Food costing and pricing

[agaronthefloor]

I would just like to know where i can find information about food costing....books, website, article anything so that i can get a better understanding about how to go about it..hope i worded this question properly....

goodday

[Lisa Shock]

Generally, a cost card is used. You need to know how your supplier packages an item (50lb sack, by the dozen, etc.), the "As Purchased" unit weight/volume, and the "Edible Portion" of that unit -those numbers will give you your yield %. Things like flour have 100% yield, there's no trim or waste on them, but, apples for apple pie might have an 85% yield.

[pastrygirl]

And after that it's basic adding all the different ingredient/garnish costs up and dividing by number of servings. In the big picture, accurate portion control and minimizing waste are going to do as much for your food cost as how you design your dishes.

[Lisa Shock]

I thought I had put in a link to a Cost Card I hope it works this time!

[LB Howes]

There's a culinary textbook that covers the basics called The Book Of Yields by Francis T Lynch that you might find helpful.

[threestars]

I thought I had put in a link to a Cost Card I hope it works this time!

So you mean you have to fill this up yourself then?

[Lisa Shock]

Well, only you know what your supplier is charging for ingredients this week. There are charts out there of approximate yields, but, your specific recipe might have you creating more or less trim than average. And, the charts are really basic, they may not take into account variations in vegetables by variety.

But, yes, this is something done for each menu item to calculate price. It's taught in culinary school.

[threestars]

Oh I see. That's the advantage of studying into a culinary school. You get to experience and learn all these technical stuff. Thanks anyway!

[chef koo]

Your basic formula 30, 30, 30. Meaning that of the revenue that comes in, 30% goes to food, 30% goes to overheads, 30% goes to labor and then the last 10 percent goes to profit. These percentages will vary depending on the business model.

So when costing things out, just take the cost of the raw ingredients in a dish and times it by 3. So if the cost of the ingredients to make a steak, baked potato, and grilled asparagus with some kind of sauce came out to $33, the price that would show up on the menu would be about $99. Let's say $100 to make it simpler. After you've sold that steak, you then take the $100, and give 30% ($30) to food cost, labor and then overheads. If the overhead is a bit higher than what you made in money, you either give shit to your staff for leaving the water running or you adjust your costing. Hope that helps.

[ScoopKW]

If the overhead is a bit higher than what you made in money, you either give shit to your staff for leaving the water running or you adjust your costing. Hope that helps.

It's the leaving the burners on full-blast with nothing on them that drives me nuts. The pilot lights work. And it's already 100f in the kitchen. This isn't a grill or salamander -- there's nothing to heat up. So why have a six burner Vulcan operating in "solid rocket booster" mode?