The Food Cost Formula: An Executive Chef's Complete System for Profitability

By Michael Lockard

Food costs are killing your margins. This book fixes that.

Written by Executive Chef Michael Lockard - veteran of The Plaza Hotel, the US Open, and 25+ years of high-volume culinary operations - The Food Cost Formula is a complete, practical system for understanding and controlling food cost at every stage: purchasing, receiving, inventory, production, and service.

This is not a textbook. This is a working system.

Inside you will find:
- The complete 7-step Food Cost Formula - from recipe templates to period-end reporting
- 18 ready-to-use templates for recipes, purchasing, receiving, inventory, and production
- The Modern Chef's Toolkit - current software, apps, and AI tools including BirchStreet, Meez, MarketMan, and Toast
- Real-world examples from private clubs, hotels, and high-volume operations
- A new chapter on menu engineering and contribution margin - the number that actually drives profit

Who this book is for: Executive Chefs, Sous Chefs, F&B Directors, culinary school graduates, and any operator who wants to stop guessing and start controlling cost.
Download the free companion toolkit (all 18 templates from the book) at chefmichaellockard.com/toolkit

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0H2RWXT64
• ISBN13: 9798255388264
• Release Date: May 2026
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 97 Pages
• Weight: 0.31 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.2" x 6.0"