Food and Beverage Management: Cost Control and Quality Maintenance

This article discusses the importance of cost control and quality maintenance in food and beverage management. It includes an interview with Chef Gurinderjit Singh, owner of IndiMex Cafe Bar Restaurant in Brisbane, who shares his methods for reducing costs and maintaining quality. Topics covered include the use of point of sale systems, efficient inventory control, waste management, and employee training.

Running head: FOOD AND BEVERAGE MANAGMENT
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

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Table of Contents
Analysis of the interview findings:............................................................................................2
Evaluation of the findings:.........................................................................................................3
Appendices:................................................................................................................................4
Interview:...............................................................................................................................4
References..................................................................................................................................7

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Analysis of the interview findings:
Restaurant business is one of the most lucrative businesses in recent times. With the
growing globalisation in recent times, the business of hotel, restaurants and the overall
hospitality business has expanded by leaps and bounds. The head Chef as well as the owner
of any restaurant plays a cognitive role in ensuring the overall success of any restaurant. In
efficiently managing all the different operations of the business, be it the front office
operations or the back office operations, reduction of cost and maintenance of the quality
remains the top most job of each of these kinds of restaurant businesses (Dopson and Hayes,
2015). These two responsibilities are the two pillars upon which the entire hospitality
business stands firm upon. Reduction of costs and quality maintenance are two of the most
pressing issues, which must be taken care off, in this age of cut throat competition.
An interview was conducted with one of the most well-known Chefs across the city of
Brisbane, Mr Gurinderjit Singh. Mr Singh is the Chef/owner of IndiMex cafe Bar restaurant
at Green slopes, Brisbane. He had opened this restaurant in the month of May, 2014 (IndiMex
Cafe Bar Restaurant, 2018). He has completed a degree in Culinary Science and Nutrition
under celebrated Japanese chef, Chef Hattori and had consequently earned the Japanese Chef
license.
Mr Singh has stated that his restaurant uses a series of different measures in controlling both
the back office as well as the front office costs. Point of Sale (POS) is one of the most recent
systems which has been installed by Mr Singh in his restaurant. On closer analysis, it has
been found out that the POS system helps in many ways, firstly it helps in providing
sophisticated and accurate sales and cash reports. It helps the inventory manager in ordering
and purchasing the correct quantity of goods, at the right time, avoiding unnecessary costs

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(Walker and Walker, 2016). The usage of this system provides a range of benefits apart from
the ones mentioned above, it provides a sharp edge to the business and helps the chef in
estimating the different raw materials required by the kitchen at different points of time.
Efficient inventory control is another method used by Mr Singh, for controlling the costs of
the back office. The assistant chefs keep a track of all the relevant raw materials with the help
of the different suppliers. He delivers these information to the Head Chef, who keeps a track
of this with the help of the Head Chef. Strict rules have been implemented whereby the
restaurants staffs have been instructed to ensure zero wastage of the food items. As a result of
which, the Mr Singh has adopted the policy of efficient waste management. The food menu
are prepared by keeping in the customer’s requirements, a team is also setup for this purpose,
which is responsible for tracking and analysing the wastes generated. Recycling of the
wastes, wherever possible is also done (Ozdemir and Caliskan, 2014)
One of the most important steps taken by Mr Singh is the setting of clear goals and providing
crystal clear instruction all this employees, which has provided more efficiency to the
restaurant business. Additionally training of all the staffs are provided at regular intervals, by
checking their weekly performances, clear policies have also been made for the purpose of
employee meals (Hair et al., 2015). This helps in cutting down of unnecessary costs of the
restaurant.
Evaluation of the findings:
After a thorough analysis of the interview a fairly good amount of observations have
been made, and some of these measures play a vital role in the hospitality industry. They
have become an integral of the success of the hospitality industry and IndiMex is not an
exception. The POS system is a recent entry into this genre of hospitality business, it provides
a range of benefits to the business right from controlling costs, inventory maintenance,

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keeping track of all the sales and purchase related activities (Heo, 2013). It is also used in the
preparation of the financial statements of the business. Right from estimating the number of
orders to the expected number of customer visiting the restaurant premises, everything is
made easy using the POS. Efficient inventory control is another method, which was told by
Mr Singh in the interview. It plays a vital role in the food service operations by limiting the
unnecessary usage of the different raw materials and other food items. Specific instructions
have been provided to the employees about the judicious use of the resources, keeping track
of the quantity of products from the POS also helps in effective inventory management,
minimising the costs and ensuring accurate pricing of the different goods. Waste management
also plays a crucial role in managing the unnecessary costs and helps in recycling and reusing
of the different food items, which helps in reducing the costs by a significant extent (Ball,
2015)
Appendices:
Interview:
 Which kind of hospitality business enterprise is IndiMex?
INDIMEX is a funky Indian restaurant with a Mexican twist, which is based in the
beautiful Australian city of Brisbane. It is a celebration of good taste, good food and a relaxed
ambience. IndiMex is a place, where Indian and Mexican cuisines, two of the world’s boldest
culinary fusion meet. It features mouth-watering North Indian dishes with a Mexican spinoff,
which helps to create a unique culinary experience. Our aim is to bring the world closer by
breaking the barriers and the existing mould. Here everyone are welcome to join in the mirth
and revelry of some good food, from the mundane lifestyle of the people.
 Please tell us in a more elaborate way about job role at IndiMex?

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I am the owner as well as the Head Chef of IndiMex. I consider it as my own child. I
look after all the daily affairs of the restaurant, right from the receiving of the raw
materials, looking after the kitchen and looking after the welfare of the customers. I
look after the daily financial accounts of the business and also try to try my hand at
cooking some dishes too, some of them are quiet dear to me. Cost control and
producing the best quality food are two of the most important objectives of our
business. I have delegated both these wings to my Assistant Manager and the Deputy
Chef, although I oversee all the operations on a regular basis.
 How do you ensure cost control at the front of the house?
Cost control in the front of the house is quiet a challenging task and we had to work
really hard to pull of this task. Although, I remain present on both the back as well as
the front office, but my Assistant manager mainly manages the front section. Sign
board’s depicting the hazards of wasting food have been installed by me, as I believe
that the customers should also take responsibility of managing the food wastes.
Moreover, the POS system helps the business by controlling all the unnecessary costs.
 How is the cost controlled at the back of the house?
Costs control in the back of the house is one of the most important aspect of our
business. The kitchen is the headquarter of our business and controlling costs. Waste
management procedure team takes control of reducing the wastes, inventory control
which is helmed by me, along with the assistant, helps in reducing the costs of the
different items by ensuring timely order and delivery of the raw materials. This helps
a great deal in reducing the costs.
 Which financial control methods is preferred by you, in daily business
operation?

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According to my belief and experience, it is imperative to keep a track of all the gains and
losses of the business. It is because of this, we have hired some of the best accounting
professionals who help me in keeping a track of my finances and also prepares all the
financial statements as per the AASB provisions. It helps me to compare the past
performances of IndiMex. I also prefer to use the cash flow statements which helps in
keeping a track of all the cash related expenses and gains of the business.

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consumption of healthy food and beverages: outcomes of the Supermarket Healthy Eating for
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Dittmer, P., Keefe, J.D., Hoyer, G. and Foster, T., 2003. Principles of food, beverage, and
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Hair Jr, J.F., Wolfinbarger, M., Money, A.H., Samouel, P. and Page, M.J., 2015. Essentials
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Heo, C.Y., 2013. Restaurant revenue management. Revenue management for hospitality and
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IndiMex Cafe Bar Restaurant. (2018). About Chef GJ Singh - IndiMex Cafe Bar Restaurant.
[online] Available at: https://www.indimex.com.au/about-indimex/about-chef-gj-singh/
[Accessed 8 Jun. 2018].

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IndiMex Cafe Bar Restaurant. (2018). IndiMex Cafe Bar Restaurant - Indian Mexican
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Läikkö-Roto, T. and Nevas, M., 2014. Restaurant business operators' knowledge of food
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