Posted by Chef Mars on September 14, 1998 at 21:23:21:
In Reply to: food cost percentage posted by greg scott on August 23, 1998 at 10:53:56:
: I seem to having a raging debate with our owner.
: I say food cost is a percentage of total sales,she says it is a percentage of food sales.Who's right?
: We are a very upscale fine dining country inn,food cost as a percentage of total sales hovers around 37 percent.Obviously as a percentage of food sales it is much higher.Am i just kidding myself or is our cost where it should be?
: I would be interested to hear what kind of cost other chefs are running.I always thought in fine dining food cost was usually around 41-45%.
: Any help would be most appreciated.
: chefgregory@hotmail.com
: Thanx
Chef?
Well, I only know you through your posting but I am not surprised that your food cost is so high since you do not know what it is anyway. It seems all of the other respondents have been quite merciful and informative to you, which is "nice". However I wonder how long the owners of your place will be in business with their hiring practices. As a great restaurateur said...
"I think 90 percent of the people who call themselves chefs are not truly chefs. They may be very fine cooks but a great chef is someone who knows the whole thing: he knows wines, he knows how to manage people, how to run a kitchen. __ Ella Brennan, Partner, Commanders Palace, New Orleans"
The answer to your question is available in any library, in any food service textbook so you should have had that cleared up.
Best of luck amigo.
Culinarily Yours,
Chef Mars of the Caribbean