Picture this: your newest chef just served a customer double portions of your premium salmon dish. They thought they were being generous, but that single mistake just cost you €8 in profit. Every new hire needs to grasp the numbers that keep your restaurant profitable.
Why explaining numbers matters more than you think
A new chef who doesn't know your food cost should stay at 30% will happily give double portions. A new server who doesn't understand which dishes are most profitable pushes the wrong items.
⚠️ Watch out:
One new employee giving overly generous portions can cost you €200-500 per month without you noticing.
Food cost explained in 2 minutes flat
Always start with food cost - the percentage of your selling price that goes to ingredients. Use a simple example from your menu that they'll actually prepare.
💡 Example explanation:
"That pasta carbonara at €18.50? It costs us €5.10 in ingredients. That's 30% food cost. Give double the bacon and it becomes 35% - we just lost money."
The 4 numbers every new hire must know
Don't overwhelm them. Too many numbers at once just creates confusion. Stick to these essentials:
- Your target food cost: "We keep it around 30%"
- Portion sizes for bestsellers: "Steak is 200 grams, not more"
- Most expensive ingredients: "Truffle is €80/100 grams, use sparingly"
- Top revenue dishes: "These 3 dishes generate the most money"
Show them with real menu examples
Pick 3 dishes from your actual menu. Show what they cost, what they generate, and why portion size matters. People remember concrete examples better than abstract theory.
💡 Example with your menu:
- Steak (€32): ingredients €9.60 = 30% food cost ✅
- Fish of the day (€28): ingredients €8.40 = 30% food cost ✅
- Pasta (€18.50): ingredients €5.10 = 30% food cost ✅
"See the pattern? Everything around 30%. Give oversized portions and it becomes 35-40% - we lose money."
The quick kitchen check for new chefs
Teach new chefs to verify these 3 things before they start cooking:
- Portion size: How many grams of meat/fish per person?
- Garnish amount: How much vegetables? Not "a handful" but "80 grams"
- Sauce portions: How many ml per serving? Especially expensive sauces like hollandaise
💡 Practical tip:
Post an A4 sheet in the kitchen with your 5 bestsellers and exact portion sizes. "Steak: 200g meat + 80g vegetables + 50ml sauce."
What servers need to know about profit
Servers don't need all the numbers, but they should know which dishes drive profit. Create a top 3 of dishes they're encouraged to recommend.
- High-margin dishes: "These generate the most revenue"
- Popular profitable items: "These sell well and make money"
- Seasonal specials: "We just got these in fresh"
Create a standard training checklist
Develop a checklist for every new employee. That way you won't forget anything and anyone can explain it, not just you. I've seen restaurants where a mistake that costs the average restaurant EUR 200-400 per month happens simply because someone forgot to explain portion control on day one.
⚠️ Watch out:
Explain it on day 1. Not after a week once you notice portions are too big. By then that person has already cost you €100+.
Use technology to make it easier
Tools like KitchenNmbrs show all recipes, portion sizes and food cost in one place. New employees can look everything up without asking you. That saves time and prevents costly mistakes.
How do you organize this? (step by step)
Create a simple checklist
Write down which 4-5 numbers every new employee should know. Use your own menu as an example. Keep it to food cost, portion size and bestsellers.
Schedule 15 minutes of explanation on day 1
Explain it before they start, not afterwards. Show 2-3 concrete dishes with ingredient costs and why portion size matters.
Post a reference overview
Create an A4 sheet with your bestsellers and exact portion sizes. Post this in the kitchen so everyone can check without asking.
✨ Pro tip
Create a visual portion guide within 48 hours of hiring someone new. Take photos of correctly plated dishes and post them where staff can see them - visual guides prevent more mistakes than verbal explanations.
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
How much time does it take to explain this?
15 minutes on day 1 covers the basics. Focus on your 3-5 most important dishes and why portion size matters. Don't overcomplicate it.
Do I need to explain all the formulas?
No, just the basics. Explain what food cost means (30% means €3 ingredients on €10 sales) and why portion size matters.
What if they don't understand the concept?
Use concrete examples from your own menu. "This pasta costs us €5, we sell it for €18" is much clearer than theoretical explanations. Show them actual dishes.
How do I check if they've remembered it?
Ask after a week: what's our target food cost? How many grams of steak per portion? If they don't know, explain it again immediately.
📚 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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