In the catering industry, food waste can eat a big hole into your profits.
Correctly storing and labelling stock and emphasising the need for strict procedures during food prep should help reduce wasted cash.
There may be legal requirements at stake too. You must be sure you're following the correct procedures to prevent jeopardising your kitchen, as well as your profitability.
Clear, Simple Habits
Use a first in, first out, rotation technique.
This is quite simple: use the oldest stock first. When a new delivery comes in, store it to the rear of existing stock. This stock should have a longer period of time till the use by date. As stock is taken from the front, it's replenished at the back - existing stock is brought forward and so forth.
Use correct labelling and storage containers.
When storing opened stock, correctly store ingredients in a sturdy airtight container with comprehensive details on a sticky label. These details should include the date of first opening, the time stored, the use by date and the ingredients of the container. Using a colour coded system can sometimes prove to be a useful method of reducing food waste.
You can find a wide range of food storage containers here.
Tutor staff on how to reduce waste during prep and cooking processes.
Take the simple action of peeling a potato. Done efficiently, there shouldn’t be a noticeable difference between the size of the potato with skin and the size after peeling.
However, peel too much, and you could be throwing a quarter of a potato directly into the bin - losing potential profits. The same rule applies to all vegetables or fruit.
Obviously time and care also needs to be taken when cooking meats.
In a fast-paced commercial kitchen, your chef may occasionally ‘drop the ball’. However, too many mistakes can dramatically eat into your profits. For example, if a steak is ordered to be cooked rare, the chef loses focus and the meat reaches the customer well done the steak will be returned and a fresh one prepared - with the original thrown away as waste. You should view your stock and products as potential money and give the care and attention that you would give if it were notes and coins.
Legal Requirements
Be sure your business is adhering to your local laws regarding food waste and disposal.
For more information, visit https://www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/caterers/food-hygiene/food-waste
Save your business from literally throwing profits into the rubbish by implementing a few simple techniques and enforcing a set of easy rules to be adhered to.