Because of the variety of possible layouts, most kitchens must be fitted to the kind of building, making process flow analysis even more important. Each kitchen is planned individually, taking into account the various physical and functional needs. A solid understanding of kitchen equipment and processes, including people and resources, is essential when planning the workflow in a professional kitchen.
Hpg Commercial kitchen design and planning helps you build the most optimized kitchen workflow. The workflow will be efficient if the equipment has been specifically built to interact seamlessly with humans and with each other. This is why designers must be familiar with the equipment and its operations to combine patterns, activities, and goals to create an optimal workflow.
Stages of Commercial Kitchen workflow
Merchandise reception area:
The process through which products bought from a supplier arrive at the facility to be sorted, managed, and eventually located in the storage area is known as merchandise reception. This is one of the most critical stages in various gastronomic establishments. Here, the merchandise condition, the price, and the size are checked. After all, if these three qualities are in conflict (overprice, poor condition, and wrong size), the cost of the recipe and production will be affected.
This section usually contains weighing equipment, platforms for placing product bags, and a sink for washing the products when necessary.
Dry storage:
The dry storage area should ideally be situated. It is accessible from both the kitchen and the reception area. For the proper storage and safety of all food stored in this section, adequate space and equipment should be given. Adequate storage requires good ventilation in the dry storage space. Temperatures of 10°C to 21°C are suggested for dry storage. However, temperatures can be kept between 40°F and 45°F (4°C and 7°C) throughout certain months of the year.
In the dry storage category, this variety is extremely popular. Providing proper ventilation in the dry storage space goes a long way toward creating and maintaining an appropriate atmosphere for dry goods storage.
Cold storage:
A cold storage room is where the temperature is maintained at a low level. It is typically used to store things in an atmosphere cooler than the outside temperature. Fruits, vegetables, seafood, meat, and flowers all require refrigeration.
The temperature inside a cold room is determined by the stored material or product, such as frozen foods, which are kept at negative temperatures. Tropical and subtropical fruits are held at 5-13°C, while local vegetables and fruits are kept at 0°C.
A kitchen’s cold room is divided into refrigeration and freezing areas depending on the type of food to be stored and the appropriate temperature.
The cold room is an essential component of any hotel that aims to serve food that clients will consume later. It is always fascinating to preserve some of these meals in the form of frozen products, depending on the regularity with which food purchases are made, especially the more perishable ones (fish, meat). They allow for the preservation of items for more extended periods and purchase items at different times.
Preparation area:
Separate rooms are frequently constructed in large kitchens for meat and fish preparation, cutting and potato peeling, and vegetable washing.
These areas are confined to the working areas near the cooking, where the preparations and bits of the materials to be cooked will be due to the tiny volume of product in contrast to those manipulated in our situation. In general, this room will be furnished with open or closed work tables, wall shelves, and sinks and complement elements for food preparation, such as tables, cutting equipment, and support equipment with knives and small cutters.
It is usually best to keep this space separate and distinct from the main working area, to maintain a consistent temperature (about 18°C), and to avoid mixing these decontaminated” items with other “infected” goods that require culinary treatment. Cold tables, wall shelves, and cutting and slicing features should all be present in this space.
Production area:
This is the heart of the kitchen and requires special attention in terms of design; in some situations, it is close to the final presentation area, while in others, it is not. This area cooks both vegetables and meats; ideally, the plant area will be near the final presentation area, as this one requires less cooking and quick serving. Unlike these, the meat necessitates a lengthy cooking time and a large number of older ones. The food can be brought in special carts.
Final preparation area:
This area is part of the hot cooking area. Its main equipment is the support tables, which are used to assist the cooks in the production area by arranging the dishes they create, while another team in the preparation room is in charge of “assembling the meals.”After that, the meal is cooked, adorned, and mixed in with the other items coming out of the production area.
The tables in the prep area are large enough for two persons to work on each side, and a small sink can be added to these tables to wash tiny prep instruments.
Dining area:
A restaurant’s dining room is where customers sit down to sample the menu or the items on the menu. It must be created in advance to project a positive image and transmit comfort and well-being, allowing users to relax and enjoy their stay. It’s where they’ll spend the most time and, as a result, the one they’ll remember the most from their visit to our restaurant.
Remember that the dining room is also where employees connect with customers, so it is a good spot. It must provide a smooth and comfortable relationship between service and diners by offering an ideal space and structure.
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