Count inventory without closing the kitchen

A complete count during service is unrealistic, but waiting for month-end hides waste for too long. Divide stock into zones and count a small, valuable subset on a fixed cadence.

Count what can change a decision

Count high-value and fast-moving ingredients daily, the rest weekly, and sealed low-risk supplies less often. Use one purchasing unit and one recipe unit with a documented conversion. Count at the same operational moment so comparisons mean something.

Investigate variance by value, not just quantity. A missing kilogram of saffron matters more than a missing kilogram of onions. Close each investigation with a corrected recipe, receiving issue, waste record, or control change.