A good preparation is… you know it! Half the battle. Improved food prep starts, in our opinion, with creating a production schedule for each dish. Such a schedule provides clarity within your team, ensuring everyone knows what to do and when, as well as which ingredients are needed. Not using production schedules yet? No worries! We’re here to guide you.

The Benefits of Production Schedules

Got a moment? Because there are quite a few. Creating a production schedule isn’t just a simple administrative task; it’s a powerful tool to prevent food waste in the hospitality industry and optimize your kitchen processes. Here are the key benefits:

• Cost Savings in the Kitchen: With targeted purchasing and precise procurement strategies, you save heaps of money. You’ll avoid ending up with excess inventory that eventually lands in the bin. Cha-ching!
• Efficient Team Coordination: Every team member knows where they’re needed at any given moment. Thanks to the production schedule, they not only know what to do themselves but also understand what’s expected of their colleagues. No more confusion—super handy!
• Reduce Food Surplus—and thus Waste: Your team knows exactly what’s needed to prepare a dish. So, nothing is taken out of the fridge or freezer unnecessarily, preventing products from spoiling due to prolonged exposure to warm temperatures. Good for the environment and the wallet!

Three Simple Steps to Success

Want to achieve strategic dish planning and successfully implement your production schedules? Follow these three simple steps:

1. Create the Production Schedules: These clarify the requirements—both in ingredients and manpower—for each dish, helping you prevent food waste. Working based on intuition is fun, but it leads to more food waste.
2. Inform the Team About the Schedules: Do this before each shift to build a habit and keep everyone engaged. Together we’re stronger!
3. Use the Schedules: Planning alone won’t cut it. To reap the benefits, you’ll need to use these schedules daily—yes, every day.

We love learning from real-life practice and are eager to hear your story. Have more tips or want to share your thoughts on this article? Reach out to us at [email protected].