Seafood, for instance, is obviously big in Monterey. We have access to all kinds of wonderful fresh produce. Styles of Service American, or plated, service is by far the most common style used for banquets. But there are several other styles that work well for certain types of sit-down meal functions. The following gives a run-down of several popular banquet styles.
Food is plated in the kitchen and placed before guests.
Side dishes are used for bread and butter and salad. Food is served from the left, beverages are served from the right, and all items are removed from the right. This is the most functional, common, economical, controllable, and efficient type of service. But if the foods are plated too far in advance, they could run together, become discolored, or otherwise lose quality. Large serving platters and bowls are filled with food in the kitchen and placed on the tables by the servers.