One of the biggest goals many restaurants face is getting the most out of their ingredients in order to reduce wastage and boost profits. Here are 3 ideas that can help you do just that.
1. Reduce food wastage
Throwing away usable ingredients is a big sin in the kitchen. Not only is it unethical, but you’re also shaving off valuable dollars from your profit margin in the long run. To cut down on food wastage, you should:
- Learn how to measure and portion out a standardised weight of ingredients per dish.
- Communicate with the front-of-house to anticipate the number of reservations and walk-ins in advance.
- Create an amuse-bouche or a taster portion to give away to your guests if you have extra ingredients available. This goodwill goes a long way in the mind of the customer.
2. Keep your menu small
Contrary to popular opinion, having a large menu doesn’t increase sales. Instead, offer your guests a streamlined, well-thought-out menu, and chances are that they’ll be clearer about what to order. Focus on developing each of those menu items to the best of your abilities. You’ll be surprised how far that takes you!
3. Keep your menu flexible
Change is always welcome in a restaurant. While that doesn’t mean striking off your signature dishes, it does mean that chefs should always be thinking about introducing new and exciting dishes to the menu. Before you decide to go for a big revamp, gently introduce these dishes as specials to gauge how your guests feel about them.
