SITHKOP012

develop recipes for

special dietary
requirements

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First published 2022

Version 1.0

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Contents
1: Special dietary requirements 6
2: Recipe planning for special diets 17
3: Recipe costing 21
4: Testing and finalising the recipe 23
Chef’s Toolbox 26

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 SITHKOP012 Develop recipes for special dietary
requirements

Application
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to develop recipes
for people who have special dietary needs for lifestyle, medical or religious reasons. It requires the
ability to identify the dietary requirements of customers, develop recipes to meet those
requirements, cost recipes and to monitor and evaluate the success of recipe performance.
The unit applies to all hospitality and catering organisations that prepare and serve food. This
includes hotels, clubs, restaurants, educational institutions, health establishments, defence forces,
cafeterias, kiosks, cafes, residential caterers, in flight and other transport caterers, event and
function caterers.
It applies to those people who operate independently or with limited guidance from others such as
senior cooks, chefs, catering supervisors and managers.
The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State or Territory
legislation, Australian standards and industry codes of practice.
No occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative requirements apply to this unit at the
time of publication.

Prerequisite
 SITHCCC027 Prepare dishes using basic methods of cookery

 SITHCCC042 Prepare food to meet special dietary requirements

 SITHKOP010 Plan and cost recipes

 SITXFSA005 Use hygienic practices for food safety

Learning goals
 Identify recipe requirements.

 Develop recipes for special diets.

 Cost and document special recipes.

 Monitor suitability of special recipes.

Fact Sheets
 Fact Sheet 11 - Special Dietary Requirements

 Fact Sheet 12 - Understanding Your Customers

 Fact Sheet 13 - Costing Dishes

 Fact Sheet 15 - Gathering Feedback

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  Fact Sheet 23 - Weights and Measures

Overlap alert
If learners have already completed SITHKOP010 Plan and cost recipes, they may already be
familiar with the following concepts:

 assessing the needs of customers

 costing recipes

 describing recipes

 seeking feedback.
You might consider a brief refresher with an emphasis on applying the existing knowledge and
skills in the context of using developing recipes for special dietary requirements.

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1: Special dietary requirements

In your role as a chef, you will regularly be called upon

to either develop recipes that specifically cater to the
dietary needs of your clients or to adjust standard
recipes to cater for special dietary requirements.

There are a number of groups that may have special

dietary requirements including:

 adolescents

 athletes

 children

 defence force personnel

 the elderly

 people in health care settings

 ill or someone that is injured

 people who have specific nutritional and energy

requirements due to their physical condition

 people in areas affected by disaster or

environmental extremes

 people from different socioeconomic groups Image by Cottonbro Studios on Pexels

 people in remote areas.

Types of special dietary requirements

There are a number of different types of dietary requirements including:

 food allergies

 food intolerances

 contraindications with medicines

 meeting nutritional needs

 religious dietary sanctions

 contemporary lifestyle eating regimes.

TIM E FO R S OM E FACT S

Look at Fact Sheet 11 - Special Dietary Requirements for more information about each type of
dietary requirement.
If you have already looked at this Fact Sheet you can move on or review it again to refresh your
memory.

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 SHA RE PLAT E

Participate in a group discussion facilitated by your trainer. In your role as a chef, how might you be
called upon to prepare recipes for people with special dietary needs?
What would the differences be in preparing a recipe for a vegetarian compared to developing a
recipe for someone that has a medical issue?

LI FT THE LI D

To learn more, visit the websites provided.

 Website: https://www.ais.gov.au/nutrition/additional-resources to learn more about the dietary

requirements of athletes.

 Website:
https://www.dst.defence.gov.au/sites/default/files/research_activities/documents/FunctionalFoo
dBar_fact%20sheet.pdf and https://news.defence.gov.au/national/food-thought-army-trials-
catering-concept to learn more about defence force dietary requirements.
Take notes about what you learn.

LI FT THE LI D

Gather at least five recipes that cater for special dietary requirements and compare them.

 How much information is provided about each dish?

 What type of recipe is each one?

 What dietary requirements are provided for?

 What is the style of food?

LI FT THE LI D

Research two contemporary dietary trends that are popular in Australia at the moment. What
impact might these have on recipe planning?

LI FT THE LI D

To learn more about serving sizes visit:

Website: https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/how-much-do-we-need-each-day/serve-
sizes.
Take notes about what you learn.

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Basic principles and practices of nutrition
Commonly, a chef who is developing special recipes will need to consider the nutritional needs of the
customers. Customers may be those in a health or aged care setting, children or adolescents, a group
of people in a remote area or even for a group of people affected by a natural disaster. There are
some basic nutritional principles that are important to understand.

Image by Jane Doan on Pexels

Australian Dietary Guidelines

In Australia, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) publish a set of guidelines
for choosing foods that meet the nutritional needs, promote the health and wellbeing and reduce the
risk of chronic disease of children, adolescents, adults and older Australians.
These guidelines are evidence based and rely on advice from medical and nutrition experts. There
are five guidelines that are underpinned by practice notes. A brief summary of each guideline is
provided below.

 Guideline 1: Achieve and maintain a healthy weight by being physically active and choosing
amounts of nutritious food and drink to meet your energy needs.
 Guideline 2: Select a wide variety of nutritious foods from each of the five food groups every day
(fruit, vegetables, grains, lean meat/poultry/fish/eggs/tofu/nuts and seeds/legumes and beans,
milk/yoghurt/cheese) and drink plenty of water.
 Guideline 3: Limit intake of foods containing saturated fat, added salt, added sugars and alcohol.
 Guideline 4: Encourage, support and promote breastfeeding.
 Guideline 5: Care for your food by preparing and storing it safely.

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 LI FT THE LI D

Access the Australian Dietary Guidelines at https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-

us/publications/australian-dietary-guidelines and read them in detail.
Download a copy and print them or store an electronic copy for use throughout the rest of this
resource and for use in your assessment for this unit.

SHA RE PLAT E

Participate in a group discussion facilitated by your trainer.

 How might the Australian Dietary Guidelines be useful when planning special recipes?

 Do you think that it’s important that you consider the nutritional quality of your dishes when
planning a restaurant dish?

The impact of cooking and storage on nutrients

While cooking is necessary for some foods from a food safety perspective, there are some cooking
processes that do reduce some of the nutrients in food. For example, boiling vegetables for a long
period of time is more detrimental to their nutrient content than a quick stir fry or steam.

LI FT THE LI D

To learn more about the effects of different cooking and storage processes on the nutrients in food,
read the information at the following links:

 Preserving Nutrients When Cooking Food.

Website: https://www.dummies.com/health/nutrition/healthy-eating/preserving-nutrients-when-
cooking-foods/

 Storing Food Safely.

Website: https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/foodsafety/standards/Pages/Storing-food-
safely.aspx

 Preserving the Nutrients of Food with Proper Care.

Website: https://www.nytimes.com/1982/07/07/garden/preserving-the-nutrients-of-food-with-
proper-care.html

Understanding food labelling

Australia has strict food labelling requirements, especially in relation to food allergies and
intolerances. As a minimum, any trace of one of the foods most likely to cause allergies (peanuts, tree
nuts, milk, eggs, sesame seeds, fish and shellfish, soy, lupin and wheat) must be noted on the food
label.

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 LI FT THE LI D

Read more about the Food Labelling Standards at the link below.
Website: https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/industry/labelling/Pages/default.aspx

What influences our food choices?

There are many factors that influence our food choices and they can be different for all of us. They
can also be different depending on what else is happening in our lives at the time. Some common
factors that influence choice include:

 availability: if we’re hungry, we will eat what is easy to get or what’s in the cupboard

 taste: we might be craving a certain flavour or texture

 emotion: some of us make decisions on what we eat depending on how we feel.

Other factors include nutritional value, dietary requirements, price and so on.

Image by Jack Sparrow on Pexels

LI FT THE LI D

You can read more about the factors that influence our food choices at the link below.
Website: https://www.medibank.com.au/livebetter/be-magazine/food/what-drives-our-food-choices/

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Food additives and preservatives
Food additives and preservatives are used to retain the quality of food and to keep it fresh for longer.
In some cases additives can also help to prevent food poisoning. However, not all additives and
preservatives are good for you and some people are more sensitive to them than others. There can
also be a cumulative effect – so, while smaller amounts of additives are fine for most people, there
are some who need to avoid additives and others who try to cut down on their consumption as much
as they can.

LI FT THE LI D

For comprehensive information about food additives and preservatives, including how they are
shown on labelling, go to the link below.
Website: https://www.choice.com.au/food-and-drink/food-warnings-and-safety/food-
additives/articles/food-additives-you-should-avoid

Commonly used substitute ingredients

WHAT’ S COO KI NG ?

There are nine ingredients that commonly cause allergy or food sensitivity issues. There are also
some other ingredients that are commonly replaced.
Find two ‘safer’ substitutes for:

 peanuts  fish and shellfish

 tree nuts  soy

 milk  lupin

 eggs  wheat flour

 sesame seeds  sugar.

Nutrient groups and their food sources

There are seven basic nutrient groups that form the basic principles and practice of nutrition. Let’s
look at these in further detail.

Vitamins
Vitamins are organic micro nutrients required in small amounts for the daily functions of the body such
as growth and development, repairing and healing, maintaining healthy bones, muscles and tissues
and immune and biological functions. Vitamins are either fat soluble or water soluble. There are 13
vitamins.

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 Vitamin Biological function Symptoms of deficiency

Thiamine or Component of a coenzyme in carbohydrate Impairment of the nerves and

Vitamin B1 metabolism; supports normal nerve function heart muscle wasting

Riboflavin or Component of coenzymes required for Inflammation of the skin, tongue,

Vitamin B2 energy production and lipid, vitamin, and lips; ocular disturbances;
mineral, and drug metabolism; antioxidant nervous symptoms

Niacin Component of coenzymes used broadly in Skin lesions, gastrointestinal

cellular metabolism, oxidation of fuel disturbances, nervous symptoms
molecules, and fatty acid and steroid
synthesis

Vitamin B6 Component of coenzymes in metabolism of Dermatitis, mental depression,

amino acids and other nitrogen-containing confusion, convulsions, anaemia
compounds; synthesis of haemoglobin,
neurotransmitters; regulation of blood
glucose levels

Folic acid Component of coenzymes in DNA Impaired formation of red blood

synthesis, metabolism of amino acids; cells, weakness, irritability,
required for cell division, maturation of red headache, palpitations,
blood cells inflammation of mouth, neural
tube defects in foetus

Vitamin B12 Cofactor for enzymes in metabolism of Smoothness of the tongue,

amino acids (including folic acid) and fatty gastrointestinal disturbances,
acids; required for new cell synthesis, nervous symptoms
normal blood formation, and neurological
function

Pantothenic acid As component of coenzyme A, essential for Weakness, gastrointestinal

metabolism of carbohydrate, protein, and disturbances, nervous symptoms,
fat; cofactor for elongation of fatty acids fatigue, sleep disturbances,
restlessness, nausea

Biotin Cofactor in carbohydrate, fatty acid, and Dermatitis, hair loss,

amino acid metabolism conjunctivitis, neurological
symptoms

Vitamin C or Antioxidant; synthesis of collagen, carnitine, Swollen and bleeding gums,

Ascorbic acid amino acids, and hormones; immune soreness and stiffness of the
function; enhances absorption of non-heme joints and lower extremities,
iron (from plant foods) bleeding under the skin and in
deep tissues, slow wound
healing, anaemia

Vitamin A Normal vision, integrity of epithelial cells Ocular disturbances leading to

(mucous membranes and skin), blindness, growth retardation, dry

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 Vitamin Biological function Symptoms of deficiency

reproduction, embryonic development, skin, diarrhea, vulnerability to

growth, immune response infection

Vitamin D Maintenance of blood calcium and Defective bone growth in

phosphorus levels, proper mineralisation of children, soft bones in adults
bones

Vitamin E Antioxidant; interruption of free radical Peripheral neuropathy,

chain reactions; protection of breakdown of red blood cells
polyunsaturated fatty acids, cell
membranes

Vitamin K Synthesis of proteins involved in blood Impaired clotting of the blood and
coagulation and bone metabolism internal bleeding

(sourced from https://www.britannica.com/science/vitamin)

Minerals
Minerals are also micro nutrients but can also be macro nutrients. They are natural materials that
have a distinctive chemical and physical property. They can include, but are not limited to calcium,
phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chloride, magnesium, iron, zinc, iodine, sulphur, cobalt, copper,
fluoride, manganese, and selenium.
Minerals assist to produce energy, in growth and healing and aid the vitamins in body functions.

Mineral Role

Potassium Maintains proper fluid balance, nerve transmission and muscle contraction.

Calcium Needed for healthy bones and teeth, also helps muscles relax and contract,
assists nerve function, regulates blood pressure and blood clotting, and
improves immune system health.

Phosphorus Another important mineral for healthy bones and teeth, it is found in every
cell. Maintains acid-base balance throughout the body.

Iron Part of haemoglobin, a molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen
throughout the body. Also used for energy metabolism.

Zinc Creates protein and genetic materials, affects taste perception, helps wounds
to heal, and also influences proper reproductive as well as immune system
health.

Iodine A major component of thyroid, helps regulate metabolism.

(sourced from https://www.mineralbiosciences.com/minerals-in-human-nutrition/)

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Fibre
Fibre is the indigestible part of plant foods and is important for digestive health and ensuring bowel
movement. Most people require 25–30g per day.

Image by Pixabay on Pexels

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates provide the body with glucose, which is converted to energy used to support bodily
functions and physical activity. There are a few types of starches: sugars, complex carbohydrates and
cereal products.

Fats
Fat is a nutrient needed for energy and assists to absorb fat soluble vitamins. There are different
types of fats: unsaturated (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated), saturated, trans and cholesterol.

Polyunsaturated fats also known as fatty acids are considered healthy

fats and are essential for brain function. These fats need to be
consumed as the body cannot make them. They are called ‘poly’ as
they have two free carbon bonds. They are liquids when at room
temperature and solidify when chilled.
Unsaturated fats
Monounsaturated fats are very similar to polyunsaturated fats but have
only one free carbon bond (hence the name ‘mono’).
Both unsaturated fats assist to reduce bad cholesterol and lower the
risk of heart disease and stroke.

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 This type of fat is solid at room temperature and is also known as
unhealthy fats. These type of fats can be made by the body so is not
Saturated fats
really required in diets. It can cause higher risks of high cholesterol and
heart disease and stroke if consumed in high amounts.

These are also known as trans-fatty acids. They are a type of

Trans fats unsaturated fat and can increase the level of cholesterol in the blood. It
is known to be the unhealthiest of all fats.

Cholesterol aids the body in making hormones and Vitamin D as well as

assisting with digestion. It can be made in the body and therefore does
not need to be consumed. If consumed in high amounts it will build up
Cholesterol
on blood vessels (such as the heart) and cause less blood circulation.
This increases the potential for blood clots that can cause heart attacks
and strokes.

Protein
Protein is found in most body tissues such as muscles, skin, hair and bones. Proteins are made up of
amino acids that the body uses to build and repair muscles and bones and to make hormones and
enzymes. They can also be used as an energy source. There are many different proteins within the
body that keep it functioning.

Water
Water is an essential nutrient because it is needed in larger amounts than the body can produce. It is
required for many processes within the body such as digestion, absorption, transportation and
dissolving of nutrients.

LI FT THE LI D

Read the following articles to learn more about the nutrient groups.

 Article: https://byjus.com/biology/vitamins-and-minerals/

 Article: https://nutritionaustralia.org/fact-sheets/fibre-2/

 Article: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/carbohydrates

 Article: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/dietary-fats

 Article: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/protein

 Article:
https://www.emedicinehealth.com/nutrition_diet_foods_good_sources_of_water/article_em.ht
m
Take notes on what you learn.

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 WHAT’ S COO KI NG ?

Research two ingredients that provide each of the following nutrients:

 Protein  Folate

 Magnesium  Vitamin A

 Potassium  Selenium

 Sodium  Dietary fibre

 Carbohydrates  Vitamin C.

 Iron

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2: Recipe planning for special diets
The recipe planning process
Regardless of whether you are planning a general recipe for your organisation to meet special dietary
requirements or you are planning an entire menu to meet a specific dietary requirement, the recipe-
planning process usually includes the following elements:

 understanding your customers and their needs (including food preferences, dietary requirements,
nutritional needs, macro and micro nutrient needs and so on)

 undertaking research and gathering information about the special dietary requirements (including
reviewing information in the Australian Dietary Guidelines, and seeking advice from a range of
professionals – particularly those with experience caring for those in the specific customer group)

 checking on the availability of equipment and expertise of staff

 checking on the availability and cost of ingredients

 drafting the recipe with input and feedback from others

 costing the recipe (using commodity and supplier price lists)

 finalising the recipe and writing recipe descriptions

 monitoring and evaluating the success of the recipe by seeking feedback

 making adjustments as necessary based on feedback received.

A brief summary of each stage is provided below and we will look at each of these elements in more
detail later in this resource.

Understanding your customers

It would be almost impossible to develop
recipes that meet the special dietary and
nutritional needs of your customers if you
don’t understand what those needs are.
Think about the following:

 Age and stage: how old are your

customers and what stage of life are
they in? You would be unlikely to plan a
dish containing complex, hot and spicy
flavours with foods that could pose a
choking hazard for a group of toddlers
at a childcare centre. Where do
toddlers fit within the Australian Dietary
Image by Ketut Subiyanto on Pexels
Guidelines?

 Budget: at what price point should you develop the recipe? How can you supply your customers
with nutritious, appetising and appealing food and still provide value for money?

 Tastes and preferences: what style of food do your customers prefer? What dishes are popular?
Are your customers particularly health conscious? Do your customers prefer vegetarian options?
Do they have any aversions (ingredients that they do not like)?

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 Social and cultural background: look at the cultural background of your current customers. Is the
local area changing? What are the social structures and perspectives of your customers? Do
your customers expect a certain style of food?

SHA RE PLAT E

In small groups research customer preferences and aversions.

What are some customer preferences?
What are food aversions and what are some reasons for people having food aversions?
Share your findings with the class.

The role of other professionals

When developing recipes for customers that require medical dietary requirements you will often work
closely with other professionals to develop recipes to meet the specific dietary needs of customers or
groups of customers. For example, you might work with:

 allied health professionals

 dietitians

 medical specialists

 nutritionists.

LI FT THE LI D

Research the role of dietitians and nutritionists in recipe planning. How does each person’s role
differ? How might you all work together to ensure recipes for your customers will meet their needs?

Availability – ingredients, equipment, time and expertise

Consider the equipment you have available in your kitchen. It would be a mistake to plan a dish that
you are unable to prepare because you don’t have a particular piece of equipment. Perhaps you don’t
have people with the expertise to prepare certain styles of food. How much time do you have for mise
en place?
You should also consider ingredients at this stage. Are they readily available? Do they fit within your
budget? Is the quality good? Are they in season?

Nutritional needs
Consider your customer’s nutritional needs. Refer to the Australian Dietary Guidelines appropriate to
their age and stage. Do they have specific macro- or micro-nutrient needs related to a medical
condition? Do you need to work with their health care professional, their nutritionist or dietitian?

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 LI FT THE LI D

The following website shows how to calculate the daily nutrient requirements for different needs.
Website: https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/webform/daily-nutrient-requirements-calculator

Allergies, food sensitivities, interactions with medications

Have you considered all relevant allergies and food sensitivities and addressed them? Are there any
medication interactions that you must consider?

Textures/other issues
Have you considered issues such as specific textural needs, liquid diets, temperature requirements
and so on?

Image by Roman Odnitsov on Pexels

Drafting the recipe

It’s at this stage that you will begin to draw together the information you have gathered to decide on
the recipe. You should seek input from customers, colleagues and others including medical
professionals to ensure that your recipe meets the needs of the customer’s dietary requirements. You
should aim to strike a balanced variety of:

 colours  textures

 cooking methods  nutritional values

 delicacies  presentation

 flavours  seasonally available ingredients

 textures  tastes.

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Flavour balance
Achieving a balance of flavours in a recipe is an important consideration. Flavour balance involves
achieving a range of flavours across the recipe.

Texture balance
A balance of textures across the recipe is also important (where appropriate). It’s about creating a
range of various textures so the customer has a different experience in each bite. Are there dishes
that have a smooth and creamy, crisp and fresh, and crunchy aspect? Is the dish hot or cold?

Nutritional balance
In an increasingly health-conscious society, it is important that your recipe has a balance of healthy
ingredients. The recipe must have an appropriate balance of macro- and micro-nutrients, which we
will look at in more detail later in this resource.

SHA RE PLAT E

Divide into small groups. Your trainer will provide you with a range of recipes and a customer
profile. Use this information to develop a recipe that meets the needs of the customer. Share the
work equally among your group members.
Perform a brief presentation to the class to share your recipe and describe how it meets the needs
of the customer profile and how it complies with the nutritional guidelines.

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3: Recipe costing

Costing the recipe

Once you have decided on the recipe you can cost it. An initial costing of the dish will help you to:

 assess the profitability of the dish

 assess how much you would need to charge for the dish so you can decide whether it provides
value for money and aligns with your customers’ expectations.

TIM E FO R S OM E FACT S

Look at the following fact sheets for more information on costing recipes.

 Fact Sheet 13 - Costing Dishes

 Fact Sheet 23 - Weights and Measures

If you have already looked at these Fact Sheets you can move on or review it again to refresh your
memory.

SHA RE PLAT E

Participate in a discussion with your group on assessing the cost effectiveness of recipes.

Image by Roman Odnitsov on Pexels

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4: Testing and finalising the recipe

The next stage is to test the recipe, gather

feedback and adjust the recipe as required.
The testing phase differs from organisation to
organisation. In most cases, you will begin by
preparing the dish and doing your own evaluation.
This means you will check the dish for:

 appearance and visual appeal

 colour

 consistency

 moisture content

 mouth feel and eating properties

 plate presentation

 portion size

 shape

 taste

 texture

 special dietary requirements

Image by Kyle Roxas on Pexels
 nutritional properties.
You might then test the dish with your colleagues, customers or perhaps even friends and family. You
could also seek feedback from:

 dietitians

 medical specialists

 allied health professionals

 managers

 supervisors

 suppliers.

TIM E FO R S OM E FACT S

Look at Fact Sheet 15 Gathering Feedback for more information on how to gather and apply
feedback.

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 SHA RE PLAT E

Participate in a discussion with your group about how new dishes are tested within their
workplaces.
How can you determine whether a dish is suitable?
You might like to make a note of any testing strategies that you would like to apply in your own
work.

Evaluating the recipe and making adjustments

Once you have developed, tested and implemented a recipe, the work doesn’t just stop. Your recipes
should be continuously evaluated and adjusted to ensure they are continuing to meet the needs of
your customers and of your establishment.

SHA RE PLAT E

Participate in a discussion with your group on methods you can use to gain feedback on the
suitability of recipes.

Types of adjustments
Types of adjustments include:

 changing the ingredients of a dish due to availability, cost or to adjust the quality of the dish
(flavour, balance, texture, presentation and so on)

 changing the presentation of a dish

 dropping a dish from the menu due to poor sales, availability of ingredients or change in
ingredient costs

 replacing a dish due to changes in the dietary needs of a customer or customer group; perhaps
an ingredient is no longer allergen free or the dish needs to change based on medical advice.

 changing the cooking method.

Can you think of any others?

Sources of information
Information about your recipe can come from a variety of sources including:

 Sales figures: how is the dish performing in comparison to others on the menu? How is the dish
performing against similar dishes served in the past? Are sales increasing or decreasing? Does
each dish continue to be profitable?

 Customer feedback: what do your customers say about each dish?

 Front-of-house feedback: what do staff say about the dishes and the discussions they have with
customers?

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 Colleagues: what do they say about the recipes? Is a particular dish difficult to prepare or too
time consuming? Is there too much waste and thus specific dishes are not cost effective?

 Popularity index: a popularity index ranks each dish according to its popularity. It is calculated by
dividing the total number of a particular dish sold by the total number of dishes on the menu.

 Medical advice: have the needs of a specific customer changed? Has there been a medication
change? Has a new sensitivity or intolerance developed?

 Advice of other professionals: for example, allied health professionals, dietitians and nutritionists
may contribute feedback or suggest alterations based on the changing needs of their clients.

LI FT THE LI D

The following meal planning blog post is written from a health professional’s point of view but
contains useful information about writing and evaluating meal plans.
Read the article and then participate in a group discussion about how you could apply the key
messages to developing recipes for people with special dietary requirements.
Website: https://blog.thatcleanlife.com/meal-planning-assessment/

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Chef’s Toolbox
Use these pages to record recipes, tips and useful resources to add to your Fact Sheets so, at the
end of your course, you have a set of references that you can take with you into the workforce.

© SKUP | RTO # 40471 | V1.1.2024

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