From a batch's total ingredient cost to the number that matters: cost per serving — plus a suggested menu price at a target food cost percentage.
Food cost per serving is the batch's ingredient cost divided by its servings, adjusted upward for the trim and waste that never reaches the plate. Menu pricing runs the other way: price = cost per serving divided by the target food cost percentage, so a serving that costs $3.15 to make is priced at $10.50 under a 30% target. Percentages around 28-35% are common in food service, but the right target depends on labour, rent and other costs that this ingredient-only calculation does not include.
What food cost percentage should be targeted? Many kitchens aim for roughly 28-35% of the menu price going to ingredients. Lower-volume or high-labour dishes often need the lower end; the figure here prices from ingredients only and is a starting point, not a full business plan.
Why add a waste allowance? Recipes are costed on purchased quantities, but peeling, trimming and spoilage mean part of that purchase is never served. Adding the allowance spreads the full purchase cost across the servings actually sold.