A chef recently told me they'd been guessing their pasta carbonara cost at €4.50 per portion for two years. After creating a digital recipe, the real cost was €6.20 - a massive €1.70 difference per plate.
Start with your bestsellers
Begin with the 3-5 dishes you sell most often. You know these recipes backwards, so you'll catch mistakes right away. And these dishes create your biggest profit impact.
💡 Example: Bistro De Eend
They started with their top 3 dishes:
- Steak (40 portions/week)
- Salmon (35 portions/week)
- Pasta carbonara (50 portions/week)
These 3 dishes account for 60% of their revenue. Getting accurate costs here gave them immediate control.
Choose recipes with few ingredients
A pasta carbonara with 6 ingredients wins over a complex stew every time. Fewer ingredients mean fewer errors and quicker setup.
- Smart choices: Steak, salmon, pasta, daily soup
- Complex dishes: Multi-step stews, elaborate sauces, amuses
- Skip initially: Buffet items, daily specials with changing ingredients
Focus on dishes with expensive main ingredients
A €8 steak portion needs more attention than €1.50 soup. With costly ingredients, you'll notice the gap between guesswork and reality much faster.
💡 Example: Steak cost price
Chef's guess: €9.50
Actual digital calculation:
- Steak 220g: €7.20
- Vegetables: €1.80
- Sauce: €1.20
- Garnish: €0.90
Total: €11.10 - €1.60 more per portion!
Test recipes you know by heart
Start with dishes your chef makes with eyes closed. Then you can check if your digital recipe matches kitchen reality. If quantities don't match up, something's off with your entry.
⚠️ Watch out:
Skip dishes that change daily (like leftover-based soups). They're too variable for solid testing.
Which recipes make ideal test cases?
The perfect test recipe has these traits:
- High volume: At least 15-20 portions weekly
- Consistent ingredients: No seasonal swaps or daily changes
- Precise portions: Exact grams, not "a handful of herbs"
- Significant food cost: Ingredients cost minimum €4-5 per portion
- Established preparation: Your chef's made it the same way for years
💡 Top 5 test case recipes:
- Steak with fries and salad
- Grilled salmon with vegetables
- Pasta carbonara
- Chicken satay with rice
- Caesar salad with chicken
These dishes sell consistently, have clear portions and include expensive ingredients.
What do you learn from these test cases?
Starting with simple, familiar recipes shows you:
- How accurate your cost guesses really were
- Where profit disappears (usually garnishes and sauces)
- If purchase prices are entered correctly
- How long recipe entry actually takes (often less than expected)
- If your team can work with digital recipes
From years of working in professional kitchens, I've seen that successful test cases create the confidence needed to digitize entire menus. But rushed attempts with complex recipes often fail after the first try.
How do you enter a test case recipe? (step by step)
Choose your first recipe
Pick your best-selling dish with clear ingredients. Count all ingredients that go on the plate, including oil, butter and garnish. Note the exact quantities as your chef uses them.
Gather all purchase prices
Look up the latest invoices for all ingredients. Convert to the right unit (per gram, per piece, per liter). Check whether you're noting the price including or excluding VAT - be consistent.
Enter everything and check
Type the recipe with exact quantities and prices. Have your chef make the recipe according to the digital instructions. Does the result match? If not, adjust the quantities until it's perfect.
✨ Pro tip
Track actual ingredient quantities for your top 3 sellers over 10 days before digitizing. These real measurements often differ dramatically from what you think the recipe contains.
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 many test case recipes should I start with?
Start with maximum 3-5 recipes. More becomes overwhelming and you'll learn the same lessons anyway. Focus on quality over quantity.
What if my chef can't follow the digital recipe?
You probably haven't included enough detail or wrote confusing instructions. Adjust the recipe until a new cook can execute it perfectly.
Do I need to document the preparation method digitally too?
Yes, especially for test cases. This prevents different cooks from making the dish differently. Consistency creates the foundation for reliable cost prices.
What if my cost price turns out much higher than expected?
That's exactly why you test! First verify all quantities and prices are correct. If they are, you'll need to adjust your selling price or optimize the recipe.
📚 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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