Team members who don't grasp food costs can quietly drain €200-400 monthly from your restaurant's profits. New hires might execute recipes perfectly but have zero understanding of why a dish must cost €12.50. Here's how to spot number-blind staff before they damage your bottom line.
Week 1: Test basic knowledge without pressure
Skip the formal exam approach. Test knowledge during regular prep work. Ask casually: "What d'you reckon this carbonara portion costs us in ingredients?" Notice whether they attempt an estimate or immediately surrender with "no clue."
💡 Example test during prep:
You: "We're making 50 portions of risotto tonight. What do you think that costs us in rice?"
Good answer: "Hmm... 200 grams per person, so 10 kilos. Rice costs €3 per kilo, so about €30?"
Bad answer: "I don't know, just some rice right?"
Week 2: Let them calculate themselves
Hand them a straightforward task: calculate one familiar dish's cost price. Provide the ingredient list and purchase prices. Check if they:
- Include all ingredients (including salt, oil, garnish)
- Use the correct quantities per portion
- Can add up to a total amount
- Understand that this is not yet the selling price
⚠️ Watch out:
Someone who forgets oil, butter, and garnish typically misses 10-20% of the actual cost price. That's the exact mistake that costs the average restaurant EUR 200-400 per month when staff later modify recipes independently.
Week 3: Test food cost understanding
Now things get serious. Explain that a dish with €8 in ingredients sells for €28. Ask: "What's the food cost?" The correct answer is:
💡 Correct calculation:
- Selling price excl. VAT: €28 ÷ 1.09 = €25.69
- Food cost: (€8 ÷ €25.69) × 100 = 31.1%
If they say €8 ÷ €28 = 28.6%, they're calculating wrong (with VAT).
Also test reverse thinking: "We want 30% food cost. Ingredients cost €9. What should the minimum selling price be?" Answer: €9 ÷ 0.30 = €30 excl. VAT = €32.70 incl. VAT.
Week 4: Discuss real situations
Present actual scenarios from your kitchen:
- "Our supplier's raising beef by 15%. What does that mean for our steak?"
- "Yesterday we threw away 3 kilos of vegetables. What does that cost us?"
- "This week we sold 200 pastas. How much profit did we make on them?"
💡 Practical test:
Situation: Salmon rises from €18/kg to €22/kg. Your salmon fillet has 45% trim loss.
Question: "What becomes the new fillet price?"
Answer: €22 ÷ 0.55 = €40/kg (was €32.73/kg)
Signs that someone doesn't get it
Watch for these red flags:
- Always responds "I don't know" when asked about numbers
- Calculates food cost using VAT-inclusive prices
- Systematically forgets small ingredients (spices, oil)
- Thinks cost price equals selling price
- Has no feel for proportions (suggests €50 cost on a €30 dish)
How to teach it without stress
Don't turn this into punishment. Explain the importance: "Later, when you adjust recipes, you'll need to know if they're still profitable." Use real examples from your kitchen rather than abstract math problems.
⚠️ Watch out:
Someone who can't grasp food cost calculations after 4 weeks probably won't ever work cost-consciously. Consider whether this person suits an independent kitchen role.
Tools like KitchenNmbrs handle all calculations automatically. But your team still needs to understand what those numbers mean and why they matter.
How do you test number skills in 4 weeks?
Week 1: Informal testing during work
Ask during prep for cost price estimates. Test whether they think about costs at all or only about quantities. No pressure, just see where they stand.
Week 2-3: Let them calculate themselves
Give assignment: calculate cost price of one familiar dish. Check if they include all ingredients and can add them up. Then test food cost understanding with concrete examples.
Week 4: Discuss real situations
Discuss price increases, waste, and profit calculations from your own kitchen. See if they connect theory to practice. Decide if they're ready for more responsibility.
✨ Pro tip
Within the first 10 days, ask new hires to estimate costs on 3 different dishes during prep. Someone who shows genuine curiosity about pricing and asks follow-up questions will master the numbers faster than those who treat it as boring homework.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
Was this article helpful?
Frequently asked questions
What if someone can cook well but struggles with numbers?
That's perfectly fine for execution tasks, but not for leadership roles. Let this person follow recipes exactly, but assign cost price responsibility to someone else.
How much time should I invest in this training?
About 15 minutes per week per person. Do it during normal work, not separate sessions. It shouldn't require extra time beyond regular operations.
Do I need to make them memorize formulas?
No, understanding what food cost means matters more than memorizing formulas. They should estimate whether something's expensive or cheap. They can always look up exact calculations later.
What if they still don't understand after 4 weeks?
Then they're probably not suitable for independent kitchen tasks. Keep them on execution work or find someone else for positions requiring financial responsibility.
Should I test experienced chefs this way too?
Absolutely. Many experienced chefs cook beautifully but know nothing about cost prices. Test this before giving them any financial responsibilities in your kitchen.
How do I handle someone who gets defensive about number questions?
Explain it's not about intelligence, but about protecting the business. Frame it as learning a new skill, like mastering a sauce technique.
📚 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.
Give your team insight into the numbers
When your team understands what dishes cost, their behavior changes. KitchenNmbrs makes food cost visible to everyone in the kitchen. Start your free trial.
Start free trial →