Building a Supply Chain & Central Kitchen
Professional Central Kitchen System · Applying AI to F&B Supply Chain Management
Move from depending on each branch's head chef to centralized standardized production, from financial investment and technical design to operations and HACCP. Enough for you to build a Central Kitchen serving a chain of 5+ branches and ready to franchise.
Struggling with your F&B chain?
7 problems F&B chain owners commonly face before having a Central Kitchen.
Inconsistent dish quality
Customers complain that the taste differs between branches. Each head chef cooks in their own way. Quality cannot be controlled as you expand.
High food cost, no idea where waste occurs
Food cost exceeds 35%. Ingredient loss is 8-15%, but you do not know whether it comes from prep, cooking or inventory shrinkage.
Dependent on head chefs, unable to scale
One head chef per branch. When a head chef leaves, quality drops. You cannot replicate through people.
No standard Recipe Card & BOM
Recipes live in the head chef's head. Quantities are estimated. Exact cost of goods per dish cannot be calculated.
No planning system
Branches run out of stock mid-shift · ingredients discarded after expiry · cash buried in inventory for 45-60 days.
No traceability when an incident occurs
A customer reports an 'odd taste' and no one knows which supplier or lot the ingredient came from. Inspectors ask and the records are incomplete within 24 hours.
Want to franchise but no standard system yet
No SOPs, no quality control process, no traceability: you cannot yet sell franchises professionally. This is the core problem the course solves by building a standard Central Kitchen.
A hands-on course: move from a head chef who does everything to building a Central Kitchen with recipes & systems
From CapEx-OpEx-COGS, SOPs and planning to HACCP and a 12-KPI dashboard. By the end of the course, you have a toolkit to build a central kitchen, applied to your own chain.
The course is led by AAU Academy's core instructors, who have directly built and operated Central Kitchens for major F&B chains in Vietnam (Golden Gate, Vinpearl, Nova F&B, Phuc Long).
60% of the time is hands-on practice on your own F&B chain, from breaking down the menu and drawing the Central Kitchen layout to calculating real headcount.
15+ hands-on template files: Central Kitchen P&L, Recipe Card, A3 layout template, 7-department JDs, 11-SOP framework, KPI Dashboard, 5-file HACCP plan.
8 sessions in 4 logical phases: Investment & Design → Organization & Procedures → Planning & Logistics → HACCP & Optimization, the true order of building a Central Kitchen.
The biggest difference: from financial investment to international-standard HACCP, ready to franchise. No other course in Vietnam covers this whole journey.
Who is this course for?
3 core audiences, and who the course is not yet right for.
F&B chain owner with 5+ branches
Preparing to build a Central Kitchen to centralize production, standardize quality and get ready to franchise. You need a framework for investing right, designing right and operating right to avoid tying up capital.
Operations / Production Director
An Operations Manager or Production Manager responsible for running a Central Kitchen or planning to build one for the chain. You need a framework deep enough to build a standard Central Kitchen operating system.
Senior Head Chef / Production Manager
Preparing to step into the role of Central Kitchen Manager, and needing a systems framework for chain production and HACCP. The focus is on operational decision-makers, not cooking technique.
Single-store owner with no chain yet
Not yet at the scale where a Central Kitchen is economical. AAU encourages you to start with the F&B Store Operations course or Winning Concept first.
Chain under 3 branches with unstable revenue
A Central Kitchen only has ROI when the chain has ≥3-5 branches and revenue ≥1 billion VND/month. Learning before reaching scale means CapEx tied up.
Looking for an idea for your first venue
This course is for people who already run a chain. AAU's Winning Concept F&B course is a better place to start.
Looking for a short-term production 'formula'
This course focuses on building a proper, sustainable Central Kitchen system. It suits people with a long-term mindset for building a chain, not a temporary fix.
8-Session Learning Path: 4 Phases
Investment & Design → Organization & Procedures → Planning & Logistics → HACCP & Optimization. The true order of building a central kitchen.
Phase 1: Investment & Technical Design Foundation
Foundation & Design · Sessions 1, 2 & 3
Session 1
Investment & Finance for the Central KitchenFinancial Foundation for Central Kitchen · 3 hours
- The 4-stage F&B supply chain Plan–Source–Make–Deliver: the Central Kitchen sits in the MAKE stage
- 6 signs a business needs a Central Kitchen + 5 prerequisites: the GO/NO-GO decision
- 2 investment models: Cost Center (At-Cost) vs Profit Center (Cost-Plus) + decision tree
- 5 CapEx groups + OpEx Template + COGS by model + ROI · Payback · BEP
- Practice: calculate CapEx-OpEx + ROI for your chain's Central Kitchen
Session 2
Central Kitchen Planning & Technical DesignCentral Kitchen Technical Design & Planning · 3 hours
- 7 criteria for choosing a Central Kitchen site + 3-location Scorecard + 20 survey questions
- 3 design principles: one-way flow / 3-level risk zoning / 4-zone temperature
- Central Kitchen structure: epoxy floors, FRP walls, specialized materials
- M&E systems: lighting, ventilation, water, 3-phase power, gas, fire protection
- 10 legal requirements + 7-phase Gantt over 6-12 months + 5 construction mistakes
- Practice: build a legal checklist + construction budget + timeline
Session 3
Central Kitchen Capacity & LayoutCapacity Sizing & Layout Design · 3 hours
- 4-step flow for choosing items to produce at the Central Kitchen: Sales/POS → R&D → Matrix → 5 criteria
- Volume × Complexity matrix with 4 cells (Full Central Kitchen / Partial / Optional / Stay at branch)
- Calculate capacity for 7 ingredient groups per day · Peak ×2 / Tet ×3 · back-calculate ingredients → staff → equipment
- 4-cluster area framework + m² per zone benchmarks + area calculation formula
- Case Study: Grill Central Kitchen 1,050 m² (8-branch chain + 4 more in 2027)
- Practice: break down 5 core items + draw the Central Kitchen layout on the A3 template
Phase 2: Staff Organization & Operating Procedures
Organization & Operations · Sessions 4 & 5
Session 4
Central Kitchen Staff OrganizationCentral Kitchen Organization & Staffing · 3 hours
- Central Kitchen org chart: Manager → 7 departments (Production · Technical-Warehouse · QA-QC · Logistics · Planning · R&D · Purchasing)
- Principles: QC independent from production · warehouse separate from purchasing, to prevent collusion
- Detailed JDs for 7 departments + headcount by capacity · OJT training
- Practice: org chart + headcount + JDs for your Central Kitchen
Session 5
Central Kitchen Operating ProceduresCentral Kitchen Operation Process & SOP · 3 hours
- 11 processes in 3 layers: Operations (5) / Control (2) / Incidents (4)
- Standard 7-part SOP structure + ready-to-use SOP Template
- 8 operating roles + RACI for 11 processes (Planning · Production Manager · Team Lead · QC · Warehouse · Delivery · Food Safety)
- Layer 1: Ordering · Receiving · Production · Dispatch Check · Delivery (running case: kimchi)
- Layer 3: NCR Form + 4 handling routes · Returns · L-A-S-T complaints · Recall
- PDCA + 4 Central Kitchen maturity levels · Practice: write 1 SOP for your weakest process
Phase 3: Supply-Demand Planning & Logistics
Planning & Logistics · Sessions 6 & 7
Session 6
Supply & Demand PlanningSupply-Demand & Central Kitchen Planning · 3 hours
- 3 pain points without planning: stock-outs · near-expiry · excess inventory
- R&D-BOM: Recipe Card, Yield Test, 3-15% loss: measured, not estimated
- Supply Planning 9 factors · Ingredient Master for the top 100 ingredients (80% of value)
- Demand Planning: forecast by store · Product Mix → ingredients · 4 item groups by frequency
- 5 Planning KPIs: Forecast Accuracy ≥85% / Stock-out ≤2% / Near-expiry ≤3% / DOI 15-25 / OF ≥95%
- Practice: build an Order Calculation + monthly ingredient budget for the Central Kitchen
Session 7
Warehouse & Logistics ManagementWarehouse Management & Cold Chain Logistics · 3 hours
- 4 warehouse types: Frozen (-18°C) / Chilled (0-4°C) / Dry / Tools and supplies + temperature standards
- WMS 6 core functions · FIFO · ABC classification (A 70% · B 20% · C 10%)
- Receiving SOP in 6 steps · Dispatch SOP in 9 steps · Returns handling SOP in 6 steps
- End-to-end cold chain: Warehouse → Loading ≤30' → Refrigerated truck → Unloading ≤20' → Restaurant
- Danger zone 4-60°C · Refrigerated truck requirements by product type · Data logger
- Practice: design a delivery route + cold chain checklist
Phase 4: Quality Control & Chain Optimization
HACCP & Optimization · Session 8
Session 8
HACCP & Central Kitchen Operations OptimizationHACCP Plan & Operations Optimization · 3 hours
- 12-step HACCP (5 preparation + 7 principles) · 3 tiers PRP / OPRP / CCP
- 5 HACCP plan files: Product Description · Production Process · Hazard Analysis · CCP Tree · Critical Limit
- Running workshop: napa cabbage kimchi + pork aspic from A to Z
- 12-KPI Central Kitchen Dashboard in 4 groups: Operations · Quality · Finance · Compliance
- 4 Central Kitchen maturity levels, ready to franchise · Practice: HACCP plan + Dashboard
5 core outcomes and a set of hands-on templates
15+ templates included: apply them directly to your own project without building from scratch.
Accurate Central Kitchen Investment Decisions
Central Kitchen Investment & Finance toolkit: P&L Template + CapEx Calculator + ROI/Payback/BEP calculation tools. Make the GO/NO-GO decision and choose the right Cost Center / Profit Center model for your chain.
Central Kitchen Technical Design & Layout
Layout & Construction template set: A3 Central Kitchen layout template + 4 area clusters + legal checklist + 7-phase construction Gantt over 6-12 months + 5 mistakes to avoid.
Complete Central Kitchen Operating System (CORE)
11-SOP framework + 8-role RACI + 5 Planning KPIs. Production / Warehouse and logistics / Control / Incidents. 11 SOPs in 3 layers · 7-part SOP Template · running kimchi case · NCR Form · 4 Central Kitchen maturity levels, ready to franchise.
Supply-Demand & Cold Chain Management
Demand Planning + WMS + Cold Chain SOP. Order Calculation Excel · 5 Planning KPIs · Ingredient Master · 4 item groups by frequency · end-to-end cold chain SOP with a 4-60°C danger zone.
HACCP & 12 KPI Dashboard BTT
5-file HACCP Plan + 12-KPI Dashboard in 4 groups. Build a full HACCP plan for 1 core product + a 12-KPI Dashboard: Operations · Quality · Finance · Compliance. 60-minute Weekly Meeting framework.
Hands-on Learning Experience
Learning goes beyond slides: you learn by visiting central kitchens, visiting suppliers and doing the real work.
Learn from your own chain's reality
Applied to each learner's real F&B chain. Instructors help 'solve cases' of real Central Kitchen operating difficulties.
1-on-1 coaching in every session
In every session, coaching is done on the learner's own Central Kitchen/F&B chain model. You do not finish learning and then swim alone.
LMS Online Learning Platform
AAU Academy's own LMS: rewatch all videos, documents and templates for 12 months, with updated versions as they are released.
AAU Alumni Community
Connect with the F&B alumni community: share real Central Kitchen cases, ask questions after the course, find supplier and chain partners.
15+ hands-on templates
Central Kitchen P&L, Recipe Card, A3 Layout, 7-department JDs, 11 SOPs, KPI Dashboard, HACCP plan: take them home and deploy right away.
Course Instructors
Instructors from leading Vietnamese F&B chains & central kitchens: Golden Gate, Vinpearl, Nova F&B, Phuc Long.
Mr. Tien Tien
Founder AAU Academy & PEACH Consulting
15+ years of strategy & operations consulting for Vietnamese F&B chains. Has led 100+ F&B projects, from small chains to large groups building Central Kitchens and expanding through franchise. Philosophy: 'Running a chain is not an art, it is a repeatable formula.'
Mrs. Hoang Ha
Former Central Kitchen Director · Supply Chain Director
Former Central Kitchen Director at Golden Gate Group & Vinpearl Nha Trang. Former Head / Supply Chain Director at Nova F&B & Phuc Long Heritage. A leading hands-on expert in Vietnam on Central Kitchen & Supply Chain for F&B chains.
What do learners say?
Sharing from chain owners and Operations Directors who completed the central kitchen course at AAU.
Before the course, I struggled for ages to build a Central Kitchen because I did not know where to start: how much to invest, how to design it, how to operate it. After the course, I have a full toolkit to start properly, from calculating CapEx to writing SOPs to building a HACCP plan.
The Planning + Cold Chain part was the most valuable for me. Before, every month I tied up 500-800 million VND in inventory without knowing why. After the course, I have the Order Calculation + Ingredient Master and DOI dropped from 35 days to 18 days.
Ms. Hoang Ha shared in great detail and very practically, from how to arrange cold storage to how to write a HACCP plan. This is the first course I have seen that covers the whole supply chain from investment to HACCP. I can apply it right away to the Central Kitchen I am preparing to build.
AAU Offers and Commitments
1-on-1 coaching throughout the course
In every session, coaching is done on the learner's own Central Kitchen/F&B chain model. We do not let you 'finish learning and then swim alone'.
Retake the course for free
You can review topics you are not yet solid on in the next Central Kitchen course intake at no extra cost.
AAU commits to training quality and to templates and knowledge you can apply right away. After the course, you have a full toolkit to start building a Central Kitchen for your F&B chain.
Frequently asked questions
Answers to common questions before you register.
My chain has only 3 branches. Should I take this course yet?
It suits you if you are preparing to open branch 4-5 within the next 6-12 months. A Central Kitchen only has ROI when the chain has ≥5 branches. Learn early to prepare, and avoid building a Central Kitchen when you already have 10 branches, when the pressure is far greater.
I have no Central Kitchen technical background. Can I keep up?
Yes. The course starts from zero: you only need to be running an F&B chain. Session 1 teaches basic concepts (CapEx/OpEx/COGS) before moving on to technical design and HACCP.
I already run a Central Kitchen. What is left to learn?
The course helps systematize your current Central Kitchen: HACCP standards, 8-role RACI, 11 SOPs, 12-KPI Dashboard. It is especially suitable when your Central Kitchen is about to upgrade to a Profit Center or franchise.
I am a Head Chef. Is this suitable?
It suits you if you are preparing to step into the role of Central Kitchen Manager or Chain Production Director. The focus of the course is the person making Central Kitchen operating decisions, not cooking technique.
What exactly is in the template and tool set?
15+ hands-on templates: Central Kitchen P&L, CapEx Calculator, Recipe Card, A3 layout template, 7-department JDs, 11-SOP Framework, NCR Form, Order Calculation Excel, Cold Chain Checklist, 5-File HACCP Plan, KPI Dashboard.
Can I learn online?
The Central Kitchen course is taught in person at AAU Campus (343 Pham Ngu Lao, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City) and in parallel in hybrid format. Learners can join via the meeting link and rewatch the course materials online during and after the course.
What support is there after the course ends?
A learner community (a dedicated Zalo + Facebook Group), free toolkit updates when new versions are released, and connections to suppliers & Central Kitchen partners in the AAU network.
Is there a certificate?
Yes: the AAU Academy Certificate of Completion. Graduates receive a 20% discount when registering for further advanced courses in the 13-course ecosystem.
How does this course differ from other Central Kitchen courses on the market?
Most other courses teach only Central Kitchen technical design or only HACCP. This is the only course in Vietnam that covers the full path from Financial Investment → Design → Operations → Planning → Cold Chain → HACCP, distilled from 100+ real Central Kitchen projects.
Build a Central Kitchen with formulas, grow your chain with systems
Leave your details and the AAU team will contact you for a free consultation within 24 hours on a Central Kitchen roadmap that fits your chain's scale & stage.
Or call now 056 566 7686 (Mon–Sat, 9h–18h)