Gueridon service facts for kids

Gueridon service, also known as tableside service, is a special way restaurants serve food. Imagine a chef or waiter preparing your meal right at your table! They use a special cart called a guéridon trolley. This fancy service is usually found in high-end restaurants. It makes your dining experience feel very special.

It is a bit like service à la russe. In that style, a waiter portions every dish at your table. Gueridon service often adds extra cooking steps right there.

Cool Things Done Tableside

Many exciting dishes can be prepared with gueridon service. Here are some examples:

• Flaming Desserts: Dishes like crêpes Suzette, bananas Foster, or cherries Jubilee are often flambéed. This means they are set on fire for a dramatic effect!
• Mixing Salads: Famous salads like Caesar salad can be mixed right at your table. This ensures they are super fresh.
• Quick Cooking: Some main courses, like steak Diane, can be quickly pan-fried. A tasty sauce is then made right there too.
• Preparing Fish: Waiters can carefully remove bones from fish. Then they place it perfectly on your plate.
• Making Guacamole: Fresh guacamole can be mashed and mixed in a special bowl called a molcajete. This happens right in front of you.
• Carving Meat: Large pieces of meat or poultry can be carved. For example, a whole Peking Duck can be cut into bite-sized pieces. The juices might even be pressed out and served on the side.
• Finishing Pasta: Some pasta dishes, like fettuccine Alfredo, get their final touches at the table.
• Making Special Butter: Even simple things like a flavored butter, called beurre maître d'hôtel, can be prepared fresh.

The Gueridon Trolley

The guéridon trolley is the star of tableside service. It is a special cart that waiters use.

• It usually has a gas burner. This burner heats food in a chafing dish.
• The trolley also has a cupboard. This cupboard holds all the needed ingredients. These might include sauces, liquor, cream, butter, and oil.
• Special tools are also stored there. These include knives, spoons, and platters. Everything needed for the tableside magic is right on the trolley!