CPN CFE cheat sheet

Four production systems: conventional (cook-serve, food held <2 h), cook-chill (blast chilled to 3°C/37°F within 90 min, held up to 5 days), cook-freeze (frozen at -18°C/0°F or below), and assembly-serve (rethermalized convenience foods).

Sous vide is a reduced-oxygen cook-chill process: food vacuum-sealed, cooked, rapidly chilled, and held under strict time-temperature control.

Systems approach: inputs (food, labor, money, facilities) → transformation (production, distribution, service) → outputs (meals, satisfaction, costs) with feedback loops.

Centralized production concentrates labor and equipment in one kitchen; decentralized (satellite) production adds transport cost but shortens holding time at service sites.

Meal equivalents (MEQ) convert varied workloads to a common unit; labor minutes per meal equivalent is the standard productivity metric.

Batch vs. quantity cooking: batch cooking holds small amounts and replenishes, reducing overproduction and holding-quality loss.

Menu engineering matrix classifies items by popularity and contribution margin into stars, plowhorses, puzzles, and dogs.

Forecasting methods: moving average, exponential smoothing, and time-series; forecast accuracy is monitored by the forecast error ratio.

Service styles ranked by labor intensity: American/plate > French/platter > Russian > family > buffet > cafeteria > self-service.

Atwater factors: carbohydrate 4 kcal/g, protein 4 kcal/g, fat 9 kcal/g, alcohol 7 kcal/g.

AMDR: carbohydrate 45-65%, fat 20-35%, protein 10-35% of energy for adults.

Acceptable fiber intake 14 g per 1,000 kcal; DRI protein RDA 0.8 g/kg body weight for healthy adults.

Diabetes: consistent carbohydrate counting or exchange lists; carbohydrates typically 45-60 g per meal, individualized.

Renal disease: limit sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and fluid; protein restricted in non-dialyzed CKD and increased for dialysis patients.

Dysphagia texture levels follow IDDSI (0 thin to 4 pureed; 5 minced-moist to 7 regular) plus liquid levels 0-4.

Therapeutic diet progression: clear liquid → full liquid → mechanical soft → regular; NPO status requires documented reason and reassessment.

Cardiac diet: saturated fat <7% of energy, trans fat avoided, sodium 1,500-2,300 mg/day, soluble fiber 5-10 g/day.

Nutrition screening within 24 h of admission; positive screen triggers referral to a registered dietitian for full assessment (ABCD: anthropometric, biochemical, clinical, dietary).

Temperature danger zone: 41°F-135°F (5°C-57°C); limit time in the zone to 4 cumulative hours.

Two-stage cooling: 135°F to 70°F (57°C to 21°C) within 2 h, then 70°F to 41°F (21°C to 5°C) within 4 more hours (6 h total).

Reheating for hot holding: to 165°F (74°C) within 2 h, once only.

HACCP seven principles: hazard analysis, determine CCPs, establish critical limits, monitoring, corrective actions, verification, recordkeeping.

Critical limits must be measurable (time, temperature, pH, aw, chlorine ppm); monitoring frequency is defined in the plan.

FATTOM: Food, Acidity (pH 4.6), Time, Temperature, Oxygen, Moisture (aw 0.85) - conditions favoring pathogen growth.

Handwashing: at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water; no bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food - use gloves, deli tissue, or utensils.

Sanitizer concentrations: chlorine 50-100 ppm, quaternary ammonium 200-400 ppm, iodine 12.5-25 ppm; test strips verify.

Big six pathogens: Salmonella Typhi, Shigella, E. coli O157:H7, Hepatitis A, Norovirus, nontyphoidal Salmonella - exclude or restrict ill workers.

Purchase specification contents: product name, grade, size/count, form, packaging, labeling, condition, and quality standards.

Yield percentage = edible portion weight ÷ as-purchased weight × 100; AP quantity = EP quantity ÷ yield.

Edible portion (EP) cost per unit = AP cost per unit ÷ yield percentage.

Inventory methods: FIFO for perishables, LIFO, and weighted average; physical inventory reconciles book vs. actual usage.

Par stock level = average daily usage × order lead time + safety stock.

Just-in-time purchasing reduces holding cost but raises stockout and supplier-reliability risk.

Receiving checks: count, weight, temperature (frozen ≤0°F/-18°C, refrigerated ≤41°F/5°C), grade, and documentation before signing.

Three competitive bid types: informal (phone), formal (sealed written), and negotiated; specifications must be identical for valid comparison.

USDA grades: Prime, Choice, Select for beef; Grade A for poultry and eggs; Extra Fancy/No. 1 for produce.

Food cost percentage = food cost ÷ food sales × 100.

Labor cost percentage = labor cost ÷ total sales × 100.

Prime cost = food cost + labor cost; prime cost percentage typically targets 55-65% of sales.

Contribution margin = selling price − variable (food) cost per item.

Break-even point in sales = fixed costs ÷ (1 − variable cost percentage).

Cost of food sold = beginning inventory + purchases − ending inventory − employee meals (with adjustments).

Operating ratios: current ratio = current assets ÷ current liabilities; inventory turnover = cost of food used ÷ average inventory.

Variance analysis: standard cost vs. actual cost; usage variance and price variance identify purchasing vs. production problems.

Budget types: operating (revenue/expense), capital (assets over threshold), and cash; zero-based budgeting requires justification of each line.

FTE = total paid hours ÷ 40 (or ÷ standard full-time hours per week); labor hours = meals served × minutes per meal ÷ 60.

Turnover rate = separations ÷ average number of employees × 100 (annualized).

Absenteeism rate = days absent ÷ scheduled workdays × 100.

Progressive discipline steps: verbal warning → written warning → suspension → termination, documented at each step.

Job analysis produces the job description (duties) and job specification (qualifications); both precede recruitment.

Fair Labor Standards Act: overtime at 1.5× regular rate beyond 40 hours/week; tip credit rules apply to tipped employees.

Training cycle: needs assessment → design → delivery → evaluation (Kirkpatrick: reaction, learning, behavior, results).

Leadership styles: autocratic, democratic/participative, laissez-faire, and situational; contingency depends on task structure and follower maturity.

Employee selection tools must be valid and non-discriminatory; structured interviews and work samples have higher predictive validity than unstructured interviews.

Work-flow principle: straight-line flow from receiving → storage → preparation → production → holding → service → warewashing; no cross-traffic between clean and dirty paths.

Receiving area located adjacent to storage and loading dock; separate soiled and clean dish routes to prevent cross-contamination.

Ventilation: hood exhaust over cooking equipment; make-up air typically 80-90% of exhaust volume.

Equipment selection criteria: menu and volume match, energy efficiency, space, maintenance, and life-cycle cost.

Life-cycle cost = purchase price + installation + energy + maintenance + disposal, discounted over useful life.

Refrigeration capacity: walk-in coolers 35-38°F (2-3°C), freezers 0°F (-18°C) or below; verify with calibrated thermometers.

Work triangle and reach zones: primary work surfaces 36 in (91 cm) high, aisle widths 36-42 in (91-107 cm) for single-worker traffic.

Kitchen ventilation and fire suppression: hood suppression systems require semi-annual inspection by certified technicians.

Technology: POS data feeds forecasting and inventory; electronic temperature monitoring provides HACCP records automatically.

Food Code is model guidance from FDA; state and local health departments adopt and enforce their own versions.

Inspection focus areas: time/temperature control, employee health and hygiene, cross-contamination, and facility maintenance.

HACCP plan verification includes record review, calibration checks, and CCP monitoring audits.

Allergen control: identify the nine major allergens (milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, sesame) and prevent cross-contact.

Labeling: nutrition facts, ingredient lists in descending order by weight, and allergen statements are required for packaged foods.

OSHA: Hazard Communication Standard requires SDS access and training; bloodborne pathogen plan required where exposure risk exists.

Quality assurance vs. quality control: QA is the planned system; QC is the inspection/testing activity within it.

Record retention: HACCP and temperature logs typically kept 90 days to 2 years depending on jurisdiction; verify local rule.

Continuous quality improvement: Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle; indicators should be measurable, relevant, and benchmarked.

Marketing mix (4 Ps): product, price, place, promotion; services add people, process, and physical evidence (7 Ps).

Market segmentation variables: demographic, geographic, psychographic, and behavioral.

Menu pricing methods: factor pricing (price = food cost × markup factor), contribution-margin pricing, and psychological pricing.

Markup factor = 1 ÷ desired food cost percentage (e.g., 30% target → factor 3.33).

Customer satisfaction measured by surveys, comment cards, mystery shoppers, and Net Promoter Score (promoters − detractors).

Service recovery: acknowledge, apologize, resolve, and follow up; unresolved complaints reduce repeat business.

Sales promotion vs. advertising: promotion is short-term incentive (coupons, discounts); advertising is paid, non-personal communication.

Social media and digital marketing: monitor reviews, respond within 24-48 h, and track conversion metrics.

Business development: SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) guides growth strategy and feasibility studies.