Home recipes are often perfect in taste, but not for commercial sale. They're written for 4 people, without cost calculation, and often with ingredients that are too expensive for a restaurant. In this article, you'll learn step-by-step how to convert home recipes into profitable menu dishes.
Why adapt home recipes?
A recipe from a cookbook or the internet is designed for home cooks, not restaurants. The difference comes down to three things:
- Portion size: At home you often eat more than in a restaurant
- Ingredients: Expensive products that are fine at home, but eat into your profit
- No cost calculation: Nobody has figured out what it costs
The result? You sell a delicious dish where you make nothing on it.
⚠️ Note:
A home recipe for 4 people often becomes 6-8 restaurant portions. Home portions are larger than what guests expect in a restaurant.
Step 1: Analyze the original recipe
Start by calculating what the home recipe really costs. Add up all ingredients and divide by the number of portions you can actually make from it.
💡 Example:
Risotto recipe "for 4 people":
- Arborio rice (400g): €3.20
- Parmesan (100g): €4.50
- White wine (200ml): €1.80
- Broth + other: €2.50
Total: €12.00 for 6 restaurant portions = €2.00 per portion
Step 2: Determine your target price and margin
Decide what you want to charge for this dish on your menu. Then calculate whether the cost fits within your desired food cost of 28-35%.
Formula: Maximum ingredient costs = Selling price excl. VAT × (Food cost % ÷ 100)
💡 Example:
Desired menu price: €18.50 (incl. 9% VAT)
- Price excl. VAT: €18.50 ÷ 1.09 = €16.97
- At 30% food cost: €16.97 × 0.30 = €5.09 max
- Current cost price: €2.00 ✓
There's room for better ingredients or larger portions!
Step 3: Replace expensive ingredients
Look at which ingredients are disproportionately expensive and find alternatives that keep the taste but cost less.
- Cheeses: Mix expensive cheese with cheaper varieties
- Meat: Use cheaper cuts that braise slowly
- Herbs: Fresh herbs only as garnish, dried for flavor
- Alcohol: Cheaper cooking wine instead of drinking wine
💡 Example replacement:
Original: 100g Parmigiano Reggiano (€4.50)
Adapted: 60g Parmigiano + 40g Grana Padano (€3.20)
Savings: €1.30 per 6 portions = €0.22 per portion
Step 4: Test and refine portion sizes
Make the dish and test different portion sizes. What looks good on the plate? What's enough for your guests without them feeling overstuffed?
Many restaurants make portions too large because they're afraid guests will be unhappy. But guests appreciate quality more than quantity.
⚠️ Note:
Test your portions with real guests, not yourself. You have a different appetite than your average guest.
Step 5: Standardize the recipe
Write down the adapted recipe with exact quantities, method and cost price. Make sure everyone in your kitchen can make it exactly the same.
- Exact grams per ingredient
- Preparation time per step
- Temperatures and times
- Presentation and garnish
- Cost price per portion
Monitor and adjust
Keep track of how the dish sells and what feedback you get. Suppliers change prices, so check your cost price every month.
A dish that was profitable in January can be unprofitable in March due to price increases.
How do you convert a home recipe to a commercial recipe?
Calculate the actual cost price
Add up all ingredients at purchase prices and divide by the number of restaurant portions (not home portions). A home recipe for 4 often becomes 6-8 restaurant portions.
Determine your maximum cost price
Calculate what you can spend maximum on ingredients at your desired menu price. Use the formula: Selling price excl. VAT × desired food cost%.
Replace expensive ingredients
Find cheaper alternatives for ingredients that exceed your budget. Mix expensive and cheap ingredients or use smaller amounts of expensive products.
Test portion sizes
Make different portion sizes and test with real guests. Find the balance between satisfaction and cost price.
Standardize and document
Write down the final recipe with exact quantities, preparation method and cost price. Make sure everyone can make it exactly the same.
✨ Pro tip
Start with your 3 best-selling dishes. If those are profitable, you've solved 70% of your problem. The rest of your menu follows after that.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I use home recipes without modifications?
No, home recipes are almost always too expensive or have wrong portion sizes for commercial use. You always need adjustments for a healthy margin.
How do I know if my adapted recipe still tastes good?
Test the dish with different people before you put it on the menu. Ask for honest feedback about taste, portion size and presentation.
What if the cost price turns out too high?
You have three options: replace ingredients with cheaper alternatives, make portions smaller, or raise the selling price. Often a combination works best.
Do I need to replace all ingredients?
No, only replace ingredients that are disproportionately expensive. Keep the ingredients that determine the signature taste and save on the extras.
How often should I check my cost prices?
Check your cost prices at least every month, especially for your best-selling dishes. Suppliers raise prices regularly without you noticing.
📚 Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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