Mr. Trainor

Food & Beverage

Action Stations Are an Exciting Win-Win for Everyone

By Robert Trainor, Exec Chef, Hilton

Although catering has always been an important factor in the success of hotel food and beverage departments, today it has evolved to share focal point status with the other outlets. Food quality and service is expected to equal, if not exceed, what you would find in the restaurant. Clients want creativity and variety. They are savvy, they hold numerous events in many different venues, and they are constantly challenging operators to come up with new ideas.

Action stations are still a great way to spice up any catering event. Advances in portable equipment have made it possible to put a wide range of foods into action. The opportunities are limited only by your creativity.

Carved Meat, Omelets and Made-to-Order Ice Creams

There will always be a place in the hearts of American diners for the carving station. There's just something about watching succulent cuts of turkey, beef, ham or even fish being tenderly, lovingly sliced to your personal specifications. But today, the carving station is certainly not the whole story - and not even the headliner - in modern action station land. The omelet station may have been the first catering event foray into the concept of made-to-order, but now there are countless ways to wow your guests.

The public's infatuation with chefs, cooking and the action station continues to evolve. Action stations add a sense of theater to a buffet or reception. Cooking in front of the guest entices all their senses - the visual appeal of the colors and textures of the food, the aroma as it is prepared and the sounds of food being cooked. Action stations generate excitement and can be a great ice breaker.

You are no longer limited to putting the action station at the end of a long buffet table. Range them around the room and vary what's taking place at each location. This set up forces movement around the room and helps you control traffic flow. For example, you can have your traditional roast beef carving station, and across the room set up a Peking Duck station. At the Hilton Short Hills, one of our most-requested stations is the Whipped Potato Bar. Creamy whipped potatoes are mixed to the guest's order with various condiments like bacon bits, caramelized onions, braised leeks, fresh herbs and more. The concoction is then presented in a Martini style glass.

Stations no longer need be limited to savory items only. You have the opportunity to create excitement with desserts, as well. Forget the usual flamb'e or crepe stations. At the Hilton, we have done warm espresso Martinis with mocha ice cream added at the very moment of service. To jazz up our Sundae bar, we use a Paco Jet ice cream maker. The pastry chef makes the ice cream of choice right in front of the guest at the Sundae bar, lending a very ordinary station new excitement.

Dressing It Up, Doing it with Technology

The presentation of a station is just as important as the quality of food being served. Purchasing appropriate props is an initial investment with big, long-term payoffs. A well-dressed station makes a grand statement about the type of property you are. Props associated with the theme of the food are important to give the client a sense of authenticity, or to just elevate the theme to the next level.

For example, we use woks and bamboo steamer baskets for dumplings or shumai on an Asian station. Not only are they highly functional, they support the theme as well. We further accent the table with chefs in Asian uniforms and ornamental items that can be found in any good home store. Many of these Asian accoutrements, including the Asian designed screens, serve as a back drop to our Peking Duck station.

With the proper equipment, you can achieve almost any effect without sacrificing quality. Induction tabletop burners, with the proper pan, give you the opportunity to actually saut'e properly at the station in front of the guest. They will also create a big difference in your made-to-order omelets. They react quickly to temperature changes, and provide consistent, even distribution of heat, making for a much better product than the traditional cassette fuel stoves. The induction burners are just as portable as the cassette fuel burners, and are much safer. Yes, the initial cost is double that of a cassette fuel burner, but over the useful life of the burner, you will experience considerable savings not having to buy fuel.

The Challenges

Of course, action stations do have their drawbacks. The two biggest challenges we face are staffing and storage.

When the operation is at its busiest it's often hard to spare staff from the kitchen to manage an action station. There are many creative solutions. One approach we've found that works is to offer our chef stations to kitchen personnel who are actually off the schedule at the time and pay them a flat rate. For example, if a cook is working in the kitchen 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., that team member can sign up to work a station at the reception that evening.

Another avenue we explore is to draw team members from other departments for the more basic stations. We bring in potential candidates and train them on proper carving techniques. They will practice with various meats alongside the banquet chef. Once the banquet chef feels the team member is ready, they are then trained in proper setup and breakdown of a station, and are paired with an experienced team member for further training on the job.

Proper storage and maintenance of all your props and decoration, so that your investment will last a long time, is the other significant challenge. Proper training of your team members, and proper storage techniques solve the problem. Store all your decorations, props and equipment in a single organized area and the problem will be easily left behind.

Nearly anything worth doing in the foodservice industry requires an initial investment of time, money, creativity and patience. When it comes to action stations, making the investment is a win-win situation for everyone. Clients get a great sense of added value. Guests enjoy the variety and excitement. And you make an effective, creative and very positive statement about your operation.

Robert Trainor is executive chef of Hilton Short Hills. He manages all aspects of menu and meal preparation, staffing and training in the hotel’s restaurants, room service and all banquets. As Executive Sous Chef at the Waldorf=Astoria, retooled the menu of Oscar’s, while maintaining elements of the restaurant’s tradition. Educated at Johnson & Wales University, Trainor’s achievements include becoming a certified sommelier, serving as the 95th Distinguished Visiting Chef of Johnson & Wales University, and garnering numerous gold and silver medals in international culinary competitions. Mr. Trainor can be contacted at 973 912 7974 or Robert_Trainor@Hilton.com Extended Bio...

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