1. The Ingredient Process
Chapter 6

2. Objectives
Identify the various considerations made when planning a menu
Define standardized recipes
Explain the purpose of product specifications
Illustrate the considerations made in conducting quality analysis

3. Objectives (cont’d.) Summarize the ABC analysis method
Describe how yield cost analyses are performed
Evaluate the use of convenience foods, and the concept of make-or-buy analysis
Explain the use of buyers’ blind tests

4. Planning the Menu
Creating the menu is one of the first activities to be completed
Considerations for planning
Target markets
Consumer demand
Required contribution margins
Menu items must meet required profit margins

5. Planning the Menu (cont’d.)
Considerations for planning (cont’d.)
Available staffing and skills
Seasonality and availability of foodstuffs
Available equipment and facilities
Preferences of chefs, owners, and operators

6. Market Research Methodically gathering data
Can help owners and managers make decisions about recipes
Can be used for potential ingredients, customers or suppliers
If market research indicates a menu item will not be popular or ingredients are unavailable, it should be dropped

7. Recipe Development
Chef or kitchen manager must meet customer and profitability needs
Other needs to consider when developing recipes
Cross-utilization of product due to limited storage space
Dishware or ingredient limitations

8. Cross-Utilization
Both raw and prepared foods used in multiple fashions
Helps reduce inventory
Streamlines production
Decreases overall procurement costs

9. Writing Standardized Recipes
Measured use of tightly specified ingredients prepared consistently
Ensures regularity in cost, preparation, appearance, taste, and yield
Information in standardized recipes
ID code, name, ingredients, weights and measures, directions, yield, portion size, and cost metrics

10. Identifying Product Needs
After menu creation and recipes are written, identify ingredients
Determine possible cross-use in the menu
Lay groundwork for writing ingredient specifications
Ingredients are categorized by product type

11. The ABC Analysis Type of inventory analysis
Designed to increase the number of turns
Number of times in a week or month that a food item is used up
Goal: to minimize shelf inventory
“A” items are most expensive or crucial to business menu and concept
Steakhouse example: a steak

12. The ABC Analysis (cont’d.)
“B” items are mid-priced inventory items
Steakhouse example: a baked potato
“C” items are the cheapest
Steakhouse example: a straw
By actively managing “A” items, total cost of purchases can be decreased

13. Product Evaluation and Selection
Chefs and buyers must find best available products
To stay competitive
Types of product analysis
Quality analysis, value analysis, make-or-buy analysis, and yield cost analysis

14. Quality Analysis Ways to measure ingredient quality
Nutrition and health value
Freshness
Appearance
Aroma
Taste and texture
Consistency

15. Quality Analysis (cont’d.)
Blind tests (can cuttings)
Compare similar items from competing suppliers
Labels removed
Product should be from cans of similar size
Evaluation methods include drained weight tests; count and size test; and taste, texture, and appearance test

16. Value Analysis Relationship between price and quality
Once quality assessment has been conducted, prices are taken into account to determine relative value

17. Make-or-Buy Analysis
Decision to make own products or purchase from an outside source
Consider sourcing of ingredients and in what state of preparedness they are purchased
Convenience foods are pre-prepared
Growth seen in every product category

18. Yield Cost Analysis
Purpose is to determine the edible portion cost (EPC)
Depends on purchase price of ingredients and edible yield (amount of usable product available after processing)
To calculate: divide as purchased cost (APC) by the edible portion (EP) weight

19. Yield Cost Analysis (cont’d.)
Butcher’s yield test
Evaluates the cost of staff cutting their own portions or buying the product pre-portioned
Reveals three important cost considerations: yield percentage, the EP cost, and the cost factor multiplier

20. Writing Product Specifications
Ensures quality standards are met
Three forms of product specifications
Internal
Includes portion size, preparation, and presentation directions
External
Clearly describe products to purveyors

21. Writing Product Specifications (cont’d.)
Three forms of product specifications (cont’d.)
General conditions
Describes business considerations such as delivery times and locations, billing instructions, and related information

22. The Specification Form
Information included on the form
Generic product name
Product specification reference guide code
Brand name
Supplier catalog code
Intended use of product
Packaging and market form

23. The Specification Form (cont’d.)
Information (cont’d.)
Size
Acceptable trim
Grade and color
Place of origin
Acceptable substitutes
Price limitations

24. Summary Planning the menu precedes developing the recipe
Many factors involved in each
Both may use market research to assist
Cross-utilization of ingredients decreases overall procurement costs
ABC analysis used to manage inventory

25. Summary (cont’d.)
Several types of product analysis exist to help make decisions on ingredients or suppliers
Product specifications are important in obtaining consistent ingredients
Three types of specifications: internal, external, and general conditions