INDENTING (Quantity Food Production)

Principles of indenting are-

(a) The Indents are made well in advance for regular items keeping in view the
earlier sales trends, fresh bookings, forecast regarding walk-ins etc. For grocery and
dry items the store request is made for a long period of 4-5 days together. For fresh
items and perishable items it is generated for each day.

(b) The chef in charge will see what is left in the freezers, refrigerators, kitchen store
and then check the requirement of ingredients for the day and coming days and then
the indent is raised.

(c) Indents are made in triplicate. Original copy along with the 2nd copy goes to store
and after the issue is made by store and actual issuing quantities are mentioned on it
a copy of the same goes to accounts/ F & B Control department.

Factors affecting indenting:

(a) Portion size
(b) Day of function
(c) Type of guest: Age group, religion.
(d) Type of menu
(e) Number of snacks offered
(f) Time of service
(g) Whether cocktail is offered
(h) Weather
(i) Availability of ingredients
(j) Based on what is the type of event

INDENTING
Indenting is similar to a requisition which is used as inter-departmental document
and in which we indent or summarize the quantity of the ingredients while making a
standard recipe and standard purchase specification.
Stores scrutinize such indents and collectively places and an order with the suppliers
to send such material on the specified time and date.
It is very easy to make indent for a small quantity but when we make an indent for a
thousand meals or a buffet or a banquet or a coffee shop or industrial canteen then
some amount of experience or yardstick of thumb rules do apply and a lot of factors
should be considered while doing such indents which are: -
1. The number of persons to feed; the larger number of people the larger the
indent quantity becomes.
2. Number of items on the menu.
3. Choice provided on the menu.
4. Number of non-veg. items on the menu and its vegetarians alternatives.
5. Number of non –vegetarians and vegetarians.
6. Whether or not Indian bread or only rice is included.
7. Type of people to dine.
8. Choice of desserts provided.
9. If a dry or gravy preparation.
10. Selling price of the menu.
11. Per stock or misc-en-place.
12. Kind of menu has been planned either a la carte or on a banquet or buffet.
13. Silver, plated or buffet service.

Recapitulation:
All the factors mentioned must be considered and then work out exactly the cost per
portion of each dish and then updating the same yearly in terms of increase in prices
and then working out the selling price will give an accurate indenting and costing
procedure.

Indent or requisition slip

Menu
1. ________________
2. ________________
3. ________________
4. ________________
5. ________________
Date of indenting_________

Date of receiving_________
S.No. INGREDIENT 1 2 3 4 5 Total quantity Price per qty Total price
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Signature of storekeeper
signature of indenter
Signature of purchase manager
How to calculate food cost%?
Food cost % = food cost x 100/ selling price

Various practical difficulties for volume Feeding

1. Selling price of menu,

3. Sudden change of menu,
4. Availability of raw materials/ ingredients.
5. Different food habits.
6. Exact no. of guest is not known,
9. The indenting is on based on assumption,
10. Quantity and quality of different raw materials sometime vary from region to
region,
11. Infrastructure of kitchen,
12. Skill level of staff,
13. Storage consideration,
14. Due to large no. of ingredients indenting sometimes becomes complicated,
15. Different cooking techniques,
16. Difficulty in judging portion size.