MENU PLANNING AND COSTING

Unit Objectives

1. Describe the different types of menus

2. Measure ingredients and portions
3. Discuss the structure and functions of standardized recipes
4. Convert recipes to higher and lower yields
5. Perform yield cost analysis
6. Calculate raw food costs
7. Explain the principles of receiving, storage and inventory control

MENUS AND MEALS

 A menu is a bill of fare

 A menu is a sales tool that informs the customer what is offered in the catering
establishments and also informs the chef what to prepare for the customer.
 The main aim of food menu or beverage list is to inform customers in a clear way of what
is available for them.
 A menu is a combination of various dishes offered for sale. The dishes are prepared using
recipes.

Different types of institutions have different menu offerings. E.g hotels, hospitals, employee food
service, catering, banquet, fast-food and take out, full service restaurants and pubs.

A menu will offer different kinds of meals. E.g static and cyclic menus, A’ la carte and table
d’hote menus, prix fixe menus, beverage menus among many others

Before planning a menu, there are a variety of considerations one should make. For instance, the
variety and balance:- flavors, textures, appearance and nutritional balance. Below is a list.

FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN COMPILING A MENU

1. The meals must be planned according to the material and human resources available.
2. The kitchen facilities and layout together with the service area
3. Availability of capital for food
4. Competition from neighboring restaurants with regards to prices and quality
5. Type of customers e.g. occupation, age, sex, socio-economic status and nutritional needs
of the customers
6. Spending power of customers
7. Occasions e.g. birthdays, anniversaries, holidays
8. Storage space of raw materials
Terms related to menu planning:

 Fresh
 Imported
 Homemade
 Organic

RECIPES

A recipe is a set of instructions for the production of a certain dish. It often contain information
such as method of cooking, quantities and portioning.

Standardized recipes

A standard recipe is an agreed recipe for a particular dish for a given establishment. It often
produces a known food quality of a given quantity.

The advantages of using a standardized recipes include;-

 Ensures product quality

 It proofs a consistency in menu planning
 Provides supporting documentation to show meal patterns
 It enables easier control of food costs
 Ensures same quality results can be produced in each period

A standardized recipe specifies:-

 The type and amount of each ingredient

 Preparation and cooking procedures
 Yields and portion size

An instructional recipe is used to teach the basics of cooking. It is therefore structured differently
form a standardized recipe.

An instructional recipe contains details such as:-

1. Instructions for preparation- to help the student understand the cooking technique
2. Variations and optional ingredients- to help one develop a pattern for different foods

The importance of using recipes is to help one follow through the correct cooking method, use
the right cooking times, understand the characteristics of ingredients and their functions etc.

ORGANIZING A MENU

1. Cold and warm dishes are listed separately

 2. Appetizers, soups, sea foods and main courses are listed in separate groups
3. In every group the lighter dishes are listed before the richer dishes\salads should be
highlighted i.e. should be given special consideration/noted
4. When offering low calorie foods, they should be indicated and the no. of calories should
be indicated.
5. Every dish should be described clearly
6. The dessert should be listed on a separate part

MENU CONTENT

1. Language
The language used must keep with the type of operation.
Many people use the national language of the country thus discriminating other people.

2. Accuracy
The basic requirement of all menus is that when seen by customer, they should be
accurate as far as pricing and availability is concerned, also with correct selling and the
description of dishes and drinks.
3. Pricing
The correct price for all food menus and restaurant list is very important to the success of
the operation.
4. Sales mix
The term sales mix refers to the composition of the total sales as between the main
component such as food and beverages and also within component to items like soup,
appetizer.

STRUCTURE OF MENUS
1. Length
Then number of dishes on a menu should offer the customer an interesting and varied
choice. In general, it is better to offer fewer dishes of good standard than a long list of
bad standard.
2. Design
This should complement the image of the dining room and designed to allow for changes.
The design makes customers interested with the purchasing of the food
3. Presentation
Ensure the menu is presented in a sensible and welcoming way.
Customers should feel relaxed and easy when dealing with the menu.
The menu should be clean, neat, if possible laminated in a card form.
Menus should be easy to handle and pleasant.
4. Language
 Accuracy in use of language is important if a foreign dish name is used, then follow it
with a clear English language.
Avoid elaborate and flowery choice of words.

TYPES OF MENUS

Table d’hôte

This is a menu forming a meal usually of two or three or more courses at a set price.

A choice of dishes may be offered at all courses.

Characteristics

1. It is a limited choice menu

2. The selling price is fixed
3. Food is usually available at a set time
4. It is a restricted menu
5. It offers small number of courses usually two, three or four.

NOTE:

This type of menu usually contains popular types of dishes and it is easier to control because
the set price is fixed for whatever the customer chooses.

Table d’hôte menu can be offered for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

HILTON HOTEL

Potato Soup

Croissants

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Beef Stew

Fried Irio (Mukimo)

Steamed Spinach

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Vanilla Cake

lemon sauce
 500/=

A’LA CARTE MENU

This is a menu with all dishes individually priced.

The customers can therefore compile their own menu which may be one or two or more courses.

The two a’la carte dish should be cooked by order and the customers should be ready to wait.

Characteristics

 It is a large menu than Table d’hôte and offering greater choice

 All dishes are prepared on order
 Each dish is priced separately
 The choice is more extensive and expensive
 Contains high cost seasonal foods
 It lists down the heading of the courses of the dishes that may be prepared by the
establishment.

Other types of menus

1. Buffet menu
2. Special party or function menu
3. Specialty or ethnic
4. Hospital menu
5. Menu for people at work
6. Children’s menu
7. Cyclical menus

1. Buffet menu

This is a popular option in a hotel, restaurant, club, where a large number of guests are expected.

Buffet may be used for breakfast, lunch, for dinner

Buffets may be cold or hot or a combination of both of them served on a self service basis.

2. Special parties or function menu

These consists of two or three courses chosen by the host of the event e.g. wedding, business
functions, birthday parties, anniversary parties

The host or organizer will pay a set price per head and the menu is planned in advance.

8. Specialty or ethnic menu

These are dishes individually priced specializing in the food of a certain country or religion or in
a certain food e.g. Chinese, Indian, African, Italian and others.

3. Hospital menu

These are usually forms of menu cards given to patients the day before the service, so that they
can choose these preferences by ticking.

4. Menu for people at work

This is menu served to people at their places of work; such menus vary at standards, extends
from one employer to another due to the companies policy.

5. Children menu

In schools, emphasis is made on healthy eating or a balanced diet.

Children of various cultural and religious backgrounds have appropriate items available on the
menu.

Many establishments provide special children menu that concentrate on favorite foods and offers
suitable seized portions.

6. Cyclical menu

These are series of table d’hôte menu e.g. for three weeks, one week, one month; these menus
are repeated again and again for a set period of time.

It’s mostly used in schools, hospitals and industrial catering.

The menus change to ensure optimum nutrition as well as offering a variety of foods.

7. Du Jour Menu

This kind of menu looks on items of the day and changes every day.

These are special menus that focus on seasonal items mostly they are normally referred to as a
chalkboard menu.

It is because they are normally written depending on a special day on a board.

A meal is food that contains proteins, starch, vegetables that is taken a specific time of the day
e.g morning, lunch and evening.

A meal should have a complete nutritional contents and it can be of more courses.

A course is a specific set of food items that are served together during a meal at the same time.

Common mistakes in menus

1. Missing information
2. Incorrect information recorded
3. Portion sizes not quantified
4. Missing condiments
5. Missing daily items
6. Not legible
7. Poor nutritional balance
8. Repetition of items or terms
9. Inconsistent menu in terms of quantities and nutrient content

Common sequence of a course

1. Appetizers

This is the first course of a meal served in small portions because more courses follow and
therefore the appetizers stimulate the appetite for the next course.

2. Salad course

This is sometimes served in addition to an appetizer, sometimes it is the appetizer.

A salad helps in digestion and prepares appetite for the main meal.

3. Soup course

This is served in addition or as an appetizer itself

Soups may either be clear soups, thickened soups or cream soup.

4. Main course

It consists of the largest portion of the meal in many cases it consists of body building foods,
energy giving foods and vitamins.

5. Dessert course
This is the final course and often the one people look forward to.

Usually something sweet designed to round off or round out the meal which is savory food.

Classical sequences of menus

This format is used to lay out menus as well as to indicate the order of various courses.

Although the actual number of courses on a menu or dishes within each other course will depend
on the size or class of the hotel.

This sequence is as follows:

1. Horse d’oeuvers
2. Soups (Potages)
3. Egg dishes (Ouefs)
4. Pasta and rice (Farineux)
5. Fish (Poisson)
6. Entrée
7. Releve
8. Sorbet
9. Roast
10. Vegetables
11. Salads
12. Cold buffet
13. Cheese
14. Savory
15. Sweets
16. Fruits dessert
17. Beverages

1. Horse d’oeuvers

These are appetizers or dishes served before a meal

Traditionally this dish consists of a variety of salads and also it includes items such as muses,
fruits and others.

2. Soups

These include all soups both hot and cold

3. Egg dishes
There are different types of egg dishes e.g. omelet, fried eggs, poached eggs, scrambled and
others.

4. Pasta and rice

These include all pastas and rice dishes and also it can be referred to as farineous dishes.

5. Fish

These consist of fish dishes such as smoked salmons, baked pronos and other sea food served in
the course of the meal.

6. Entrée

These are generally small well garnished dishes which come from the kitchen ready for service.

They are usually accompanied by rich sauce or gravy.

Potatoes and vegetables are not usually served within this course. If this is the main course it is
usual for the potatoes and vegetables to be offered e.g. Noisetle (small cuts of meat from the rib
of a lamb, Tournedos, fillet, steak cut in round.

7. Sorbet

These are served to give a pause within a meal, allowing for appetite for the next course.

They are likely frozen water ice based on unsweetened fruit juice maybe served with a spirit or
liquor or champagne poured over it.

8. Releve

This refers to the main roast or other large joints which could be served with potatoes and
vegetables; it is the main meat dish.

9. Roast

This term refers to roasted game

10. Vegetables

These are vegetables served as separate course e.g. French beans, carrots

11. Salad

This refers to a small plate of salad taken after the main course it is simply a green salad
 12. Cold buffet

This course includes a variety of cold meat, cheese eggs with a range of salad and dressings.

13. Cheese

This includes various cheese accompaniments e.g. biscuits, bread, grapes or apples.

14. Savory

It is taken at the beginning or end of a meal e.g. pastries, items on toast.

15. Sweets

This refers to both hot and cold pudding

Puddings may either be sweet foods served after the main meal.

16. Fruits

This can be fresh fruits or nuts

17. Beverages

Traditionally, this refers to coffee but nowadays we include tea of different types e.g. lemon tea

Beverages are not counted as a course but as an addition

Note:

These classis sequences also provide the guide for the completion of A’la Carte and Table Menu.

The simplest course comprise of four that is the starter, main course, dessert then beverages.