Most restaurants track their protein costs religiously but completely ignore their sauces. While a €28 steak might seem profitable with an €8 protein cost, that pepper sauce, herb butter, and jus can silently push your food cost from 29% to 37%. The difference between profit and loss often hides in those seemingly insignificant spoonfuls.
Why sauces are often forgotten
A perfect steak costing €8 seems profitable at a selling price of €28. But have you included the pepper sauce, herb butter, jus and garnish? That extra €2.50 in sauces can push your food cost from 29% to 37%.
⚠️ Note:
Sauces seem cheap per liter, but per portion they add up fast. An expensive truffle sauce at €40/liter still costs €1.20 per 30ml portion.
Gather all sauce ingredients
List every single ingredient in your sauce, including the tiniest amounts. Salt, pepper, herbs and oil - they all count towards your final cost.
💡 Example: Pepper sauce (1 liter)
For 1 liter of pepper sauce you need:
- Heavy cream (500ml): €2.40
- Green peppercorns (50g): €1.80
- Cognac (100ml): €3.20
- Butter (100g): €1.20
- Beef stock (300ml): €1.80
- Salt, pepper, herbs: €0.40
Total cost price: €10.80 per liter
Calculate the cost price per portion
Divide the total cost by how many portions you'll get from the sauce. Measure your standard portion size first - don't guess!
From 1 liter of sauce you get roughly 25-30 portions of 35ml. At €10.80 per liter this becomes €10.80 ÷ 28 portions = €0.39 per portion.
💡 Example: Different portion sizes
- Small portion (25ml): €0.27
- Standard portion (35ml): €0.38
- Generous portion (50ml): €0.54
The difference between small and generous portions costs you €0.27 per plate. At 100 covers per day: €27 extra per day.
Add up all sauces for your dish
After managing kitchen operations for nearly a decade, I've seen too many chefs calculate their protein perfectly but forget they're serving three different sauces. A dish often has multiple sauces and garnishes - add them all up for the real sauce cost.
💡 Example: Complete steak
Steak with all sauces:
- Steak (200g): €8.00
- Pepper sauce (35ml): €0.38
- Herb butter (20g): €0.24
- Jus (30ml): €0.18
- Vegetables and potatoes: €1.80
Total cost price: €10.60
At €28.00 incl. VAT (€25.69 excl.): food cost of 41.3% - way too high!
Account for waste
Not every drop of sauce you make gets sold. Factor in 5-10% waste in your calculations.
At €0.38 per portion with 10% waste: €0.38 × 1.10 = €0.42 per portion.
Update prices regularly
Sauce ingredients like cream, butter, and alcohol fluctuate constantly. Check monthly to see if your sauce costs are still accurate.
⚠️ Note:
Alcohol and dairy can jump 20-30% in price without warning. Check your pepper sauce not just for taste, but for cost too.
How do you calculate the cost price of a sauce? (step by step)
Make an ingredient list with prices
Write down all ingredients with exact quantities and purchase prices. Don't forget herbs, salt or oil - they cost money too.
Calculate the total cost price of the sauce
Add up all ingredient costs. This gives you the cost price per liter or per batch you make.
Divide by the number of portions
Measure your standard portion size and calculate how many portions you get from one batch. Divide the total cost price by this number.
Factor in waste
Add 5-10% waste to your cost price per portion. Not all sauce you make actually gets sold.
✨ Pro tip
Weigh your sauce portions for 3 consecutive service days instead of relying on volume measurements. Most kitchens pour 20-30% more than they calculate, which means your real sauce costs are significantly higher than your spreadsheet shows.
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
Should I include cheap herbs and seasonings in my sauce calculations?
Yes - salt, pepper and herbs all count towards your total cost. They seem insignificant, but across hundreds of portions they add up fast. Budget roughly €0.10-0.40 per portion for seasoning and herbs.
How do I calculate costs for ready-made sauces I purchase?
Divide the purchase price by the number of portions in the container. A jar of hollandaise at €8.50 for 20 portions costs exactly €0.43 per portion. Don't forget to add 5-10% for waste.
What if my kitchen staff uses inconsistent portion sizes for sauces?
Calculate the cost per milliliter first, then multiply by your actual portion size. At €0.011 per ml, a 40ml portion costs €0.44. Train your staff to use consistent portions - the cost difference adds up quickly over hundreds of covers.
📚 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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