The kitchen is the beating heart of any restaurant and the driving force behind a venue’s success. In fact, you could employ the most renowned chef, yet if your kitchen equipment is sub-par, then there’s only so far they’ll be able to take your cuisine.
Since the success or failure of a restaurant can be determined by a commercial kitchen's design and equipment quality, it is essential to plan and budget accordingly. With the average cost of kitchen remodels often exceeding six digits, it’s crucial to balance the items that are essential with those that are merely nice-to-haves.
Whether you’re looking to start a completely new business, or are simply renovating an existing commercial kitchen, managing a kitchen install is no small feat. In the initial planning stage, you will have to consider the location of the primary kitchen equipment, prep and storage zones, sinks, and dishwashers. As the planning progresses, decisions will need to be made on appliance brand and sizes, design, style, and layout.
With so many crucial decisions to make, it’s easy to overlook some of the all-important essentials that are needed in a commercial kitchen. So to prepare you for your planning journey we’ve put together a list of kitchen appliances, equipment, and other essentials needed in a top-quality kitchen.
The cooking equipment you have in your kitchen determines both the efficiency and flow of your entire operation. While your head chef is usually the heart of your kitchen, the quality and type of cooking equipment make a huge impact on performance. Choosing the type of equipment you need will greatly depend on your business structure and serving style.
Items to consider
Adequate ventilation is extremely important. Commercial kitchens can be an uncomfortable and crowded space to work in. Ventilation systems help to manage the airflow and temperature of the kitchen to help maintain a pleasant and healthy environment for your staff.
When choosing the right ventilation keep these factors in mind:
All commercial kitchens require a refrigeration system of some type. Without a fridge, the kitchen can not keep ingredients and prepped food fresh. Freezers are also a crucial part of inventory management.
Firstly, you will want to consider the size and capacity of your restaurant so you can determine the type of refrigeration your business needs. Reach-in refrigerators are normally more convenient for staff, but walk-in coolers are also a great option if space permits and food storage requirements are high.
Taking the time to plan and consider the best possible refrigerator and freezer options for your restaurant will help ensure quality in the ingredients your kitchen prepares.
Items to consider
A versatile appliance in a commercial kitchen is essential. With there being multiple benchtop appliances available the choices become endless. To work out exactly what your kitchen will need you will need to work out what your menu items will look like and the prep work they require.
Items to consider
Sinks are vital to any kitchen as they provide space for hand washing, food prep, and dishwashing. Health and safety protocols in different regions will define the minimum sink requirements for commercial kitchens as well as the need for dedicated handwashing stations and commercial dishwashers.
Sinks to consider
Commercial Dishwasher types
Moving past the equipment and appliances needed, are the next important factors, bench space, and food storage.
Things to consider
Every good chef knows that you need the right dishes and utensils for your kitchen. Not only for serving and presentation of your food, but also for preparation. A well-prepared kitchen is going to need stock cutlery, bowls, ramekins, cups, glassware, platters and plates, as well as extras to account for breakage.
The volume needed will depend on your restaurant size, and the types of dishes and drinks you prepare. Consider things like table turnover rate, the number of seats at your restaurant, your most popular dishes, and how many people you expect during your busiest days and times.
Things to consider:
Kitchens are a busy, crowded, noisy environment. Yelling orders over the pass, and working with handwritten dockets, leaves room for errors. This is why we suggest that venues with busy kitchens invest in a Kitchen Display Screen (KDS).
Implementing a KDS will allow your kitchen staff to gain instant access to orders - and orders are instantly sent and can be updated if your customers change their mind, meaning your chefs can react quickly and avoid wasteful preparation.
With the Epos Now KDS orders can be color-coded, so your team knows whether orders are dine-in or takeaway or if a table has been waiting a substantial amount of time for their order. At a snapshot see how many orders you have on the go at any one point and you can easily recall an order if it was accidentally cleared off. Additionally, line item completion allows your kitchen to complete large orders in stages so your team takes out food while it's still piping hot.
The cleaning and sanitizing of a commercial kitchen is extremely important to prevent harmful bacteria and possible cross-contamination. Creating a cleaning schedule and systemizing the cleaning process will help ensure you don’t attract attention from health and safety regulators. The cleaning and safety protocols needed for your kitchen will vary greatly depending on these regulations, so it is best to consult an expert and form a process that meets these requirements.
The cooking needs of commercial kitchens vary enormously depending on their size, cooking style, and menu. This guide was developed with the aim of providing a list of the most commonly used pieces of equipment in a commercial kitchen.
Doing your research is paramount when it comes to starting to source commercial kitchen equipment.
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