Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-01-23

The scraps from the dining room Of large
hotel or restaurant form . very important item
as any one may know who has noticed the
enormous bills of fare provided aud the lavish
ness with which the average hotel diner orders.
When q man orders for his breakfast oatmeal,
fruit. two kinds of meat, fish, eggs, potatoes,
coffee and hot cakes, it is evident that unless
his capacity is beyond the ordinary, that he
must leave . good part Of 1t uneaten. II Is
interesting to know what becomes Of II all, and
In order to obtain this information . STAR re-
porter questioned the proprietor OF one OF the
Leading hotels in this city, who gives his per-
sonal attention to the duties which are usually
performed by the steward.
II try as far as possible" he said, "to reduce
70 tne lowest point the amount Of food left on
the plates by my guests. 1t has been my ex.
Perience that the best way TO accomplish this
the
IN roast nom the rump than nom fine ribbed
roast. But when you take away the fat and the
untouched on the plates, that kind of q roast is
not SO cheap after ALL II Is the same way with
s steaKs no !! and vegetables smaller guam,
Quantity and variety that Is not eaten. II the
marketing is done In this way, and If q person
what is bad and at the same time il q rigid
scrutiny ef the kitchen is maintained, there Is
only about one,tenth of the food that leaves the
WHAT BECOMES OF THE SCRAPS
"What disposition Is made of that?" asked
the listener, with considerable curiosity.
II see that you want to get down to the ulti-
mate analysis Of the hotel bill of fare" said the
man, with smile. We'll that can be done
the food leaves the table, the next step in the
proce s Ia to make 1t available for the help. In
entirely distinct from that furnished the guests,
and Is, Of course, OF inferior material But this
Is not economical. The walters know what
they are not going to serve tenderloin steak to
the guests and then sit down TO a meal OF rump
steak themselves. That would not be human
been my experience that the help steal the good
1000 II they can get it in any other way, and
Supplied isiVe my H help the food tina, furs
use What ha: " been LETT BY ' the guests
walters will take the food that is left half eaten
and mingled together Oh the plate. But where
piece OF meat has been only partially eaten, a
part cut off and the rest LETT undisturbed, the
help will eat it, and the same Is true of the vege
tables. Now, If the food hos been we'll selected,
alter the guests and the help have finished.
have the stock pot for soups, where all the
bones are thrown. and which Is kept going
pieces of bread and meat and vegetables left TO
be accounted for The quantity of such scraps,
l maintain, If the steward understands his
business ought not to be large, but of course
the quantity varies, according as the manage
meut is good, bad, or Indifferent"
SOLD TO CHEAP RESTAURANTS.
"Thc final disposition of tho scraps" he con-
tfnued differs in different hotels In some
cases they are sold to the smaller eating houses,
where hash is prominent in the bill o: fare and
bread puddngs. have known instances where
the leavings from a large hotel have been sold
to the managers OF eating houses aud the
leaVinss from these places again disposed Of to
houses run on n cheaper scale. But in my own
case never allow the scraps TO be of sufficient
Importance to make them an object of sale.
There are standing in my kitchen several COW
cred baskets, which belong to charitable institu-
lions, and every day some one calls and emptic.
them. This, / think, Is a general practice
among the hotels in this city, SO that good
use Is made OF whatever Is left from the tables"
ExTRAVAGANCE OF THE AMERICAN HOTEL
SYSTEM.
"There is one defect about the American hotel
SYSTEM" ne continued, (which ought TO be REM
edied, and that is the custom o: providing for
each meal such immense bills OF fare. The idea
seems to prevail that the excellence Of the table
depends upon the length Of the bill OF iare,
winch, In TACT, the exact reverse Is generally the
case. The result Is, that poor quality OF food
is provided, and there Is a great waste. People
get in the habit of ordering u great number of
dishes which they cannot possibly eat, but as
they nuss them over the food can only be used
places where the European system is followed
guests order only what they can cat, and thus
the cost OF serving is reduced, aud there is not
so much waste. II Is a singular thing that peo-
fare, as soOD as they come to q hotel want the
greatest variety. and then are loud in their
complaints about the table. can always tell
how people live at home by the way they act
when they come to hotel. Those who live
well and are accustomed to luxury at home
least trouble lOtelSp