Before building your restaurant’s kitchen, consider the workflow and necessary kitchen items, as each restaurant’s design will have different requirements.
A contemporary bistro, for example, will require different equipment and designs than a fast food restaurant. As a result, when you begin designing kitchen layouts, think about all of the equipment the restaurant will require and all of the necessary stations and how food will flow through the kitchen.
Six Principles of Commercial Kitchen design and planning
Regardless of what type of food service establishment we have, there are several objectives for designing a kitchen properly. There are six guidelines you should follow when creating a commercial kitchen plan according to the Certified Food Service Professionals handbook:
Flexibility and Modularity
Simplicity
The flow of Materials and Personnel
Ease of Sanitation
Ease of Supervision
Space Efficiency
Flexibility and Modularity :
A commercial kitchen is a dynamic place. Its layout should be able to accommodate change. Maybe you added new dishes and redesigned the menu or hired a new executive chef that operates differently than the last. Multi-use workstations or portable equipment could provide an adjustable work environment.
Simplicity :
Consider designing a kitchen with simplicity in mind to maximise space and effectiveness. Kitchens are prone to clutter, and that clutter leads to confusion and poor sanitation that negatively affect a food service operation. Locating server stations near the kitchen, if we consider an example, limits trips through the dining room. At the same time, modular or drop-in equipment eliminates some corners and edges and unnecessary shelving. Furthermore, picking the appropriate equipment and only the required accessories can save you both room and money.
The flow of Materials and Personnel :
We agree that a kitchen is a busy place, but it doesn’t have to be chaotic. A commercial kitchen planned around the flow of materials and personnel will have a logical layout where no employees or materials backtrack through the space. The kitchen will operate in some type of circular pattern.
Although the refrigerated and dry storage rooms should be close to the receiving area, the waste disposal and washing areas should be kept distinct from the food preparation and meal cooking areas. Soiled dishes will enter one side of the kitchen, while finished dinners will exit the other. This idea ensures a well-organised and structured system while keeping the kitchen clean and food safe.
Ease of Sanitation :
Restaurant employees spend the most time cleaning the kitchen besides cooking, so having a kitchen optimised for sanitation is a must. Installing wheels on your work tables and equipment, so you can move them when washing the floors and walls is a better approach to making your kitchen easier to clean.
The most significant is the food safety and sanitary regulations that must be followed by every food service operation. Every location where food is prepared must have hand washing stations, which must be sanitised regularly and not utilised for storage. Waste disposal areas are in the same boat. To ensure that your kitchen complies with local codes, do some research.
Ease of Supervision :
When it comes to managing the kitchen, the executive chef has a lot to handle. The executive finishes dishes, designs menus, orders supplies, monitors food quality, ensures that equipment is working correctly and supervises the kitchen staff. Increased view, more effortless movement, and improved communication benefit from an open kitchen, making it easier for your executive chef or general manager to monitor.
Space Efficiency :
You’ll have to figure out how to fit all necessary appliances into your tiny kitchen. Since most restaurants have minimal room for their equipment. Countertop equipment and other small products are required when designing a small kitchen for concession stands or food trucks.
Consider which pieces of equipment are required for standard-sized kitchens with limited space. A light-duty countertop fryer, for example, is better than a large floor type if you’ll only be frying dishes a few times a day. Take care not to go too far with space-saving since a kitchen lacking the necessary equipment would drastically impede your productivity.
Before ordering equipment and planning a layout, make sure you have a well-thought-out kitchen design. A well-designed restaurant commercial kitchen planning can make your employees’ jobs easier, improve the flow of your kitchen, and potentially prevent serious mishaps.