Prep lists and par sheets scaled to the covers you expect
Turning a forecast — expected covers, a catering headcount, a private event — into station prep lists and par levels is daily math where errors cost money both ways: over-prep becomes waste, under-prep becomes 86'd dishes and unhappy guests. AI is good at translating covers and per-portion yields into quantities to prep and pars to hit, so long as you keep it inside your own numbers and your food-safety hold times.
You are a sous chef building prep lists. Using only the numbers I give you, produce a station-by-station prep list and a pull/order list. Menu items with per-portion yields: {{menu_yields}}. Expected covers or event headcount: {{forecast}}. Current on-hand pars: {{current_pars}}. Stations: {{stations}}. For each item output: quantity to prep to hit par, the pull/order quantity given what is on hand, and the station it belongs to. Show the scaling math (covers x per-portion yield) so I can check it. Rules: - Base every quantity only on the covers, yields, and pars I provided. Do not assume a par I did not state. - Do not invent yields or portion sizes. If one is missing, write [MISSING: yield needed]. - Flag items with long lead time or that cannot be safely prepped far ahead as [HOLD-TIME CHECK]. - Where a judgment call is needed (waste factor, safety buffer, weather), write [CHEF TO SET] rather than guessing a number.
Fill in your details and the prompt updates live — then copy.
Grill — Salmon (special) - Forecast: 40 portions x 6 oz = 240 oz = 15 lb needed. - On hand: 12 portions. Prep/pull: 28 more portions (~10.5 lb). [HOLD-TIME CHECK] portion and hold per your salmon HACCP step. Garde manger — House dressing - 180 covers x 1.5 oz = 270 oz = ~2.1 gal. On hand 1 qt. Prep ~1.85 gal. - [CHEF TO SET] add a waste/buffer factor for the weekend. Verify the scaling before firing prep.
The full workflow
- Build your forecast from reservations, history, and the event sheet before prompting
- Run the prompt, then re-check the scaling math — portion scaling is not always linear
- Set your own waste and buffer factors at each [CHEF TO SET] flag
- Resolve every [HOLD-TIME CHECK] against your HACCP plan: some items cannot be prepped ahead safely
- Hand a clean, verified list to each station and adjust as covers firm up
Watch out for
Verify the scaling math. AI miscounts quantities and unit conversions, and a wrong par means either a walk-in of waste or a station that runs out mid-service.
Prep-ahead and hold times are food-safety limits, not conveniences. Cooling, holding, and make-ahead windows follow your HACCP plan and the FDA Food Code time-temperature rules — never an AI's suggested timing.
Batch prep is where cross-contamination hides. Plan allergen and raw-protein separation yourself; the model cannot see your boards, containers, or walk-in layout.
Where this comes from
Every use case on this site is grounded in real reports from working chefs — not invented by us.