Watch the video and review the “Key Items to Remember” below.
The Key Items to Remember about the Types of Foodservice Production Systems are:
| Type of Foodservice System | Description |
|---|---|
| Ready-prepared | •Food items are purchased in various stages of preparation, produced, held chilled or frozen, then reheated and served at the same site •Cook-chill, cook-freeze, and sous vide cooking methods used •Advantage: Can cook a large quantity of a food item at one time then serve it at a few different meal times •Disadvantage: menu can be limited •Typically found in small hospitals and prisons |
| Commissary (aka Centralized) | •Prepared fresh by skilled professionals at one main site, held chilled, frozen, or warm, then transported to the receiving kitchens for reheating and service •Advantage: food and supply costs are lower due to cooking in mass scale •Disadvantages: requires more technically skilled employees, high transportation fees, and more risk for foodborne illness due to the need to transport the food. •Typically found in school systems, freshly made airline foodservice, military sites, and fast-food chains |
| Assembly-serve (aka Convenience) | •Food is purchased at the middle or near the end of production, stored chilled or frozen, and then portioned and reheated for customers •Advantages: low labor costs, doesn’t required skilled foodservice employees •Disadvantages: most expensive food, limited menu variety, lower quality food •Typically found in the fast-food industry, convenience stores, coffee shops, and food kiosks |
| Traditional conventional | •Food is purchased in various stages and produced and served on site •Typically found in most large hospitals and restaurants |
| Display Cooking | •Food is put on display and cooked and assembled in front of the customer. Some even involve a fun show. •Advantages: customer can see the food and make choices •Disadvantages: limited menu, labor intensive •Some typical styles include rotisserie chicken on display, omelet stations, crepe stations, make your own taco or burrito bars, or a full show with fancy knife skills at a restaurant that uses Teppanyaki or a flat grill |