Here's how you can effectively manage inventory and reduce food waste in the kitchen as a culinary manager.

Keeping track of inventory is the first step. Knowing what is coming and going in the first line of defense. Keeping control of what we’re using and how much we’re using

Maintain Par stock according to the use of ingredients on an average of 25%-30%. *Make physical inspection of the production area. *Do the inventory of the individual production area. *Implement the Menu Engineering and Standard recipes to know about the performance of each individual dish,By this method one may be able to find the ingredients utilisation flow. *Maintain FIFO and FEFO to curb the cost and waste.

Update changing costs of goods weekly, monthly. Be dilligent about watching employee waste and be on the lookout for employee theft.

one thing I found when running one of the Kitchens was the importance of understanding the relationship between your purchases and your sales. Having proper ordering guides based on sales trends and the relationship with your suppliers are crucial to your success in managing inventory. Your sales mix also comes into play. Ordering enough of the items that sells and less of the items that don't sell. Periodic adjustment of menu to allow for different offerings or substituting some ingredients with similar and less costly ones.Most importantly listen to what your clientele are saying about your food. The feedback they provide is also critical to you in managing your inventory.

*Ordering must be planned with the liaison of the Production area supervisor. *Do consider the footfall of the outlet. *Deal with a reputed supplier to avoid any quality compromise and request them to maintain the required supply chain whether it is perishable or dry .

Considering factors such as weather, sports events, holidays, and the like will help pinpoint more accurate numbers when ordering and prepping for business.

Order guides are your best friend, not only do they stop you from running out of an ingredient but also from being long in an ingredient. order guides when built properly are a living inventory. They help you watch your flow of usage and can control your spending.

Take your time. Get to know the menu & the general responses to the food. Talk to the chefs & servers. All these things will contribute to a more accurate & successful inventory stock

One of the most important to me and most times not paid attention to especially on the lines some never take the time to flip the pans etc

Portion control means for everything as you need to prepare daily production accordingly to your consumption, in this method you know what is daily consumption. Also has a best way to trained you newly hired. When all get to know about this then FIFO will automatically be there because your ordering will depend on your daily consumption.

It's extremely important to check dates, and prioritize the correct rotation of the inventory. So you can have an excellent knowledge of what you have and don't make crazy purchases

FIFO is one of those simple but crucial steps in any kitchen operation that could save money, waste, & possible food borne illnesses.

The First In, First Out (FIFO) method ensures that older inventory is used before newer stock. This helps in: 1. Reducing the likelihood of spoilage 2. Maintaining ingredient freshness 3. Ensuring quality in dishes

Portion control is another key step. Recipes are an exact and when we all follow the same recipes we create balance. Just like taste changes so to does the cost and lost. If one person uses a different amount of product it not only do they change the recipe but also the amount of ingredients thus changes the price

Training is given on regular intervals of time to the production staff. *Emphasis should be given on Mise-en-place. *Standardised recipe should be followed .

Portion control involves serving standard sizes to avoid overuse of ingredients. Techniques include: 1. Using standardized recipes and measurements 2. Training staff to follow portion guidelines 3. Using portion control tools like scoops, ladles, and scales

Standardised recipes should be always supervised as well the mise-en-place. Being on top of these 2 can assure the control of portions and reduce waste

Algo muy importante a la hora de dise?ar nuevos platos, es entregarle al personal y supervisores las fichas técnicas de cada uno, en las cuales especifica el gramaje exacto a utilizar. Para tener un control efectivo, hay que realizar testeos y auditorías como personal incognito cada una semana y verificar el peso de cada ingrediente. Para asegurar un buen control, es necesario capacitar constantemente al personal de cocina, sobre todo porque es un rubro con bastante rotación de personal.

Conducting regular waste audits helps identify where waste is occurring and how it can be reduced. This process involves: 1. Collecting and analyzing waste data 2. Identifying common waste items and causes 3. Implementing changes based on findings to minimize waste

I find it’s always things we can use prior ti being trashed or wasted. Also cutting down on the amount of product being used. Keeping a count on what and how much of said item is being wasted. Allows us to cook less or cutting down on waste.

Making sure not only chefs but your line is utilizing the waste log can be very crucial. Not only for inventory and recon but to make sure your team is using the best product to provide the best possible experience for the guest by maintaining quality of mise on station

Creative usage of ingredients means finding innovative ways to use all parts of an ingredient, reducing waste. This can be done by: 1. Creating specials using surplus or near-expiry ingredients 2. Repurposing scraps and trimmings in stocks, soups, or garnishes 3. Experimenting with new recipes that utilize overlooked parts of ingredients

When building your menus be aware of your high ticket items and write recipes that would utilize all aspects of these items. Keep a vegetable trimming bucket in the kitchen, when its full start a vegetable stock and utilize that aa a base for soups or sauces.

Creative usage not only shows you the full range of food but it helps you get the most out of your product. Any scraps can be turned into stocks & broths or even blended to make soups, sauces. Bread scraps can be turned into croutons. Creative usage adds dimensions to your food, promote waste management, & saves money

Include the team in controlling the waste, make a team competition, a fun no harm competition. When you include your staff in the win there is buy-in. When you have your team behind you and contributing to the success of the team is limitless.

Train your staff on the importance of eliminating food waste. Focusing not only on what can be done on every level to minimize it but also why it works. Also, encourage your staff to contribute new ideas and provide positive reinforcement when a staff member clearly makes an effort to minis waste. Teamwork makes the dream work!

One of the things that had noticed was the importance of team buy in. Are they invested? Are they harassing me on Monday morning, or at eom to know how we're doing numerically? True success is in the details, and my team was the foundation for my success.