CRC CRC - Certified Research Chef Menu Engineering and Cost Management Questions and Answers

Question 1

What is food cost percentage, and how is it calculated?

Accepted Answer

Ingredient cost divided by menu selling price × 100

Answer

Food cost percentage = (ingredient cost ÷ selling price) × 100, which indicates what proportion of revenue is consumed by raw materials.

Question 2

In menu engineering, a menu item classified as a 'Star' has which characteristics?

Accepted Answer

High popularity, high profit margin

Answer

Stars are high-margin and high-popularity items that should be prominently featured and protected in menu design.

Question 3

What is the purpose of a yield test when costing a raw protein ingredient?

Accepted Answer

To determine the usable portion of an ingredient after trimming and cooking loss

Answer

A yield test quantifies how much usable product remains after fabrication, allowing accurate cost-per-usable-pound calculations.

Question 4

A research chef is asked to reduce a product's food cost by 5% without changing the consumer-facing product. Which lever is most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Identify a lower-cost ingredient that matches the functional and sensory performance of the current one

Answer

Finding a functionally equivalent lower-cost ingredient maintains product integrity while achieving the cost target.

Question 5

Which concept describes the minimum number of covers or units a menu item must sell to recover its fixed and variable costs?

Accepted Answer

Break-even point

Answer

The break-even point is where total revenue from a product equals total costs, meaning no profit or loss is generated at that volume.

CRC - Certified Research Chef Practice Test