The Ingredient Process

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