{ Agood recipe for home cooking doesn t always work out when you attempt to replicate it in the restaurant. Startup restaurateurs find out quickly that a recipe intended to yield four, six or even 10 servings might not be practical when feeding dozens or even hundreds of guests every day. We ve said it once, we ll say it again: Success in the restaurant business is often measured in pennies. Toss in an inaccurate purchase order here, a dash of wasted product there, and mix in a bit of inefficient labor use, and you ve got a recipe for slim margins. And while your friends and family never minded waiting an extra half-hour or so for your famous meatballs, your restaurant guests will not be so forgiving to slow service and inconsistency. For good recipes to become great menu items, you must learn to make them pleasing to both your guests and your accountant. You must break them down into stages that assist purchasing and inventory control, organize prepping, reduce production time, and maximize yield.then you must build them up to serve dozens of covers. We call it RecipeMapping a three-step process that allows you to add new items to the menu consistently, methodically and profitably. We hope it helps map out your strategy for adding items to your menu, as well as help you put your startup on the map. HOW TO TURN GOOD RECIPES INTO GREAT MENU ITEMS { Step 1 Add Ingredients to the Master Inventory List. Every restaurant should maintain a Master Inventory List that includes all of the ingredients that a restaurant must use in the preparation of their menu items. This list can be maintained using a spreadsheet format that includes purchasing information such as the pack, size and price of the ingredients information that is useful when creating other management forms such as inventory and order forms. But to accurately calculate the real cost to produce a menu item, the Master Inventory list should not only reflect the purchasing cost and unit of measure, but also the corresponding recipe cost and unit of measure. Any ingredient used in cooking can be expressed in one of three units of measure when using it in a recipe weight measure (typically ounces or lbs.), volume measure (such as tsp., tbsp., cups, qts. or gal.), or by piece. Many products are purchased by weight units of measure but are measured for recipes in terms of volume (fluid) measure. To determine a true recipe unit cost, it can require measuring a pound of product to determine its recipe yield. We provide Recipe Conversion Notes to assist in this process. Step 2 Create the Prep Stages. Here we identify parts of the menu item that can be prepared prior to final cooking and presentation, to reduce the time from order to service. Even a simple, single menu item often requires several subrecipes that are produced in batch and become part of the routine preparation tasks. Each subrecipe is then added to the Recipe Manual for reference by the kitchen staff. The cost of each subrecipe ingredient is calculated by multiplying the number of recipe units used by the recipe unit cost listed in the Master Inventory. The subrecipe batch is then assigned its own recipe unit and cost based on total cost to produce the batch and how much it yields. Step 3 Calculate Menu Item Cost. Finally, the cost of the menu item is determined by calculating the cost of each individual recipe or ingredient needed to produce the menu item, then affixing a selling price that produces the desired profit. Restaurants should review their menu item cost every three to six months to ensure that cost expectations are accurate. This Month s Features: Tavern Tacos and Tavern Wings This month s features were contributed by East Village Tavern and Bowl, an expanding San Diego based bowling alley concept serving tavern style food and beverage. Tom Bruce worked with the chefs Mike Fisher of the Market St. location, and chefs Josh Hernandez and Joe Reese of their soon to open Eastlake location. 46 Good Restaurateurs Are Always Learning
Menu items featured in our RecipeMapping department are available online at www.restaurantowner.com/recipe.htm. Tavern Tacos 3 oz. Carne asada 2 ea. Corn tortillas 4 ea. Tricolor corn tortillas 1 fl. oz. Avocado cream 11/2 fl. oz. Fire-roasted salsa 1 oz. Shredded lettuce 1 ea. Lime wedge Line Cook Instructions 1. Place the corn tortillas on a medium-hot area of the griddle, cook for approximately 30-45 seconds and turn, browning lightly on both sides. 2. While the tortillas are cooking drop 3 oz. of cooked carne asada meat on the griddle and crisp, turning once. 3. Plate the tortillas and drizzle with avocado cream; add 1-1/2 oz.cooked meat to each taco and finish with shredded lettuce, finely chopped onions and chopped cilantro. 4. Garnish with salsa, freshly cooked chips and a lime wedge for service. Tavern Wings 6 ea. 1st joint wings (marinated) 6 ea. 2nd joint wings (marinated) 3 fl. oz. Tavern sauce 2 fl. oz. Ranch dressing 2 oz. Celery curls 2 ea. Greenleaf lettuce leaf Line Cook Instructions 1. Place 6 first-joint and 6 second-joint wings in deep fryer at 350 for 2-3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. 2. While the wings are cooking line a service plate with the greenleaf. 3. Drain the wings thoroughly and toss in a stainless steel mixing bowl with the tavern sauce. 4. Plate as shown and garnish with ranch dressing, celery curls and finish with chopped parsley. OCTOBER 2009 www.restaurantowner.com 47
*Tavern Tacos **Tavern Wings ***Both Items Step 1 Inventory Master Purchase Unit (PU) Unit () Case Current # Item Description Pack/Size U/M Price U/M per PU Yield % Cost * Carne asada meat 3# Bag 10.74 OZ-wt 48 100% 0.224 ** Chicken, wing joints 7/10-ct. 4/10-lb. bag Case 68.93 EA 320 100% 0.215 ** Buttermilk 6 /0.5-gal. Case 8.15 OZ-fl 384 100% 0.021 ** Sour cream 1/32# Carton 23.91 OZ-fl 488 100% 0.049 * Avocado, Haas 48 ct. Case 54.00 EA 48 100% 1.125 *** Limes 200 ct. Case 14.47 EA 200 100% 0.072 * Tomatoes 5x6 Case 17.11 EA 30 100% 0.570 * Onion, yellow 50# Bag 17.11 OZ-wt 800 91% 0.024 * Pepper, jalapeno 1# Bag 0.79 OZ-wt 16 93% 0.053 * Herb, cilantro 3-ct. bunch Bag 0.74 EA 3 100% 0.247 * Garlic, whole peeled 5# Jar 8.05 OZ-wt 80 100% 0.101 * Lettuce, iceberg 3 ea. Bag 1.65 OZ-wt 57 100% 0.029 ** Lettuce, greenleaf crowns 150 ct. Case 18.62 EA 150 100% 0.124 * Oranges 88 ct. Case 17.76 EA 88 100% 0.202 ** Celery, whole 24 ct. Case 10.50 EA 240 100% 0.044 ** Mayonnaise 4/1-gal. Case 27.95 OZ-fl 512 100% 0.055 *** Oil, olive, blend 75/25 Gallon Can 7.93 OZ-fl 128 100% 0.062 * Chili, powder 1# Jar 6.89 OZ-wt 16 100% 0.431 Chili, dried arbol 10# Bag 46.88 OZ-wt 160 100% 0.293 ** Chile, ancho powder 1# Bag 22.44 OZ-wt 16 100% 1.403 *** Garlic, dried granulated 26 oz. Jar 10.13 OZ-wt 26 100% 0.390 * Salt, kosher 3# Carton 3.88 OZ-wt 16 100% 0.243 ** Pepper, table grind 18 oz. Jar 11.21 OZ-wt 18 100% 0.623 * Sugar 25# Bag 13.69 OZ-wt 400 100% 0.034 ** Spice, ranch packets 12/3.2-oz. Case 31.36 EA 12 100% 2.613 ** Sauce, hot wing 4/1-gal. Case 55.13 OZ-fl 512 100% 0.108 ** Sauce, barbecue 4/1-gal. Case 49.10 OZ-fl 512 100% 0.096 * Tortillas, 6-inch corn 1 dozen Bag 2.00 EA 12 100% 0.167 * Tortillas, tricolor, 6-inch 12/60-ct. Case 33.50 EA 720 100% 0.047 The first step is to identify each ingredient for all the subrecipes and then to get the purchasing unit pack,size and cost information from your foodservice distributor. Raw ingredients for these menu items were chosen based on availability from local distributors. Once you have the purchasing information, you re ready to calculate the number of recipe units in each purchase unit. Recipe Conversion Notes Many products are purchased by the weight units of measure but are measured for recipes in fluid measures such as teaspoons, tablespoons or cups. Precise conversion formulas are necessary to attain accurate costs. Here are some facts we noted when calculating the number of recipe units: Celery yields about 32 oz. per bunch after cleaning, or ten stalks Greenleaf lettuce yield about 14 leaves per head These wing joints averaged about 8 pieces per lb. 1 cup of sour cream weighs about 8.5 oz. 48 Good Restaurateurs Are Always Learning
Step 2 The Prep Stage - Tavern Tacos Chili Rub Marinade Chili rub Limes Oranges Garlic, whole peeled Oil, olive, blend 75/25 4 oz. juice of 2 limes juice of 1 orange ½ oz. ¼ cup 1. Place olive oil in a medium mixing bowl, add chopped garlic, orange juice and lime OZ-wt 4 0.815 $ 3.26 juice. EA 2 0.072 $ 0.14 2. Using a wire, whisk blend thoroughly. EA 1 0.202 $ 0.20 3. While continuing to mix slowly incorporate chili rub until blended. 4. Set aside for carne asada prep. Cost Cost OZ-wt 0.5 0.101 $ 0.05 OZ-fl 2 0.062 $ 0.12 Chili Rub Marinade Other recipes used but not shown include a premade chili spice rub made of 1 lb. each of chili powder and ancho-chili powder, 2 oz. sugar and 4 oz. of granulated garlic. TOOLS/EQUIP.: Ounce scale, cup measure, mixing bowl and wire whisk. Total $ 3.78 STATION: Prep cook EA YIELD: Enough for one batch of carne asada 1 SHELF LIFE: 3 days Cost $ 3.78 Carne Asada Cost Cost Carne asada meat 3 lbs. 1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the meat and marinade; mix well. OZ-wt 48 0.224 $ 10.74 Chili rub marinade 1 batch 2. Cover and store under refrigeration EA 1 3.779 $ 3.78 Oil, olive, blend 75/25 ½ cup for at least 6 hours prior to cooking. OZ-fl 4 0.062 $ 0.25 Carne Asada Chef s note: This recipe can be done with chicken as well. 3. Place the marinated meat on a lightly oiled hot griddle to sear and continue to cook until done. 4. Remove from the heat and hold on the steamtable for service, or cool and sear to order. TOOLS/EQUIP.: Pound scale, cup measure, large mixing bowl, tongs and stainless steel spatula. Total $ 14.77 STATION: Line cook OZ-wt YIELD: About 12 3-oz. portions 51 SHELF LIFE: 2 days Cost $ 0.29 OCTOBER 2009 www.restaurantowner.com 49
Step 2 The Prep Stage - Tavern Tacos cont d. Fire-Roasted Salsa A single menu item may have several subrecipes, and a recipe card should be created for each step. Fire-Roasted Salsa Tomatoes 1 case, cored 1. Place whole tomatoes, onion halves and jalapenos on grill. 2. Grill until lightly charred, continuing to Chili, dried arbol 1 lb. turn often to cook all sides evenly. This Onion, yellow 2 lbs,. peeled and halved should take 8 10 minutes in total. 3. Remove the veggies to #200 pans or Pepper, jalapeno ¼ lb., seeded roasting pan; add the garlic cloves. 4. Place in 400 oven and roast for an Herb, cilantro 2 bunches, chopped additional 15 18 minutes. Limes juice of 5 limes 5. Remove from oven and allow to cool. 6. Add lime juice, dried chilies, chopped Garlic, whole peeled ½ lb. cilantro, salt and pepper and mix well. 7. Using a food processor or industrial Salt, kosher 6 oz. blender, thoroughly blend in 3 to 4 bth batches. Pepper, table grind 2 oz. 8. Combine the batches in a food grade container and mix well with a wire whisk to ensure uniformity. 9. Refrigerate for service. Cost Cost EA 30 0.570 $ 17.11 OZ-wt 16 0.293 $ 4.69 OZ-wt 32 0.024 $ 0.75 OZ-wt 4 0.053 $ 0.21 EA 2 0.247 $ 0.49 EA 5 0.072 $ 0.36 OZ-wt 8 0.101 $ 0.81 OZ-wt 6 0.243 $ 1.46 OZ-wt 2 0.623 $ 1.25 TOOLS/EQUIP.: Pound scale, ounce scale, tongs, roasting or #200 pans, blender or food processor, large mixing bowl or container, and a wire whisk. Total $ 27.12 STATION: Line cook OZ-fl YIELD: About 250 2-oz. portions 512 SHELF LIFE: 5 days Cost $ 0.05 Avocado Cream Chef s note: For best quality and safety be sure to store under refrigeration while on cook line. Avocado Cream Avocado, Haas 4 each 1. Split avocados, remove seeds and scoop from peel into a food processor Sour cream ½ cup or industrial blender. Limes juice of 1 lime 2. Add sour cream and lime juice and bump the blender a few times to h bl d f i blend. 3. Blend on low speed until smooth and creamy. 4. Store in a squeeze bottle under refrigeration for service. Cost Cost EA 4 1.125 $ 4.50 OZ-fl 4 0.049 $ 0.20 EA 1 0.072 $ 0.07 TOOLS/EQUIP.: Cup measure, French knife, soup spoon, blender and squeeze bottle. Total $ 4.77 STATION: Prep cook OZ-fl YIELD: About 1 quart 33 SHELF LIFE: 2 days Cost $ 0.14 50 Good Restaurateurs Are Always Learning
Step 2 The Prep Stage - Tavern Wings Prepared Wings 1. Defrost wings under refrigeration; Use about 1 gallon of water, 1 Chicken, wing joints 7/10-ct. 1 case drain well and place in 2 large mixing oz. of salt and 1 oz. of olive oil for bowls. each pound of uncooked, dry pasta. Oil, olive, blend 75/25 ½ cup 2. Using a large sauce pot, Salt, kosher 2 oz. 2. Add 2 oz. of olive oil and 1 oz. of salt combine water, oil, bring to to each bowl and toss well to evenly a rolling hb boil over high heat. ll l coat. 3. Slowly add pasta and stir with long tongs or spoon to keep the pasta from sticking together or to 3. Spread the wings on parchment the bottom of the pot. lined sheet pans in one even layer. 4. When the water returns to a boil Don`t overload the pans. reduce the heat slightly to a vigorous boil, stir frequently. 4. Place the pans in a 350 5. Angel hair requires between convection 7-8 oven and roast for 12 15 minutes or minutes, other thicker pastas will until lightly but thoroughly cooked. require li as much t th as 13 hl minutes of cooking time (after the water boils 5. Remove to a transit rack and allow again). to cool. Store under refrigeration for 6. When pasta reaches the service. appropriate degree of doneness remove from heat and strain. 7. Immediately flash the pasta with Cost Cost EA 320 0.215 $ 68.93 OZ-fl 4 0.062 $ 0.25 OZ-wt 2 0.243 $ 0.49 TOOLS/EQUIP.: Ounce scale, cup measure, sheet pans and parchment baking sheets. Total $ 69.66 STATION: Prep cook EA YIELD: 320 wing joints 320 SHELF LIFE: 2 days Cost $ 0.22 Prepared Wings Other recipes used but not shown include ranch dressing and the Tavern s special wing sauce made of equal parts barbecue sauce and hot wing sauce. Step 3 Calculate Menu Item Cost The final step for turning the recipe into a menu item is to add the cost of the ingredients needed to produce it. Calculating the cost of each recipe needed to produce the menu item makes it easy to cost out the finished menu item and affix a selling price that is profitable.(please note: A standard practice when costing out menus is to include a cost for certain menu items for unlisted incidentals such as seasonings, bread, condiments, or sauces; oftentimes referred to as plate cost or Q-cost.) Menu Item: Tavern Tacos Item Description: Carne asada with tricolor chips, fire-roasted salsa, cilantro, onions and avocado cream. Recipe Unit Quantity Ingredient Unit Cost Extension OZ-wt 3 Carne asada 029 0.29 087 0.87 EA 2 Tortillas, 6-inch corn 0.17 0.33 EA 4 Tortillas, tricolor, 6-inch 0.05 0.19 OZ-wt 1 Lettuce, iceberg 0.03 0.03 OZ-fl 1 Avocado cream 0.14 0.14 OZ-fl 1.5 Fire-roasted salsa 0.05 0.08 EA 0.12 Limes 0.07 0.01 OZ-wt 0.25 Onion, yellow 0.02 0.01 1 Plate cost 0.10 0.10 Total Cost 1.76 Menu Price 9.00 Gross Profit 7.24 Food Cost % 19.51% Menu Item: Tavern Wings Item Description: One dozen wings basted in tavern sauce and served with ranch dressing and crispy celery. Recipe Unit Quantity Ingredient Unit Cost Extension EA 12 Prepared wings 0.22 2.61 OZ-fl 3 Tavern sauce 0.10 0.31 OZ-fl 2 Ranch dressing 0.06 0.11 EA 2 Celery, whole 0.04 0.09 EA 2 Lettuce, greenleaf crowns 0.12 0.25 000 0.00 000 0.00 1 Plate cost 0.10 0.10 Total Cost 3.47 Menu Price 10.00 Gross Profit 6.53 Food Cost % 34.68% OCTOBER 2009 www.restaurantowner.com 51