Cost Control
Cost Control is a fundamental skill in professional kitchens that involves managing and monitoring food expenses, labor costs, and other resources to maintain a profitable restaurant or food service operation. It's like keeping track of a household budget, but for a professional kitchen. Chefs and kitchen managers use this approach to make sure they're not spending more money than necessary on ingredients, reduce waste, and maintain consistent profit margins on their menu items. This includes tracking inventory, planning menus wisely, and making smart purchasing decisions. It's sometimes called "food cost management" or "kitchen expense management."
Examples in Resumes
Implemented Cost Control measures that reduced food waste by 25%
Managed kitchen Cost Control systems for a 200-seat restaurant
Developed Cost Control procedures and trained staff in expense management
Improved profitability through Cost Control and Food Cost management
Typical job title: "Kitchen Cost Controllers"
Also try searching for:
Where to Find Kitchen Cost Controllers
Professional Associations
Online Communities
Job Resources
Example Interview Questions
Senior Level Questions
Q: How would you develop and implement a cost control system for a new restaurant?
Expected Answer: A strong answer should cover creating inventory tracking systems, setting up supplier relationships, training staff on portion control, implementing waste tracking, and establishing regular financial review processes.
Q: How do you handle significant increases in food costs while maintaining menu prices?
Expected Answer: Should discuss strategies like menu engineering, finding alternative suppliers, adjusting portion sizes, reducing waste, and possibly reformulating recipes without compromising quality.
Mid Level Questions
Q: What methods do you use to track and reduce food waste?
Expected Answer: Should mention daily waste logs, staff training on proper storage, inventory rotation, proper portioning, and using trim and scraps creatively in other dishes.
Q: How do you calculate and maintain target food cost percentages?
Expected Answer: Should explain basic food cost calculation methods, portion control, inventory management, and regular price analysis of ingredients versus menu prices.
Junior Level Questions
Q: What is the importance of portion control in cost management?
Expected Answer: Should explain how consistent portions help maintain food costs, customer satisfaction, and profitability, mentioning use of scales and measuring tools.
Q: How do you properly receive and store food deliveries?
Expected Answer: Should discuss checking delivery quantities and quality, proper storage temperatures, FIFO (First In, First Out) method, and basic inventory management.
Experience Level Indicators
Junior (0-2 years)
- Basic food cost calculations
- Inventory counting and recording
- Understanding portion control
- Basic budget reading
Mid (2-5 years)
- Menu costing and pricing
- Inventory management systems
- Staff training on cost control
- Supplier relationship management
Senior (5+ years)
- Full budget management
- Cost control system development
- Financial reporting and analysis
- Strategic planning and forecasting
Red Flags to Watch For
- No experience with inventory management
- Unable to perform basic food cost calculations
- No knowledge of portion control methods
- Lack of experience with budget management
- Poor understanding of waste tracking
Related Terms
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