Tasting Menu Builder: Free Course & Pairing Planner
A tasting menu is a set menu of several small courses served in a fixed order, usually with a matching drinks pairing. It is not made or broken by the dishes on their own but by the arc: how the menu climbs from light to rich, where the guest gets to breathe, and whether the last course still goes down. This tool draws that arc while you type, counts your food cost and pour cost with you, and tells you how long the table is gone.
How it works
- 1
Lay out your courses
Per course: the dish, the base product, the technique, how heavy it feels, your food cost and the minutes at the table. Move them around until the order is right.
- 2
Read the arc
The tool draws your menu as a light-to-rich curve and names what a guest notices but nobody in the kitchen sees: two heavy courses back to back, the same base product three times, not one palate reset.
- 3
Price it and print it
Your menu price follows from your food cost target, your pairing supplement from your pour sizes. Print the card for the guest, the run sheet for the kitchen, the pairing list for the floor and the costing sheet for yourself.
How many courses, how long at the table?
Working rules of thumb, as a starting point for your own numbers. Count the time between plating and clearing per course, plus the changeover in between.
| Courses | Time at table | Pairing per guest | Food cost target |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 courses | 75–90 min | 2 glasses · 250 ml | 28–32 % |
| 5 courses | 105–120 min | 3 glasses · 300 ml | 30–33 % |
| 7 courses | 135–165 min | 4–5 glasses · 400 ml | 32–35 % |
| 9 courses | 165–195 min | 5–6 glasses · 450 ml | 33–38 % |
| 12+ courses | 200–240 min | 6–8 glasses · 500 ml | 35–40 % |
The terms, briefly
- Tasting menu
- A set menu of several small courses in a fixed order, with no choice at the table. Also called a degustation menu or menu dégustation.
- The arc
- The line from light to rich across the whole menu. A good arc climbs towards a peak just before dessert instead of piling on with every course.
- Palate reset
- A light, fresh or acidic course that puts the palate back, so the guest can taste the next one. A granita or a raw vegetable course does that work.
- Pairing
- One glass per course, poured small. Four courses at 100 ml is 400 ml per guest — the tool prices your pour cost and your supplement from that.
- Food cost target
- The share of your menu price that may go to purchasing. Your menu price is your food cost divided by that percentage, not your food cost plus a margin.
Frequently asked questions
Is this tasting menu builder free?
Yes, completely free, with no account and nothing to install. You build the menu in your browser and print or export it straight from there.
How many courses does a tasting menu have?
In practice five to nine. Under five it reads like an ordinary set menu; over nine the evening runs past three hours and attention drops — the guest's and your kitchen's. Five and seven are the two sizes that sell most often.
How do I price a tasting menu?
Add up the food cost of every course and divide by your food cost target. At 42 euro of food cost and a 32 % target that is 42 / 0.32 = 131 euro. Divide, do not add: a margin on top of your purchasing leaves you structurally too cheap.
What does a wine pairing cost?
Cost it per pour, not per bottle. A 750 ml bottle gives seven 100 ml glasses, so the cost per glass is the bottle price divided by seven. The tool adds up your pours and puts your supplement next to them.
In what order should the courses go?
Light to rich, with a reset in the middle and the peak just before dessert. The tool draws that curve and warns you about two heavy courses in a row, a menu with no peak, and a base product that keeps coming back.
How long does a tasting menu take?
Count 20 to 25 minutes per course, changeover included. Five courses lands around two hours, seven around two and a half. The tool adds up your own minutes and tells you how many sittings still fit your service and how late you can still take a booking.
Can I track allergens per course?
Yes. You tick the fourteen EU allergens per course and the tool builds a matrix across the whole menu, which goes onto the run sheet for the kitchen and the floor.
Are my menus stored anywhere?
Everything stays in your own browser (localStorage) and is never uploaded. Your menu is still there tomorrow, on this device. Print or export a copy now and then.