BOOK REVIEW

From: Lacey Consulting

A Handbook on Catering in

Colleges & Universities

By Paul Fairbrook

Colman Publishers
1147 Elmwood Avenue
Stockton, CA 95204

Reviewed by

Peg Lacey

Catering on Campus is an indispensable reference book for the seasoned catering director as well as for the contract liaison who wants their company-managed catering service to 'take it up a notch'!

Truly memorable campus catering creates a positive image . for the entire dining service; unfortunately, catering mistakes tend to be long remembered. Paul Fairbrook shares his extensive knowledge, providing a source book of inspiration and ideas to change your campus catering service from good to great.

Fairbrook begins with catering basics covering planning, organization of the catering office, creation of policies and procedures, determining profitable selling prices, labor management, and client communications. The section on catering policies will be particularly useful to the novice caterer but could also be helpful to the director grappling with thorny issues, such as policies for outside caterers or for potluck meals. Setting up a Website, a chapter authored by Richard J. John-son, Director of Housing and Dining and Kimberle A. Badinelli, Associate Director of Student Programs for Public Relations and Information Technology both of from Virginia Institute of Technology, is an invaluable step-by-step guide to creating a user-friendly catering web site.

The core of the book provides a comprehensive comparison of policies, procedures and other topics from catering guides in use at over three dozen North American college and universities; Fairbrook delineates the differences from one campus to another, providing the reader with tangible ideas for modifying their own catering guide. Creation of department slogans, determining appropriate levels of service, guarantees, pricing, billing and payment are just a sampling of topics covered. Need ideas on how to cover the cost of china, silverware and linen? Fairbrook very effectively details the theory and pricing charged on many campuses. The handbook also offers suggestions for dealing with lost equipment, event security and liability insurance. This helps even the most skilled catering director enhance their existing program.

The handbook contains over 50 sample catering menus, contracts, set-up lists and diagrams, function sheets, event invitations, and marketing brochures that offer practical applications for campus catering professionals.

Catering on Campus is an essential guide for food service professionals and will become a valuable source book for vendors and HRIM faculty. I highly recommend Catering on Campus to all NACAS and NACUFS members.

Peg Lacey is the principal of Lacey Consulting, an agency specializing in customized food service solutions for college and university professionals. She can be contacted at peglacey@hotmail.com

Paul Fairbrook can be reached at 209-464-9503 or through his website: paulfairbrook.com

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From: THE BULLETIN of Higher Education Administration, September 2004

Catering on Campus is a 411 page handbook designed to help
catering managers at colleges do a better job of selling and providing
quality and profitable catering services.

Written by Paul Fairbrook, the dean of college food services who has
conducted several outstanding programs on college catering and has written
several other books on college food services, this book is a must for both
the newcomer and experienced food service director and the catering manager.
This book is filled with over 50 exhibits and appendixes.

We at ACAP highly recommend this publication for all college food service
directors and managers.

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From: STAN CLARK, then Executive Director of the
National Association of College Auxiliary Services, December 1992

Managing for Profit in Difficult Times covers the entire field of campus food service
in a summary, easy-to-read form. It approaches the subject from the point of view of
a manager facing multiple problems in times of economic sluggishness, declining enrollments
and shrinking funds for renovation and new construction.

As an authoritative set of recommendations to be followed, this book will be enlightening to
food service directors and managers, and a valuable resource to deans, chief business officers,
and others who have an interest in, or overall responsibility for, such operations.

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From: National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS) website

Catering on Campus

Don't miss your chance to check out the new 452-page "Catering on Campus" book, authored by long-time NACUFS member Paul Fairbrook.

The handbook is divided into two main sections: Part A, "Managing a Campus Catering Department," with 17 chapters; and Part B, "Catering Policies from Selected Colleges and Universities," which includes various topics covered in guides supplied by more than three dozen schools. In addition, exhibits and appendices provide examples of menus, discipline and performance evaluation forms, promotions, and much, much more.

"It is my hope that this handbook will...become a trusted source of valuable information whenever it may be needed," writes Fairbrook in the foreword.

The book can be ordered at http://www.paulfairbrook.com, which contains further details and an order blank. You may also contact Colman Publishers at (209) 464-9503.
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