FREE SPREADSHEET FOR PROFESSIONAL KITCHENS
Free recipe costing spreadsheet template for UK chefs
Download a simple editable costing template, enter your pack prices and recipe quantities, and calculate the ingredient cost of a dish before you put it on your menu.
No account required. The CSV opens in common spreadsheet applications including Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets.
The sample uses ingredients measured in matching units and spreadsheet formulas. CSV files do not preserve cell formatting or multiple worksheets.
HOW TO USE IT
Cost a recipe in four steps
- Open the downloaded CSV. Import it into Excel or Google Sheets. It includes a worked example for a ten-portion soup.
- Enter quantities and pack prices. Keep units consistent for each ingredient. For example, if a pack is 3,000 g, enter the recipe quantity in grams too.
- Extend the ingredient formulas. Copy the ingredient-cost formula in column F down if adding ingredient rows. Adjust the ingredient sum range in H2 to include all of your ingredient rows.
- Set portions and selling price. H2 calculates ingredient cost per portion. J2 calculates ingredient-based GP as a decimal; format that cell as a percentage in your spreadsheet.
RECIPE COSTING EXAMPLE
What does cost per portion mean?
Ingredient cost per portion is the total ingredient cost of a batch divided by the number of portions produced. For example, a £24 batch making 20 portions costs £1.20 in ingredients per portion.
| Batch ingredient cost | £24.00 |
|---|---|
| Portions | 20 |
| Ingredient cost per portion | £1.20 |
| Ex-VAT menu price | £5.00 |
| Ingredient-based GP | 76% |
Example from the downloadable soup template: 1,500 g tomatoes from a 3,000 g pack costing £6.00 gives £3.00 of tomatoes. The onions cost £0.24, stock £0.75 and oil £0.225, making the total batch ingredient cost £4.215. Across ten portions, that is £0.4215 per portion. At a £5.00 ex-VAT selling price, ingredient-based GP is 91.57% (rounded). The CSV uses the unrounded amounts in its formulas.
Before trusting the GP: check every ingredient pack quantity is greater than zero, enter all required prices and quantities, and set a positive portion count and ex-VAT selling price. The updated template leaves incomplete or invalid calculations blank instead of treating missing prices as free ingredients.
Ingredient GP % = (selling price excluding VAT − ingredient cost per portion) ÷ selling price excluding VAT × 100. Read our food GP calculation guide for more examples.
This is an ingredient-only calculation; it excludes staffing, rent, wastage, delivery and other business costs. Use consistent VAT treatment for buying costs and sales prices.
SPREADSHEET OR SOFTWARE?
When is a spreadsheet enough?
A spreadsheet can work well when you cost a few dishes and supplier prices rarely change. It becomes more time-consuming when you have many recipes, multiple suppliers or frequent invoice price changes.
Mise en Price adds a dedicated supplier price book, linked recipe ingredients, saved recipes and invoice scanning with human review before prices are imported. It is designed to help chefs manage these regular tasks without maintaining a complex spreadsheet.
Frequently asked questions
Is the template really free?
Yes. You can download and edit the CSV without an account or payment.
Does it work with Microsoft Excel?
Yes, Excel can open CSV files. Depending on regional spreadsheet settings, formulas or decimal separators may need adjustment. Save a copy in your preferred spreadsheet format after importing.
Can I cost catering batches?
Yes. Change the portion count to your expected yield or guest count and include all of the ingredients. Add labour and service costs separately when preparing a full catering quote.
Can supplier invoices update the sheet?
Not automatically. The template is a standalone CSV. The full Mise en Price app offers invoice recognition and a supplier price book, with review and confirmation required before saving prices.
READY TO WORK FASTER?
From spreadsheet to smarter costing.
Try our online recipe calculator without signing up, or explore the full Mise en Price app free for 14 days. No card required; after the trial you choose whether to subscribe for £9.99/month. There is no automatic charge.