Self-Assessment
The 16-Question Documentation Audit
Answer honestly rather than aspirationally — a “yes” that describes how it is supposed to work, rather than how it actually works on a Friday night, will produce a comfortable score and no useful information.
Want to try it on one real recipe first? Paste it into the gap finder.
1 · Continuity— if you lost your chef tomorrow
1.1 If your chef gave notice tomorrow, would the menu survive intact in writing? (liability exposure)
1.2 Could a competent cook who has never made a dish execute it from the written recipe alone? — From the gap finder
1.3 Is there a written onboarding program a new hire follows, rather than shadowing whoever is on shift?
1.4 Do you record that each associate can perform specific tasks — not just that they attended training?
2 · Liability— what you would be answerable for
2.1 Does every recipe carry an explicit allergen declaration, including when none are present? (liability exposure) — From the gap finder
2.2 Can a server answer an allergy question at the table without walking to the kitchen? (liability exposure)
2.3 Are your time, temperature, and holding limits written down and posted where the work happens? (liability exposure)
3 · Profitability— what you are actually earning
3.1 Do you know which menu items earn you the most dollars per cover?
3.2 Do you know the contribution margin in dollars — not food cost percentage — for every menu item?
3.3 Have you reviewed item-level menu performance in the last 90 days?
4 · Foundations— whether those numbers hold up
4.1 Is every recipe costed against invoices from the current quarter?
4.2 Does every recipe state a yield and a portion count? — From the gap finder
4.3 Are sub-recipes costed once and referenced by number, rather than re-costed inside each dish?
4.4 Is there exactly one name per product, with former names recorded as aliases?
5 · Specialized processes— answer only if applicable
5.1 If you vacuum-seal or sous vide for later service: do you hold a HACCP plan and, where required, a variance? (liability exposure)
5.2 If you ferment or cure in house: are your parameters validated and logged rather than judged by feel? (liability exposure)
Your Result
Answer the questions above and your result will appear here.
Results Sent
Your results are in. You will receive a written diagnosis by email — typically within two business days.