Lab One:
Creating a Menu
Instructions: Now that you’ve learned how successful restaurateurs create menus for their restaurants, it’s time to put your skills to the test. Imagine you and your best friend are opening a restaurant and you need to create a menu. Visit at least three restaurants in your area (either in person or online) to view their menus. Take note of the kinds of food they offer as well as how they price their menu items. Try to get a feel for the atmosphere of each of the restaurants as well as the level of service they offer their customers. Visiting a restaurant in person is the best way to do this of course, but if this isn’t possible, you can also look at images of the restaurant online and search for customer reviews on sites like www.yelp.com. Once you’ve evaluated the offerings of your competitors, you can make informed decisions about your own menu. Before you begin listing items and prices, though, write a single sentence that describes your restaurant’s unique selling point (USP). Keep this statement in mind as you create and price your menu items.
You can create your menu using a word processor like Microsoft Word or actual paper and art supplies. Use images from the Internet or magazines to illustrate your menu. Be sure to include at least five items for each of the following categories: beverages, appetizers, entrées, sides, and desserts. Explain, either in writing or in a video journal, how you chose each of the items and how they reflect your unique selling point.
Lab Two:
Purchasing Commercial Kitchen Equipment <- lab link
Different restaurants need different types of commercial kitchen equipment, depending on the kinds of food they serve.
Instructions: Think about the restaurant concept you’ve developed in this unit and determine what kinds of equipment you’ll need to store ingredients, prepare food, and cook your menu items. Then visit the link below to locate the items you need and calculate your equipment costs. Make a list of at least 10 of the items you’ll need along with the cost for each item. Then create a pie chart that demonstrates what percentage of the total cost of equipment will be allocated to: (1) storing ingredients, (2) preparing foods, and (3) cooking menu items.
Lab Three:
Creating a Purchase Order <- lab link
Many restaurants deal with specific vendors that supply them with the ingredients they need to prepare all the different items on their menus. Typically, a restaurant manager (or sometimes the chef) will write purchase orders for the items they need on a weekly or monthly basis. A purchase order is simply a request for the items needed along with a promise of payment.
Instructions: View the example purchase order accessible at the link above, and then create your own by following the format used in the sample. You can choose to “purchase” any variety of food items you want, but be sure your purchase order includes the following:
• The name of your company
• The name of the vendor
• The date
• A PO#
• An itemized list of food ingredients (with quantity, unit amount, and total)
• Total amount due
• Terms and condition
Because vendors will fill the order based on the information provided, it is vital that the purchase order is accurate and written clearly and legibly. Check for any spelling errors that could cause confusion and correct them before submitting the document.
Lab Four:
Creating a Healthy Menu Item
Instructions: Imagine you are creating a new sandwich concept to add to your restaurant’s menu. You want the sandwich to be a healthy option for your diners, so you need to calculate the percentage of fat, cholesterol, and sodium to ensure you can list it as “healthy” according to FDA requirements. Experiment with some of the ingredients you have on hand at home to come up with a delicious and nutritious sandwich concept. Then create a video journal or written account of the process you used to create your new menu item. Be sure to note the percentage of daily recommended fat, cholesterol, and sodium the sandwich has, based on the information listed on the nutrition labels of the ingredients you used.
