The Non-Commercial Food Service Manager’s Handbook: A Complete Guide for Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Military, Prisons, Schools, and Churches: With Companion CD-ROM
Just Published and Available Today!
Finally, the non-commercial food service director has a comprehensive manual to aid in day to day operations. This comprehensive and massive 600 page new book will show you step-by-step how to set up, operate, and manage a financially successful food service operation. The authors have left no stone unturned.
The book covers the entire process from start-up to ongoing management in an easy to understand way, pointing out methods to increase your chances of success, and showing how to avoid the many common mistakes that can be made. The new companion CD-ROM contains all the forms demonstrated in the book for easy use in a PDF format. While providing detailed instruction and examples, the author leads you through basic cost control systems, menu planning, sample floor plans & diagrams, successful kitchen management, equipment layout & planning, food safety & HACCP, dietary considerations, and special patient /client needs. Learn how to set up computer systems to save time and money, how to hire & keep a qualified professional staff, manage and train employees, accounting & bookkeeping procedures, auditing, successful budgeting & profit planning development, as well as thousands of great tips and useful guidelines.
This book is ideal for professionals in the hospitality field as well as newcomers who may be looking for answers to cost containment and training issues. There are hundreds of innovative ways to streamline your operations demonstrated. Learn new ways to make the kitchen run smoother and increase performance, shut down waste, reduce costs, and increase performance. In addition, operators will appreciate this valuable resource and reference in their daily activities and as a source of ready-to-use forms, Web sites, operating & cost cutting ideas, and mathematical formulas that can be easily applied to their operations.
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The Non-Commercial Food Service Manager’s Handbook by Douglas Robert Brown and Shri Hinkel is a solid reference source which would be indispensable to a new manager and a helpful resource to even the most seasoned veteran.
It effectively covers all the bases for this niche, with everything included from history and menu planning to quality control, labeling regulations, employees and marketing. Filled with numerous checklists and questionnaires, restaurant managers can easily tailor their plans and ideas to best suit their specific needs, whether their restaurant is part of a church, school or prison. It offers numerous reference sources, both on and offline, for further research as needed.
In so thorough a publication, it would be nice to see some information or links on the many non-commercial restaurants that also grow some of their own food onsite, benefitting their bottom line as well as the residents, workers and patrons. Other than this slight omission, it could easily be called the bible of the industry.
Comment by D Devereaux — January 29, 2008 @ 9:58 am
Have you ever been in a hospital during lunch time but were afraid to try the food? We’ve all experienced bad cuisine at places like hospitals, schools and churches, but after reading The Non-Commercial Food Service Manager’s Handbook by Douglas Robert Brown and Shri Henkel, I realized that it doesn’t have to be that way. If you’re a food service manager, then this is the book you can’t live without.
It discusses real issues like bookkeeping, operational expenses, necessary computer programs, endless menu ideas, recipe costs, inventory, equipment, packaging, nutritional information, delegation tips, kitchen cleanliness, equipment, first aid, inspections, dishwashing, and food storage. Nothing is overlooked, not even the signs of food allergies, customer service issues, marketing and advertising, catering, taste testing surveys, personnel issues, and surprisingly - how to deal with kickbacks from vendors.
I love the fact that it discusses the history of food service - going back to the time of chuck wagons - and how it provides checklists, forms, employee quizzes, and actual case studies. After reading this book I not only was hungry, but was looking forward to my next meal at a hospital cafeteria.
Comment by Bobbi Leder — February 4, 2008 @ 1:59 pm
The food industry is something that is increasingly under scrutiny for new legislation whether on the type of food served, or the conditions under which it’s prepared. Anyone who is taking on a management role in a non-commercial establishment such as in a nursing home, or is perhaps considering setting up their own catering business supplying food for companies will find this is THE book that will not only get their business up and running, but will do so in such a way that it should run smoothly and successfully.
The book is a comprehensive guide to the non-commercial food industry. It covers everything from the basics of what a non-commercial food service is, right through how to set up accounts, the kind of equipment you should have, how to hire employees, statutes you must adhere to, marketing and so on. Everything you could possibly need to know in order to run a non-commercial food service is right at your finger tips. Everything is set out in a logical manner so that you can either read it right through before even starting your business, or use it as a reference guide to dip into when you need to know something once you are established.
At over 600 pages, it’s quite a hefty book, but the style of writing flows easily and the print is eye-friendly so that the amount of pages and sheer volume of material presented in it isn’t as off-putting as it could be!
Accompanying the book is a CD that contains the forms presented in the book in a ready to use format. This makes the book not only a great reference manual for the industry, but also a hands-on guide to get either started, or better organized in your business.
There would be a lot more people with the confidence to start up their own businesses if there were more “how to” manuals like this one!
Comment by Katie-Anne — February 8, 2008 @ 8:56 am
Many books claim to be the end all be all when it comes to instructing managers and preparing them to lead a team in the food service industry. None of them compares to The Non-Commercial Food Service Manager’s Handbook. It is a step by step guide to every part of managing any non-commercial food service industry, whether it’s a church, a prison, a nursing home or even the military. I have never seen a more complete and thorough explanation of what is required of a manager. With its in-depth explanation of money management, menu planning, purchasing and inventory, food handling, safety and literally dozens of other necessary components to being an effective manager I highly recommend this book for anyone looking into management as a career.
Comment by Austin Bates — February 12, 2008 @ 12:04 pm
5 Stars! How do you order and prepare food for a catered event serving 4,000 people? What kind of computer should you buy to manage a business efficiently? How long does a side of beef last in the freezer? How do you create a menu with good tasting foods that will make a good profit? These and many more questions can easily be answered in The Non-Commercial Food Service Managers Handbook. Douglas R. Brown and Shri Henkel have done an excellent job in presenting all phases of running a non-commercial food service operation. Whether you are operating a small restaurant or a large church, a military cafeteria or a very large catered event. This book has all the information that is essential in running the operation smoothly and efficiently.
This book also contains all the essential reference information for operating any non-commercial food service such as forms, websites, and non-commercial vendors for ordering various foods and equipment. With the combined knowledge of both authors, The Non-Commercial Food Service Manager’s Handbook is the only book you’ll need for managing hospitals, nursing homes, military, prisons, schools, and churches. There is also a companion CD.
Comment by Michelle Asid — February 12, 2008 @ 7:30 pm
This book covers all areas you may need to run your operation and then some. It includes everything from menu planning and the proper equipment needed to marketing, how to hire good employees and how to handle inspectors. No aspect is missed. No matter what area you are concentrating on, it is covered in this book. From colleges and churches to prisons and nursing homes. It even includes a history lesson on the non-commercial food service industry. Being able to know these little facts will impress clients and vendors.
The authors even advise on programs to look for when purchasing a computer to run your operation and how to design an attractive Web site. It’s a step by step guide for someone just starting out in the industry. The authors clearly break down the many, many aspects of the operation. Even offering advice on how to spice up the menu (roast beef becomes succulent roast beef with Au Jus and peaches become yellow cling peach slices.
Although the size of the book may seem overwhelming at first, it’s less intimidating when you realize that about half of it is useful charts and forms. All are extremely detailed and helpful. Most you will want to copy or tweak a bit and use. You will probably want to take notes or have a highlighter handy while reading this book.
Comment by Shelly — March 1, 2008 @ 9:08 am