How to prepare the kitchen sheet and allergen control for a banquet

The danger of loose notes and counting out loud

In the stress of the pass, with 150 or 300 covers going out at once, handwritten notes and WhatsApp messages between the floor and the kitchen end in confusion: special dishes arriving late or, at worst, contaminated plates that trigger an allergic reaction.

A professional kitchen sheet should be generated straight from the digital seating plan, which removes duplicates and transcription errors.

What an effective kitchen sheet contains

The report needs two complementary views:

• An overall summary: total adult covers, total children, and the exact number of each special menu, for the mise en place.
• A table-by-table breakdown: every table with its special menus, giving the seat number and the guest's name.

Getting the kitchen and the floor team in step

Before the first plates leave, the maître d' should go through each waiter's section with them. Every waiter should already know which guest in their section needs special attention, so the right plate goes down without hesitation.