Are you losing money on every plate you serve without realizing it? Most restaurants calculate only their main ingredient costs and completely overlook side dishes, sauces, and garnishes. This oversight can inflate your actual food costs by 30-40% beyond what you think you're spending.
Why calculate each component separately?
A composed plate like steak with vegetables and sauce involves far more than just the meat. Every single component carries its own purchase price, portion size, and preparation requirements.
⚠️ Watch out:
Many restaurants focus solely on the steak (€8) but ignore vegetables (€2.50) and sauce (€0.80). You'll think your cost runs €8, but it's actually €11.30.
The three main components
Every composed plate breaks down into distinct elements:
- Main component: The meat, fish or vegetarian base
- Side dishes: Vegetables, potatoes, rice or pasta
- Sauces and garnishes: Everything that completes the plate
- Finishing touches: Herbs, oil, decoration
Step-by-step calculation
Break down your dish into every individual component first. Document the exact portion size you serve for each element.
💡 Example: Steak with roasted vegetables and pepper sauce
Components and portions:
- Steak: 220 grams
- Roasted vegetables: 150 grams
- Pepper sauce: 40 ml
- Garlic butter: 15 grams
- Parsley: 2 grams
Calculate cost price per component
For each component, use this formula: Cost price = (Purchase price per kg × Portion size in grams) / 1000
💡 Example: Cost price calculation per component
- Steak: €36/kg × 220g / 1000 = €7.92
- Vegetables: €8/kg × 150g / 1000 = €1.20
- Pepper sauce: €12/liter × 40ml / 1000 = €0.48
- Garlic butter: €14/kg × 15g / 1000 = €0.21
- Parsley: €40/kg × 2g / 1000 = €0.08
Total cost price: €9.89
Include preparation costs
Different components demand varying preparation levels. Vegetables require peeling and cutting, while sauces need cooking time. This labor translates to additional costs.
- Vegetable cutting loss: Add 15-25% to the cost price
- Sauce ingredients: Include all ingredients (cream, herbs, wine)
- Marinades and herbs: Small quantities, but they add up
💡 Example: Pepper sauce detailed
40ml pepper sauce contains:
- Cream: 25ml at €4/liter = €0.10
- Green pepper: 5g at €80/kg = €0.40
- Butter: 3g at €12/kg = €0.04
- Herbs: 2g at €60/kg = €0.12
Actual sauce costs: €0.66 (not €0.48)
Calculate total price and food cost
Add all components together for your complete cost price. After managing kitchen operations for nearly a decade, I've seen restaurants shocked to discover their true food costs running 8-12% higher than calculated. Divide your total cost by selling price excluding VAT to determine your food cost percentage.
Food cost % = (Total cost price / Selling price excl. VAT) × 100
💡 Example: Complete calculation
- Total cost price: €10.55
- Menu price: €34.50 incl. VAT
- Selling price excl. VAT: €34.50 / 1.09 = €31.65
Food cost: (€10.55 / €31.65) × 100 = 33.3%
Record digitally for consistency
With multiple components involved, proper documentation becomes essential. Without it, you'll see variations between different shifts and cooks.
- Document exact portion sizes per component
- Update prices whenever suppliers raise them
- Train your team on standard portions
- Check regularly that portions match your calculations
Digital systems help you record all components accurately, ensuring your food cost stays precise and every cook serves consistent portions.
How do you calculate the cost price of a composed plate?
Break down the dish into all components
Make a list of every ingredient that goes on the plate: meat, vegetables, sauce, garnish, herbs. Also note the exact portion size in grams or milliliters per component.
Calculate the cost price per component
For each component: divide the purchase price per kilo by 1000 and multiply by the portion size in grams. Don't forget to include cutting loss and preparation costs where applicable.
Add all components together for the total cost price
Sum all individual cost prices. This is your total cost price per plate. Divide this by your selling price excluding VAT to calculate your food cost percentage.
✨ Pro tip
Weigh 3 random plates every Tuesday from your top-selling composed dish. This weekly check ensures your team still serves the exact portions built into your cost calculations.
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 do I handle sauces that I make myself?
Calculate all sauce ingredients separately and add them together. A 40ml pepper sauce contains cream, herbs, butter and pepper - include each ingredient based on the exact amount that goes into your recipe.
Should I include cutting loss in my vegetable costs?
Absolutely. If you buy 1kg of vegetables but discard 200g during prep, calculate using €1.25/kg net instead of €1/kg gross. This waste significantly impacts your actual food cost.
What if different cooks give varying portion sizes?
Your cost price calculations become meaningless without portion consistency. Use standard portion scoops or weigh plates randomly to verify accuracy. Train all staff on exact serving sizes.
📚 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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