Recipe Standardization and Costing

Recipe Standardization and Costing
A large, high-volume chain of food and beverage outlets was facing a silent but significant problem: inconsistent product quality and fluctuating costs. Despite having a central ERP system, a lack of standardized recipes and adherence to them was leading to variances in taste, portion sizes, and ingredient usage across its outlets.
The chain needed a solution to regain control over its core product and profitability.
We were engaged to undertake a comprehensive project on Recipe Standardization and Costing. Our goal was to create a single source of truth for all recipes, ensure their correct implementation, and provide accurate, real-time costing data to the leadership team.
The project began with a systematic Audit and Correction of Recipe Masters. Our team went to key outlets to conduct on-the-ground audits. We compared what was being prepared with the existing recipe masters in the ERP system. We discovered variations, from incorrect ingredient quantities to unauthorized substitutions. This hands-on audit helped us identify the root causes of the inconsistency.
Based on the audit findings, we initiated a data cleansing and standardization effort. For every item on the menu, we worked with the central culinary team to create a definitive, Standardized Recipe. Each recipe master included:
  • Precise Ingredient Measurements: Quantities in grams, milliliters, and standardized units.
  • Step-by-Step Preparation Methods: Clear, concise instructions with accompanying photos or videos.
  • Standardized Portioning: Specific guidelines for plating and portion size.
  • Exact Costing Data: Calculated cost per serving based on current ingredient prices.
We then took on the complex task of updating all recipe masters in the ERP system. This involved meticulous data entry and quality control to ensure that the digital recipes were accurate and linked correctly to the inventory and procurement modules.
To ensure long-term compliance, we created an ongoing Audit and Correction protocol. A team was trained to conduct regular, unannounced spot checks at outlets to ensure recipes were being followed. The project not only fixed an immediate problem but also laid the foundation for more strategic financial and operational management.
Brendon Pereira
Co-Founder
Brendon Pereira leads the areas of Business & Finance, Technology, and Strategic Consulting. With three decades of diverse experience, Brendon has worked in financial planning, corporate finance, and strategic management across various industries.
Prior to co-founding Adevo, he founded Brenridge Consulting, where he provided expertise in strategic planning, corporate finance, HR planning, and performance management. His prior roles include Consulting Chief Financial Officer at Kapston Facilities Management and Vice President – Corporate Planning & IT at Dusters Total Solution Services Private Limited, where he managed business planning, M&A, and IT & automation. Brendon also brings valuable operational experience from his time as Operations Manager at Reliance Industries Ltd (Petroleum Business) and earlier in hospitality as Unit Manager at TGI Fridays, and F&B Manager roles at Le Meridien, The Orchid Ecotel, and Hotel Marine Plaza.
Brendon’s educational background includes a Post Graduate Executive Management Program (MBA) from S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research, an MDP in Mergers, Acquisitions & Restructuring from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, a BA in Political Science from the University of Mumbai, and a Hotel Management degree from the Institute of Hotel Management, Bangalore. He has also completed Level 1 of the CFA Charter from the CFA Institute, USA.
Krishna Shantakumar
Co-Founder
Krishna Shantakumar, oversees content development, consulting, product development, and HR. With a career spanning three decades in the hospitality industry, Krishna’s journey began after graduating from the Institute of Hotel Management in Bangalore in 1995. An unyielding passion for food prompted him to boldly trade a traditional engineering path for his true calling, to forge a career in hospitality
Krishna’s extensive experience includes setting up a Hotel Management Institute in Chennai, a management trainee role with Ramanashree Group, pioneers in the budget business hotel segment, and successfully transforming Hotel Priyadarshini in Hospet. He then spent 21 years with the Aswati Group, where he played a pivotal role in expanding restaurants like EBONY, conceptualizing and designing multi-award-winning establishments such as The 13th Floor, ASEAN On The Edge, The Legend of Sikandar, Sindbad, Ebony Bistro, Dancing Wok, Katpadi Junction, and Panda House. Beyond this, Krishna has consulted on, executed, and operated four cafes and bake-houses, two hotels with multiple food and beverage outlets, two fine dining restaurants, and an exclusive cocktail bar.
His educational background includes a Diploma in Hotel Management from the Institute of Hotel Management, Bangalore and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Osmania University, Hyderabad.
Rashmi Koppar
Co-Founder
Rashmi Koppar spearheads the organization’s marketing, pedagogy, and academic functions. With over 27 years of extensive experience in the hospitality industry and academia, Rashmi is a passionate hotelier and educator who has worked with leading names such as The Taj and Oberoi group of hotels. Her career also includes significant tenures at M. S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, where she held roles as Deputy Registrar and Academic Registrar, contributing to infrastructure development, policy implementation, curriculum design, and faculty training.
Driven by her belief that hospitality education should be universally accessible, transcending geographical, economic, and time barriers, Rashmi co-founded Adevo, dedicating it to transforming learners into skilled hospitality professionals. Her educational foundation includes a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resources Management from the All India Institute for Management Studies, a Housekeeping Management Training Program from the Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development, and diploma in Hotel Management from the Institute of Hotel Management, Bangalore