Recruiter's Glossary

Examples: Product Specification • Temperature Monitoring • Line Check

Food Cost

Term from Professional Cooking industry explained for recruiters

Food Cost is a crucial management skill in restaurants and food service businesses. It refers to how much money is spent on ingredients compared to the selling price of dishes. Think of it like a financial health check for restaurants - it helps determine if they're making money or losing it on their menu items. When someone mentions food cost on their resume, they're showing they understand the business side of running a kitchen, not just cooking. This skill is similar to inventory management or menu pricing, and you might also see it referred to as "food cost percentage" or "cost control."

Examples in Resumes

Reduced Food Cost from 35% to 28% through effective menu engineering and supplier negotiations

Managed kitchen operations with a focus on Food Cost control and waste reduction

Trained staff on Food Cost calculations and inventory management procedures

Typical job title: "Kitchen Managers"

Also try searching for:

Restaurant Manager Executive Chef Food and Beverage Manager Kitchen Supervisor Cost Controller Sous Chef Culinary Manager

Where to Find Kitchen Managers

Professional Associations

Online Communities

Job Boards

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you implement a food cost control system in a large restaurant operation?

Expected Answer: A strong answer should discuss setting up inventory tracking systems, training staff on portion control, negotiating with suppliers, regular cost analysis, and implementing waste reduction strategies. They should also mention how they would monitor and adjust these systems over time.

Q: How do you handle significant increases in ingredient costs while maintaining profitability?

Expected Answer: The candidate should discuss strategies like menu re-engineering, finding alternative suppliers, adjusting portion sizes, and possibly reformulating recipes, all while maintaining quality standards and customer satisfaction.

Mid Level Questions

Q: How do you calculate food cost percentage for a recipe?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain the basic formula: total cost of ingredients divided by selling price, multiplied by 100. Should also mention the importance of including all ingredients, even small items like seasonings.

Q: What steps would you take to reduce food waste in the kitchen?

Expected Answer: Should discuss proper storage techniques, inventory rotation, portion control, staff training, and creative use of trim and leftover ingredients in daily specials.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What is the ideal food cost percentage for a restaurant?

Expected Answer: Should know that typical food cost percentages range from 28-35% depending on the type of restaurant, and be able to explain why different establishments might have different targets.

Q: How do you properly store and rotate inventory to control food costs?

Expected Answer: Should be familiar with FIFO (First In, First Out) principles, proper storage temperatures, and basic inventory management practices.