Assessor Resource

SITHKOP501
Design and cost menus

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: April 2024


This unit applies to hospitality and catering organisations and to those people who operate independently and are responsible for making a range of operational and strategic decisions. This includes senior catering managers, sous and executive chefs.

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to design profitable menus for all types of cuisines and food service styles. It requires the ability to identify target markets for the organisation, design menus to meet market preferences, price menu items and to monitor and evaluate the success of menu performance.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)

Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills.



Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the ability to:

source and evaluate information on current and emerging food service trends and customer preferences

develop and cost multiple menus to meet a diversity of target markets

monitor and evaluate menu performance over a menu life cycle

demonstrate knowledge of:

current and emerging food service trends

operating costs for hospitality and catering organisations

methods and formulas for calculating portion yields and costs from raw ingredients

desired profit margins, markup procedures and rates

different types and styles of menus

develop menus within commercial time constraints.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure use of:

hospitality industry business operation or activity for which menus are designed and costed and workplace documentation defined in the Assessment Guidelines; this can be a:

real industry workplace

simulated industry environment such as a training kitchen servicing customers

financial data and budgets for the operation of hospitality industry businesses

menus for a variety of cuisines and service styles.

Method of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

projects and activities that allow assessment of the individual’s ability to:

research the preferences of particular markets

create menus to meet target market preferences

calculate net costs and selling prices of different menu items

write creative menu content

evaluation of reports, prepared by the individual evaluating the success of menus

activities that allow assessment of the individual’s ability to write creative content for menus of diverse cuisine and service styles

use of problem-solving exercises to allow the individual to respond to operational constraints and develop menu solutions

written or oral questioning to assess knowledge of:

current and emerging food service trends

operating costs for hospitality and catering organisations

methods and formulas for calculating portion yields and costs from raw ingredients

desired profit margins, markup procedures and rates

different types and styles of menus

review of portfolios of evidence and thirdparty workplace reports of onthejob performance by the individual.

Guidance information for assessment

The assessor should design integrated assessment activities to holistically assess this unit with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role, for example:

BSBMKG401B Profile the market

SITHKOP401 Plan and display buffets

SITXFIN401 Interpret financial information

SITXFIN501 Prepare and monitor budgets.

Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)

Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

Required skills

critical thinking skills to evaluate the food service preferences of target markets and create menus to meet market needs and preferences

initiative and enterprise skills to initiate the development of new menus to meet changing customer demands

learning skills to continually source information on emerging food service trends and synthesise this information for menu updates

literacy skills to:

read and interpret complex documents about food service trends, market statistics, customer profiles and market preferences

research complex information on customer profiles and preferences, current and emerging food service trends

write comprehensive and creatively expressed menus and product descriptions to promote sales

numeracy skills to:

determine portion sizes and portion yield from ingredients

calculate the cost of producing dishes for menus

calculate mark-ups and selling price for profitability

planning and organising skills to access and sort all information required for menu planning and to coordinate a timely and efficient menu development process

problem-solving skills to consider all operational constraints and develop menus which can be realistically delivered by the organisation

self-management skills to take responsibility for the ongoing development of menus

technology skills to use computers and software programs to cost and document menus.

Required knowledge

market research techniques for sourcing information on food service trends and market preferences

sources of information on:

food service trends

market statistics

customer profiles and preferences

current and emerging food service trends

products and service styles that meet certain market requirements, including quality expectations

current customer profile serviced

competitors’ current and proposed products and services

financial operating costs for hospitality and catering organisations

methods and formulas for calculating portion yields and costs from raw ingredients including:

butcher’s test

standard measures

standard yield tests

hospitality and catering industry desired profit margins, markup procedures and rates

different types and styles of menus for different types of food outlets

influence of seasonal products and commodities on menu content

naming conventions and culinary terms for a variety of cuisines

formats for and inclusions of menus presented to customers

methods of assessing the popularity of menu items including the use of:

customer surveys

popularity index

sales data

methods of analysing sales mix and profit performance of menu items including menu engineering analysis.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Food service trends may relate to:

contemporary eating habits

cultural and ethnic influences

major events and festivals

media influence

seasonal and popular influences.

Target markets may include:

athletes

defence forces

health care customers

infants, children and adolescents

international tourists

older people

people from different socioeconomic groups

people from specific cultural or religious groups

students

those with particular nutritional interests

young people.

Menus may be:

à la carte

buffet

classical

cyclical

degustation

ethnic

for a:

event

festival

function

for any cuisine

modern

set

table d’hôte

seasonal.

Balanced variety of dishes may relate to different:

colours

cooking methods

delicacies

flavours

nutritional values

presentation

seasonally available ingredients

tastes

textures.

Operational constraints may involve:

kitchen equipment

seasonal availability of ingredients

skill level of kitchen staff

suitability of dishes for the season.

Expenditure items may include:

ingredients

labour

operational costs of the business

wastage.

Feedback may involve:

customer satisfaction discussions with:

customers

employees during the course of each business day

customer surveys

improvements suggested by:

customers

suppliers

peers

staff

supervisors

managers

regular staff meetings that involve menu discussions

seeking staff suggestions for menu items.

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Identify current customer markets based on past and current sales performance. 
Analyse current customer profile and food service preferences. 
Source information on current and emerging food service trends and customer preferences. 
Evaluate market trends for relevance to organisational service style and cuisine. 
Identify target markets based on the nature and style of the operation. 
Evaluate the food service preferences of target markets and create menus to meet market needs and preferences. 
Develop menus to provide a balanced variety of dishes for the style of cuisine. 
Generate a range of different, innovative and creative approaches and concepts to menu design. 
Plan and design menus and the sequence of menu items, according to cuisine requirements and conventions. 
Analyse operational constraints when designing menus. 
Itemise all proposed components of the included dishes. 
Calculate portion yields and costs from raw ingredients. 
Accurately calculate all expenditure items to determine nett production costs of menu items. 
Determine required profit margin and calculate selling price. 
Assess cost-effectiveness and profitability of proposed dishes and choose menu items that provide high yield. 
Make reasonable cost adjustments to ensure price-competitive menus. 
Price menu items to ensure maximum profitability. 
Write menus using terminology appropriate for the market and organisational service style. 
Follow required menu item naming conventions for the style of cuisine. 
Present the sequence of service on printed menus. 
Use innovative descriptions that promote the sale of menu items. 
Monitor demand patterns for menu items. 
Seek ongoing feedback from staff and customers and use to improve menu performance. 
Analyse sales and profit performance of menu items. 
Adjust menus based on feedback and profitability. 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

SITHKOP501 - Design and cost menus
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I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

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Result: Competent Not yet competent

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Assessment Record Sheet

SITHKOP501 - Design and cost menus

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Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

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Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

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