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.
Not applicable.
Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide. |
1. Evaluate market trends and identify target markets. | 1.1 Identify current customer markets based on past and current sales performance. 1.2 Analyse current customer profile and food service preferences. 1.3 Source information on current and emerging food service trends and customer preferences. 1.4 Evaluate market trends for relevance to organisational service style and cuisine. 1.5 Identify target markets based on the nature and style of the operation. |
2. Develop menus. | 2.1 Evaluate the food service preferences of target markets and create menus to meet market needs and preferences. 2.2 Develop menus to provide a balanced variety of dishes for the style of cuisine. 2.3 Generate a range of different, innovative and creative approaches and concepts to menu design. 2.4 Plan and design menus and the sequence of menu items, according to cuisine requirements and conventions. 2.5 Analyse operational constraints when designing menus. |
3. Cost menus for profitability. | 3.1 Itemise all proposed components of the included dishes. 3.2 Calculate portion yields and costs from raw ingredients. 3.3 Accurately calculate all expenditure items to determine nett production costs of menu items. 3.4 Determine required profit margin and calculate selling price. 3.5 Assess cost-effectiveness and profitability of proposed dishes and choose menu items that provide high yield. 3.6 Make reasonable cost adjustments to ensure price-competitive menus. 3.7 Price menu items to ensure maximum profitability. |
4. Write menu content. | 4.1 Write menus using terminology appropriate for the market and organisational service style. 4.2 Follow required menu item naming conventions for the style of cuisine. 4.3 Present the sequence of service on printed menus. 4.4 Use innovative descriptions that promote the sale of menu items. |
5. Monitor menu performance. | 5.1 Monitor demand patterns for menu items. 5.2 Seek ongoing feedback from staff and customers and use to improve menu performance. 5.3 Analyse sales and profit performance of menu items. 5.4 Adjust menus based on feedback and profitability. |
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, mark 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 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, mark 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, mark different types and styles of menus review of portfolios of evidence and third |
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. |
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 socio 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. |
Hospitality
This unit contains employability skills.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.