Steps in menu construction and compilation
Build a menu from the main dish outwards: main dish, staple, accompaniments, starter, dessert, beverage; then check balance and cost and compile it in the correct course order.
Steps in menu construction
- 1Collect information: type of institution, number and kind of guests, budget per head, season, equipment and staff.
- 2Fix the meal pattern: the courses served at each meal (e.g. rice, sambar, rasam, poriyal, kootu, curd, papad, sweet).
- 3Choose the main dish first, since it is the costliest and decides the rest (e.g. chicken curry or paneer butter masala).
- 4Choose the staple to go with it: rice, chapati, parotta or pulao.
- 5Add accompaniments: dal or sambar, vegetables, salad, raita, pickle, papad.
- 6Add the starter or soup, then the dessert and the beverage.
- 7★Check the menu for nutrition, variety (colour, texture, flavour), cost, equipment and staff load; replace dishes that clash.
- 8Standardise recipes, fix portion sizes, cost the menu and then compile (write) the menu card.
★ one-way, controls the pace
Construction vs compilation
Classical French menu sequence (used in compilation)
| No. | French course | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hors d'oeuvre | Appetiser | Fruit cocktail, chaat, paneer tikka |
| 2 | Potage | Soup | Tomato shorba, sweet corn soup |
| 3 | Oeufs | Egg dishes | Omelette, egg masala |
| 4 | Farineux | Pasta and rice | Pulao, pasta |
| 5 | Poisson | Fish | Fish fry, meen kuzhambu |
| 6 | Entrée | First, smaller meat course | Chicken cutlet |
| 7 | Sorbet | Iced rest course to refresh the palate | Lemon or mint sorbet |
| 8 | Relevé | Main meat course (joints) | Mutton curry, leg of lamb |
| 9 | Rôti | Roast | Tandoori or roast chicken |
| 10 | Légumes | Vegetables | Vegetable side dishes |
| 11 | Salade | Salad | Green salad, kachumber |
| 12 | Buffet froid | Cold dishes | Cold meats, chilled salads |
| 13 | Entremets | Sweets | Payasam, gulab jamun, ice cream |
| 14 | Savoureux | Savoury | Cheese straws, savoury toast |
| 15 | Fromage | Cheese | Cheese board |
| 16 | Dessert | Fresh fruit and nuts | Seasonal fruits |
| 17 | Café | Coffee | Filter coffee or tea |
Rules for compiling a menu
- Write the courses in the correct order, leaving a little space between courses.
- Use one language consistently; spell French names correctly and do not mix French and English in one dish name.
- Give each dish its correct name, with a short description if it is unfamiliar.
- Mention accompaniments and garnishes with the dish they go with.
- Write all dish names in the same style (capitals, alignment).
- Show prices against each dish (à la carte) or once for the whole meal (table d'hôte).
- Avoid repeating an ingredient, colour, sauce or cooking method across courses.
- Keep a light-heavy-light rhythm: start light, heaviest course in the middle, end light.
For an industrial canteen lunch, the dietitian picks the main dish (egg curry or rajma), then rice and chapati, a green vegetable, curd and a fruit; costing it before compiling keeps the meal within the per-head allowance.
2 marks: “What is menu compilation?” Menu compilation is arranging and writing the chosen dishes in the correct sequence of courses, with correct names and prices.
5 marks: “Write the classical French menu courses in order.” Hors d'oeuvre, potage, oeufs, farineux, poisson, entrée, sorbet, relevé, rôti, légumes, salade, buffet froid, entremets, savoureux, fromage, dessert, café, with meanings.
10 marks: “Explain the steps in menu construction and compilation.” Steps from collecting information to choosing the main dish, staple, accompaniments, starter, dessert and beverage; checking; costing; then compilation rules and the course sequence.
Construction order M-S-A-S-D-B: 'My Sister Always Serves Delicious Biryani': Main dish, Staple, Accompaniments, Starter, Dessert, Beverage.