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Hotel Keepers, Head Waiters, and Housekeepers' Guide by Tunis Campbell, 1848. Among other things, Campbell was an African-American Georgian legislator during Reconstruction: an influential, capable, and very literate activist against slavery, hotel manager, politician, justice of the peace, and writer. Unfortunately, thanks to the Ku Klux Klan's efforts, his home was burned, he was poisoned, and his family had to live in fear. He was taken out of power in Georgia, spent a year in a convict labour camp in 1876, and died in 1891 in Washington. He's one of the many African-American Reconstruction figures who give the lie to a lot of things that Margaret Mitchell wrote about the postbellum period.
Campbell's basic thesis in this book is that hotel management is all about having the right system, and it's very difficult to disagree with his expertise. He also has some neat tips on networking for the savvy hotel manager. It's an experienced book of advice that is superior to Christine Terhune Herrick's out-of-touch book on managing the American domestic servant. The specific hotel conditions that Campbell writes about are almost completely gone today, so the particulars of his advice are outmoded, but he knows his own subject. Campbell emphasises writing reports on daily business and using the written reports to keep track - much like modern principles of project management.
There's amazing elaborate description of waiters moving in perfect lines and files. The dinner is served a la russe, where the group of men bring each luxury course to the table in turn. Waiters have to be drilled with drill sergeants and regular reviews to learn this. Campbell cites scientifically gathered statistics that his drilled waiters are more efficient at table clearing!
[E]ach man gets in his place, one pace from his chairs, when a signal must be given to attract attention and bring the men close to their chairs. The next signal will be for the purpose of raising covers; when certain men, having been instructed to act as guides, will file right and left, the rest of the men following suit, but first marching up to the place where the guide turned, before they turn; and in this way form a single line, and march out of the room. Or, if it can be done, let the two lines form in couples at the door--which will look much better.
Dessert seems particularly attractive:
To insure its being put on regularly, all the men on one side must have puddings and jellies, and all on the other will take pies and confectionary. Each man, taking two dishes, proceeds to his station, facing the same way as he came in, and at the signal all face the table. At the next signal they will put on, first with the right, and then with the left hand; and so proceed, until the whole is on that belongs to the pastry, which may be summed up as follows: puddings, pies, tarts, trifles, creams, candies, pyramids, and confectionary of all kinds; and fruit may be put on with this course, such as apples, pears, peaches, plums, apricots, &c.; but if you have enough, put it on separately, on a white table-cloth, in the same order as the other courses. When it is removed raise your white cloth, and put on your dry fruit upon the table cover, which may be purple damask, or any other color that you fancy; but bright colors are best. The fruit napkins must correspond with the cloth, the same as the other napkins do with the other cloths. The finger-bowls may be as you fancy, each containing a small piece of lemon.
There's also a tip for how to get people with large bills to pay up with a bit of flattery and freebies.
When guests are about to leave, who have been at the house a considerable time, and have a pretty large bill, serve them up a private dinner in the very best style, and make no charge for it. The book-keeper, having his instructions, when called upon to make out the bill, will explain that there is no extra charge for this dinner, and make out the bill in full for the time, declining payment for the last day. And when the bill is paid, be ready to see them off.
Campbell includes valuable mid-1800s American hotel recipes in this book, including corn bread, buckwheat cakes, anchovy sauce, roast cod's head, roast larks, giblet soup, calf's feet jelly, and quince marmalade.
This book is definitely worth reading if tantalising descriptions of luxurious restaurant dining and lengthy delectable menus from this era appeal to you.
Campbell's basic thesis in this book is that hotel management is all about having the right system, and it's very difficult to disagree with his expertise. He also has some neat tips on networking for the savvy hotel manager. It's an experienced book of advice that is superior to Christine Terhune Herrick's out-of-touch book on managing the American domestic servant. The specific hotel conditions that Campbell writes about are almost completely gone today, so the particulars of his advice are outmoded, but he knows his own subject. Campbell emphasises writing reports on daily business and using the written reports to keep track - much like modern principles of project management.
There's amazing elaborate description of waiters moving in perfect lines and files. The dinner is served a la russe, where the group of men bring each luxury course to the table in turn. Waiters have to be drilled with drill sergeants and regular reviews to learn this. Campbell cites scientifically gathered statistics that his drilled waiters are more efficient at table clearing!
[E]ach man gets in his place, one pace from his chairs, when a signal must be given to attract attention and bring the men close to their chairs. The next signal will be for the purpose of raising covers; when certain men, having been instructed to act as guides, will file right and left, the rest of the men following suit, but first marching up to the place where the guide turned, before they turn; and in this way form a single line, and march out of the room. Or, if it can be done, let the two lines form in couples at the door--which will look much better.
Dessert seems particularly attractive:
To insure its being put on regularly, all the men on one side must have puddings and jellies, and all on the other will take pies and confectionary. Each man, taking two dishes, proceeds to his station, facing the same way as he came in, and at the signal all face the table. At the next signal they will put on, first with the right, and then with the left hand; and so proceed, until the whole is on that belongs to the pastry, which may be summed up as follows: puddings, pies, tarts, trifles, creams, candies, pyramids, and confectionary of all kinds; and fruit may be put on with this course, such as apples, pears, peaches, plums, apricots, &c.; but if you have enough, put it on separately, on a white table-cloth, in the same order as the other courses. When it is removed raise your white cloth, and put on your dry fruit upon the table cover, which may be purple damask, or any other color that you fancy; but bright colors are best. The fruit napkins must correspond with the cloth, the same as the other napkins do with the other cloths. The finger-bowls may be as you fancy, each containing a small piece of lemon.
There's also a tip for how to get people with large bills to pay up with a bit of flattery and freebies.
When guests are about to leave, who have been at the house a considerable time, and have a pretty large bill, serve them up a private dinner in the very best style, and make no charge for it. The book-keeper, having his instructions, when called upon to make out the bill, will explain that there is no extra charge for this dinner, and make out the bill in full for the time, declining payment for the last day. And when the bill is paid, be ready to see them off.
Campbell includes valuable mid-1800s American hotel recipes in this book, including corn bread, buckwheat cakes, anchovy sauce, roast cod's head, roast larks, giblet soup, calf's feet jelly, and quince marmalade.
This book is definitely worth reading if tantalising descriptions of luxurious restaurant dining and lengthy delectable menus from this era appeal to you.
