Clear recipes and quantities on one screen make your kitchen 30-50% faster. No searching through drawers, no shouting at colleagues, no guessing about portion sizes. Everything your chef needs is right in front of him, so he can focus on cooking instead of searching.
Why one screen saves so much time
In a traditional kitchen, your chef loses an average of 15-20 minutes per shift searching. Searching for recipes in a drawer, asking colleagues about quantities, guessing what yesterday's portion size was.
💡 Example:
Traditional kitchen during busy evening:
- Chef looks for carbonara recipe: 2 minutes
- Asks sous-chef about portion size: 1 minute
- Checks if bacon quantity is correct: 1 minute
- This happens 8 times per evening for different dishes
Total search time: 32 minutes per shift
With everything visible on one screen, this search time disappears. Your chef grabs his tablet, sees exactly what he needs, and starts cooking.
The impact on your kitchen rhythm
Speed in the kitchen isn't just about cooking fast. It's about rhythm. If your chef has to stop every 10 minutes to look something up, his rhythm breaks.
- No interruptions: Chef stays in his flow
- Fewer mistakes: Correct quantities visible right away
- Consistency: Every plate exactly the same
- Faster onboarding: New cooks see immediately what they need to do
⚠️ Important:
A screen in the kitchen must be splash-proof and easy to clean. A regular tablet won't survive a week in a professional kitchen.
What you need to see on that one screen
Not all information is equally important while cooking. Your screen should show the right information at the right time.
Visible for every order right away:
- Main ingredients: 200g beef tenderloin, 150g potatoes
- Garnish: 50g green beans, 20ml jus
- Allergens: Contains gluten, dairy
- Cooking time: 12 minutes
- Special instructions: Medium rare, jus on the side
💡 Example KitchenNmbrs screen:
Order #47 - Table 12:
- 2x Steak (medium, jus on the side)
- 1x Salmon (allergen: fish)
- 1x Pasta carbonara (allergen: egg, dairy, gluten)
For each dish, all quantities, cooking time and allergens are shown directly below.
The difference between digital and paper
Many kitchens still work with paper recipe books or printed lists. It works, but it's much slower than a digital system.
Paper recipes:
- Searching takes 1-3 minutes per recipe
- Get dirty and become unreadable
- Updates mean printing everything again
- No link between recipe and cost price
Digital on one screen:
- Searching takes 5-10 seconds
- Always clean and readable
- Updates automatically visible everywhere
- Cost price and food cost visible right away
Less stress, better quality
When your chef doesn't have to search, he can focus on cooking. That means less stress during the rush and better quality on the plate.
💡 Real-world example:
Restaurant De Gouwe Kop (Haarlem) implemented KitchenNmbrs:
- Before: 45 minutes average wait time during peak hours
- After: 32 minutes average wait time
- Reason: Chef no longer had to search for recipes
- Added benefit: 15% fewer complaints about inconsistent portions
With a system like KitchenNmbrs, you have all recipes, quantities and cost prices in one place. Your chef taps the dish, sees exactly what he needs, and can get started right away.
How do you set up digital recipes in your kitchen? (step by step)
Gather all current recipes in one place
Pull all recipes from drawers, notebooks and your chef's head. Put them in a digital system like KitchenNmbrs with exact quantities and cooking times.
Place a splash-proof tablet in the kitchen
Choose a location where your chef can easily see it without it being in the way. Make sure it has a holder that's easy to clean and resistant to heat and splashes.
Train your team to use the screen
Let everyone get used to the new system by using both digital and paper for a week. That way they can switch over without stress during busy times.
✨ Pro tip
Start with your 5 best-selling dishes on the screen. Once your team sees how much faster that is, they'll want all recipes digital.
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 do I really save with recipes on one screen?
On average 15-25 minutes per shift in search time. With a busy restaurant doing 2 shifts a day, that's 3-4 hours per week your chef can spend cooking instead of searching.
What if the screen breaks during a busy evening?
Always have a backup tablet ready or make sure your most important recipes are also on paper. Most digital systems work offline too, so your data stays available.
Isn't a tablet too fragile for a professional kitchen?
Choose a splash-proof holder and place the tablet outside the direct work area. Many kitchens use a fixed spot at the pass where it's dry and visible.
Can all cooks handle a digital screen?
Most cooks get used to a good system within a week. Start with your most-used recipes and expand gradually. Older cooks sometimes need a bit more time, but often see the benefit quickly.
Do I have to digitize all recipes at once?
Start with your 10-15 best-selling dishes. That already gives you 80% of the benefit. Add other recipes gradually when you have time.
⚠️ EU Regulation 1169/2011 — Allergen Information — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1169/oj
The allergen information on this page is based on EU Regulation 1169/2011. Recipes and ingredients may vary by supplier. Always verify current allergen information with your supplier and communicate this correctly to your guests. KitchenNmbrs is not liable for allergic reactions.
In the UK, the FSA enforces allergen regulations under the Food Information Regulations 2014.
📚 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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