Your Master Recipe File

Perhaps the worst Management stressor in a Hospitality setting is the sudden departure of a key staff member – for example a Chef – especially an Executive Chef.

If he/she has been in charge of recipe development, do your signature dishes leave also?

Of course it is a breach of fiduciary duty for this to occur, but who’s got time to argue this in court?

Stay ahead of the game by insisting on a Master Recipe File for each new Menu.

This should be in standard format – Name of dish; Ingredients (mls or gms); Number of serves; Method.

Check the Master Recipe File off against the new menu to make sure that all the dishes are included. Don’t forget the BATCH RECIPES for sauces and other popular bulk preparations. Save your Master Recipe File in a folder along with the Menu, or in an easily accessible Folder on your computer.

Now you have a resource that:

  • Provides you with insurance against the loss of your property when someone leaves
  • Allows you to move forward swiftly in the event of a staff shake-up, reducing your stress
  • Allows for an accurate COSTING of the menu – before, rather than after deployment

Want to know more about how to accurately cost out your menu (and ensure each dish is within your Gross Profit guidelines)?

We offer a one-day short course – Design and cost menus – with hands-on food costing experience for your staff using your own menu.  Alternatively we can have our elves do all the work for you!  We can even keep your food costing up-to-date on a monthly basis if you don’t have the time.

For more information about the above, phone our office on (07) 5227 9659 or directly email Anne

Is this the year to tackle your food costs once and for all?

You’re open – You’re closed – You’re open again. 

Chefs come. Chefs go.  Menus change. Prices change.

Do you know exactly what’s happened to your food costs this year?

Do you know exactly how much each dish is adding to your bottom line?

Are your best sellers actually making you money?  How much?  Could they be doing better?

So many headaches – one answer: 

Our new nationally accredited course: Design and cost menus

Send along your Head Chef – Function Manager – Restaurant Manager –  and lay the devil to rest.

What will they learn?

1.  How to identify market trends and identify target markets

2.  How to develop new menus for YOUR establishment. Why standard recipes matter.

3.  How to cost YOUR menus and tweak for profitability (free software tools you can use forever)

4.  How to write a menu for maximum appeal.  Menu engineering tips and tricks.

5.  How to monitor menu performance, and tweak it in accord with feedback and profitability

What will they take away?         

  • Skills to last a lifetime
  • Free menu costing software
  • Supervised hands-on costing of some of your own menu items
  • An acute understanding of how staff behaviour affects your bottom line