Ecological awareness occupies an increasingly important place in restaurant management. Establishments giving priority to the issue of waste have multiplied and apply different strategies aimed at the following objectives:
- Participate in the fight against the environmental problem represented by the tons of garbage generated by the catering sector.
- Reduce the amount of food wasted when cooking meals in restaurants.
- Increase recycling and reuse of different products.
- Reduce economic losses .
Do you know how much waste your establishment generates each day? And most importantly… do you know how much money you are losing? Chances are, the answer is yes and you’ve already taken charge. But if you haven’t implemented any measures yet, here are 6 tips to make your restaurant management more efficient and greener. So take note!
1 – Analyze the waste produced by your establishment
To begin with, it is important to know and analyze the rejects generated by the restaurant. You can divide them into two groups:
Waste from production
This is all waste resulting from the preparation of dishes in the kitchen. These include product packaging, spoiled food, spilled liquids or excessive production. They are sometimes even the result of improper use of work tools. For example, if your cooks do not use the correct knife to peel potatoes, it will result in more peelings and therefore waste.
Food not consumed by customers
Analyzing these leftovers provides valuable information about the ingredients and products that customers disdain, which in turn allows the menu to be re-evaluated.
Errors In The Restaurant’s Facebook Profile
2 – Adapt the menu
When you have analyzed the composition of the waste, it is essential to identify the items on your menu that generate the most waste and waste. You will be able to:
- Reduce the amount of food in dishes that always generate leftovers.
- Eliminate dishes which do not directly produce profits or which are not popular with customers, but which, on the other hand, generate waste.
- Modify or reduce the ingredients which do not add value to the dishes but which on the other hand lead to losses.
- Create new recipes with products that have a better yield.
The idea is to successfully reduce the amount of waste, reduce the cost of food production and increase the profits of the restaurant. Read this article on menu engineering to get the most out of your menu
3 – In restaurant management, optimize your stock
If you tailor your purchases to the exact needs of your establishment, your inventory management will be much more efficient. For example, you can invest less in low-cost ingredients and more in products that customers consume the most.
To do this, it is essential to know the references of your customers.
If you register in restaurant management software your customers’ favorite dishes and drinks and especially their food intolerances, and the foods they cannot or do not want to consume, you will be able to serve them exactly what they need, no more no less. If you know that a customer is not consuming bread, you will not need to serve it to them and you will avoid waste and loss. Click here to manage your clients’ preferences with TheFork Manager
4 – Prepare your team
A key aspect is that all your employees understand the importance of waste assessment and treatment. Everyone should know why you are putting these initiatives into practice, the impact they will have on your establishment and the contribution you make to the environment. That way, you create the trade-off necessary to get them done right .
You must also ensure that you establish clear rules for handling food and especially waste. You can create simple manuals outlining the steps to integrate into day-to-day restaurant management.
5 – Recycle your waste
Separate your waste into categories (organic, plastics, glass, paper, wood, etc.) and dispose of it in the corresponding containers so that you can create strategies to exploit it:
- Make an agreement with a local recycling company who will come and collect them every day.
- Donate consumable leftovers to food banks.
- Sell your waste to specialized companies.
6 – Join the trashcooking vogue
As we told you about in this article on the increase in sales with vegetarian dishes , trashcooking is a trend that is likely to become the norm in restaurant kitchens. It consists of exploiting organic waste and including it in recipes. Instead of throwing away produce like organ meats, skins, and seeds, your kitchen team can use them as ingredients for creative, profit-generating dishes.
Here are two restaurants that are pioneers in trashcooking:
Image: Rub & Stub web
The Rub & Stub was the first European restaurant to adopt trashcooking. Located in Copenhagen, Denmark, it specializes in the organization of ephemeral events with a gastronomic offer made from recycled products . The restaurant is also an active player in the fight against food waste and offers workshops and special events.
A pioneer restaurant in participatory gastronomy is the Freegan Pony , in Paris, which allows supermarkets and specialized companies to play a role as well. It offers a new menu every day , based on unsold fruits and vegetables from these companies. It thus offers vegetarian dishes cooked by different chefs and consumed by “green” customers.
In conclusion, by deciding to fight against food waste in your restaurant, you will be able to:
- Reduce your inventory costs and increase your revenue.
- Communicate a positive image of your restaurant to customers.
- Managing a restaurant that is environmentally conscious and responsible.
Three important reasons to apply our few restaurant management tips. So what are you waiting for?
Leave a Reply