📊 Food Cost Control
“Controlling the plate starts by controlling the cost.”
Food cost control is one of the most critical responsibilities in a professional kitchen. It directly impacts a restaurant or operation’s profitability, efficiency, and long-term success. As a chef or kitchen leader, mastering food cost control means making smart decisions at every stage — from purchasing to plating.
🔍 What is Food Cost Control?
Food cost control refers to the process of monitoring, analyzing, and optimizing the costs associated with the purchase, preparation, and usage of ingredients. The goal is to ensure every dish delivers maximum value and profit without compromising quality.
🧮 Key Formula: Food Cost Percentage
Food Cost % = (Cost of Food Used / Food Sales) × 100
This formula helps evaluate how much you spend on food compared to what you earn from selling it. A healthy food cost typically ranges between 25–35%, depending on the concept.
✅ Main Areas of Food Cost Control
1. Menu Engineering
Design profitable menus by balancing high-margin and popular items.
Analyze menu item performance using sales data from POS systems.
Adjust recipes or pricing to improve overall food cost percentage.
2. Recipe Standardization
Develop accurate, portioned recipes with defined ingredient quantities.
Use standardized costing sheets to calculate per-portion cost.
Ensure consistency and control across all team members.
3. Portion Control
Train staff on exact plating and portion sizes.
Use proper tools (scoops, scales, ladles) to avoid over-serving.
Minimize waste from overproduction or oversized servings.
4. Purchasing Efficiency
Source ingredients from cost-effective, quality suppliers.
Compare pricing regularly to reduce procurement costs.
Avoid over-ordering, which leads to spoilage and waste.
5. Inventory Management
Conduct weekly or monthly inventory counts.
Track usage patterns and reduce excess stock.
Identify discrepancies or theft through variance reports.
6. Waste Reduction
Monitor food waste in prep and service.
Repurpose usable trims and leftovers into other dishes (e.g., stocks, sauces).
Train staff to handle and store ingredients properly.
7. Yield Testing
Perform yield tests on raw ingredients (e.g., meat, fish, vegetables).
Understand actual usable weight after trimming, cooking, or cleaning.
Adjust recipe costing accordingly to reflect true cost per portion.
🛠️ Tools & Systems I Use
Excel or Google Sheets for recipe costing, food cost tracking.
POS System Reports for sales and item performance.
Inventory Management Software for tracking stock, waste, and usage.
Par Sheets to guide daily purchasing and avoid overstocking.
🧑🍳 My Role in Food Cost Control
As a chef, I’m directly responsible for:
Monitoring daily kitchen output vs. cost
Training the team on portioning and waste reduction
Working with purchasing and finance teams to align budgets
Reporting food cost performance weekly or monthly
💡 Real-World Example
In a past role, I reduced the food cost by 6% in three months by:
Reengineering the menu to remove low-margin dishes
Improving inventory accuracy
Tightening portion controls and revising SOPs
🔚 Summary
Food cost control is not just numbers — it’s a strategy that balances creativity, quality, and business. It’s about being a smart chef, a responsible leader, and a key asset to the success of the entire operation.