Breakfast is the first meal of a day. The word in English refers to breaking the fasting period of the prior night. Breakfast is the first meal taken after rising from a night’s sleep, most often eaten in the early morning before undertaking the day’s work. So the study of types of breakfast is very important in hotel industry.
It’s is considered by many food experts to be a most important meal of the day.
Breakfast is considered as one of the most important meal nutritionally. In hotels, complimentary breakfast is served in restaurant through buffet with a wide range of selection; however à la carte breakfast menus are also available. The current trend is that most of the hotels are offering breakfast as complementary (bed and breakfast tariff). Normally the hotels serve following types of breakfast.
Mainly there are four types of breakfast occurred in hotel these are
- Continental breakfast
- American breakfast
- English breakfast
- Buffet breakfast
Also regional breakfast also occurred. That depends on a particular region. We see Indian breakfast in regional breakfast.
Types of Breakfast in Hotel
Continental breakfast (Simple or light breakfast):
Continental breakfast is a type of breakfast typically served at hotels and other lodging establishments. It typically includes items such as bread or pastries, fruit, cereal, and coffee or tea. The term “continental” refers to the fact that this type of breakfast is common in Europe, and is generally considered to be a lighter and less substantial breakfast option than a traditional full English breakfast. Continental breakfasts are often self-serve, with guests able to help themselves to the various items available.
The term itself is of British origin. “The continent” in Britain refers to the countries of continental Europe. A “continental breakfast” thus denotes the type of lighter meal served in whole Europe, as opposed to the “full” English breakfast.
It generally includes:
- Choices of juices (may or may not be)
- Breakfast rolls/toasts/bread with butter/preserves (jam/jelly/marmalade/honey)
- Tea/coffee
Continental breakfast cover (table layout)
- Bud vase/centerpiece
- Water goblet
- Butter dish & butter knife
- Side plate with side knife & serviette/napkin
- Breakfast cup with under liner & tea spoon
- Sugar bowl/Sugar basin with sugar cubes & tongs or granulated sugar with tea spoon/Sugar caddy with sugar sachet
- Preserves- jam/jelly/marmalade/honey
Continental breakfast cover (service layout)
- Bud vase/centerpiece
- Water goblet
- Butter dish & butter knife
- Side plate with side knife & serviette/napkin
- Breakfast cup with under liner & tea spoon
- Sugar bowl/Sugar basin with sugar cubes & tongs or granulated sugar with tea spoon/Sugar caddy with sugar sachet
- Preserves- jam/jelly/marmalade/honey
- Bread basket/bread boat/toast rack
- Tea pot/coffee pot and hot water jug stands or underplates
- Milk jug / creamer, Strainer & slop basin
- Juice glass- may or may not be.
American breakfast (Medium breakfast)
American breakfast is a neither too heavy nor light. It starts with a glass of chilled water. Coffee is most preferred beverage by American.
It generally includes:
Choices of juice – (grapefruit juice, pineapple juice, tomato juice, orange juice)/ Fresh fruits/stewed fruits
Breakfast cereals: Muesli, cornmeal, oatmeal, granola, polenta, oats, porridge etc,
Eggs to order: Omelette, fried, boiled- hard & semi boiled, scrambled, poached, Huevos Rancheros, etc,
Meat products: ham, steak, sausages, bacon etc
Breakfast rolls – (brioche, croissant, Vienna rolls)/muffins/waffles/toasts/bread (white grain, multi grain) with butter/preserves (jam/jelly/marmalade/honey)
Tea/coffee/malted beverage like maltova, horlicks, etc.You may also like
American breakfast cover (table layout)
- Bud vase/centerpiece
- Cruet set
- Water goblet
- Butter dish & butter knife
- Side plate with side knife & serviette/napkin
- All purpose knife & fork/ large knife & large fork
- Dessert spoon & dessert fork for eating cereals
- Breakfast cup with under liner & tea spoon
- Sugar bowl/Sugar basin with sugar cubes & tongs or granulated sugar with tea spoon/Sugar caddy with sugar sachet
- Preserves (jam/jelly/marmalade/honey) dish on an under liner with tea spoon.
American breakfast cover (service layout)
- Bud vase/centerpiece
- Cruet set
- Water goblet
- Butter dish & butter knife
- Side plate with side knife & serviette/napkin
- All purpose knife & fork/ large knife & large fork
- Dessert spoon & dessert fork for eating cereals
- Breakfast cup with under liner & tea spoon
- Sugar bowl/Sugar basin with sugar cubes & tongs or granulated sugar with tea spoon/Sugar caddy with sugar sachet
- Preserves (jam/jelly/marmalade/honey) dish on an under liner with tea spoon.
- Bread basket/bread boat/toast rack
- Tea pot/coffee pot and hot water jug stands or underplates.
- Strainer & slop basin
- Milk jug/creamer
- Juice glass
English breakfast (heavy /full breakfast)
English breakfast, also known as a “Full English” is a traditional and hearty breakfast meal that originated in England. It is a very elaborate breakfast. Typically includes items such as fried eggs, bacon, sausages, baked beans, grilled tomatoes, black pudding, and fried bread. Other items that may be included are mushrooms, hash browns, and bubble and squeak (a dish made from mashed potatoes and cabbage). The English breakfast is a classic and popular meal in the UK, and is often considered to be the national dish of England. It is typically served in restaurants and pubs, and is often enjoyed as a weekend treat or a special occasion meal
It generally includes:
Choices of juices – Fresh fruits/stewed fruits (fruit compote, guava compote, apple compote etc)
Breakfast cereals
Fish items – kippers, bloaters, buckling, kedgeree, smoked haddock, grilled herring, fried fish.
Eggs to order – Eggs Benedict, Eggs Neptune etc. (Usually a Fried eggs)
Baked Beans – canned beans in a tomato sauce.
Sausages – Traditional British bangers.
Meat products – Ham, bacon, black pudding etc.,
Mushrooms – usually grilled or fried.
Breakfast rolls/muffins/toasts/bread with butter/preserves (jam/jelly/marmalade/honey)
Tea/coffee/malted beverage like maltova, horlicks, etc.
This is a Traditional English breakfast items, more or less items added or minimize depending on the Specific regions.
English breakfast cover (table layout)
- Bud vase/centerpiece
- Cruet set
- Water goblet
- Butter dish & butter knife
- Side plate with side knife & serviette/napkin
- Fish knife & fish fork
- Large knife & large fork
- Dessert spoon & dessert fork for eating cereals
- Breakfast cup with under liner & tea spoon
- Sugar bowl/Sugar basin with sugar cubes & tongs or granulated sugar with tea spoon/Sugar caddy with sugar sachet
- Preserves (jam/jelly/marmalade/honey) dish on an under liner with tea spoon.
English breakfast cover (service layout)
- Bud vase/centerpiece
- Cruet set
- Water goblet
- Butter dish & butter knife
- Side plate with side knife & serviette/napkin
- Fish knife & fish fork
- Large knife & large fork
- Dessert spoon & dessert fork for eating cereals
- Breakfast cup with under liner & tea spoon
- Sugar bowl/Sugar basin with sugar cubes & tongs or granulated sugar with tea spoon/Sugar caddy with sugar sachet
- Preserves (jam/jelly/marmalade/honey) dish on an under liner with tea spoon.
- Bread basket/bread boat/toast rack
- Tea pot/coffee pot and hot water jug stands or underplates
- Strainer & slop basin
- Milk jug/creamer
- Juice glass
Buffet breakfast menu
In this types of breakfast following items included
Freshly squeezed orange, pineapple and watermelon juice
Fruit platter – Musk melon, papaya, banana, pineapple
Compote – Granny Smith apple and prunes
Plain, peach, berry yoghurt
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Oatmeal porridge, choice of proprietary cereal- cornflakes, shredded wheat, muesli
Dried dates, apricots, figs, almond, walnut and cashew halves, pumpkin, flax and chia seeds
Cold and warm fresh dairy milk, almond milk, soya milk
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You may also like Different Types of Buffet
Cold station
Smoked Atlantic salmon
Ham, turkey galantine, salami
Cheddar, Edam, Monterey Jack and Danish blue cheese
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Hot station- International
Eggs to order-boiled, poached, fried, scrambled
Omelette- plain, mushroom, cheese, bell peppers, tomato, onion, chicken, ham
Baked beans, sautéed spinach, grilled mushrooms, hash browns
Ham, bacon, chicken sausages, grilled liver
Smoked haddock, fish cakes
Made to order- French toast, pancakes, waffles with maple syrup and butter
Brioche, croissant, muffin, Danish pastry, sliced whole wheat, multigrain, white bread
Butter, mix fruit jam, orange marmalade, Nutella and honey
Hot station- Indian
Made to order- Aloo, gobi, mooli, paneer, egg paratha served with plain yoghurt and mixed pickle
Poori chholey, aloo subzi, upma, idli, poha
Made to order- plain dosa, Masala dosa, utthampam
Sambhar, coconut chutney, gunpowder, ghee, sesame oil, coconut oil
Hot Beverages
Darjeeling tea, English breakfast, Earl Grey tea, green tea, filter coffee, hot chocolate, tisanes
Accompanied with fresh milk, cream, half and half, soy milk
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Masala chai, filter coffee or kesar milk.
For more information about the buffet how to set up buffet read the post How to set up Buffet in hotel.
In regional breakfast I will explain Indian breakfast
Indian breakfast
Choices of juices (fresh or canned)/ lassi (plain, sweet, salted, flavoured, masala)/ coconut water/ Fresh fruits (seasonal fruit platter)
Idli – rawa idli, carrot idli, tomato idli, oats idli, Kanchipuram idli etc, with sambar and varieties of chutney (coconut, mint, tomato, onion, ginger etc)
Upma – rawa upma, tomato upma, idli upma, oats upma etc,
Dosa – plain, masala, onion, vegetable, rawa etc, with sambar and varieties of chutney (coconut, mint, tomato, onion, ginger etc)
Uttapam/othappam – plain, masala, onion, tomato, Veg, etc, with sambar and varieties of chutney (coconut, mint, tomato, onion, ginger etc)
Vada with sambar and varieties of chutney (coconut, mint, tomato, onion, ginger etc)
Sevai – lemon sevai, tomato sevai, tarmarind sevai, coconut sevai etc,
Paratha – plain & stuffed (aloo, gobhi, paneer, mooli) with curd & pickle
Khichdi – moongdal khichdi, sabudana khichdi
Poori aloo masala with curd & pickle
Tea/coffee/hot chocolate/ hot badam milk
Indian breakfast cover (table layout)
- Bud vase/centerpiece
- Cruet set
- Water goblet
- Side plate with serviette/napkin
- AP spoon & fork. AP knife can also be placed depending on the choices of the order made by guests.
- Breakfast cup with under liner & tea spoon
- Sugar bowl/Sugar basin with sugar cubes & tongs or granulated sugar with tea spoon/Sugar caddy with sugar sachet
- Preserves /condiments dish on an under liner with tea spoon.