A food-cost percentage tells you something has changed. It does not tell you why. Food cost and restaurant profitability consulting follows the product from purchasing through sale, then connects the operating evidence to recipes, inventory, pricing, and menu performance.
When this service can help
- Actual food cost differs from recipe or budget expectations.
- Portions, yields, waste, or production quantities are inconsistent.
- Inventory is counted but rarely used to guide purchasing or management decisions.
- Price increases are being considered before the source of margin loss is understood.
What the engagement involves
David reviews purchasing specifications, receiving checks, storage, inventory methods, recipes, preparation yields, portion standards, waste, and sales information. Where useful data is available, the engagement examines expected consumption against actual usage and identifies the processes that need attention.
The work may also address menu contribution, production planning, supplier comparisons, and how managers review cost information. The objective is a repeatable control process: accurate inputs, clear standards, timely checks, and action when results depart from expectations. A target percentage alone is not an operating system.
Practical deliverables
The scope is agreed around the operation. Deliverables may include:
- Recipe-costing and portion-standard templates.
- Yield-testing, waste-recording, and purchasing-variance routines.
- Inventory and receiving controls with clear ownership.
- A practical food-cost review process and prioritized improvement plan.
Who this is for
Suitable for restaurants, catering businesses, hotels, central kitchens, and foodservice operators that need more reliable costs and stronger day-to-day controls. Available information and the scope of the operation determine the level of analysis.
An experienced operating perspective
Chef David Arnold combines 40+ years of foodservice and hospitality experience with 14+ years in international consulting. His work across culinary operations, purchasing, production, and management helps connect cost information with the realities of running a kitchen.
Useful resources
- Free Food Cost Calculator
- Edible Yield Calculator
- The Restaurant Food Cost Rescue Plan
- Free Resource Library
Start with the operating problem
Tell David about your operation, the main challenge, your location, and the timing you have in mind. That is enough to begin a practical discussion about scope and next steps.