Last month, a head chef walked out mid-shift at a busy bistro, taking fifteen years of kitchen knowledge with him. The replacement struggled for weeks, guessing portion sizes and scrambling to find supplier contacts. A proper handover document prevents this chaos and preserves your kitchen's institutional memory.
What belongs in a handover document?
A handover document isn't just scribbled recipes on napkins. It's the complete roadmap your new chef needs to run your kitchen without missing a beat.
Recipes and portion sizes
Your recipes need exact quantities, cooking times, and those crucial tips that separate good food from great food.
? Example recipe handover:
Carbonara (4 servings)
- Spaghetti: 400g (100g per person)
- Pancetta: 120g (finely chopped)
- Eggs: 4 (yolk only)
- Parmesan: 80g (freshly grated)
- Black pepper: generous amount, freshly ground
Tip: Pasta water must boil like a volcano. Never add egg yolk directly to hot pan.
Suppliers and orders
Which supplier delivers what? What's the minimum order? Which products can you accept and which get sent back? Your new chef needs these details to avoid ordering disasters.
- Contact details for all suppliers
- Order lines and minimum orders
- Quality requirements per product
- Price agreements and payment terms
HACCP procedures and temperatures
Food safety violations can shut you down. Document every temperature check, timing requirement, and what to do if something goes wrong.
? Example HACCP handover:
Daily checks (08:00)
- Fridge 1: between 2°C and 4°C
- Fridge 2: between 0°C and 2°C (fish)
- Freezer: -18°C or colder
- If deviation: alert chef immediately
Core temperatures: Chicken 75°C, beef 65°C, fish 63°C
Food costs and margins
Your new chef must understand what each dish should cost. Without these numbers, portions grow and profits shrink - a pattern we see repeatedly in restaurant financials after staff changes.
- Cost price per dish (ingredients)
- Target food cost percentage (usually 28-35%)
- Maximum purchase prices for key products
- Which dishes drive the most profit
⚠️ Watch out:
Update food costs regularly. Suppliers raise prices, but many kitchens don't adjust their recipe costs. Your profit per dish erodes over time.
Mise en place and preparation
What gets prepped when? How much do you need ready? How long does everything last? These details make or break your service flow.
- Daily prep list with quantities
- Shelf life of prepared products
- Storage instructions (where, how, at what temperature)
- Priority order during time crunches
Staff and task allocation
Who handles what station? Who makes decisions during rush periods? How do you communicate with front-of-house? Clear roles prevent kitchen chaos.
? Example task allocation:
Evening service (from 16:00)
- Sous chef: hot appetizers + sauces
- Commis: garnish + side dishes
- Chef: meat/fish + expediting
- During rush: sous chef takes over expediting
How do you organize the handover?
Writing everything down is step one. Making sure your new chef actually uses and understands it? That's where the real work begins.
Digital vs. paper
Paper folders disappear and never get updated. Digital systems keep everything current and accessible to your whole team.
- Use tools like KitchenNmbrs to centralize recipes and procedures
- Take photos of important preparations
- Share documents with all chefs so everyone has the same information
- Update immediately whenever something changes
Practical handover
Don't dump a manual on your new chef and walk away. Work through the kitchen together and demonstrate everything hands-on.
? Example handover week:
- Day 1-2: Shadow, review recipes, ask questions
- Day 3-4: Cook together, chef guides
- Day 5: Chef cooks independently, old chef supervises
- Week 2: Work independently, daily evaluation
What happens without proper handover?
Skip the handover document and watch valuable knowledge walk out the door. Every departing chef takes recipes, supplier relationships, and procedures locked in their memory.
Costly mistakes
New chefs without proper handover make expensive errors. Oversized portions, wrong suppliers, poor planning - these mistakes can cost thousands.
- Inconsistent portion sizes add 10-15% to ingredient costs
- Wrong suppliers can cost 20% more
- Poor planning creates waste and stress
- HACCP violations can trigger fines up to €10,000
⚠️ Watch out:
Update your handover document every time you make changes. Outdated information can be worse than no information - it actively misleads your new chef.
Related articles
How do you create a handover document? (step by step)
Gather all recipes and procedures
Start with your most important dishes. Write recipes with exact quantities, cooking time, and important tips. Add HACCP procedures, supplier lists, and task allocation.
Organize digitally in one system
Put everything in a digital system like KitchenNmbrs. Create categories for recipes, suppliers, HACCP, and procedures. Add photos where useful.
Plan a practical handover of 1-2 weeks
Let your new chef shadow first and ask questions. Then cook together and gradually give more independence. Evaluate daily and adjust the document where needed.
✨ Pro tip
Include your weekly inventory schedule in the handover document, specifying which products get counted on Tuesday mornings and which items need daily tracking. Most new chefs underestimate how inventory timing affects ordering and waste.
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
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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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