Hospitality and Catering: Costings and portion control

Understanding the Importance of Portion Control in Food Service

Objective:
Students will explore the concept of portion control, why it is critical in food service and catering, and how it impacts cost.

Learning Outcomes:

Define portion control and explain its significance in food service.
Identify key reasons for maintaining portion control (cost management)

Activities:
Calculating food costs based on ingredient weight , ingredient costs and dish weight. Calculating Gross and net profit considering verhead costs
Brief discussion on the definition of portion control and its role in food and beverage services.
Supporting Information Review: Explore key reasons for portion control (cost management, consistency, health, and waste reduction) with examples.

Stretch It Challenge Task:
Students research, reflect, and write about why portion control is important in a business.

Create a visual guide comparing portion control for two dishes, with tips on using portioning tools.
Role-play or discuss handling a scenario where a customer complains about portion size.

Reflection and Discussion
Class discussion on how portion control influences both the business and customer satisfaction, and the impact on profit margins and sustainability.