Cooking Lessons Recipe Costing and Scaling Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A recipe for risotto serves 6 people and requires 500g of Arborio rice. You need to scale this recipe to serve 15 people. What is the correct amount of Arborio rice required for the new serving size?
- 1000g
- 750g
- 1250g (Correct answer)
- 1500g
Correct answer: 1250g
To find the new quantity, first calculate the Recipe Conversion Factor (RCF) by dividing the new yield (15) by the original yield (6), which is 2.5. Then, multiply the original ingredient quantity (500g) by the RCF (2.5). 500g * 2.5 = 1250g.
Question 2: A chef purchases a 10 lb case of whole carrots for $8.00. After peeling and trimming, there are 8 lbs of usable carrots. What is the Edible Portion (EP) cost per pound?
- $0.80
- $1.00 (Correct answer)
- $1.25
- $1.50
Correct answer: $1.00
The Edible Portion (EP) cost is calculated by dividing the As-Purchased (AP) cost by the yield percentage. First, find the yield percentage: (8 lbs EP / 10 lbs AP) = 80% or 0.8. Then, divide the AP cost ($8.00) by the yield (0.8). $8.00 / 0.8 = $10.00 total EP cost. To find the cost per pound, divide the total EP cost by the EP weight: $10.00 / 8 lbs = $1.25/lb. An easier formula is to divide the AP cost per pound ($0.80) by the yield percentage (0.8), which is $0.80 / 0.8 = $1.00 per pound.
Question 3: When scaling a recipe up significantly, which of the following elements often requires adjustment based on culinary judgment rather than simple mathematical multiplication?
- Volume of water for pasta
- Weight of the main protein
- Quantity of diced vegetables
- Amount of potent spices and leavening agents (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Amount of potent spices and leavening agents
Potent spices, salt, and chemical leavening agents like baking soda or powder do not always scale linearly. Multiplying them by a large factor can result in an overpowering or chemically unbalanced dish. These ingredients often need to be increased by a smaller proportion than the main ingredients, with adjustments made to taste.
Question 4: A recipe calls for 2 lbs of trimmed broccoli florets (Edible Portion). If broccoli has a yield of 75%, what is the As-Purchased (AP) quantity of whole broccoli that should be ordered?
- 1.50 lbs
- 2.00 lbs
- 2.67 lbs (Correct answer)
- 3.00 lbs
Correct answer: 2.67 lbs
To find the As-Purchased (AP) quantity needed, you must divide the required Edible Portion (EP) quantity by the yield percentage. In this case, 2 lbs / 0.75 = 2.67 lbs.
Question 5: What is the primary purpose of calculating a recipe's total cost?
- To determine the nutritional information for the dish
- To establish an appropriate menu selling price and calculate food cost percentage (Correct answer)
- To create a standardized procedure for the kitchen staff
- To accurately scale the recipe for different serving sizes
Correct answer: To establish an appropriate menu selling price and calculate food cost percentage
Recipe costing is a critical financial tool used to determine the exact cost to produce a menu item. This cost is then used to set a selling price that ensures profitability by achieving a target food cost percentage.
Question 6: Which of the following defines the 'Recipe Conversion Factor' (RCF)?
- The total cost of a recipe divided by the number of portions.
- The ratio of an ingredient's Edible Portion weight to its As-Purchased weight.
- The number used to multiply ingredient quantities when changing a recipe's yield. (Correct answer)
- The percentage of food sales that is spent on ingredients.
Correct answer: The number used to multiply ingredient quantities when changing a recipe's yield.
The Recipe Conversion Factor (RCF) is calculated by dividing the desired (new) yield by the original recipe yield. This factor is then multiplied by each ingredient quantity to scale the recipe up or down accurately.
Cooking Lessons Recipe Costing and Scaling Questions and Answers
A recipe for risotto serves 6 people and requires 500g of Arborio rice.
You need to scale this recipe to serve 15 people.
What is the correct amount of Arborio rice required for the new serving size?