Learning objective :-

Balancing of recipe

Standardization of recipe.

Maintaining recipe files

Menu planning

Brief study of portion control

Purchasing specification , quality control, indenting and costing

Rechauffe .
 Balancing of Recipe and Standardization of Recipe

Standardized Recipe

Standardized recipes are an important part of a well-managed food service

program. A standardized recipe specifically describes the exact, measurable
amount of ingredients and the method of preparation needed to consistently
produce a high-quality product. The exact procedures, the type of equipment,
and the quantity and quality of ingredients are listed.

Advantages of Standardized Recipes

• Product Quality -Provide consistent high-quality food items that have been
thoroughly tested and evaluated.

• Projected Portions and Yield -Accurately predict the number of portions

from each recipe and clearly define serving size or scoop. Eliminates excessive
amounts of leftovers or substitutions because too little was prepared.

• Cost Control -Better management of purchasing and storage due to exact

amount of ingredients specified.

• Creativity -Using standardized recipes supports creativity in cooking.

Employees should be encouraged to continuously improve recipes. All
changes need to be recorded so they can be repeated the next time the
recipe is used .

A standardized recipe includes

• Recipe Name / Recipe Card Number / Section / Meal Pattern Contribution

– Include the name of the recipe, the recipe card number, the section that the
recipe should be classified under (grains, meat and meat alternate, etc.) and
the contribution that one serving makes toward the child nutrition meal
pattern. Example: Pizzeria Pizza Crust, B-48, Grains, 2.5 ounce equivalents per
portion.

• Ingredients -Listed in order of preparation and specifies the type of the

food used, such as fresh apples; canned corn; macaroni (uncooked); ground
beef (raw).
• Weight and Measures – The weight and measures of each ingredient used
in both weight and volume measure. Note: weighing ingredients is faster,
easier and more accurate.

• Procedure -Directions on how to prepare the recipe. Include directions for

mixing, number and size of pans, cooking temperature and time, the direction
for serving.

• Yield – The yield of a recipe should be recorded as the total weight or

volume produced per 50 or 100 servings (or other specified number of
servings). Example: 50 servings: 23 pounds four ounces or 100 servings: 46
pounds eight ounces or 50 servings: one quart 2 1/4 cups.

• Serving Size – List the number of servings that the recipe yields and the
portion size to be served .Example: 50-1/2 cup serving . Consider including the
suggested portioning tools to use. Example :50-1/2 cup servings (no. 8 scoop).

• Cost per serving ( optional) – Determine the total cost to prepare the recipe
and divide by the number of servings prepared to equal the cost of one
serving.

Recipe Name__________________ Recipe Number ______________ ___

Section ( Grains, Entrees, etc):______________ Yield__________________

Meal Pattern Contributions:________________ Serving Size____________

Ingredients 50 50 100 100

Serving Serving Serving Serving Serving Serving

weight Measure Weight
Weight Measure Measure
 Procedure:

Recipes as a Control Tool

Standardized recipes are an important control tool for food service managers
and operations. A standardized recipe assures not only that consistent quality
and quantity, but also a reliable cost range. In order for an operation to set a
menu selling price that allows the operation to make a profit, it’s vital that the
cost of each recipe and portion is calculated and relatively consistent.

Benefits of using a standardized recipe include:

● A consistent quality and quantity

● Standard portion size/cost
● Assuring nutritional content and addressing dietary concerns, such as special
diets or food allergies
● Helping ensure compliance with “Truth in Menu” requirements
● Aiding in forecasting and purchasing
● Fewer errors in food orders
● Incorporating work simplification principles and aids in cross-training
● Assisting in training new employees
● Incorporating HACCP principles
● Reducing waste
● More easily meeting customer expectations

Arguments often used against standardized recipes can include:

● Take too long to use

● Employees don’t need them, they know how to do things in establishment
● Chef doesn’t want to reveal their secrets
● Take too long to write/develop
 An effective foodservice manager knows that these arguments against using
standardized recipes, even if true in some cases, cannot deter an operation
from developing and consistently using standardized recipes. Our profits
depend on this very important practice. Our customers must be able to rely
on a consistent nutritional quality and allergen content at a minimum, but our
customers also deserve to receive the SAME product every time they order a
menu item they like and appreciate.

STANDARD YIELDS

The yield of a recipe is the number of portions it will produce. Yields can also
be expressed as a total volume or total weight the recipe produces. An
example would be a soup recipe that yields 24, 8 oz. portions which could also
be stated as a yield of six quarts or a 1 ½ gallon. A weight example would be a
recipe that yields 20, 4 oz. portions of taco meat or a total yield of 5 pounds.

Standard yields for the main, often higher cost, ingredients such as meat, may
also take into consideration portion cost and be determined in part by
calculating the cost per cooked portion.

For example, an 11 pound roast might be purchased for $17 a pound. The
cooked roast is to be served in 8 ounce portions as part of a roast beef dinner.
After trimming and cooking, the roast will not weigh 11 pounds, but
significantly less and will thus yield fewer than 22 portions (11 pounds
multiplied by 2 – figuring that a pound (16 ounces) would yield two 8 oz
portions.) By running a yield test, the number of portions, cost per portion
and unit weight, and the standard yield and yield percentage, can be
determined. Yield testing will be discussed later in this book.

STANDARD PORTIONS

A standard recipe includes the size of the portions that will make up a serving
of the recipe. Controlling portion size has two advantages in food
management:

● portion costs for the item will be consistent until ingredient or labor costs
change, and
● customers receive consistent quantities each time they order a given plate or
drink.
Standard portions mean that every plate of a given dish that leaves the
kitchen will be almost identical in weight, count, or volume. Only by
controlling portions is it possible to control food costs. If one order of bacon
and eggs goes out with six strips of bacon and another goes out with three
strips, it is impossible to determine the actual cost of the menu item.

Adhering to the principles of standard portions is crucial to keeping food costs

in line. Without portion control, there is no consistency. This not only could
have drastic effects on your food costs (having no real constant costs to
budget for) but also on your customers. Customers appreciate consistency.
They expect that the food you prepare will taste good, be presented properly,
and be the same portion size every time they order it. Consider how the
customer would feel if the portion size fluctuated with the cook’s mood. A
cook’s bad mood might mean a smaller portion or, if the cook was in a good
mood because the workweek was over, the portion might be very large.

It may be hard to grasp the importance of consistency with one single portion,
but consider if fast-food outlets did not have portion control. Their costs, as
well as their ordering and inventory systems, would be incredibly inaccurate,
all of which would impact negatively on their profit margin.

Strict portion control has several side benefits beyond keeping costs under
control. First, customers are more satisfied when they can see that the
portion they have is very similar to the portions of the same dish they can see
around them. Second, servers are quite happy because they know that if they
pick up a dish from the kitchen, it will contain the same portions as another
server’s plate of the same order.

Simple methods to control portion include weighing meat before it is served,

using the same size juice glasses when juice is served, counting items such as
shrimp, and portioning with scoops and ladles that hold a known volume.
Another method is using convenience products. These products are received
usually frozen and are ready to cook. Portions are consistent in size and
presentation and are easily costed out on a per unit basis. This can be helpful
when determining the standard portion costs.

Note: Using convenience products is usually more costly than preparing

the item in-house. However, some chefs and managers feel that using
premade convenience products is easier than hiring and training
qualified staff. But always keep in mind that if the quality of the
convenience item is not comparable to an in-house made product, the
reputation of the restaurant may suffer.
Standard portions are assured if the food operation provides and requires
staff to use such tools as scales, measured ladles or spoodles, and standard
size scoops. Many operations use a management portion control record for
menu items. The control record is posted in the kitchen so cooks and those
who plate the dishes know what constitutes standard portions. Some
operations also have photographs of each item posted in the kitchen area to
remind workers what the final product should look like.
TYPES OF MEASUREMENTS USED IN THE KITCHEN

There are three types of measurements used to measure ingredients and to

serve portions in the restaurant trade.

Measurement can be by volume, by weight, or by count.

Recipes may have all three types of measurement. A recipe may call for 3 eggs
(measurement by count), 8 ounces of milk (measurement by volume), and 1
pound of cheese (measurement by weight).

There are formal and informal rules governing which type of measurement
should be used. There are also specific procedures to ensure that the
measuring is done accurately and consistently.

Number or Count

Number measurement is only used when accurate measurement is not critical

and the items to be used are understood to be close in size.

For example, “3 eggs” is a common measurement called for in recipes, not

just because 3 is easy to count but also because eggs are graded to specific
sizes. Most recipes call for large eggs unless stated otherwise.

Numbers are also used if the final product is countable. For example, 24 pre-
made tart shells would be called for if the final product is to be 24 filled tart
shells.

Volume

Volume measurement is usually used with liquids or fluids because such items
are awkward to weigh. It is also used for dry ingredients in home cooking, but
it is less often used for dry measurement in the industry.

Volume is often the measure used when portioning sizes of finished product.
For example, portion scoops are used to dole out vegetables, potato salad,
and sandwich fillings to keep serving size consistent. Ladles of an exact size
are used to portion out soups and sauces. Often scoops and ladles used for
portioning are sized by number. On a scoop, such a number refers to the
number of full scoops needed to fill a volume of one quart. Ladles and
spoodle Spoon are sized in ounces.

Weight

Weight is the most accurate way to measure ingredients or portions. When

proportions of ingredients are critical, their measurements are always given in
weights. This is particularly true in baking where it is common to list all
ingredients by weight, including eggs (which, as mentioned earlier, in almost
all other applications are called for by count). Whether measuring solids or
liquids, measuring by weight is more reliable and consistent.

Weighing is a bit more time consuming and requires the use of scales, but it
pays off in accuracy. Digital portion scales are most commonly used in
industry and come in various sizes to measure weights up to 11 lbs. This is
adequate for most recipes, although larger operations may require scales
with a larger capacity.

The reason weight is more accurate than volume is because it takes into
account factors such as density, moisture, and temperature that can have an
effect on the volume of ingredients. For example, 1 cup of brown sugar
(measured by volume) could change drastically depending on whether it is
loosely or tightly packed in the vessel. On the other hand, 10 oz of brown
sugar, will always be 10 oz. Even flour, which one might think is very
consistent, will vary from location to location, and the result will mean an
adjustment in the amount of liquid needed to get the same consistency when
mixed with a given volume.

Another common mistake is interchanging between volume and weight. The

only ingredient that will have the same volume and weight consistently is
water: 1 cup water = 8 ounces water.

There is no other ingredient that can be measured interchangeably because

of gravity and the density of an item. Every ingredient has a different density
and different gravitational weight, which will also change according to
location. This is called specific gravity. Water has a specific gravity of 1.0.
Liquids that are lighter than water (such as oils that float on water) have a
 specific gravity of less than 1.0. Those that are heavier than water and will
sink, such as molasses, have a specific gravity greater than 1.0. Unless you are
measuring water, remember not to use a volume measure for a weight
measure, and vice versa.

CONVERTING AND ADJUSTING RECIPES AND FORMULAS

Recipes often need to be adjusted to meet the needs of different situations.

The most common reason to adjust recipes is to change the number of
individual portions that the recipe produces. For example, a standard recipe
might be written to prepare 25 portions. If a situation arises where 60
portions of the item are needed, the recipe must be properly adjusted.

Other reasons to adjust recipes include changing portion sizes (which may
mean changing the batch size of the recipe) and better utilizing available
preparation equipment (for example, you need to divide a recipe to make two
half batches due to a lack of oven space).

Conversion Factor Method

The most common way to adjust recipes is to use the conversion factor
method. This requires only two steps:

1. Finding a conversion factor

2. Multiplying the ingredients in the original recipe by that factor.

Finding Conversion Factors

To find the appropriate conversion factor to adjust a recipe, follow these

steps:

1. Note the yield of the recipe that is to be adjusted. The number of portions is
usually included at the top of the recipe (or formulation) or at the bottom of
the recipe. This is the information that you HAVE.
2. Decide what yield is required. This is the information you NEED.
3. Obtain the conversion factor by dividing the required yield (from Step 2) by
the old yield (from Step 1). That is, conversion factor = (required yield)/(recipe
yield), conversion factor = what you NEED ÷ what you HAVE
 If the number of portions and the size of each portion change, you will have
to find a conversion factor using a similar approach:

1. Determine the total yield of the recipe by multiplying the number of portions
and the size of each portion.
2. Determine the required yield of the recipe by multiplying the new number of
portions and the new size of each portion.
3. Find the conversion factor by dividing the required yield (Step 2) by the recipe
yield (Step 1). That is, conversion factor = (required yield)/(recipe yield)

ADJUSTING RECIPES USING CONVERSION FACTORS

Now that you have the conversion factor, you can use it to adjust all the
ingredients in the recipe. The procedure is to multiply the amount of each
ingredient in the original recipe by the conversion factor. Before you begin,
there is an important first step:

● Before converting a recipe, express the original ingredients by weight

whenever possible.

Converting to weight is particularly important for dry ingredients. Most

recipes in commercial kitchens express the ingredients by weight, while most
recipes intended for home cooks express the ingredients by volume. If the
amounts of some ingredients are too small to weigh (such as spices and
seasonings), they may be left as volume measures. Liquid ingredients also are
sometimes left as volume measures because it is easier to measure a quart of
liquid than it is to weigh it. However, a major exception is measuring liquids
with a high sugar content, such as honey and syrup; these should always be
measured by weight, not volume.

Converting from volume to weight can be a bit tricky and will require the use
of tables that provide the approximate weight of different volume measures
of commonly used recipe ingredients. A resource to use in converting volume
to weight is the Book of Yields. Once you have all the ingredients in weight,
you can then multiply by the conversion factor to adjust the recipe. Often,
you must change the quantities of the original recipe into smaller units, then
multiply by the conversion factor, then put back into the largest unit that
makes sense for the recipe. For example, pounds may need to be expressed
 as ounces, and cups, pints, quarts, and gallons must be converted into fluid
ounces

CAUTIONS WHEN CONVERTING RECIPES

When converting recipes, conversion calculations do not take into account

certain factors:

● Equipment
● Mixing and cooking times – this can be affected if the equipment used to cook
or mix is different from the equipment used in the original recipe
● Cooking temperatures
● Shrinkage – the percentage of food lost during its storage and preparation
● Recipe errors

Some other problems that can occur with recipe conversions are:

● Substantially increasing the yield of small home cook recipes can be

problematic as all the ingredients are usually given in volume measure, which
can be inaccurate, and increasing the amounts dramatically magnifies this
problem.
● Spices and seasonings must be increased with caution as doubling or tripling
the amount to satisfy a conversion factor can have negative consequences. If
possible, it is best to under-season and then adjust just before serving.

The fine adjustments that have to be made when converting a recipe can only
be learned from experience, as there are no hard and fast rules. Generally, if
you have recipes that you use often, convert them, test them, and then keep
copies of the recipes adjusted for different yields.
S.A.M.E.

Remember – Standardization Always Meets Expectations. Foodservice

operations need to meet the expectations of their customers, every time they
visit. Foodservice operations need to meet expectations for employees, their
skill level and training. Foodservice businesses need to meet expectations for
costs and profit for all menu items. Standardized recipes are critical to the
foodservice industry. They are simply good business!

Menu planning
Menu Planning

A MENU or “bill of fare” is a means of communication, informing what the

caterer has to offer. The compiling of a menu is one of the caterer’s most
important jobs – whether for establishments such as restaurants aiming to
make a profit, or for those working to a budget, such as hospitals and schools.

Function of MENU

a) It is like a price list or a list of wares to the customers in order that he

purchases or orders the dishes of his choice.

b) It helps as a tool for the kitchen in order to prepare the mise-en-place

and equipment, staff required for its production.

c) It gives a variety to choose from and alternatives in each type of dishes.

d) It sometimes gives the description of each dish in brief, so that the
customer knows the contents of the dish and what to expect while ordering a
dish.

e) It is a record of cost and control purposes to regulate portion size and

food cost of each item.

Factors Effecting Menu Planning

1) Type of Establishment: There will be considerable variation, for
example, in menu of five star hotels and restaurants, school meals, heavy
manual worker’s canteen or hospitals.

2) Type of Customer and Age Group: especially for private parties for a
birthday, senior citizens conference, football player after a match, visiting
overseas students on a mayor’s banquet; all need personal consideration.

3) Location: Study the area in which your establishment is situated and the
potential target market of customers.

4) Religious rules if applicable (kosher catering or a Muslim occasion) –

Lack of knowledge or understanding can easily lead to innocently giving
offence.

5) Meat or Non-Meat preferences: The number of non-meat eater is

steadily increasing, so this becomes more important.

6) Time of the Year

a) the prevailing temperature should be considered as certain dishes suitable

for cold weather may not be acceptable in mid-summer.

b) Foods in season are usually in good supply and more reasonable in price.
c) Special dishes on certain days.

7) Time of Day: Breakfast, brunch, lunch, tea, high-tea, dinner, supper,

snack or special function.

8) Price Range: Unless fair prices are charged (so that customers are
satisfied) repeat business may not occur and the caterer may go out of
business.

9) Competition: It is wiser to produce a menu quite different to those of

nearby establishment both in terms of price and quality.

10) Space and Equipment: The menu writer must be aware of any
shortcomings or deficiencies in equipment and may be wary of offering dishes
that are difficult to produce.
11) The availability and capacity of both the Production and Service staff
labour must be considered.

12) Availability of Supplies and schedule from the suppliers.

13) Number of Courses: Varies according to all prior consideration.

14) Correct Sequence of courses: Important if the menu is to achieve a good

balance.

15) Appropriate Language: Always use a language that customers can

understand.

16) Sensible Nutritional Balance: If a selection of dishes with varying

nutritional contents are offered then customers can make their own choices.
17) No repetition of Commodities: Never repeat basic ingredients such as
mushrooms, tomatoes, peas, bacon on the menu.

18) No repetition of Flavour: If using strong seasoning like onion, garlic or

herbs such as thyme, sage or bay leaf, do not repeat in more than one course.
Example:

a) do not serve a tomato flavoured sauce on main course if the soup was
cream of tomato.

b) do not or avoid, serving lets say a garlic flavoured noodles with prawn in
garlic sauce.

c) try to differ taste in meat itself by providing a choice between beef. Pork,
lamb,

19) No repetition of Colours: Colour of food is important to give appetite

appeal, but avoid repetition of colour.

20) Texture of Course: Ensure variation is given (food should not be all soft
or all crisp, but balanced).

21) Sauces: If different sauces are served on one menu, the foundation
ingredient of each sauce should vary.
Cyclical Menus

These are menus which are compiled to cover a given period of time: one
month, three months, etc. They consists of a number of set menus for a
particular establishment, such as an industrial catering restaurant, cafeteria
restaurant, canteen, hospital or college refractory. These menus must be
monitored carefully to take account of changes in customer requirements and
any variations in weather conditions which are likely to affect demand for
certain dishes.

Things to consider when planning a cycle menu

• Food characteristics and combinations: Visualize how the food will look on
the plate

. • Color - at least one or two colorful foods should be included on the menu.
• Texture - refers to the structure of foods and can be best detected by the
feel of the foods in the mouth. A variety of textures should be included in the
meal.

• Consistency - is the ways foods adhere together - their degree of firmness,

density, or viscosity - may be described as firm, thin, thick, or gelatinous.

• Shape - of food plays a big part in eye appeal, and interest can be created
through variety in the form in which foods are presented. One way to add
interest is to vary the way in which vegetables are cut. Variation in height of
food also aids in eye appeal for the customer.

• Flavor combinations - in addition to the basic flavors of sweet, sour, bitter,

and salty, vegetables may be thought of as strong and mild flavored, while
chili or other foods may be thought of as spicy or highly seasoned. A variety of
flavors in the meal are more enjoyable than duplication of any one flavor.
Foods with the same basic flavors, such as spaghetti with tomato sauce and
sliced tomato salad, should be avoided in the same meal.

What are the primary benefits of using a cycle menu……………….

Advantages include reducing the total time required for menu planning,
improving student acceptability, controlling cost, and improving foodservice
operations. Examples include:
 • One set of menus allows the operator to feature items rated as highly
acceptable by the students within daily choices consistent with the standards.

• Repeated exposures to foods, including fruits and vegetables, improve

children’s preferences for those foods. Cycle menus offering less-well
accepted foods, in addition to preferred foods, provide students with the
opportunity to learn to like new or less-well accepted items.

• A 2- or 3-week-cycle menu aids optimizing food procurement, inventory

turnover, and daily production quantities, thereby improving foodservice
operations and helping control costs. Having a consistent inventory uses less
storage space.

• Accurate usage projections can be established, enabling vendors and

manufacturers to project their production schedules and needs and often
resulting in better pricing.

• Delivery schedules can be easily set up and managed.

Disadvantages of Cyclical Menu

a) When used in establishments with a captive clientele, then the cycle has
to be long enough so that customers do not get bored with the repetition of
the dishes.

b) The caterer cannot easily take advantage of ‘good buys’ offered by the
suppliers on a daily or weekly basis unless such items are required for the
cyclical menu.

Pre-planned and Predesigned Menus

Advantages

a) Pre-planned or predesigned menus enable the caterer to ensure that good

menu planning is practiced.

b) Before selecting dishes that he or she prefers, the caterer should consider
what the customer likes, and the effect of these dishes upon the meal as a
whole.
c) Menus which are planned and costed in advance allow banqueting
managers to quote prices instantly to customer.

d) Menus can be planned taking into account the availability of kitchen and
service equipment, without placing unnecessary strain upon the equipment.
e) The quality of food is likely to be higher if kitchen staff are preparing
dishes that they are familiar with and have prepared a number of times
before.

Disadvantages

a) Preplanned and predesigned menus may be too limited to appeal to a

wide range of customers.

b) They may reduce job satisfaction for staff who have to prepare same
menus repetitively.

c) They may limit the chef’s creativity and originality.

Purchasing Specification , Quality Control, Indenting and Costing

PURSHASE

Once a menu is planned, a number of activities must occur to bring it to

reality.

Purchasing is one of the basic stages- it involves procurement of raw

materials from the market in exchange of resources. This is an important job
as a high cost factor is involved in it. Purchase refers to the management of
supply chain.

After procuring, subsequently storage is also essential- it must be ensured

that the purchased raw materials are not spoiled due to bad storage.
Different raw materials have different storage time limits and requires
different conditions for proper storage.

Factors that drive the supply chain management in today’s world are:

1. Availability of information resources allow for easy linkages and eliminate

time delays
2. The level of competition in the domestic market as well as international
market demands that organizations be quick, agile and flexible.

3. Customers are becoming increasingly demanding and organizations must

be pro-active and feel the pulse of the market, take up challenges, know the
value of time in order to secure a place in the competitive marketplace.

For the supply chain to be effective, the following functions need to flow
smoothly:

1. Internal Functions – i.e. day to day operations i.e. translating customer

requirement into actual orders. It includes quoting prices, possible delivery
dates, delivery arrangement and after sales service. E.g. Milk

2. Up-stream suppliers – An organization appoints persons who are

responsible for ensuring that the right suppliers are selected and that they
meet the performance expectations. They maintain cordial relationship with
supplier as act as a liaison between the suppliers and the internal customer
e.g. Engineering, Kitchen, HK etc.)

3. Down-stream Customers – This is the distribution channels, processes and

functions that the product passes through on its way to the end customer.
Take the example of a can of baked beans – goes through the packaging unit,
warehouse, dealer network, etc. Logistics are responsible for actual
movement of material between locations. One point entry for all material in
Hotel industry is the Receiving Department.

THE PURCHASING PROCESS

The objectives of a world class purchasing organization go far beyond the

traditional belief that the primary role of Purchase Department is to obtain
goods and services in response to internal needs. The objectives of this vital
process is as follows:

SUPPORT OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENT

Purchase must support the needs of operations by providing an uninterrupted

flow of high quality goods and services that internal customers require. This
can be done by:
• Buying at the right price

• From the right source

• At the required specification

• In the right quantity

• Delivery at the right time

Failure to respond to the needs of internal customer may lower the

confidence these internal customs have in purchasing department and may
try to negotiate contracts themselves (a practice known as “backdoor
buying”)

MANAGE THE PURCHASE PROCESS EFFICIENTLY & EFFECTIVELY

• Manage effectively with the staff resources available and utilization to

optimum

• Adherence to administrative budgets

• Constant training leading to productivity improvement and better decision

making.

SELECT, DEVELOP & MAINTAIN SOURCES OF SUPPLY

• Must select and manage a supplier base that has potential for excellent
performance in terms of product cost, quality, delivery, reliability, technology
or new product development. E.g. check supplier profile, audit their premises,
place trial orders etc.

• After selection, purchase works directly with suppliers to improve existing

capabilities and develop new capabilities e.g. citronella candles

STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER FUNCTIONAL GROUPS

• Communication with other functional groups who are their internal

customers. E.g. Quarterly Service Level Agreements between Departments to
measure performance
• Cross functional interaction with Departments helps develop strong
positive relationships and problem solving of bottle-neck areas e.g. CFT and
SFT.

SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS & OBJECTIVES

Purchase Department must actively involve and integrate into the strategic
planning process (BSC) of the organization by

• Monitoring market trends e.g. Price increases, shortages, etc and interpret
the impact of these trends on the Organizations objectives e.g. food cost

• Identify critical materials and services required to support the key

performance areas

• Develop supply options

PROCEDURES INVOLVED IN PURCHASING

Factors Descriptions

Market It is important for a purchase manager to know the

knowledge commodity market as it is a highly volatile market, where
products vary in both quality and pricing. It is desirable to
pay a good price for a quality product, but paying good
money does not always ensure good quality. Therefore, it is
important to develop and build up relationships with
reputed suppliers. It is necessary for the purchasing manager
to know where a particular commodity is grown and what its
seasonality is , it is also important to know the legal aspects
of purchasing . for e.g. it is illegal to buy deer meat in India,
but in many countries like Australia, England and U.S.A, it is
not against the law. It is equally important to know the
market with regards to the supply and demand. market
 knowledge includes

• supplier contacts

• supplier reputation

• supplier’s scale of business

Determine the In this topic, our main area of concern is F&B purchases.
kind of Since most of the items in F&B have a limited shelf life, it is
purchase important to control the quantity that needs to be
purchased, this largely depends on indenting.

Some staple food, canned , bottled and dehydrated foods

has a comparatively longer shelf life. So this can be
purchased in bulk to demand a good rate from the supplier.
Frequency of the purchase depends on amount of storage
space also

Specifications It is important to list out and design the purchasing

processes for a particular kind of product. There are two
kinds of buying methods

• formal

• informal

the informal buying method may vary according to the

market conditions and is done verbally either in person or
over telephone before ultimately purchasing the product.
Such transactions might involve cash purchases or some
suppliers might give a credit period depending on the
relationship between the purchaser and the supplier. Such
buying involves negotiation and filling up of tenders. The
suppliers agree to supply the goods at the agreed rate even
when there is a fluctuation in rate.

Receiving It is important to check whether the goods received are as

procedures per their specifications. Otherwise, the organization might
 be paying more for a substandard quality. It is important for
chefs to constantly check all the food products and reject
any food that is not as per the specifications. The supplier is
then given a time to procure the items as per the
specifications, or else the hotel can buy the product from the
open market and charge the same to the suppler. The goods
are received as per the food safety laws, and the
temperature and the condition of the packaging are given
utmost importance. Catering establishments such as airline
and hospitals have very strict receiving quality standards to
control quality and standardization. The step after receiving
goods is the proper storage of the food.

PURCHASING SPAN OF CONTROL

Just as departments carry out certain duties on behalf of the organization,

Purchase too has legitimate authority to make decisions that rightfully belong
to their Department.

1. Evaluate and Select Suppliers – Purchase presumably has the expertise and
training to do this thereby averting any “backdoor” buying – a situation when
sellers contact and attempt to sell directly to end users. Purchase can request
for assistance from internal customer when evaluating potential suppliers e.g.
engineering evaluates products and performance of product. This does not
mean that the sales representatives are not allowed to talk to non-
purchasing department. However they cannot make commitments to the
seller or enter into contracts.

2. Set the Standard Purchase Specification (SPS) and Review the same:
Purchase develop knowledge and expertise about a wide variety of materials,
sometimes in consultation with the user department, and these specifications
set the standard when material is received at the Stores. E.g. cauliflower bulb
only (without stem and leaves)

Standard purchase specification are concise description of quality, size,

weight, or count factor desired for a particular item, Specification buying will
give uniformity and consistency to purchasing and receiving, that will aid to
maintain a desire food cost and create a standard product.

Objective

• To establish a suitable buying standard for particular commodity for the

hotel.

• To furnish the supplier in writing in specific term the requirement of the

hotel.

• To help in setting the price of a commodity.

• To obtain a standard product material for f & b dept.

• To obtain a standard product so that measurement of performance of

departments can be accurate.

For proper and effective control, purchase specification should be used in all
purchasing. It help in bringing uniformity and consistency in buying, which
maintains required cost of product. Each specification is determined by
purchase manger, Executive chef, and F & B manager as per the catering
policies, menu requirement and price range. The specification format is
maintained with F & B service and production, receiving, stores department.

The purchase specifications contain

a) Definition of each items.

b) Grade or brand name of each item

c) Weight, size, or count.

d) Unit against which price should be coated.

e) Special note for commodity.

Copies of the purchase specification need to be sent to the following:

• The purchase department

• The supplier
• The executive chef

• The receiving department.

HOTEL XYZ

STANDARD PURCHASE SPECIFICATION

PRODUCT _________________

USE_____________________

GRADE/

QUALITY _______________

UNIT ________________________

PRICE /

UNIT ______________________

AVAILABILITY : SEASONAL/ ALL YEAR ROUND

APPEARANCE :___________________

TEXTURE :______________________

COLOUR :_______________________

FLAVOUR : _____________________

PACKING :_____________________

SIZE AND SHAPE: _______________

NO. PER KG ___________________

MISCELLANEOUS:________________
3. Act as the Primary Contact with Suppliers – Purchasing is the primary
contact with suppliers but other functional departments can also interact with
suppliers if required after awarding of contract e.g. engineering department
talks to electrical or hardware supplier as they “speak their own language”
thereby clearing any ambiguity and improving communication between buyer
and seller.

4. Awarding Purchase Contracts – Purchase has the right to determine how

to award the contracts based on a) competitive bidding b) negotiations or c)
a combination of both e.g. Tendering process

5. Ensure regular feedback from internal customer on quality – Internal

Customer Satisfaction Survey. Take prompt action to resolve dissatisfaction

6. Ensure regular Vendor feedbacks –Quarterly Vendor Satisfaction Survey

to take proactive action to resolve issues.

7. Ensure Vendor Development of existing & new suppliers – visit vendor

premises, suggest areas for improvement and impart training to their delivery
personnel, hygiene awareness and concern for the environment.

8. Market Surveys – for new and better products, check on prices against
contracted prices etc. Competitive analysis of items.

For effective purchasing, it is essential that the following points are

remembered:

❖ Know the market

❖ Determine the purchase needs

❖ Establish and use specifications

❖ Design the purchase procedures

❖ Receive and check the goods

❖ Evaluate the purchasing task

It is important that the person responsible for the purchase job should have
the knowledge of the item to be purchased such as:

❖ Where they are grown

❖ Seasons of production

❖ Approximate cost

❖ Conditions of supply and demand

❖ Laws and regulations governing the markets and the products

❖ Marketing agents and their services

❖ Processing

❖ Storage requirements

❖ Commodity and product- its class and grade.

System of purchase

Indent from kitchen

Store
Item in stock new item not in stock

Issued to department order to supplier par stock reorder level

Buying methods:

These depend on the type of market and the kind of operation:

• Informal buying

This is used mainly for casual buying, where the amount involved is quite
large and speed in purchase is desired. This usually involves the small
organizations. This category involves oral negotiations, talking directly to sales
people, face to face or using the telephone. Informal methods vary according
to market conditions.

• Formal buying

These are best for large contracts for commodities purchased over a long
period of time. Prices did not vary much during the year, once the basic price
has been established. This is also known as competitive buying, it involves
giving suppliers written specifications and quantity needs. Negotiations are
normally written.

While selecting suppliers, the following things are to be kept in mind:

❖ The prices are competitive for the goods specified in relation to the quality.

❖ Financial terms offered relating to credit facilities and discount to

settlement.

❖ The Standard Purchase Specification (SPS) for each item

❖ The delivery conditions- time of delivery, the package of the goods etc.

Instruction to the suppliers

After the supplier(s) have been selected, written instructions on the following
should be made:

❖ Special requirements’ delivery

❖ The person(s) authorized to accept and sign for supplies.

❖ The goods supplied will be as per the SPS.

❖ No alteration will be accepted between quoted and invoice price

❖ The name of the people authorized to order supplies

❖ The contract period (normally for a year)

Indenting and Costing

Indenting

The basic fundamental of a food operation is to turn a raw food item into an
edible product by applying or extracting heat from it. The success of any food
service operation is dependent on how the raw ingredients are procured,
processed, cooked, and then served to the customer to generate profit. If
there is a flaw in any one of the steps, it will affect the profit margin of any
organization. Also, for volume catering establishments the principles of
indenting would be based on the number of people an establishment is
catering to. In volume cooking, one has to look at the menu in totality and
only then can he/she write a detailed product list that needs to be prepared.

Indent is a document stating the requirements of goods with the quantity

required along with its specification. It is sent to the store department, which
in turn procures the items, and dispatches the same to the department on the
day specified.

Major factors effecting Indenting

1) Yield of a product The yield of a particular commodity has a huge impact

on the indenting for volumes. All the recipes should be updated with the
yields, as we need to indent for the net weight in a recipe and not for the
usable weight. Similarly, when a product is ordered for a particular recipe, the
cuts listed in the recipe must be strictly followed to adhere to the costs and
quality. The cheapest item might prove to be expensive if the end yield of
the product is low. Some suppliers now even sell pre-portioned meat so that
the buyer gets an advantage and there is a consistency in the product quality
and cost.

2) Type of event The type of event for which the food is required also plays
a major role in the indenting of food. A wedding function would have a huge
range of menu catering to up to 1,000 people or sometimes even more. When
the variety is more, the quantities consumed will be comparatively less as
most of the guests would like to taste most of the varieties.

3) Regional influence Regional food also plays an important role in

deciding the indenting for a particular item. People from Bengal would love to
eat seafood, while people from north India would prefer chicken. The type of
dish (dry or gravy) also plays an important part in deciding the quantity to be
produced.

4) Service style The style of service, whether buffet or a la carte, also

determines the indenting and portion size of a dish. It is easy to predict the
quantities for a fixed portion size, but the challenge arises when food is laid
out on a buffet for self-service. In many institutional caterings a buffet is
controlled by the catering managers and strict portion control is exercised
over expensive food items, but in hotels, the food on a buffet cannot be
controlled. Other factors

5) The number of persons to feed; the larger number of people the lesser
the indent quantity becomes.

6) Number of items on the menu

7) Choice provided on the menu

8) Number of non-veg items on the menu and its vegetarian alternatives

9) Number of vegetarians

10) Beef, mutton, chicken eaters

11) Whether or not Indian bread is there or only rice is included

12) Choice of desserts provided

13) Selling price of the menu

14) Mise-en-place to be maintained

15) Par stock and closing stock

Practical difficulties while indenting for volume feeding

a) The perishability of produce Food, whether raw or cooked, is a

perishable commodity and has a limited life. The caterer, therefore, has to
ensure that he/she buys produce in correct quality and quantity in relation to
estimated demand, and that it is correctly stored and processed.

b) The unpredictability of the volume of business Sales instability is typical

of most catering establishments. This causes basic problems with regard to
the quantities of commodities to be purchased and prepared as well as to the
staffing required.

c) The unpredictability of the menu mix To add to the caterer's problems

is the fact that in order to be competitive and to satisfy a particular market, it
is often necessary to offer a wide choice of menu items to the customer.

d) The short cycle of catering operations The speed at which catering

operations take place, relative to many other industries, allows little time for
many control tasks.

e) Departmentalization Many catering establishments have several

production and service departments, offering different products and
operating under different policies. The coordination between such
departments becomes a challenge in itself.

f) Uneven Yield The yield of many ingredients varies considerably during

preparation and production of food in different occasions.

g) Non availability of some ingredients in the market, leads to pressure on

other food items in the menu.

h) It is very difficult to predict with 100% accuracy about the number of

people, their likes and dislikes, eating habits, diet, etc.

i) People eat in varied proportions.

j) A large number of people have to be fed in a limited time

k) Chef has to work within tight budgets and yet has to meet the high
expectations of consumers .

RECHAUFEE

LEFT OVER COOKING / RECHAUFFE COOKING

Although freshly cooked food is better than reheated food, in the interests of
economy and food management, reheating of food forms an important part
of cooking. A clever cook should take pride in seeing that the second
appearance is appetizing and that the maximum amount of nourishment is
retained. Great care must be taken in reheating food, particularly meat. Since
it is already cooked, further cooking will toughen the fibre, harden the
proteins, thus making the food indigestible. Therefore, the first rule is never
re-cook, only reheat.
Food may be warmed in a moderate oven if carefully covered. If the vessel
containing food can be placed in a tin containing water, over drying is
prevented. Steaming is one of the best methods of reheating as the heat is
gentle and does not dry the food. A covering is necessary to prevent the
condensed steam from falling on the food. Frequently it may be necessary to
do more than just reheat and, therefore, an ingenious cook must find ways
and means of using up cooked food to make new dishes, e.g., cutlets, minced
coilops, shepherd's pie, hash, and curry can be made without having to re-
cook.

Everyone has leftovers. How you deal with leftovers will determine whether
they are a plus or a minus, and whether you lose or save money. When you
throw them out, it is the same as throwing out money. However it takes time,
planning, knowledge, and creativity for you to be able to take those leftovers
and use them in a way that your family and you will want to eat them again.

The more skill you have at using leftovers, the lower your food bill will be.
Sometimes we can make our favorite recipes with out leftovers. One of the
favorite is crescent rolls we make out of leftover turkey.

Rules for reheating food:

(i) Never recook, only reheat.

(ii) Make use of all scraps of food, e.g., vegetables, sauces, gravy,
etc. but be sure that they are absolutely fresh.
(iii) Remove gristle, bone and skin but not fat unless in excess
because fat helps to keep the food moist.
(iv) Divide finely so that flavourings and seasonings can penetrate
quickly and the food can be reheated quickly to avoid
recooking.
(v) Cook any ingredient such as vegetables before adding it to
the food that has to be reheated, e.g., if a cutlet has to be
made from roast the potatoes should be boiled first and then
 mixed for binding. The short, quick reheating does not allow
time for the cooking of raw ingredients.
(vi) Additional moisture is always necessary in the form of sauce
or gravy as most of the original moisture will have been
removed.
(vii) A binding is essential for croquettes, rissoles, etc., but see
that the binding is properly cooked before being added, e.g.,
as with Panada.
(viii) Cooked meat and fish become insipid when cold. So they
must be carefully seasoned and flavoured in reheating. Meat
is improved by the addition of ham, tongue, salted meat,
onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, curry paste and fresh
vegetables, while fish is improved by the addition of lemon
juice, parsley and other mixed herbs.
(ix) It is often necessary to coat food to protect it from direct heat
and therefore, merely reheat:
e.g.
(a) Covering with potato as in shepherd's pie.
(b) Coating with egg and breadcrumbs.
(c) Enclosing in pastry as in mutton patties.
(d) Enclosing in batter as in pan rolls.

(x) Dish daintily and garnish neatly.

(xi) Serve with a good gravy or a sharp sauce as an accompaniment.

(xii) Serve hot. Half-warmed, reheated food is far from appetizing.

Having said that, here are some ideas to help you with your leftovers.
This article focuses on generalities, and not specific recipes.

MEALS THAT ACCOMMODATE LEFTOVERS

SANDWICHES

Almost all meats can be put in the blender and then mixed with a little
mayonnaise to make a sandwich spread. Spreads can be made more flavorful
with the addition of seasonings, chopped vegetables and eggs, mustard,
pickles, and spices. Spread the mix on a piece of whole grain bread; add a slice
of cheese and your favorite lettuce. You've got a delicious sandwich with just
a small amount of leftover meat.

SOUPS and STEWS

Leftover meat and vegetables can find a home in many types of soups and
stews. Keep a container in your freezer for leftover vegetables. When you are
ready to make soup or stew, just add them.

POT PIE

This is a very economical way to make use of leftover meat and vegetables.
Just add a little sauce to your diced up meat and vegetables and your filling is
done. You can put it in a pastry crust, or you can just put a layer of biscuits on
top or mashed potatoes. It becomes a very fast and easy recipe if you use a
store bought can of biscuits.

CASSEROLES

There are a zillion recipes for casseroles. All you need is a little pasta, meat,
and sauce. The sauce can be a can of creamed soup. You can make fast meals
by adding leftover meat and vegetables to boxes of Rice-a-Roni, or Macaroni
and Cheese.

OMELETTES

You can fill omelettes with a blend of cheeses as well as cut up meat and
vegetables. Longhorn and cottage cheese blend together well. If the
vegetables are fresh, you just sauté them before adding. If they are already
cooked, add at the last minute.

USES FOR LEFTOVER INGREDIENTS

MEAT:- Casseroles, Soups, Stews, Stroganoff, Sandwich Fillings, Stir Fry,

Quiche, Enchiladas, Tacos, Hash, Meatloaf, and Meatballs.

ONIONS, CELERY, and GREEN PEPPERS:- In addition to the above suggestions,

considering juicing these items and freezing the broth. This is how sauce is
made for spaghetti and lasagne in fancy restaurants. The broth adds a
wonderful flavour to tomato-based sauces. Add to your Mexican food such as
Enchiladas and Chili.

POTATOES:- Potatoes are one of the most inexpensive and versatile foods
you will find in the produce section of the grocery store. They are abundant,
and always available. If your family doesn't like them, you just haven't found a
way to cook them to their liking. They also have the virtue of being easily re-
used. There are so many ways to use leftover potatoes. They can be mashed,
re- mashed, hashed, made into pancakes, baked, and used in everything from
soups and stews to pot pies. Make potatoes cakes out of leftover mashed
potatoes. Mix them with buttermilk, eggs, and spices, and fry in 1/2 inch
vegetable oil until they are golden.

OTHER VEGETABLES:

*All unused vegetables should be saved in the freezer to add to soups, stews,
and pot pies.

*Serve cold as a salad with Italian dressing.

FRUIT:- If you have leftover fruit you know you will not eat, put it in the
blender and puree it. Then freeze it, preferably in ice cube trays. You can add
these cubes to gelatin, as well as soups and sauces.

*Fruit can also be made into delicious deserts. You can make pies, cobblers,
or you can just top the cooked fruit with a little flour, oatmeal and sugar (like
apple crisp).

*You can also put fruit in cakes and muffins. Just make allowances for the
fruit juice and decreased the liquid in the recipe.

*You can layer fruit in a dessert glass over cake, and add syrups and whipped
cream and have an English type trifle dessert.

*You can also freeze the syrup in Popsicle moulds. Add a little milk if you
want more of a pudding pop.

*Use the syrup from canned fruit to baste ham or marinade food. On the
website I talk about what I did with all the plums I grew in the yard of my last
house. I canned them whole. Then when I wanted to make jelly, I would
puree them and add them to the gelatine. It was delicious, and so simple to
do.

EGGS

*Use leftover egg whites to make angel food cake, or meringue. You can
always add additional egg whites to cake mixes.

*Use leftover egg yolks to make pound cake, custard, or macaroons.

BREAD

*Try making bread pudding. People don't make it much anymore, but it was
once very popular.

*Make breadcrumbs to be added to the top of casseroles or to ground beef.

One of our readers suggested that if your children won't eat the crust of their
sandwiches, take it off the bread before making the sandwich for making
breadcrumbs.

*Make croutons for salads.

*French Toast. French toast is not limited to just white bread. You can also
use quick rise breads, like banana bread.

*Toast and cover with scrambled eggs.

MISC:-

*All baked products can usually be frozen. If wrapped well, they come out as
fresh as they went in the freezer. Buy in bulk and freeze some for later.
*Fresh leftover waffles and pancakes can also be frozen for easy use later.
*Freeze leftover pasta, or serve cold as a salad, with chopped vegetables and
an Italian dressing.

*Bits and pieces of pie crust can be frozen and used later for small quiche
dishes or tarts.

*Save the water you boil vegetables in. It is full of nutrients and has flavor.
Use it as the base for soups, stews, and gravy.
*Always serve meat separately from Spaghetti. Leftover meat can later go in
chili, tacos, sloppy Joes, and other tomato based dishes.

*Save leftover bits of cereals, crackers, and cookies. Crush them to make a
crunchy topping for chicken and casseroles. You can also add them to
homemade granola.

*Use add leftover bits of cheese to hamburger or add to salads. You can also
add to any tomato based sauce.