INDENTING (Quantity Food Production)

INDENTING (Quantity Food Production)

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.

Indents are always made in triplicate. The 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. 

The Stores on receiving the Indent, scrutinize them and collectively places and an order with the suppliers to send such material on the specified time and date.

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. 

The chef in charge also take into consideration 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.

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 lesser the indent quantity becomes.

2.     Portion Size.

3.     Number of items on the menu.

4.     Choice provided on the menu./ Number of Snack Items

5.     Number of non-veg. items on the menu and its vegetarians alternatives.

6.     Number of non –vegetarians and vegetarians.

7.     Whether or not Indian bread or only rice is included.

8.     Type of guest: Age group, religion.

9.     Choice of desserts provided.

10. Whether cocktail/ Hard Drinks is offered or not.

11. Selling price of the menu.

12. Availability of Ingredients

13. Type of Menu (a la carte or on a banquet or buffet.)

14. Type of Silver, plated or buffet service.

15. Weather

16. Time of Service

17. Based of what is the type of event.

18. Day of function

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	Ingredients	1	2	3	4	5	Total Qty	Price per Qty	Total price
1
2
3
4
5

Signature of Indenter                                                                                         Signature of Store Keeper

Signature of purchase manager 

Various practical difficulties for volume Feeding

1.       Selling price of menu,
2.       Nov or dec. in the no. of pax
3.       Sudden change of menu,
4.       Availability of raw materials/ ingredients.
5.       Different food habits.
6.       Exact no. of guest is not known,
7.       Different food habits,
8.       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.