Last month, a sous chef saved his restaurant €4,800 annually by calculating a simple pasta portion adjustment. Numbers transform cooks into business partners. Here's how you develop that analytical mindset in your kitchen team.
Why numerical scenarios matter
A sous chef who only follows recipes is just another pair of hands. But one who calculates possibilities? That's your future business partner. The magic happens when they start asking "what if" and can crunch the numbers themselves.
💡 Example scenario:
"What if our supplier raises the price of beef by 20%?"
- Current beef purchase: €18/kg
- New price: €21.60/kg
- Difference per steak (250g): €0.90
- At 40 steaks/week: €1,872 extra costs/year
Conclusion: Raise menu price or find different meat?
Start with simple 'what if' questions
Don't overwhelm them with complex scenarios right away. Build their confidence with straightforward calculations they can actually solve.
- Price changes: "What if ingredient X becomes 15% more expensive?"
- Portion changes: "What if we use 20 grams less meat per plate?"
- Volume changes: "What if we get 30% more guests on Friday?"
- Menu changes: "What if we remove this dish?"
Give him the right tools and data
You can't expect scenario planning without providing the raw materials. Most kitchen managers discover too late that their team was making blind decisions simply because they didn't have access to basic cost data.
⚠️ Note:
Numbers without context are meaningless. A food cost of 32% means nothing if they don't know your target is 28%.
Essential data your sous chef needs:
- Purchase prices per ingredient
- Food cost percentage per dish
- Sales figures per dish (popularity)
- Total weekly revenue and number of covers
- Waste percentages
Have him present scenarios
Calculation is just step one. The real value comes from presenting findings and making recommendations. Make this a regular part of your weekly check-ins.
💡 Practical example:
Sous chef: "I've calculated what happens if we adjust our pasta carbonara:"
- Current food cost: 34% (too high)
- If we use 20g less pancetta: 29%
- Savings per portion: €1.20
- At 60 portions/week: €3,744 savings/year
"My proposal: test for 2 weeks with less pancetta and see if guests notice."
Reward numerical thinking
Behavior you acknowledge gets repeated. Show genuine interest in their calculations, even if they're not perfect yet.
- Discuss his calculations seriously
- Implement good suggestions
- Give feedback on his calculations
- Share results if the scenario was successful
Use digital tools for speed
Manual calculations slow everything down and introduce errors. Tools like KitchenNmbrs let your sous chef test scenarios quickly without getting lost in spreadsheets.
⚠️ Note:
A tool is only useful if your sous chef actually uses it. Train him in how to use it and check that he keeps using it.
How do you train scenario thinking? (step by step)
Start with one concrete scenario per week
Give your sous chef one 'what if' question to calculate each week. Start simple: what happens to food cost if ingredient X becomes 10% more expensive? Let him calculate it himself and draw conclusions.
Give access to all necessary numbers
Make sure your sous chef can see purchase prices, food cost percentages, and sales figures. Without data, he can't create scenarios. Also explain what normal percentages are (food cost under 35%, etc.).
Have him present scenarios in your meeting
Make it part of your weekly discussion. Ask: what have you calculated? What do you propose? Why? Discuss his calculations seriously and implement good suggestions.
✨ Pro tip
Have your sous chef calculate three different supplier scenarios every 6 weeks - current supplier, backup option, and premium alternative. This builds their confidence with real-world comparisons they can actually implement.
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
What if my sous chef isn't good with numbers?
Start very simple with one calculation per week. Use a calculator or app so he doesn't have to calculate manually. Focus first on understanding the logic, the technique comes later.
Which scenarios are most important to practice?
Start with price changes of your main ingredients and portion adjustments. These are the scenarios that happen most often and have the biggest impact on your profitability.
What if his calculations are wrong?
That's part of the learning process. Check his work, explain where it went wrong, and have him do it again. Better a mistake in practice than an expensive error in reality.
Should I give him access to all financial figures?
He needs purchase prices, food cost percentages, and sales figures to create scenarios. You don't need to share your complete P&L, but do share the operational figures relevant to the kitchen.
📚 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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