in Thai cooking. You can easily grow your own by putting a few stems in one inch of water, set in a sunny area, then transfer to your garden after roots start to grow.

Galangal: This is a very common ingredient in Thai food, yet people often mistake it for the more common ginger. Galangal has a much lighter color as compared to ginger, it sometimes has pinkish portions. There are two types of galangal and these are called khaa and krachaai in Thailand. Fresh galangal tastes the best, you can however use dried or powdered galangal if fresh galangal is not available However, the taste and flavour of ginger and galangal are distinctly different. Galangal is much harder than ginger and is therefore sliced into pieces before it is crushed. Delicious Thai curry pastes use galangal as one of the main ingredients.

Fish sauce. Fish sauce provides the salty dimension in Thai cuisine, and it's high in protein as well as minerals and vitamins. It's made from small fish, salt-fermented for a long time, then the juice is extracted and boiled. Good fish sauce should be clear and brownish in color.

Garlic. Most Thai recipes start with sliced garlic frying in oil, and go from there. It would be hard to eat a Thai meal without having garlic in one form or another.

Thai chile peppers. Thais cannot imagine food without chile--they sometimes eat them as a snack. Chiles come in different types and sizes.

Palm Sugar
Strongly - flavoured, hard brown sugar made from the sap of the coconut palm tree. Available in Oriental stores. If you have trouble finding it , use soft dark brown suger instead.
Vinegar
Thais use a mild, plain white vinegar. Cider or Japanese rice wine vinegar can be used intead.
Shallots
Thai shallots have a lovely pinkish purple colour and are used extensively in Thai cuisine instead of onions.

THAI COOKING METHODS

Thai cooking traditionally has been done in very simple cooking utencils and in simple ways. There was a simple clay pot and fire and using natural wood from the forest. With this the Thais came up with delicious dishes. Thai food cooking is still simple. the following are some Thai cooking methods

Grilling - Thai people love grilled meats and fresh seafood. These are grilled using thai seasonings and then dipped in various dips called 'Nam Phrik' which has sweet-and-sour flavors to further enhance the taste of grilled food.

Salads - or 'Yam' basically a kind of salad. Thai-style salad have for the dressing simple ingredients like fish sauce, salt, lemon juice, chili, and sometimes, garlic and shallot. Popular salads include shrimp salad, pork salad, papaya salad, beef salad.

Boiling is another typical way of Thai food preparation. Soupy curries is Thilands national past time and soups are popular all over Thailand. 'Tom Yam Goong' also originated from boiling technique.

Stir Fry - The art of Thai cooking was also influenced by China which gave it the stir fry method. Stir fry dishes are now popular in Thailand and the most popular dish is Pad Tai.

Stews - Thai monarchs were educated in Europe and brought back with then western culture and western taste in food. The stew is one of the imports into Thailand. Thais especially love beef tongue stew.

2012-03-01T23:11:00.001-08:00

TABLE TALK

Conversation is an important part of social interaction around the table. It is perfect
for the enjoyment of good companionship and a pleasant meal. A few important tips are:

Try not to talk too fast or too slow.
Keep the conversation light. Small talk includes casual, unofficial, interesting things in everyday life, such as the weather, music, upcoming events, movies, or sports.
Keep topics of conversation safe and non-controversial. Avoid discussions about religion, race or politics, or any controversial issue.
Avoid health issues, off-color jokes and gossip.
Answer respectfully when addressed.
Be mindful of engaging in conversation with a person who has just taken a bite of food. Remember you should not talk with food in your mouth.
Loud voices/laughter can be disturbing to others. Do not yell, use a pleasant tone of voice that can be heard only at your table.
Do not use profane, abusive or vulgar language.
Be a good listener. Give others a chance to talk. Do not monopolize a conversation.
Pay attention to the person speaking by giving eye contact, do not look at other people when someone is talking to you.
Do not interrupt. Allow the other person to finish what he or she is saying before speaking. If you and another person start talking at the same time, give way quickly in a friendly manner with a simple, “Go ahead, please.”
Do not ridicule or laugh at an unfortunate remark or someone’s mistake. Although a good conversationalist does not contradict someone in a social setting, it is okay to disagree. In those instances, start by saying, “I disagree with you because....”

How to get the best ever service in a restaurant

Has it ever irked you to see some of those restaurant patrons who do not have to wait like you have to for your table? There are some secrets that they know? Not really! There are some useful restaurant etiquette tips that can ensure you good service with a smile, good food served promptly and warm at your table, every time you visit your favourite restaurant.

Begins with the booking style

Good restaurants have a long waiting line. If one can understand the even the most obliging maitre d' is under pressure, then things become easy. While booking your table, it is better to do it well in advance. Introduce yourself in a friendly manner (remember he/she may be tired!) , say something good about the restaurant and food and then ask for a table at the certain time. Go one step further and inform them about the nature of your meal, quiet or family celebration etc, and ask them for suggestions about the location of the table. They will think of the best one for you accordingly.

When you arrive

Of course goes without saying arrive with some minutes to spare for the time you have booked your table for! Gives you time to have two nice words with the maitre d'. If you are properly dressed and looking poised they will treat you well. Rule of thumb: better to be overdressed than underdressed! Do remind the maitre d' about your earlier conversation on the phone. Say something uplifting to him/her. Gently enquire about the availabililty of the table you had discussed and then when you are led to the table, say thanks graciously.

Beckoning the waiters and waitresses

After the maitre d’ you will have to deal with the waiters and waitresses. Be respectful of their profession, smile at them and have an eye contact. They will understand that you are a warm and approachable person.

One of them will definitely come to you the moment you start pulling out the chair to get seated. Once you are settled, ask for the first name if the name tag is not there. He/she is the one who will guide you through the meal, in deciding the best of the restaurant in food and wine. It is a good thing to say thanks after every little service, from opening of the napkin, to straightening of the cutlery, to pouring of the water….acknowledge every little deed. If you are calm and pleasant they will want to serve you the meal with pleasure and make the evening more comfortable for you. One easy way to beckon the waiter is to raise your hand and wait for eye contact. No calling out waiter, or his name or snapping of fingers.

When you finish the meal and leave

A generous tip is a must. But also personally thank the person who served you with grace. If you have asked for his/her first name, do use it. Also convey to him/her to pass on your good word to the chef who cooked the meal for you. Everyone in the restaurant who was involved with your meal deserved a compliment.

Last person you see will the maitre d'. Inform him/her about the pleasant time, thank them and tell them that you will be back for their wonderful food and service.

Small steps, always good service

These little steps make a long time investment in ensuring that you get good personalized service at that restaurant every time you go for a meal.

2012-02-25T23:17:00.004-08:00

JAPANESE CUISINE

Japanese Cooking:

Japanese meals are known for their simple, healthy ingredients, as well as their subtle flavors. While both rice and fish are staples of Japanese cuisine, vegetables and occasionally meat, especially chicken, is also part of this ethnic fare. Although some consider Japanese food to be bland, the main drive behind Japanese cooking is to let the natural flavors of the ingredients speak for themselves.

In traditional Japanese cooking, women prepare the meals that are then eaten at a low table where guests sit on the floor with their legs crossed beneath them. Unlike most other types of cuisine, Japanese meals are eaten with unique utensils, namely with chopsticks. Guests may bring small bowls of soup to their mouths and sip the soup out of the directly. However, larger plates are expected to stay on the table.

Here is a run-down how typical Japanese food is served at each meal:

Breakfast: A traditional Japanese breakfast tends to consist of a bowl of miso soup with green onions and tofu, Japanese-style pickles, a piece of fish and rice. This meal is filling and nutritious without weighing down the stomach.
Lunch: Mid-day meals, lighter than breakfasts, usually consist of rice and bite-size items like fish cakes, particularly if lunch is not eaten at home.
Dinner: The last meal of the day generally includes rice, soup and sometimes a piece of meat

Sushi

Because Japan is an island, seafood has always been a popular, central part of Japanese meals. While you will come across cooked fish, most associate Japanese cuisine with raw fish, namely sushi. In general, sushi is a bite-sized mound of rice either wrapped in seaweed with fish or served with a piece of fish on top. However, fish isn't always part of sushi. Vegetables, such as cucumbers, and eggs are also traditional parts of sushi rolls.

Sushi tends to come in four varieties:

Maki-zushi: small, coin-sized cylinders wrapped in seaweed and filled with rice and other ingredients. Maki sushi tends to come in six to eight-piece servings per order. Rice may be on the inside and/or outside of these rolls.
Nigiri zushi: flatter, rectangular beds of rice generally topped with a slice of raw fish. Larger than individual maki pieces, nigiri has two pieces per order.
Sashimi: slices of raw fish without any rice or vegetables. Sashimi comes in servings of four to eight slices of fish.
Temaki-zushi: a cone-like piece filled with rice, fish and vegetables. As the largest individual piece of each type of sushi, temaki has one piece per order. This type of sushi roll is also known as a "handroll."

The rice used in sushi rolls is different from the steamed rice that comes as a side for other Japanese dishes. To make the stickier variety of sushi rice, chefs add rice vinegar, sugar, salt and sometimes sake to short grained rice. By doing this, the rice clumps together better and is easier to shape in a variety of ways, depending on the roll requested.

To order sushi rolls, call the fish you want and then the type of roll. For example, an order of "tuna maki" will get you six to eight smaller pieces of tuna wrapped in rice and seaweed. Many Japanese restaurants tend to offer variations on traditional rolls, such as the pizza roll, the dynamite roll and the Philadelphia roll. If you are dining at a new Japanese restaurant, check its menu for any new variations.

Fish: The Japanese Staple Food

Because of its location and its Buddhist roots, Japan's primary protein has been seafood. Some of the fish you can expect to find in Japanese cuisine includes:

crab
herring
mackerel
octopus
prawns
salmon
scallops
tuna
yellow tail.

2012-02-25T01:43:00.000-08:00

FOOD SAFETY

Food safety can be described as the process of utilizing different strategies and resources to ensure that all types of food are correctly stored, properly prepared, and well-preserved to ensure they are safe for human consumption. Observing food safety starts with buying or the acquisition of the different types of food items needed and ends with correct storage of both prepared and unprepared leftovers for safe future use. Most safety measures observed in restaurants can also be observed at home. Following are some examples.

Arguably the most critical aspect of observing food safety entails preventing items from getting contaminated. Ensuring all foods are stored the right way goes a very long way in circumventing any kind of contamination. Vegetables and meat should be placed in sealed airtight containers and then frozen in the freezer. Food items like sugar, flour, spices, and cornmeal should also be kept in airtight containers that will provide a good barrier against airborne bacteria. When such food items are not in use, food safety measures involves storing them in food pantries.

Basic kitchen safety guidelines are equally an important part of any safety measures and strategy being employed. Ensure you disinfect all kitchen preparation counters on a regular basis. Kitchen cutting boards need to be cleaned after every use, spatulas, knives, pots, pans, and other food preparation tools should be thoroughly washed in clean hot soapy water and then rinsed thoroughly. Better yet they can be cleaned in a dishwasher. Cleaning preparation tools and utensils is a very important food safety measure that helps diminish the odds of food remnants breeding bacteria that could cause food contamination the next time the utensils and tools are used.

Food safety also entails observing utmost care to wash all fresh fruits and vegetables carefully and thoroughly before starting any form of preparation. Washing fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly could be a simple process but it helps get rid of a significant amount of bacteria and germs, thus minimizing the odds of some form of food borne infirmity developing. If you are preparing peeled types of foods, it is highly recommended that you wash them before peeling to prevent the transfer of food germs and contaminants from the peelings to the knife and finally to the main food.

If you have any leftovers, you should place them in airtight containers and refrigerate or better yet freeze them immediately after use. This way, you can be able to utilize the leftovers later on with other dishes by ensuring quality is maintained and by protecting the leftovers from likely contamination.

Boiled down, observing food safety measures will not only help you maintain good health, but you will also be able to save some money in the process. When you store food well and ensure food is prepared in the cleanest environment possible, chances of the food going bad and being thrown away will be less.

Food safety includes the proper handling, preparation and storage of food in a way that avoids food-borne illness. It is the utilisation of proper resources and strategies to ensure that all types of food is properly prepared and stored so that they are safe for consumption. One of the important aspects of practicing food safety involves preventing food from being contaminated.
Food safety standards have been developed to provide more effective and nationally uniform food safety legislation. Food manufacturing industries have to follow these standards and regulations to maintain food safety and hygiene. These standards sets out specific food handling controls related to the receipt, storage, processing, packaging, display, transportation, disposal and recall of food. Other requirements of food safety standards relate to the skills and knowledge of food handlers, health and hygiene of food handlers, and the cleaning and maintenance of food premises and equipment.

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FOOD

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HOTEL INTERIOR

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HOTEL INTERIOR PICTURES

HOTEL MANAGEMENT

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