The Line Cook’s Station Matrix: Prep Pars, Capacity, and True Plate Cost

1. Kitchen Station Capacity & Pinch Points

Benchmark peak output capacities and holding buffer limits per station to prevent line logjams.

Station	Peak Output	Critical Pinch Point	Holding Buffer	Recovery Action
Sauté	45–55 plates/hr	Burner ring lock / Pan resets	2–3 min under lamps	Pre-sear braises; drop cold pans to dish pit immediately.
Broiler / Grill	35–45 cuts/hr	Heat zone collapse / Searing real estate	3–5 min board rest	Lock graduated sear/rest lanes; stage cuts on speed-sheet.
Fry	50–65 baskets/hr	Oil temp drop below 330°F	1.5–2 min max holding	Never drop >50% basket capacity; skim suspended sediment.
Garde Manger	60–75 items/hr	Cold well reaching >38°F / Plating space	Zero (send immediately)	Pre-spin greens in sub-portions; refresh bottom ice wells.

Input your projected cover count and station metrics to determine the exact prep requirement before doors open.

Projected Shift Covers

Usage Rate (Portions per 100 covers)

Waste / Cushion Buffer (%)

Current On-Hand Prepped Inventory

Total Required Shift Par:
67 portions

Quantity to Prep Today:
52 portions

Reference master yields and plate targets to protect your prime gross margins.

Item Description	Pack Cost / Unit	Yield %	True Cost / Base Unit	Portion Size	Plate Protein Cost
Ribeye (Subprimal)	$14.50 / lb	78% (Trim loss)	$18.59 / lb	12 oz	$13.94
Atlantic Salmon	$9.25 / lb	82% (Skin/pinbone)	$11.28 / lb	7 oz	$4.94
Bone-in Pork Chop	$5.10 / lb	90% (Fat cap trim)	$5.67 / lb	10 oz	$3.54

Total Prepped Plate Cost ($)

Target Food Cost % (e.g., 28% = 28)

Suggested Menu Price:
$33.93

Gross Contribution Margin:
$24.43

Status:
Healthy Margin

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