JUNE 26, 2007

Feature Column: Chef LaLa
Don't Throw Your Profits Away!

The best way to eliminate food waste is to not create it. At restaurants, make sure the purchasing manager or executive chef adjust their recipe to reflect sales fluctuations so that at the end of the day, your profits aren't going in the garbage dumpster.

Using the recipe for Chicken Taco Salad, I am going to reduce the yield from 100 to 80 servings. The individual portion size will remain 3.49 ounces.

100 (original number of portions) x 3.49 ounces (original portion size) = 349 ounces (original yield)

80 (desired number of portions) x 3.49 (desired portion size) - 279.2 ounces

279.2 ounces (total new yield factor) x 349 ounces (original yield) = .80 (multiplying factor)

The original recipe calls for a quantity of 42 ounces of fresh onion, chopped, for 100 servings. So, the quantity needed for 80 servings:

.80 (multiplying factor) x 42 ounces (original quantity) = 33.6 ounces (new quantity)

Multiply each ingredient by the multiplying factor. Also, don't forget to adjust cooking times accordingly.

Below is a great list of suggestions to help eliminate waste: Beverages

Serve beverages from a beverage gun or dispenser, buy bar mixes in concentrate form, and buy milk in 5-gallon dispenser boxes.

Grocery Items

Use health department-approved, refillable condiment dispensers instead of individual packets. Buy shelf-stable food supplies in bulk when sales volume and storage space allows.   Consider buying your lettuce precut during those times of the year when the pre-cut cost is equal to (or less than) the cost of the bulk product.   Buy meats in bulk or uncut form and cut to size. Consider buying shelled eggs, in bulk, if your egg usage for general cooking or baking is three or more cases per week.

Produce Handling and Storage

Donate unserved food to a local food bank. Note:  State and federal law protects food donors from liability as long as it is donated in good faith. The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act was passed in 1996 specifically for this reason. Food banks assess donated food prior to distribution, and their facilities may be more closely regulated and inspected than a typical supermarket. Food rescue operations only accept preconsumer dishes (food that has not been on a diner's plate), and keep hot food hot and cold food cold in order to prevent transmission of pathogens.   Check your produce deliveries carefully for rotten or damaged product, and return any substandard product.   Rotate perishable stock at every delivery to minimize waste due to spoilage.   Clean coolers and freezers regularly to ensure that food has not fallen behind the shelving and spoiled.   Arrange your refrigerated and dry storage areas to facilitate easy product access and rotation.   Store raw vegetables and other perishables in reusable airtight containers to prevent unnecessary dehydration and spoilage.   Rehydrate vegetables (e.g., celery, lettuce, carrots, broccoli, etc.) that have wilted by trimming off the very bottom part of the stalk and immersing in warm water (100°F.) for 15 to 20 minutes.

Food Preparation and Storage

Adjust inventory levels on perishables to reduce waste due to spoilage or dehydration.   Use hourly or daily production charts to minimize over prepping and unnecessary waste.   Whenever possible, prepare foods to order.   When prepping food, only trim off what is not needed.   Use vegetable and meat trimmings for soup stock.   Adjust the size of meal portions if you find they are consistently being returned unfinished.   Pre-cool hot foods (in an ice bath) before refrigerating.   Reuse leftover foods that have been stored at proper temperature within two days of preparation to prevent waste due to spoilage.   Store leftover hot foods from different stations in separate containers to reduce the chance of spoilage.   Wrap freezer products tightly, label, and date them. Make sure they are used in a timely fashion, to minimize waste due to freezer burn.

Purchasing

Purchase paper products made from recycled materials.   Use reusable coasters (or nothing at all) instead of paper napkins when serving beverages from the bar.   Store and handle unwrapped paper supplies to prevent the products from inadvertently falling on the floor.