How To: Keep A Restaurant Kitchen Stocked

Photo courtesy of Monica Glass

Determining a system for keeping a restaurant kitchen stocked for the first time can be daunting. How much are you supposed to order, and from where? Here’s Verveine Cafe & Bakery Chef and Owner Monica Glass’s guide on how she stocks hers.

Step #1: Know Your Storage Space
One of the main things is knowing your storage space. We have very limited storage space compared to when I worked at the catering company and we had a huge storage space. We could buy things in bulk, and obviously, you get a better deal if you buy things in bulk. My prices might be a little higher here, but it means my systems also have to be a lot more precise because if I run out,  I have to find another way to get the product. Or I have to really understand how much we're going to sell each day so I can order the correct amount without going too over, but also without going under. 

Step #2: Keep Things Neat
I like to organize my walk-in and my dry storage. Everything has a home, and I want them to be put back in their home, so it drives me crazy when things are not put back in the “correct” spots. Training everybody to know where everything goes is another big part of it. And labeling things – everything labeled, dated. Know your PARs [or Periodic Automatic Replacement levels, which are] your minimum quantities, your ideal maximum quantities and how much you sell. I have a couple different types of containers, but they're all basic storage containers that stack well. I have [Cambro] fish tubs and bus tubs [for bussing dishes] and quart containers and pints as well. Efficiency and organization are very important. [Editor’s Note: Monica often orders her containers from Webstaurant and Trimark]

Step #3: Expect To Order Every Day
I basically order every day. It depends on what it is, dairy and eggs we go through very quickly, so those I order almost every day, especially the eggs because we don't necessarily know what time our vendors are coming. They might come early in the morning, but they also might come at 2 in the afternoon.  I have to make sure that I have enough eggs to get me through breakfast too. [I order from] local vendors, like Chef's Warehouse, Baldor. Baldor's probably my favorite, they’re specialty, they carry a lot of the local farm stuff.

Step #4: Keep FIFO Front And Center
A huge one is actually what they call FIFO. First in, first out. Make sure that when you're using your inventory and going through things you're either reorganizing so the things that are dated first are used first. Keep tabs on that as well. If I have a quart of milk from last week leftover, but then I order milk again for tomorrow, I don't use tomorrow's milk first, I use the older milk first to make sure it doesn't expire. [I date with] tape and a sharpie, and I like my tape to be cut. I don't like ripped tape.

Step #5: Communicate With Your Team
I do all the ordering, but I like all my staff to write everything on the board for me. So when they use something, they have to communicate it and tell me or their teammates that it's low or  they used it all. That way it doesn't just fall on one person. Or say, Employee One used all of the tomatoes but didn't tell Employee Two. So I didn't order [more tomatoes] and then [Employee Two is] upset that they can't do their dish. [We keep it on] a whiteboard in the commonspace.

Step #6: Pay Your Vendors
They have Net terms. [Editor’s Note: Net terms are a period of extra time you have to pay your vendor instead of needing to pay right when you place an order. I.e. Net 15 means you have 15 days to pay for your order.] Each vendor is slightly different. Some might be Net 15, some might be Net 30. [Your tab] builds up and then you have to write a check for all the invoices. 

Thank you so much, Monica! Pastry chefs and chefs – keep these principles in mind when stocking your kitchen and you’ll be off to a great start.