Skip to 0 minutes and 3 seconds Hey there and welcome. We’re so excited to have you on our short courses. Whether you’re doing this to upskill yourself, whether you are wanting to, just to get a new skill, but definitely will be, um, to be used in the workplace. This is the right place to be. It’s fully engaging, it’s quite interactive, and also a bit of fun to be had. So we look forward to having you on our courses and, um, yeah, working together. We’ll see you online.
Duration
2 weeksWeekly study
4 hoursLanguages
English, Italiano, Español, Français, PortuguêsEnglish, Italiano100% online
How it works
Food Costing for the Restaurant and Catering Industry
This course has been certified by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to continuing professional development principles. Find out more.
Investigate the costs associated with production in the food industry
Controlling costs in catering is an essential skill to ensure a kitchen runs profitably.
On this two-week course, you’ll learn the fundamentals of cost management in restaurants and catering businesses and discover how to improve your current processes using the financial knowledge you’ve gained.
Learn the principles of cost control in the food service industry
A sound knowledge of costing terminology is vital to ensure you can operate your kitchen effectively, from ordering stock to pricing menu items.
On this course, you’ll be introduced to various financial and operational terms used within food costing processes. This will allow you to understand the elements of food costing and optimise functionality in your management system.
Examine how to manage food production costs with standardised recipes and portion control
By understanding where costs can be controlled, you’ll discover methods of managing your overheads including portion controls and standardising recipes.
With these skills, you’ll be able to reduce waste and add consistency to your inventory controls.
Explore how elements of food costing affect net and gross profit margins
Throughout this course, you’ll discover how accurate food costing impacts processes from stock management and ordering systems, to calculating selling prices.
With your knowledge of the costing processes at each step of production, you’ll be able to analyse your profits and assess where changes can be made to increase profitability going forward.
By the end of this course, you’ll have a foundational knowledge of the various costs associated with food production in the catering industry. You’ll be comfortable calculating costs and analysing where processes can be optimised to reduce overheads and improve profitability.
Syllabus
Week 1
Principles of Food Costing
Welcome! Introducing Food Costing
We welcome you to the course and explain the importance of food costing
Principles of Food Costing
The terms used in food costing and calculations are explained and a breakdown of how these costs make up the selling price and the factors affecting food costs are described.
Standardized Recipes
This article explains the contribution and benefits that standardized recipes make to controlling and quantity and quality of food. You will learn how to develop a standardized recipe and get an opportunity to develop your own.
Portion Control
The importance of portion control and guidelines are explained and equipment to use for portion control is discussed.
Food Ordering Systems and Inventory
This activity explains inventory control. The methods and importance of controlling inventory, technology for inventory control and how the value of inventory is calculated is explained.
Week 2
Calculating Costs
The Main Costs in Catering
This activity looks at the main costs in catering: such as sales concepts, monetary terms and non monetary terms. Overheads and various financial terms used in costing are explained and the elements of costs are broken down.
Applying Calculations Used in Catering
This activity explains how to calculate food cost percentages, cost single portions from a recipe and how to apply this to a standardized recipe and calculate selling prices. You will then practice food costing exercises.
Check Yourself
Take a short test to check your understanding of food costing
Wrap of the course
A short wrap up of what you learnt throughout the course.
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Explain the elements of costs associated with producing food.
- Explain food costing principles and terminology.
- Perform basic food costing calculations.
- Calculate the cost and selling price of dishes.
Who is the course for?
This course is designed for chefs, kitchen managers, and chefs in training who want to improve their food costing skills.
What software or tools do you need?
Calculator and a computer with Excel
Who will you learn with?
Career Highlights
Catered for Nelson Mandela
Dignatries in Germany
Competition judge
Banqueting large function organization
Managed large team of chefs
Culinary team chef
Teaching and educating chefs
Ways to learn | Buy this course | Subscribe & save | Start learning today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choose the best way to learn for you! | $79/one-off payment | $335.99 for a whole year Automatically renews | Free |
| Fulfill your current learning need | Develop skills to further your career | Try this course - with limits | |
| Access to this course | tick | tick | Limited to 2 weeks |
| Access to 1,000+ courses | cross | tick | cross |
| Learn at your own pace | tick | tick | cross |
| Discuss your learning in comments | tick | tick | tick |
| Certificate when you're eligible | Printed and digital | Digital only | cross |
Cancel for free anytime |
Ways to learn
Choose the best way to learn for you!
Subscribe & save
$335.99 for a whole year
Automatically renews
Develop skills to further your career
- Access to this course
- Access to 1,000+ courses
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Digital certificate when you're eligible
Cancel for free anytime
Buy this course
$79/one-off payment
Fulfill your current learning need
- Access to this course
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible
Start learning today
Free
Try this course - with limits
- Limited to 2 weeks
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades) Sale price available until 2 November 2026 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply. | |||
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)
Sale price available until 2 November 2026 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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