Food service systems
The four systems differ in where and when food is cooked and how long it is held: conventional, ready-prepared, commissary and assembly-serve.
What a food service system is
A food service system is the whole chain by which food is purchased, produced, held, delivered and served. Spears and West and Wood describe four systems. They differ in three things: where food is produced, when it is produced in relation to service, and how it is held (hot, chilled or frozen).
The four systems
| System | Where and when food is made | How it is held | Indian example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | Raw food cooked on site, shortly before the meal | Hot or cold for a short time | Hostel mess, most restaurants, small hospital kitchens |
| Ready-prepared (cook-chill, cook-freeze) | Cooked on site, but in advance of need | Chilled or frozen, then reheated before service | Large hospitals, banquet kitchens |
| Commissary (central kitchen) | Cooked in bulk in one central kitchen | Sent hot, chilled or frozen to satellite units | Flight kitchens, railway base kitchens, central kitchens for school meals, chain restaurants |
| Assembly-serve | Bought fully or partly prepared from outside | Stored, then only assembled, heated and served | Kiosks, some cafes and hospital wards using ready meals |
The cook-chill chain (ready-prepared system)
In cook-freeze the food is blast frozen and kept frozen for weeks instead. The figures shown are guide values from cook-chill guidelines; your textbook may give slightly different ones.
Advantages and disadvantages
| System | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional | Fresh taste; flexible menu; suits local food habits; less freezer space | Peaks and slack in workload; high labour cost; needs skilled cooks every shift |
| Ready-prepared | Production separated from service; even workload; staff work regular day hours; less waste | Costly blast chillers and storage; strict temperature control; some foods do not chill well |
| Commissary | Bulk purchasing; uniform quality; skilled staff used efficiently | Transport cost and risk; one breakdown hits all units; high capital |
| Assembly-serve | Least labour, equipment and space; quick to set up | Highest food cost; limited menu; depends on suppliers; less control over salt and fat; packaging waste |
Choosing a system
- Number of meals and how many service points there are.
- Menu and the food habits of customers.
- Skilled labour available and its cost.
- Space, equipment and money for chillers, freezers or vans.
- Distance between kitchen and service points.
- Food safety controls the unit can actually maintain.
In a hospital the system decides how good the food is at the bedside: a conventional kitchen gives fresh food but busy peaks, while cook-chill evens the work but needs blast chillers and strict reheating. The dietitian and manager choose together.
2 marks: “Define a commissary food service system.” A system in which food is produced in bulk in a central kitchen and sent hot, chilled or frozen to satellite service units, e.g. a flight kitchen.
5 marks: “Explain the ready-prepared food service system.” Cooked on site in advance, then chilled or frozen and stored; reheated before service; cook-chill chain; advantages and disadvantages.
10 marks: “Explain the different food service systems with their advantages and disadvantages.” Define; table of four systems (where, when, holding, example); cook-chill flow chart; merits and demerits of each; factors in choosing a system.
C-R-C-A: Conventional cooks now, Ready-prepared cooks ahead, Commissary cooks centrally, Assembly-serve hardly cooks.