Ski - Chalet Menu Planning Help
At the beginning of season, you will need to create a 12 day menu plan, as you will get some guests, who may stay with you for 2 weeks and repetition of the same dishes will need to be avoided. Menu planning is not an easy task. Putting your menu plan together before an interview and spending time on getting it right might be the difference between you getting a job or not. Here are some helpful hints to assist you in creating your menus. Some employers may ask for a 1 week or a 2 week plan as part of your application process. For a template for a 7 day plan: Click here!
Availability
Remember you will be in a ski resort and may not have the same range of ingredients available as in London or the UK! You will need to familiarise yourself with what's available locally before finalising your menu plan in resort before the guests arrive.
Budget
You will be given a budget per head per week by the company you are going to work for and you will be expected to adhere to this. Could be anywhere from £30/head to £50/head.
Variety
Always use a variety of colours, flavours, texture and cooking methods to make your meals more interesting and make sure that all meals are equally balanced and that you are not repeating the use of certain ingredients.
You wouldn't want to serve a cheese based starter followed by a main with a cheese sauce. Try to have a cold starter and alternate with a hot dessert and if you have a heavy main and starter have a light refreshing dessert. Use your common sense to ensure the courses do not overlap and that they are varied but compliment each other.
Presentation
Presentation is the key to success. If the food looks good then you're half way there. Remember it should be a feast for the eyes, as well as the stomach.
Preparation Time
Look at what you are cooking each day, and do not have a starter, main and dessert which will take a lot of time to prepare. Try to balance it out so you are not in the kitchen all day! Remember you will want to be skiing as well. Also remember that you are at altitude and cooking can therefore take longer. Always allow time for this. It takes 20% longer than usual, for example, for water to boil. You will need to practice and familiarize yourself with cooking in your new environment and with new equipment before your first guests arrive. You may find that you are limited by what you can fit in the oven and on the hob so think about what and how you are going to be cooking it that day when planning your menu.
Likes/Dislikes
You will need to discuss the likes and dislikes of your guests at the beginning of the week so that you can amend your menu plan accordingly. Your company will give you guidelines on what you may or may not cook.
Equipment
You will have to do an inventory of your kitchen and chalet at the beginning of the season. Familiarise yourself with the equipment you have and plan your menu around this. Make sure you know how everything works and that it does work!
Fresh Food
There is no substitute for fresh food. Everything you serve should be fresh: meat, poultry, fish, vegetables. You will buy fresh bread daily and have to ensure that all deserts and cakes are freshly made daily. Companies shouldn't expect you to serve any kind of tinned or frozen vegetables. You should enjoy having the opportunity to display your culinary skills to the full. You may have to do otherwise if you are not able to access fresh vegetables on a regular basis or if your budget will not allow it.
CHILDREN
You will have to check your rooming/guest list for numbers. If there are children in your chalet, they may require lighter meals and may have to eat earlier e.g. 6.00pm. Chat to parents to find out what they like to eat.
As a general rule children do not like food which is too fussy, such as rich sauces. Make sure that you can serve them something quite plain and that you always have an alternative option available.
SPECIAL DIETS
You will usually be informed in advance of any requests for a special diet and you should comply with them. Discuss with the client on arrival what sort of things you could cook. There are times, however, when unexpected vegetarians turn up. You should always make sure that you have adequate ingredients in store to make an interesting vegetarian alternative on Changeover Day.
Vegetarians
Many of the vegetables you cook for other clients can be adapted into a main meal for vegetarians. Listed below are a few suggestions. Always try to make the starter a vegetarian one to make your work load easier.
leek and mushroom strudel
aubergine, tomato and cheese bake
oeufs Florentines (spinach, eggs and hollandaise sauce)
vol-au-vents with mushrooms and white wine sauce
rice risotto with seasonal vegetables
cabbage leaves with rice stuffing
courgettes stuffed with hazelnut and apricot pate
leeks en croûte with mushroom puree or cheese sauce
vegetable lasagne
crepes with cream cheese tomato and basil
watercress roulade with tomato and cream cheese filling with red pepper coulis
individual gruyere and sweet pepper quiches
pasta with broccoli and cauliflower florets
Gluten-free Diet
This is a diet which excludes foods containing wheat, rye, barley or oats. These items should be replaced with gluten free alternatives.
Gluten is a protein. The quality of dishes cooked without gluten is improved if the gluten is replaced by a different type of protein such as that in eggs, dried milk or soya flour.
Types of gluten-free flour are Aproten, potato flour (Fecule or Farina) rice flour, arrowroot, soya flour and cornflour.
When making cakes, it is usually satisfactory to replace all the ordinary flour with gluten free flour, provided the recipe uses generous amounts of egg, e.g. 3 eggs for 125g flour. With plainer recipes it is better to use a mixture of flours. Use bicarbonate of soda/cream of tartar instead of baking powder.
For thickening sauces, use either gluten-free flour, potato flour, cornflour, rice flour or arrowroot. Sauces made with arrowroot or potato flour are cooked as soon as the sweet sauces mixture thickens and comes to the boil.
Kosher
This means that your guests will not be allowed to eat any form of pork (bacon, gammon, ham, pork etc.) and no form of shell fish( e.g. mussels, cockles, prawns etc). All food has to be cooked in vegetable oil and the only animal fat that can be used is chicken fat.
A FEW GUIDELINES
Main courses- many companies do not allow the following main courses:
spaghetti bolognese
moussaka
chilli con carne
curry
lasagne
shepherd's pie
quiche
Sometimes your guests may particularly ask for one of these, in which case your company will have given you guidelines on whether you can then serve them what they have requested.
Always have the ingredients for an interesting vegetarian dish in store. You will receive a rooming/guest list each week and this should indicate any special dietary requirements but you may not have been told about their vegetarian habits so be prepared!
Vegetables
Try to make one exotic vegetable dish with a more plain dish, each evening as well as potatoes, rice or pasta. You must remember to garnish vegetable dishes.
Pudding
This can be hot or cold and you may be required to offer a cheese board using local cheeses. Always try to offer fresh fruit as an alternative to pudding should a guest not want it.
Examples for your menus:(make sure you can actually cook these and don't just copy them into your plan as you will be tested on how to cook each dish in an interview!)
Cooked breakfast:
ham and eggs
eggs en cocotte (with bacon or mushrooms)
eggy bread and maple syrup (good for changeover day)
stuffed croissants with cheese and ham
poached eggs on toast with tomatoes
vol-au-vent stuffed with scrambled eggs and tomato
egg and bacon
tomatoes and mushrooms
sausages with eggs or tomatoes
omelettes
pancakes (sugar and lemon)
mushrooms on toast
sautéed potatoes with bacon
Packed lunch:
Tuna, mayonnaise and sweetcorn
Ham, mustard and tomato
Cheese and pickle
Egg mayonnaise with bacon bits. (Make sure wrapped securely)
Salami and pickled cucumbers/ gherkins
Chicken salad.
Brie and apple
Bacon, lettuce and tomato
Chicken, mayonnaise and sweetcorn
Coronation chicken (curried)
Tuna, mayonnaise and red pepper
Pate and lettuce
Afternoon Tea:
Cherry and almond cake
Marbled chocolate teabread
Carrot cake
Banana cake
Swiss roll
Yoghurt cake (lemon,chocolate,strawberry etc)
Walnut loaf
Biscuits
Danish pastries
Canapés:
Smoked fish with creme fraîche on bread or blinis
Cocktail sticks of fruit and cheese, tomato and mozarella
Prawns skewered with vegetables and salad items
Filo wrapped parcels e.g., seafood, sundried tomatoes and goats cheese, asparagus and Parma ham.
Sushi type - raw fish
Smoked or air dried meats - rolled and filled
Gravalax - marinated salmon on pumpernickel
Crostini with Mediterranean prawns or tapenade
Salmon and dill crackers
Satay chicken on sticks
Stuffed eggs - quail eggs
Vegetarian tartlets
Mini vol-au-vents with various fillings
Crudités with dips
Mangetout or celery stuffed with cheese
Panned tomato with anchovies
Potato skins and dips
Cheese straws
After Dinner:
Chocolate truffles, tartlets, macaroons, dipped fruits
Petit fours, After Eight mints or equivalent
Marzipan fruits, dried fruits, caramelised fruits
Chocolate biscuits
Coconut, almonds, sugared nuts
Petite meringues
Shortbreads
Viennese whirls
Fancy chocolates
Florentines
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