The menu determines what a food service operation offers. If developed and designed well, all aspects of the food production can be determined, that is equipment needed, staffing and of course food. An efficient menu should make full use of its staff and facilities. It should take advantage of the resources available to it locally, and should offer variations and flexibility to accommodate changing consumer tastes, seasonal availability, food costs and competition.
Standardised recipes
One of the most important areas of food management is the use of standardised recipes. A standardised recipe is a well-tested recipe which is written for each dish on the menu. These recipes give specifications in the following areas:
1. The quantity and quality of ingredients required. Several batch sizes may be given to allow for different levels of demand. Some may give details of size, shape, colour, flavour of ingredients which may be necessary to distinguish exactly what is required;
2. The procedure for cooking and preparing the dish;
3. Equipment to be used;
4. Cooking temperatures and times;
5. Portion sizes;
6. Service details, including garnishing and accompaniments.
Portion control
Imagine for a second that you run Coca-Cola instead of your restaurant. You sell millions of cans of soft drink every day, and you’re making a decent profit. Now imagine that as the founder and owner of Coke, you never bothered to standardise the size of each can, so some cans are 600ml, others are 650ml, and some are even as large as 700ml, but you charge the same price for all of them.
Think you’d be losing a little money every time you sold a 700ml can of Coke?
There are more similarities between a restaurant and Coca-Cola than you might think. You both serve a consumable product. You both charge a flat rate for a portion of that product although you make a lot more of that product than you serve each customer.
But unlike a lot of restaurants, I guarantee you Coca-Cola pour the same exact amount of Coke product into every single can. Their price is then figured based upon making a certain amount of profit margin assuming that exact amount is in every single can. As you can imagine, if their machines were off by a fraction of an ml, they could lose millions of dollars.
Controlling the portion sizes you serve your customers is an easily overlooked but extremely important way to cut costs and preserve your restaurant’s margin. In the high-pressure atmosphere of a commercial kitchen during the dinner rush, you need simple but highly effective methods for keeping portions exactly the same.
Think you’d be losing a little money every time you sold a 700ml can of Coke?
There are more similarities between a restaurant and Coca-Cola than you might think. You both serve a consumable product. You both charge a flat rate for a portion of that product although you make a lot more of that product than you serve each customer.
But unlike a lot of restaurants, I guarantee you Coca-Cola pour the same exact amount of Coke product into every single can. Their price is then figured based upon making a certain amount of profit margin assuming that exact amount is in every single can. As you can imagine, if their machines were off by a fraction of an ml, they could lose millions of dollars.
Controlling the portion sizes you serve your customers is an easily overlooked but extremely important way to cut costs and preserve your restaurant’s margin. In the high-pressure atmosphere of a commercial kitchen during the dinner rush, you need simple but highly effective methods for keeping portions exactly the same.
McGuire, G. (2010). Portion Control: Are You Losing Money To Food Waste? Retrieved from,
http://www.foodservice.com/articles/food-cost/Portion-Control-Are-You-Losing-Money-To-Food-Waste/Portion control is an exact process of serving food.
This means that measuring needs to take place using the relevant equipment or utensils.
For example:
· Scales
· Weights
· Measuring cups
· Measuring spoons
· Ladles
· Male and female spoons
· Individual serving dishes
· Lifters
The advantages of using standardised recipes include:
- A portions cost can be calculated for each recipe to help determine the menu price.
- They facilitate the ordering of foods and stock control checks.
- The kitchen can be organised and duties allocated efficiently because the production and service of each recipe is known.
- The quality and size of each portion is consistently the same.
- Product taste and appearance same from cook to cook
- Elimination of guesswork
- Control over food costs
- Consistent nutrient content
- Participant satisfaction
- Efficient purchasing procedures
- Inventory control
- Labour cost control
- Increased employee confidence
- Reduced record keeping
The disadvantages of using standardised recipes.
- The cook/chef would not be able to add their own individual touch or flair.
Costing a recipe:
When standardised recipes and portions have been complied, the next stage is to calculate the standard cost of each recipe. This is done by totaling the costs of all ingredients used. The portions cost can then be calculated by dividing the recipe cost by its yield.
Step 1
List all ingredients and the quantities in the standardised recipe:
Veal Mexicani Yield: 6 portions 6 x 200g veal steaks 90 g breadcrumbs 30 g butter 5 g mixed herbs 3 garlic cloves 15 g parsley chopped | 1 lemon, juice and grated 45 g plain flour 40 ml oil 400 ml chicken stock (10 g powder) 125 ml dry white wine 440 g (1 can) peeled tomatoes 325 g long grain rice |
Step 2
The cost of each ingredient can be calculated using the following formula.
Ingredient cost = quantity of ingredient required
Unit size purchased
x cost of unit
x cost of unit
So, using the veal steak as an example:
If the veal is sold at $9.18 per kilogram and the recipe requires 1.2 kg, then:
Ingredient cost = 1.2 kg x $9.18 1 kg |
Total = $11.02 |
This formula is then used for each ingredient in the recipe
Step 3
Calculate the cost of each ingredient used. This will give the food cost for the menu item.
Step 4
The portion cost can be determined by using the formula:
Portion cost = Total cost of ingredients Number of portions Portion cost = 13.56 6 = $2.26 |
Magris, M., & McReery, C. (1993). An introduction to catering. Hospitality Press Pty Ltd. Elsternwick, Victoria.
Components of a standard recipe
A standard recipe should include details of the essential information required to produce a successful dish.
Recipe # | For filing purposes. |
Recipe name | If an ethnic name is used put in the English translation. |
Cooking time | How long does the recipe take to cook? |
Cooking temperature | At what temperature is this recipe to be cooked at? |
No. Of serves | For industry purposes a standard recipe usually accounts for 10 serves. |
Photograph of dish | Take a photo of this dish, this help other uses to identify how you want the product to look like, or how it is to be served on a plate. |
Ingredient | List the ingredients that are in the recipe. |
Quantity | G, ml, l kg etc... eg: you may only need 45g but the unit size or packet comes in a kilogram. |
Unit size | What does the food item come in? For eg: 1 kg-500g-bunch |
Unit cost | How much does the unit cost? For eg: if it comes in a kilogram packet how much is it for the whole packet? |
Cost of ingredient | Ingredient cost = quantity of ingredient required Unit size purchased x cost of unit |
Method | Step by step instruction of how to produce the product |
Portion size | Final cooked weight divided by 10 (portions per recipe). |
Date of costing | What date was this recipe costed out? |
Food cost percentage % | When all of the sales have been recorded and the cost of the food used to prepare the menu items determined, the food cost percentage (%) may be calculated. Food cost is expressed as a percentage of the sales revenue. Food cost % = cost of food used x 100 Sales of revenue Industry accepted percentage is usually between 30-35% If an establishment has high standards and a clientele bass that is used to paying a decent price than this % can be adjusted to suit. For example: instead of the recommended 30-35% establishments could adjust this figure to as low as 15%. Food cost % is usually calculated on a weekly basis. |
Selling price | The following example is for Veal Mexacani. The individual portion cost for food was $2.26 If the expected food cost % is 35%: Selling price= Food cost x 100 35 = $2.26 x 100 35 = $6.46 If you need to adjust this to make more of a profit to cover costs etc; adjust the food cost %. Example: Selling price= Food cost x100 15 = $2.26 x 100 15 = $15.07 or rounded off = $15.00 Note well (NB): this cost does not include salads, vegetables or other accompaniments. |
Authorised by | Who priced this recipe? |
Date of authorisation | What date was this recipe card authorised? |
Another way of calculating the selling price is food cost x 3
($2.26 x 3 = $6.78)
‘Why have a costing system?’
· It helps the caterer to keep within the budget.
· It assists in the quick calculation of quotes for special functions.
· It can indicate areas of economy in the total food-service operation.
· It gives accurate information to formulate a realistic price policy.
· It shows the net profit made in all sections of the operation.
An unexpected loss of profit can result when food is wasted through carelessness or accidents.
Magris, M., & McReery, C. (1993). An introduction to catering. Hospitality Press Pty Ltd. Elsternwick, Victoria.
Example:
· Portion size too big
· Product was over cooked or not cooked to the customers liking therefore another one had to be cooked.
· Wastage, perhaps too many were prepared and had to be thrown out.
· The waitress dropped the food going out to the restaurant.
· Cross contamination of food- eg: seafood juice dripped down onto the steaks.
· Food was delivered to the wrong customer.
