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sufficient to make the customer feel satisfied but not so much that the customer is overwhelmed by
food.
Too much food on a plate or in a serving can actually be very unappetising. It is also ineffective in
terms of cost to the restaurant.

Standard portion sizes enable the chef to determine raw material costs and to calculate the selling
price of dishes. They aid in determining what preparation must be completed before a service period.

Although many variables-time of year, weather, day of the week, special events - affect the
hospitality industry, you should be able to make reasonably accurate estimates concerning the
number of customers likely to patronise the enterprise at a given time.
Calculating commodities

The menu items offered, the type of service provided to patrons, the portion sizes agreed upon in
your establishment, the standard recipes, and the forecast numbers of customers will determine the
products and the amount of product to be purchased.

A chef has a wide range of commodities on which to base menu design. Part of the chef's role is to
determine what is to be used for specific menu items and to ensure that appropriate cookery
methods are applied. To produce quality food for customers, purchase high quality produce at a cost
that meets the requirements of the establishment; that is, allows for a nominated profit margin.
In many instances the chef and the kitchen staff will refer to standard recipes (recipe cards) to
determine the correct quantities and ratios of product that will be required.
If it is necessary to produce food in smaller or greater quantities than the standard recipe yield,
appropriate adjustments must be made.
Commercial kitchens to ensure that food is correctly use standard recipes:

• costed
• prepared

• ordered
• cooked

• stored
• portioned

• served
Recipes provide the basic information on preparation, cookery and service of dishes.

They include a range of information, which includes:
• name of the dish

• ingredient list in sequential order
• exact quantities for each ingredient

• method of preparation
• preparation time

• method of cooking
• cooking time

• portion yield