Restaurant catering kitchen prep checklist

Turn the confirmed order into a prep brief

The kitchen needs a production brief, not a thread of customer messages. Begin with the confirmed menu and quantities, the ready-by time and the person responsible for releasing the order. Distinguish the event start time from the time food must leave the kitchen.

Use this checklist alongside your restaurant’s established food-safety, allergen and temperature-control procedures. It does not replace staff training or local requirements.

Build an item-by-item kitchen prep list

A prep list records the production work still to do; a readiness checklist verifies that the complete order can leave. Use both with the same order reference and current revision. Give each dish or prep item its own row or block so one completed item cannot hide another unfinished item.

Record the required quantity and its unit, then the usable quantity already prepared in that same unit. The remaining quantity is the work still needed after that reconciliation; a surplus is not negative prep. The final checker reconciles already-prepared plus newly-prepared quantities against the current required quantity. Do not subtract trays from portions or raw ingredient weight from cooked finished weight. Your restaurant sets portions, yields, usable amounts and due-by times under its approved procedures.

The downloadable text template is a manual worksheet for your existing process. It does not claim that the CaterWoo app calculates production quantities, manages stock or schedules kitchen tasks. Keep dietary and allergen review with the responsible staff rather than treating a completed prep block as safety clearance.

• Order reference, event date and current revision.
• Dish or prep item and the required quantity with an explicit unit.
• Usable quantity already prepared in the same unit.
• Remaining quantity to prepare and any unresolved discrepancy.
• Responsible person or station and operator-entered due-by time.
• Newly prepared quantity in the same unit, completion time and final-check owner.

Check preparation and packing ownership

Give each task an owner. A checked box without a named person can leave the team unsure whether it means started, completed or verified. Mark each state clearly and make last-minute changes easy to spot.

• Match menu items and quantities to the latest confirmed order.
• Confirm tray or container counts and serving equipment.
• Review dietary requests and allergen notes with the responsible staff.
• Assign prep, packing and final-check owners.
• Prepare labels that identify the order and contents.
• Confirm pickup or dispatch timing before releasing food.

Release the complete order

Count containers against the order, including sauces, drinks and requested utensils. Keep the packing list visible until the final checker signs off. Separate unfinished items from items ready to leave.

Record a handoff time and the receiving person. If a component is missing, make that exception explicit rather than marking the whole order ready. The pickup and delivery checklist provides the next step.