Do you need to design your new commercial kitchen but are unsure where to start or what to focus on? There are various elements to consider when designing your kitchen; like proper ventilation, appropriate cooking space, food prep areas, etc.
By considering the elements mentioned above, you are well on your way setting up a kitchen that’s perfect for your menu, whether it’s baking delicious bread and cakes or flame-grilled steaks.
Let’s take a look at how to set up your commercial kitchen to ensure your kitchen provides an unforgettable dining experience for all your customers and that your kitchen functions at a swift pace.
Factors to Consider Before Design
A few factors to consider before designing your new kitchen:
Number of Staff
Air Ventilation
Energy Efficiency
Consider how much you can spend on electricity. With gas equipment, the heat is instant so you only need to have the gas on for the time you are using the equipment.
Maintenance & Safe Equipment
Up to Date Technology and Equipment
Working with up to date technology or cooking equipment can help any kitchen in the long run. Most new technology and equipment are often faster, stronger, and multi-functional, which could really help your business stay ahead in the food industry.
Health Codes
Do proper research before designing your kitchen as some regulations require proper distance between sinks and the prep station for example.
5 Elements to Consider for an Immaculate Commercial Kitchen Layout
Before jumping directly into designing your kitchen, consider the following elements for an optimal kitchen workflow:
1. Food Prep
Every commercial kitchen needs an area to prep food. It needs to be:
- Large enough, both for prepping large volumes of food and comfort. You don’t want to be cutting those carrots with your elbows practically digging into your sides.
- Easy to sanitise.
- Close to your cooking area.
2. Cooking
Unless you’re operating a sushi-only restaurant, you’ll need an efficient space to cook dishes. Having the appropriate equipment that can also endure volumes of food being made, is essential.
You must consider the following:
- Do you want gas or electric cooking equipment? Or both?
- How much do you need to cook daily?
- How many stoves, fryers, refrigerators (under-counter or walk-in), etc. do you need?
To cook dishes for hungry customers you need to ensure you have the right kitchen equipment to run an optimised kitchen.
3. Food Service
Another factor to consider is an area where you can place dishes ready for waiters to serve to customers.
Remember to consider essentials like heat lamps, for example, to keep the food warm while it’s waiting to be served.
4. Storage: Food & Cooking Equipment
Storage is a crucial factor to take into consideration for any kitchen, especially if it’s small. You’ll need to have efficient space for your food and equipment, without taking away vital space for other kitchen operations.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- How much food will I be storing?
Think about storing food in bulk both for cold and room temperature items. You’ll most likely have to invest in a cold room (aka walk-in fridge) and shelves. - How much space do I need to store extra equipment or catering equipment I don’t use at that specific time?
- Where can I store spices and other essentials that are in reach when cooking dishes without wasting too much time?
- Where will I store equipment and utensils that have been cleaned and need to dry?
5. Cleaning & Sanitation
After all that prepping, cooking, serving, and storing, you need to consider properly cleaning and sanitising your kitchen and storage areas. This includes:
- Cleaning dirty plates, glasses, utensils, cooking appliances like spatulas, etc. With this, you might have to consider if you need staff to hand wash items, or if you’d like to invest in a commercial dishwasher strong enough to handle heavy loads and constant washing.
You should also consider how you will transport large volumes of dirty dishes from the eating area. There are many options, including cleaning trolleys, dishwasher rack dolleys, etc. - Cleaning cooking equipment like stoves, prep tables, sinks, etc.
- Cleaning and sanitising the floor and door handles.
Need Help Designing Your Commercial Kitchen?
It doesn’t matter if you are starting from scratch, or you decide you want a total restaurant revamp, our team at Caterware Connection will ensure you have an efficient workspace to cook up delicious meals.
At Caterware Connection, we start off any new project by trying to understand your concept including your commercial kitchen needs, its menu, and how much and which equipment is needed.
After fully understanding what is needed to be done for your kitchen, our team will start planning and designing your kitchen’s layout. Our experienced team of sales staff will guide you step by step in turning your dream kitchen concept into reality. We operate in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and other areas in Sub-Saharan Africa. Get started.
