Ken Burgin

Free Recipe Software

Free Recipe Software – plus other recipe costing options

Accurate and up-to-date recipe costing is the sign of a professional chef and kitchen – your profits are built one recipe at a time. Easy-to-use recipe software and costing calculators are essential tools in a modern kitchen.

I found CookKeepBook through a social media mention, and it seems to have all the functions for recipe costing software that an independent operator needs.

There are other excellent high-end recipe costing apps and food cost calculators such as Cooking the Books, MasterTracker, Menu Coster, Parsley, Hospitality Genie, KitchenCoster, and the less expensive Fillet and ChefNotePad. Other recipe costing options include the multifunction Loaded Reports, Restoke and Peiso.

Plus there’s the long-serving CalcMenu and Resort Software (waiting for them to go cloud-based), with integrations to POS systems, invoices, ordering and bookkeeping. Many of these are loaded with features, and fairly expensive for a small operator – no one escapes subscription pricing these days!

How to choose professional recipe software

Most people want a recipe cost calculator that can be used anywhere – PC, Mac, iPad or phone. They know that every time a recipe is costed, there will be surprises – sometimes good, usually not! The process should be as simple as: 1. enter the ingredients, 2. write the recipe and 3. create a costed recipe to print or share on iPad for daily use. When ingredient costs go up or down, changing a price adjusts the costs in all the relevant recipes.

What to look for in recipe costing software or a recipe app:

Essential Recipe Software Features

  • Ingredient lists with unit costs that can be updated
  • Use your own ingredient measurements eg can or box
  • Updated ingredient costs will update all relevant recipes
  • Vendor or Supplier Information for Ingredients
  • Add photos and videos of recipe and cooking steps
  • Recipes can by used as Ingredients ie Sub-Recipes or Recipe within Recipe
  • Measurement Conversion – metric to imperial and vice-versa
  • Copy, scale and multiply recipes
  • Sort recipes by category, ingredients, profit margin, allergens, vendor or supplier
  • Recipe Printing and export to PDF, with choice of inclusions – simple or complete , including logo
  • Export lists and recipes in Excel or CSV format
  • Secure data protection and options to prevent editing
  • Mobile compatible – synced across devices and easy to use with any phone or tablet
  • Training and help system through extensive online documentation and videos
  • Free trial version

Advanced Recipe Software Features

  • Import ingredient data from a CSV file or other recipe data formats
  • Profit Margin and Yield Percentages – tracking and alerts
  • Profit margins for entire menu, using recipes chosen
  • Addition of labor and other variable costs as an option
  • Vendor or Supplier communication, with ability to place orders
  • Generate Shopping Lists for recipes
  • Nutritional Information based on industry databases
  • Allergen tagging
  • Multi-user Access options
  • Set-up service included in cost or additional cost. plus ongoing support

CookKeepBook seems to have all that’s necessary for daily use, with a good free version (not just a trial). The annual cost includes a lot more features and is not expensive. I’ve been in touch with the developers and they are responsive and working on regular updates and new features. Highly recommended!

ALSO CHECK our lists of Rostering & Staff Scheduling Systems and Event Booking & Management Systems.

🤚 Check the weekly discoveries on Hospo Reset – information & inspiration for restaurant, cafe & foodservice operators.

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