Let’s face it, the restaurant industry is expensive. Equipment and supplies required to run a restaurant can also be very expensive. When your budget is to the brink, adding on additional supplies for the kitchen may seem next to impossible. Inevitably you will make what you have work, no matter what its condition may be. Granted this may get you by, it will still only be a temporary and often dangerous fix. By not replacing kitchen supplies you’re financially hurting yourself and could potentially hurt employees in the long run. Think about the leaky faucet on the 3 compartment sink that you refuse to replace. Over time that little bit of wasted water will add up to a lot of wasted money on your utilities. Or consider the ice machine that hasn’t had its filters changed since the day it was installed. Not only is your machine wasting electricity by running harder than it should, it’s also slowly breaking down and bringing the quantity and consistency of the ice along with it. What about employee over head? Working with dull knives, broken can openers, poorly operating cooking equipment, and wobbly prep tables all slow down your kitchen. A slow kitchen due to faulty equipment means less production, more overhead and long line of unhappy staff and customers. Most importantly however, is your crew’s safety. Restaurant equipment and supplies can be dangerous when not handled properly or when being used in a manner not originally intended. The prep guy who has to over work the slicer because of a dull blade or slipping belt is in a dangerous position. The tools should do the work for you. Don’t put your employees in danger by making them use questionable equipment that requires special instructions to operate normally. If dangerous equipment is not running properly then it needs to be serviced or replaced immediately.

Restaurant supplies in a kitchen are not a luxury, they are a requirement. These are the tools of the trade and every item large or small plays its role in production. As the kitchen manager its important to inspect what you have periodically and to listen to your staff’s feedback. You may not be at the line, but your crew is and they can tell when they aren’t getting what they should out of their tools. It won’t hurt to ask them during meetings if anything has been giving them trouble in the kitchen. This way you’ll know what needs to be replaced, what’s not producing, and what items are giving everyone a hard time. Although you may not be able to get everything at once you can still get a few of the items that will help kitchen production. But as a rule though, you should never leave an item that is dangerous or requires abnormal operating instruction to work. Again, these things need to be serviced or replaced immediately.

So you know what needs to be replaced, serviced and your shopping list is ready. The next step is to get into your local restaurant supply store and get started. Most restaurant supply companies will be more than happy to take a list of what you need and provide you with a quote. Companies like Jean’s Restaurant Supply will also accept electronic lists in through email or fax and get started on finding the right items and prices for you. If you’re not fortunate enough to be near a restaurant supply store then take shipping times into consideration. Smaller items like tongs and knives can be sent overnight but heavy equipment will take a few days to get to your door and may require some additional installation. Always verbally confirm with a sales person at the supply store when your item should be arriving especially when its a time sensitive delivery. Often there are shipping disclaimers that will specify cut off times and buffer hours before a package physically leaves the warehouse.

There are many good companies out there to help you with your kitchen needs. Jean’s Restaurant Supply offers a large list of restaurant supplies and restaurant supply products. They also take restaurant supply requests electronically so you can save yourself the time of leaving your restaurant or kitchen. If you want to browse conveniently online then take a look at their website where you can read product descriptions and get a pricing on their huge inventory of items. You can also call them to ask any questions on specifications, installation requirements or product suggestions.

The word hotel originated from the French word hotel, derived from the word hote – meaning host. The term originally referred to any building that has frequent visitors. Today, a hotel is an establishment that provides lodging, meals and other services to travellers for a fee.

The earliest record of any mention about paid lodging would be during biblical times. According to the Bible, Mary and Joseph were unable to get accommodations because “there was no room at the inn.”

It was during the Roman Empire that hotels began to proliferate. These were established for the purpose of encouraging visitors to the empire.

According to the Guinness World Records, the oldest hotel that is still in operation today is the Hoshi Ryokan located in the Awazu Onsen area of Komatsu in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. It was founded and is still operated by the same family for 1,292 years. The hotel has been with the family for forty-six generations since 718. The hotel was built near a hot water spring which is believed to have miraculous healing properties. Locals still claim this to be real, up to this day. The hotel has 100 rooms and it can accommodate up to 450 guests.

In America, the first inn was recorded to have been established in 1607. In 1792, the City Hotel, the first publicly held hotel, opened in New York. The Tremont opened in Boston in 1809. It was the first modern hotel in America. The Buffalo Statler, the first business hotel in America began its operations in 1908.

Throughout the years individual tastes have changed and it was inevitable that hotels changed according to what the customers wanted. These days, customers can choose from a greater selection.

Customers can choose to stay in a luxury hotel or a budget hotel, depending on their budget or available funds. Hotels can also be classified by service type:

1. Full Service Upscale
2. Full Service
3. Select Service
4. Limited Service
5. Extended Stay
6. Timeshare
7. Destination Club

For people who want some adventure, they can try out some unusual hotels like the Null Stern Hotel in Teufen, Appenzellerland, Switzerland which used to be a nuclear bunker that was transformed into a hotel. There are also cave hotels in Cappadocia, Turkey and Spain. Costa Rica has Treehouse hotels and Japan has capsule hotels where people sleep on top of each other in rectangular containers. Since it is cold for most of the year in Canada, Finland and Sweden, these countries have hotels that are made out of ice and snow. There are also underwater hotels in Sweden and Florida, USA.

The largest hotel according to the Guinness Book of World Records is the First World Hotel located in Genting Highlands, Malaysia. It has 6,118 rooms. The tallest hotel is the Rose Tower which is located in Dubai. It is 333 meters tall.

Grace writes to help people learn more about hotels. She does work for different companies, including a company that lists all types of Tulsa hotels with reviews and ratings.

Food and beverage service is the service of food made in the kitchen and drinks prepared in the bar to the customers (guests) at the food & beverage premises, which can be restaurants, bars, hotels, airlines, cruise ships, trains, companies, schools, colleges, hospitals, prisons, takeaway, etc.

Food & beverage outlets are divided in to the following categories:

1. Restaurants: Restaurants are places where Food & Drink is served.

There are various types of Restaurants:

All Day Dining Restaurants: They are sometimes called Coffee Shops or Cafes in Hotels. They are usually big in size with many Covers (seats), compared to other Restaurants in the same Hotel. The main reason why they are called All Day Dining Restaurants is because of their hours of operation, as they are open for Breakfast in the Morning to Lunch in the afternoon to Dinner in the Evening.

Fine Dining Restaurants: Fine Dining Restaurants are characterized by their elaborate and exclusive menu with special emphasis on the very high quality food they serve. The emphasis being on fresh ingredients and natural flavors or on the type of Cuisine served, or both. Usually the operation of this restaurant revolves around the Head Chef or Chef De Cuisine of this Outlet.

Specialty Restaurants: These are Restaurants which usually have a type of National or Regional Character or Cuisine attached to them, for example: Italian Specialty Restaurant, Chinese Specialty Restaurant etc. In some Hotels they do also sometimes have Multi Cuisine Specialty Restaurant, which literally means that Restaurant serves cuisine from more than one country, or the dishes on the Menu at that Restaurant has Food Specialties from many different countries.

2. Lounge: Lounges can be found in different hotels. Their main purpose is to offer Food & Drinks in relaxed surroundings with comfortable and cozy seating in relaxed surroundings. There are many kinds of Lounges ranging from a Lounge in a Lobby, Cocktail Lounge and Cigar Lounge to Executive and Club Lounge in special Floors.

3. Bar: Bar is a place where drinks are served. There is usually a small Snacks Menu too. The service is fast and quick. There are various kinds of Bars ranging from Formal bars to Club Bars, Pubs, Pool Bars, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars, Beach Bar to Juice Bars and many more.

4. Discotheque/Nightclub: They are outlets where Music and Entertainment takes priority with the Food & Drink. The operation is very fast and the guest numbers are large. Security is an important aspect in these operations. Music and entertainment can range from DJ to live bands playing.

5.Room Service/In Room Dining: Room Service, also known as In Room Dining.It is the service of Food & Drink in Guest Rooms in a Hotel or a Resort. Depending on the size and type of Hotel or Resort its functions vary.

6. Meeting and Conference Rooms: Meeting and Conference rooms together with Ball Rooms come under the Banquets & Conference section. They are a great source of Revenue in Food & Beverage Department usually in Corporate and City Hotels. MICE (Meetings, Incentives, and Conferences & Exhibitions) can alone bring much revenue in some hotels in comparison to other outlets in Hotel.

7. Ball Rooms: These are large Function Rooms which are primarily used for Functions and Weddings. The Staffing ration of Full Time Staff in this section is very less as the Function and Wedding Business can sometimes be seasonal and extra staff is usually filled in by the use of Casual Staff. This Section is the most Dynamic section in Food & Beverage with the Conference Section, which is more physically demanding and creatively oriented.

8. Delicatessen: Delicatessen or Deli traditionally had been a place where fresh meat and other produce were available. Hotels nowadays use this concept of having a Deli on their premises, where guests can buy fresh produce ranging from Freshly Baked Bread, Cold Meat, Fresh Salads, Cakes, Home Made Ice creams and light and healthy drinks.

9. Others: There are many other Food & Beverage outlets ranging from Fast Food Outlets to Food Courts to Snack Bars which are usually stand alone or in a shopping centre.

This is just a brief introduction to Food and Beverage.

Detailed information on Food and Beverage is available at Food and Beverage E Book By Santosh Koripella at http://www.foodnbeveragebible.com