Menu Item Proposal Form

What is the menu item proposal form template?

Good menu ideas often come from the team, but a dish described in passing at the pass is hard to judge. Before it goes on the menu, someone needs to know what's in it, which allergens it contains, what it costs, whether the line can cook it on a busy night and how it tasted.

This template gives every proposal the same structure across five pages: the dish and why it's being proposed, ingredients and allergens, cost and price, preparation and stations, and tasting feedback that can be completed after the dish has been tried.

Proposals are saved as PDFs in your FileIt vault, so head chefs and owners can review them side by side and keep a record of what was approved and why.

Who uses a menu item proposal form?

• A head chef inviting the brigade to pitch dishes for the spring menu
• A pub group collecting specials ideas from each site's kitchen
• A hotel banqueting team proposing new event menu items
• A café owner reviewing a new brunch dish from a cook
• A culinary school running a menu development assignment
• An operations manager keeping a record of every dish approved or rejected

Questions on this menu item proposal form

30 questions over 5 pages · includes file upload, conditional questions, multiple pages, ratings.

The menu item proposal form, page by page

1 The dish

The chef gives their name and role, the dish name, its menu section, and whether it's proposed for the permanent menu, a seasonal menu, the specials board or an event menu. They add a proposed launch date, the menu description as guests would read it and why the dish belongs on the menu.

2 Ingredients and allergens

List every ingredient and component, including sauces, garnishes and bought-in items. A checklist covers the 14 allergens commonly listed on menus; if none are ticked, the chef is asked to confirm the dish contains none of them. They also mark whether it suits vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free or dairy-free guests, and note any new ingredients or suppliers.

3 Cost and price

Record the food cost per portion, the proposed menu price, the resulting food cost percentage and a reference to the recipe costing card.

4 Preparation and service

Describe prep requirements, prep time per batch and cook and plating time per order, and tick the stations and equipment used. If the dish needs equipment or skills the kitchen doesn't have, the chef explains what. Up to five photos of the plated dish can be attached.

5 Tasting feedback

After a tasting, add the date, who tasted it, star ratings for taste and presentation, feedback and agreed changes, and the decision: approved, approved with changes, re-taste needed or not approved.

Make the template yours

• Edit the allergen list to match the allergens you're required to declare where you operate
• Change the menu sections and menu types to fit your restaurant
• Make the costing card reference required if every dish must be costed first
• Change the currency on the cost fields
• Notify the head chef and operations manager when a proposal arrives
• Move the tasting page to a separate internal form if chefs shouldn't see it

Tips for a better menu item proposal form

• Check allergens in bought-in sauces and bases, not just the raw ingredients
• Time the dish during a real service, not only at a quiet tasting
• Keep the menu description short and accurate: it's what guests order from
• Taste the dish at least twice, by different people, before approving it
• Keep rejected proposals: an idea that doesn't suit this season may suit the next

Menu item proposal form: frequently asked questions

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Templates are a starting point. Check that the questions and any wording about consent, privacy or terms suit your situation and the rules where you are. Page last reviewed 2026-10-25.