e-Tools of the Trade

Standardized Recipes: Costing, Menu Engineering, & More

To be successful in the restaurant trade, you need some pretty obvious tools, like your knife set, your chef coat, a toque, great shoes, and, of course, pots and pans. However, that’s just window dressing in the real business world. The simple fact is that if you can’t make money, your cooking days can be over in a hurry. That’s why today’s chefs and managers know Excel spreadsheets are vital tools to success. Every great recipe must be standardized and costed. Your menu must analyzed and re-analyzed. Which items are “stars” and which are “dogs?” You need to know to be successful! We suggest you re-engineer your menu at least twice each year.

You’ll find these Excel spreadsheets friendly and useful. They were developed by Chef Gary Eaton of The Art Institute of Houston, School of Culinary Arts, and one of our recent grads, Sarah Rau from Brenham, Texas. We appreciate their willingness to share their “secret recipes” for success!