Every dish must taste exactly the same, no matter who prepares it. Yet most restaurants lose money through inconsistent portioning while thinking they're being generous. The gap between what you plan and what actually leaves the kitchen can cost you thousands annually.
Why exact portions are so important
Your chef has a generous hand. Your sous chef keeps it tight. The result: the same carbonara costs €6.50 in ingredients one time, €8.20 the next. With 200 portions per week, that's €1,768 difference per year.
⚠️ Watch out:
"A little extra" seems nice for the guest, but eats into your profit. 20 grams extra pasta per plate costs €2,600 per year at an average restaurant.
Measure and weigh everything during development
Don't rely on feel. Use a kitchen scale and measuring cups. Every component of the dish needs an exact amount.
💡 Example: Pasta carbonara
Measure while preparing:
- Pasta (dry): 120 grams
- Bacon: 40 grams
- Egg: 1 whole egg + 1 yolk
- Parmesan: 25 grams
- Butter finish: 10 grams
Total portion weight: 195 grams + egg
Translate grams into kitchen tools
Your team won't weigh every portion. Translate exact grams into spoons, scoops and other tools your kitchen uses.
- Soup spoon: Test how many grams fit in your soup spoons (varies by brand)
- Ice cream scoop: Ideal for puree, risotto, pasta - measure the volume
- Measuring cup: For sauces and dressings
- Portion fork: For meat and fish - count the number of bites
💡 Example: Testing tools
Test your kitchen tools:
- Large soup spoon = 45 grams cooked pasta
- Ice cream scoop #16 = 60 grams puree
- Sauce bowl = 80ml sauce
- Meat fork = 180 grams steak
Now your team can portion consistently without a scale.
Create visual references for your team
Photos work better than text. Take photos of the correct portion size on the plate. This mistake alone costs the average restaurant EUR 200-400 per month - staff eyeballing portions instead of following documented standards.
- Photo of the empty plate with portion marking
- Photo of the plated dish (correct amount)
- Photo of common mistakes (too much/too little)
Check regularly and correct
Portions naturally "grow" if you don't monitor them. Schedule a weekly portion check into your routine.
💡 Example: Weekly portion check
Every Tuesday (slow day):
- Have 3 team members make the same dish
- Weigh all components
- Compare with standard recipe
- Correct where needed
This prevents portions from slowly getting bigger.
Document digitally for consistency
Paper recipes get lost or are misread. A digital system helps keep all portion information centralized, including photos and exact amounts per tool.
How do you set portions? (step by step)
Prepare the dish and measure everything
Make the dish the way you want to serve it. Weigh each component separately: main ingredient, garnish, sauce, oil. Write everything down in grams, even if it's just 5 grams of parsley.
Test your kitchen tools
Measure how many grams fit in your spoons, scoops and bowls. Every kitchen has different tools, so test yours. Write down: 1 soup spoon = X grams, 1 ice cream scoop = X grams.
Take photos as reference
Photograph the correctly portioned dish on the plate. Also take photos of common mistakes (too much/too little). Hang these in the kitchen as a visual guide for your team.
Train your team and check weekly
Teach your team the correct portions using photos and tools. Schedule a weekly portion check: have different people make the same dish and verify it's correct.
✨ Pro tip
Weigh your 5 most popular dishes during the next dinner rush - have someone secretly measure what actually goes out versus your recipe cards. You'll likely find 15-25% variance that needs immediate correction.
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
Do I really have to weigh everything, even small things like parsley?
Yes, small amounts add up. 5 grams extra parsley per plate costs €520 per year at an average restaurant. It's about the sum of all small deviations.
How often should I check if my team is using the correct portions?
At least once a week, preferably on a slow day. Portions tend to slowly get bigger if you don't monitor them. Weekly checks prevent this drift from happening.
What if my chef says guests appreciate generous portions?
Consistency is what guests appreciate most. One time a big portion, the next time small causes disappointment. Exact portions ensure every guest gets what they're paying for.
Can't I just tell my team to 'use common sense'?
Everyone has a different idea of 'common sense'. One person thinks 150 grams of pasta is normal, another thinks 200 grams. That 50-gram difference costs €1,300 per year.
Should I use the same scoop size for all my pasta dishes?
Not necessarily. Different pasta shapes have different densities and sauce requirements. A penne arrabbiata might need a #12 scoop while linguine carbonara works better with a #16 scoop.
How do I handle seasonal ingredients that vary in size?
Create weight ranges instead of exact counts. For example, 'medium tomatoes: 80-100g each' or '3-4 asparagus spears per portion depending on thickness'. Document the acceptable range clearly.
📚 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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