Menu Design and Nutrition Flashcards

A chef is designing a cycle menu for a corporate dining facility. What is the primary advantage of a cycle menu over a static menu?

Answer: It reduces menu fatigue while simplifying purchasing and production forecasting

Cycle menus rotate offerings on a set schedule, keeping variety for repeat guests while making forecasting and purchasing predictable.

When calculating the menu price of an item using the food cost percentage method, a dish costing $3.50 with a target food cost of 28% should be priced at approximately:

Answer: $12.50

Selling price equals food cost divided by target food cost percentage: $3.50 ÷ 0.28 = $12.50.

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, saturated fat should be limited to what portion of total daily calories?

Answer: Less than 10%

The Dietary Guidelines recommend keeping saturated fat below 10% of total daily calories.

A menu item description reads 'fresh Maine lobster' but the kitchen uses frozen Canadian lobster. This is an example of:

Answer: Truth-in-menu violation

Misrepresenting origin or freshness on a menu violates truth-in-menu standards and can carry legal consequences.

Which macronutrient provides 9 calories per gram, more than double that of protein or carbohydrates?

Answer: Fat

Fat yields 9 calories per gram, while protein and carbohydrates each provide 4 calories per gram.

In menu engineering, an item with high popularity but low contribution margin is classified as a:

Answer: Plowhorse

Plowhorses sell well but earn little per sale, so chefs often reprice or re-engineer them to improve margin.

A chef wants to reduce sodium in a soup without sacrificing flavor. Which technique is most effective?

Answer: Boost flavor with acid, fresh herbs, and umami-rich ingredients

Acids, herbs, spices, and umami ingredients like mushrooms or tomatoes enhance perceived flavor, allowing less salt.