Overview
Events are for catering jobs and special occasions. Define a guest count, build a menu from your recipes, and set a budget. Cucinovo auto-scales recipe portions based on the number of guests so you know exactly how much of each ingredient to order.
Events require the Pro plan. During your 14-day trial, you have full access to all event features.
Creating an Event
Go to Events in the sidebar under the Procurement section.
Click the New Event button to start planning.
Fill in the event name, event date, and the expected guest count.
Select the service style: Buffet, Plated, Family Style, or Other. This helps organize your planning.
Add menu items by searching for recipes. For each item, set the base servings — how many people one batch of the recipe serves.
Enter a budget for food costs and the expected revenue. This enables profitability tracking after the event.
Add the client name and any notes about their requirements or preferences.
Click Save to store your event. Cucinovo calculates scaled portions and ingredient totals immediately.
Guest Scaling
For each menu item, you set base servings — how many people one batch of the recipe serves. Cucinovo uses this to calculate how many batches you need for your guest count.
For example, if a recipe serves 4 and you have 40 guests, Cucinovo scales it to 10 batches. All ingredient quantities are multiplied accordingly.
You can also set a portion factor to adjust the scaling. A factor of 1.1 adds a 10% buffer, useful for buffet service where you want extra food available.
Event Workflow
Define the event details, guest count, and menu as described above.
From the event page, generate a Prep List. This auto-fills the prep list with your menu recipes and their scaled portions — no manual entry needed.
Add the event or its prep list to a Shopping Basket. The calculated ingredients flow into the basket for aggregation.
Finalize the basket and generate POs. Each supplier gets a purchase order with only their ingredients.
After the event, use the Loss Calculator to record what was unsold or unused. This helps improve future event planning.
Budget Tracking
Set a budget and expected revenue when creating the event. After the event, compare actual food cost against your budget.
The event report shows the food cost percentage: total ingredient cost divided by revenue. This tells you how much of your revenue goes to food and helps you price future events accurately.
Most catering operations aim for a food cost percentage between 25% and 35%. If your events consistently exceed this range, consider adjusting menu prices or ingredient sourcing.
Event Status
Events move through several stages as you work through the planning and execution process:
- Draft — initial planning. Edit the menu, guest count, and details freely.
- Confirmed — the event is locked in. Generate a prep list and add to a basket.
- Added to Basket — ingredients have been sent to a shopping basket for procurement.
- Completed — the event is done. Track waste and review profitability.