Pre-Event Preparation and Setup
Relevant Documentation
Pre-event preparation and setup involves reviewing relevant documentation. Event documents aid the service professional (and most often the captain) in interpreting, organizing, and executing successful events. They do this by aligning event details with client expectations.
The most important documents include a Banquet Event Order (BEO), a Run of Show (ROS), a rental list, a staff list, a floor plan, an expediting sheet, an order form, and a beverage inventory sheet.
Banquet Event Order (BEO)
A Banquet Event Order (BEO) is a comprehensive document that (ideally) serves as a blueprint for planning, executing, and evaluating an event. It lists specifications, including details on vendors, setup, and staffing. A client and/or manager is responsible for creating and circulating the BEO to all relevant departments.
Run of Show (ROS)
The Run of Show (ROS) is a document that provides the chronology of an event (from setup to breakdown). It lists specifications on how an event will proceed, including transitions between service types and service areas. The ROS may be included in the BEO or may be an independent document.
Rental List
A rental list is a document that provides the inventory of equipment and materials a given vendor supplies for an event. It lists items including furniture, linens, tableware, station equipment, and décor. It details items, item details and/or descriptions, item quantities, vendor information, delivery details, condition notes, setup and/or usage requirements, and return instructions.
Staff List
A staff list is a document that provides the names and relevant details of staff (members of the service professional team) working a given event. It lists information including positions, contact information, start and end times, and total hours.
Floor Plan
A floor plan is a document that provides an architectural plan or diagram of a venue from a bird’s-eye view. A floor plan for an event often lists information including the direction for arranging and placing items during setup, including information on BOH and FOH. For BOH, this often includes sanitation and for FOH this often includes table size, quantity, and guest number.
Order Form
An order form is a document that provides the necessary details of guests’ orders. It is used during a plated, American, or hybrid service that requires the service professional team (and specifically the wait staff) to record individual orders from guests and communicate this to the culinary team (with the mediation of the food expeditor).
The order form lists the name of the member of the service professional team (wait staff) who is obtaining the order from the guest, the table number, the position of the guest seated at the table, and (most commonly) the protein options and protein totals. It includes spaces to document dietary restrictions, dietary preferences, and special requests.
Expediting Sheet
An expediting sheet is a document managed by the food expeditor that includes the necessary details of all guests’ orders for the entirety of the dining room. It is used during a French, plated, American, or hybrid service that requires the service professional team (and specifically the wait staff) to obtain individual orders from guests and communicate this to the culinary team (with the mediation of the food expeditor).
The expediting sheet may list the table number, the position of the guest seated at the table, and the protein options and protein totals. It may also include spaces to document dietary restrictions, dietary preferences, and special requests. This collects all of the data from all of the order forms completed by the wait staff. Depending on the complexity of the event and potential time constraints, the expeditor may collect, organize and call orders from the order forms in the order of service.
Beverage Inventory Sheet
A beverage inventory sheet (sometimes called a pull sheet) is a document managed by the bar staff that details the inventory of alcoholic beverages, non-alcoholic beverages, and (occasionally) garnishes, equipment, and ice. It lists the name of the member of the service professional team (bar staff, and generally the bar captain) who is completing the sheet, the event name, the event date, and the ordered inventory, starting inventory, added inventory, ending inventory, and usage for all beverages, garnishes, equipment, and ice.