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How to Manage Food Costing in the Catering and Restaurant Industry

Develop your food costing skills and learn how to improve your food ordering systems and kitchen management.

A calculator that reads 'Cost' with a pen next to it over a document displaying a blue pie chart, a table and a graph.
The CPD Certification Service

The CPD Certification Service was established in 1996 and is the leading independent CPD accreditation institution operating across industry sectors to complement the CPD policies of professional and academic bodies. Find out more.

Investigate the costs associated with production in the food industry

Controlling costs in catering is an essential skill to ensure a kitchen runs profitably.

On this two-week course, you’ll learn the fundamentals of cost management in restaurants and catering businesses and discover how to improve your current processes using the financial knowledge you’ve gained.

Learn the principles of cost control in the food service industry

A sound knowledge of costing terminology is vital to ensure you can operate your kitchen effectively, from ordering stock to pricing menu items.

On this course, you’ll be introduced to various financial and operational terms used within food costing processes. This will allow you to understand the elements of food costing and optimise functionality in your management system.

Examine how to manage food production costs with standardised recipes and portion control

By understanding where costs can be controlled, you’ll discover methods of managing your overheads including portion controls and standardising recipes.

With these skills, you’ll be able to reduce waste and add consistency to your inventory controls.

Explore how elements of food costing affect net and gross profit margins

Throughout this course, you’ll discover how accurate food costing impacts processes from stock management and ordering systems, to calculating selling prices.

With your knowledge of the costing processes at each step of production, you’ll be able to analyse your profits and assess where changes can be made to increase profitability going forward.

By the end of this course, you’ll have a foundational knowledge of the various costs associated with food production in the catering industry. You’ll be comfortable calculating costs and analysing where processes can be optimised to reduce overheads and improve profitability.

What topics will you cover?

  • Principles of food costing and control.
  • Standardised recipes.
  • Portion Control.
  • Food ordering systems and inventory.
  • Costs in catering.
  • Apply calculations used in catering.

Who is this accredited by?

The CPD Certification Service
The CPD Certification Service:

The CPD Certification Service was established in 1996 and is the leading independent CPD accreditation institution operating across industry sectors to complement the CPD policies of professional and academic bodies.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Explain the elements of costs associated with producing food.
  • Explain food costing principles and terminology.
  • Perform basic food costing calculations.
  • Calculate the cost and selling price of dishes.

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for chefs, kitchen managers, and chefs in training who want to improve their food costing skills.

What software or tools do you need?

Calculator and a computer with Excel

Who will you learn with?

Career Highlights
Catered for Nelson Mandela
Dignatries in Germany
Competition judge
Banqueting large function organization
Managed large team of chefs
Culinary team chef
Teaching and educating chefs

Who developed the course?

International Culinary Studio

International Culinary Studio offers quality education online from any kitchen.

What's included?

This is a premium course. These courses are designed for professionals from specific industries looking to learn with a smaller group of like-minded individuals.

  • Unlimited access to this course
  • Includes any articles, videos, peer reviews and quizzes
  • Certificate of Achievement to prove your success when you're eligible
  • Download and print your Certificate of Achievement anytime

Still want to know more? Check out our FAQs

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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Get a taste of this course

Find out what this course is like by previewing some of the course steps before you join:

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