The right ratio between permanent chefs and casual staff determines your labor costs and flexibility. Too many permanent staff costs money on quiet days, while too few causes stress and quality loss during busy periods. Calculate your ideal mix to save hundreds of euros per week.
Why the ratio matters
Labor cost ranks as your biggest expense after food cost. A wrong ratio between permanent and flexible staff can cost you hundreds of euros per week. Too many permanent chefs means high wage costs on quiet days. But too few permanent chefs causes chaos during busy times—and that's the kind of thing you only learn after closing your first month at a loss.
💡 Example:
Restaurant with 80 covers on busy days, 30 on quiet days:
- 3 permanent chefs (€2,400/week): handle 50 covers
- 2 casual staff (€400/week during busy times): handle extra 30 covers
Flexible savings: €400 on quiet weeks
Calculate your basic needs
Start with your minimum staffing. How many chefs do you absolutely need to keep your kitchen running? These become your permanent positions:
- Head chef: Always permanent, coordinates kitchen
- Sous chef: Usually permanent at 50+ covers per day
- Garde manger: Permanent if you have fresh salads/appetizers
- Grill/saucier: Depends on menu type
Calculate how many covers this permanent team can handle maximum without stress. Everything above that gets solved with casual staff.
⚠️ Note:
Don't count on 100% capacity of your permanent team. Plan at 80% to leave room for sickness and vacation.
Analyze your staffing pattern
Look at your sales figures from the past 3 months. Divide your days into categories:
- Quiet days: Up to 40 covers
- Normal days: 40-70 covers
- Busy days: 70+ covers
Count how many days per week fall into each category. This determines your optimal ratio.
💡 Example calculation:
Weekly pattern bistro:
- Mon-Tue: 25 covers (quiet)
- Wed-Thu: 55 covers (normal)
- Fri-Sat: 85 covers (busy)
- Sun: 40 covers (normal)
2 days quiet, 3 days normal, 2 days busy = 2 permanent chefs + casual staff during busy times
Calculate costs per scenario
Compare different ratios to find the cheapest option:
Scenario 1: Lots of permanent staff
- 4 permanent chefs at €600/week = €2,400
- Minimal casual staff = €200/week
- Total: €2,600/week
Scenario 2: Less permanent, more flexible
- 2 permanent chefs at €600/week = €1,200
- Casual staff 4 days = €800/week
- Total: €2,000/week
Scenario 2 saves €600 per week, but watch quality and stress levels carefully.
Weighing quality against costs
Casual staff are cheaper per hour, but they have downsides:
- Know your recipes and procedures less well
- Have less connection to your restaurant
- Aren't always available when you need them
- Cost time for explanation and supervision
⚠️ Note:
Too many casual staff can damage your quality. Keep at least 60% of your kitchen team permanent for consistency.
Seasonal adjustments
Adjust your ratio per season. Restaurants with terraces need more permanent chefs in summer. Places with winter menus can be more flexible in summer.
Make a new calculation each quarter based on your sales forecast. This prevents you from having too many or too few permanent staff.
💡 Practical tip:
Build a permanent pool of 4-5 reliable casual staff. Then you always have someone available and don't have to train new people every time.
How do you calculate the ideal ratio? (step by step)
Count your minimum staffing
Determine how many chefs you absolutely need to run your kitchen, regardless of how busy it is. These are your permanent positions: head chef, sous chef and possibly garde manger.
Analyze your weekly pattern
Look at 3 months of sales figures and count how many days per week are quiet, normal and busy. This determines how much extra capacity you need flexibly.
Calculate costs per scenario
Compare the total wage costs of more permanent chefs versus fewer permanent with casual staff. Choose the cheapest scenario that still guarantees quality.
✨ Pro tip
Track your actual covers versus planned staffing for 6 weeks straight. You'll spot exactly which days you're overstaffed and can cut one permanent position without affecting service quality.
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
What percentage of my team can be casual staff?
Maximum 40% for quality and consistency. Keep at least 60% of your kitchen team permanent to maintain your standard.
What do casual staff cost versus permanent chefs?
Casual staff often cost €2-4 more per hour due to agency fees, but you only pay when you need them. Permanent chefs cost less per hour but also on quiet days.
How do I prevent casual staff from being unavailable?
Build a permanent pool of 4-5 reliable casual staff and schedule them weeks in advance. Give them priority for future assignments if they're flexible.
What if my permanent chefs get sick?
Plan at 80% capacity of your permanent team and always keep 1-2 casual staff in reserve for emergencies. This prevents stress when people are sick.
Should I hire casual staff through agencies or directly?
Direct hiring gives you more control and lower costs per hour. But agencies provide backup options when your regular casual staff aren't available.
How often should I recalculate my staffing ratio?
Review quarterly based on actual sales data and seasonal changes. Major menu changes or new seating areas also require immediate recalculation of your needs.
📚 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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