Managing Inventory Control and Procurement

Purchasing Procedures

In most restaurant kitchens, purchasing and ordering are done by the chef and sous-chefs, although in larger hotels there may be purchasing departments assigned this responsibility. In most self-operated on-site foodservice operations, the foodservice manager/director is responsible for purchasing, though if the foodservice is contracted to managed services, the operation will likely be part of contract buying. Most kitchens will have a list of suppliers, contacts, delivery dates and schedules, and order sheets with par stock levels to make purchasing easier. For a special function or event, such as a banquet, it may also be necessary to determine the required supplies for that function alone.