Unit of Competency Mapping – Information for Teachers/Assessors – Information for Learners

SITHKOP302 Mapping and Delivery Guide
Plan and cost basic menus

Version 1.0
Issue Date: March 2024


Qualification -
Unit of Competency SITHKOP302 - Plan and cost basic menus
Description This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to plan and cost basic menus for dishes or food product ranges for any type of cuisine or food service style. It requires the ability to identify customer preferences, plan menus to meet customer and business needs, cost menus and evaluate their success.It does not cover the specialist skills used by senior catering managers and chefs to design and cost complex menus after researching market preferences and trends. Those skills are covered within SITHKOP501 Design and cost menus.
Employability Skills This unit contains employability skills.
Learning Outcomes and Application This unit applies to hospitality and catering organisations. Menus can be for ongoing food service, for an events or function or for a food product range such as patisserie products.It applies to cooks, patissiers and catering personnel who usually work under the guidance of more senior chefs.
Duration and Setting X weeks, nominally xx hours, delivered in a classroom/online/blended learning setting.
Prerequisites/co-requisites Not applicable.
Competency Field
Development and validation strategy and guide for assessors and learners Student Learning Resources Handouts
Activities
Slides
PPT
Assessment 1 Assessment 2 Assessment 3 Assessment 4
Elements of Competency Performance Criteria              
Element: Identify customer preferences.
  • Identify current customer profile for the food business.
  • Analyse the food preferences of the customer base.
       
Element: Plan menus.
  • Generate a range of ideas for menus for dishes or food production ranges, assess their merits and discuss with relevant personnel.
  • Choose menu items to meet customer preferences.
  • Identify organisational service style and cuisine and develop suitable menus.
  • Include a balanced variety of dishes or food production items for the style of service and cuisine.
       
Element: Cost menus.
  • Itemise all proposed components of the included dishes or food production items.
  • Calculate portion yields and costs from raw ingredients.
  • Assess cost-effectiveness of proposed dishes or food production items and choose menu items that provide high yield.
  • Price menu items to ensure maximum profitability.
       
Element: Write menu content.
  • Write menus using words that appeal to the customer base and fit with the business service style.
  • Use correct names for the style of cuisine.
  • Use descriptive writing to promote the sale of menu items.
       
Element: Evaluate menu success.
  • Seek ongoing feedback from customers and others and use to improve menu performance.
  • Assess the success of menus against and customer satisfaction and sales data.
  • Adjust menus based on feedback and profitability.
       


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:

evaluate the food preferences of particular customer groups

develop and cost multiple menus to meet a diversity of customer profiles

evaluate menu success over a menu life cycle

demonstrate knowledge of:

costs of supply for ingredients

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 for dishes or food production ranges

develop menus within commercial time constraints.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure use of:

a real or simulated hospitality industry business operation or activity for which menus are planned 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

costs of food supply for food service 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:

evaluate the food preferences of particular customer groups

create menus to meet customer preferences

calculate nett 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 identify unprofitable menu items and adjust menus to include high yield dishes

operational constraints and develop menu solutions

written or oral questioning to assess knowledge of:

costs of supply for ingredients

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 for dishes or food production ranges

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

SITXINV301 Purchase goods

TLIE1005A Carry out basic workplace calculations.


Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assignment, 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 the customer profile and plan menus to meet those preferences

literacy skills to:

read and interpret information on customer profiles and preferences

write 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 menu development process

problem-solving skills to identify unprofitable menu items and adjust menus to include high yield dishes

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

Required knowledge

for the organisation:

sources of information on current customer profile and food preferences

service style and cuisine

costs of supply for ingredients

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 dishes or food production ranges 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.

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.

Customer profilemay involve:

age

buying power

gender

income levels

social and cultural background.

Food preferences may relate to:

contemporary eating habits

cultural and ethnic influences

popular menu items

quick service foods

seasonal dishes

variety of food products.

Menus may be:

à la carte

buffet

classical

cyclical

degustation

ethnic

for a:

function

event

festival

for:

a food product range such as patisserie products

any cuisine

dishes

modern

set

table d’hôte

seasonal.

Customers may include:

athletes

business people

business to business

defence forces

event or function customers

health care customers

infants, children and adolescents

international tourists

locals

older people

people from different socioeconomic groups

people from specific cultural or religious groups

students

those with particular nutritional interests

young people.

Balanced varietymay relate to different:

colours

cooking methods

delicacies

flavours

nutritional values

presentation

seasonally available ingredients

tastes

textures.

Feedback may involve:

customer satisfaction discussions with:

customers

employees during the course of each business day

customer surveys

improvements suggested by:

customers

managers

peers

staff

supervisors

suppliers

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 profile for the food business. 
Analyse the food preferences of the customer base. 
Generate a range of ideas for menus for dishes or food production ranges, assess their merits and discuss with relevant personnel. 
Choose menu items to meet customer preferences. 
Identify organisational service style and cuisine and develop suitable menus. 
Include a balanced variety of dishes or food production items for the style of service and cuisine. 
Itemise all proposed components of the included dishes or food production items. 
Calculate portion yields and costs from raw ingredients. 
Assess cost-effectiveness of proposed dishes or food production items and choose menu items that provide high yield. 
Price menu items to ensure maximum profitability. 
Write menus using words that appeal to the customer base and fit with the business service style. 
Use correct names for the style of cuisine. 
Use descriptive writing to promote the sale of menu items. 
Seek ongoing feedback from customers and others and use to improve menu performance. 
Assess the success of menus against and customer satisfaction and sales data. 
Adjust menus based on feedback and profitability. 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

SITHKOP302 - Plan and cost basic menus
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

Feedback to student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:


Assessment Record Sheet

SITHKOP302 - Plan and cost basic menus

Student name:

Student ID:

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

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

Date: