If you’re finally launching your restaurant business soon, you probably have a lot on your plate right now. And this could mean quite literally as you finalize your menu and conduct food tasting all day long. Opening a restaurant requires thorough planning, just like any business does. However, one crucial variable that you need to emphasize in your food business is your commercial kitchen design.
The kitchen is where your culinary vision comes to life as your staff prepares meals and dishes in this area for your diners. It is where the magical creation of your specialty dishes is crafted to perfection. Hence, it’s only wise to plan your kitchen design and make it ergonomic, efficient, and aesthetically attractive.
Follow through the tips below in designing your commercial kitchen for your restaurant business:
1, Decide On Your Menu
The most important part of designing your kitchen includes the development of your menu. By knowing what foods or dishes to sell, you can navigate where to place the workstations, food storage, countertops, and more. You know what equipment to use and which appliances are necessary for production.
Write down each meal on your menu along with its specific ingredients. Consider the types of stainless equipment or tools needed to prepare them. From washing the produce to slicing or cooking them, you’ll need some stainless supplies like the ones you can find from Veitch Stainless or other reputable brands.
Finally, organize the process or steps in cooking each menu item and the necessary appliances to prepare them. This assessment will help you decide on your workstation placements and layouts.
2, Decide On The Most Efficient Kitchen Layout
You need to decide on the type of layout your kitchen will adapt. After all, a kitchen layout determines how smoothly the restaurant runs. It is possible to produce high-quality meals consistently when the kitchen is designed strategically. By keeping your space well-organized, you will be able to boost your restaurant’s productivity. You can separate areas for working and for lounging for your staff.
On the other hand, failure to adopt an optimal kitchen layout can lead to haphazardness in your staff’s workstations. Injuries, slips, and bumps can often happen when the arrangement is too messy.
Successful restaurant kitchen layouts are easy to use, meet the restaurant’s needs, and enable the staff to deliver exceptional service. Some commercial kitchen layouts you can use are Island, Parallel, Open, U-Shape, or Galley designs. You can speak with your kitchen designer or a layout expert for the creation of the blueprint so the construction of your kitchen can be done appropriately. They may suggest traditional or modern kitchen ideas suitable to your business needs.
3, Figure Out Your Priorities
You will need a kitchen that is fitting to your restaurant. You don’t have to copy those of your competitors or nearby restaurants since your restaurant may offer unique menus and dishes than theirs. So you will need to structure your commercial kitchen according to your workflow, menu, and processes. Hence, it’s crucial to know what your priorities are.
A layout tailored to your needs can be established by deciding what’s most important to your business. You can go back to your business goals and determine what business variables you need to focus more on.
If you’re operating a high-end restaurant, you’ll have to depend on the main chef to call the shots inside the kitchen. In contrast, a fast-food restaurant will require workstations for independent workers with their corresponding kitchen tasks. The key is to determine your production process and match your kitchen to fit your operational style.
4, Ensure To Have All Your Necessary Stations
Each restaurant comes with its original workstations, depending on the food or cuisine they offer. You probably notice these more in fast food chains, as they usually have uniform placements.
Consider the following essential workstations to integrate into your commercial kitchen:
- Food Preparation Area
The prep area must be between the storage and the main cooking area for optimal efficiency and safety. This setup lets you wash, prepare, and ensure that your raw produce is clean and prepped well before mixing or cooking it into its respective dish.
- Storage Area
Apart from the fridge, you will need a pantry for products not stored in the ref. Keeping meat, fish, dairy, and vegetables separate in refrigeration areas is the healthiest and safest way to store food in your commercial kitchen.
The truth is you can store everything in the kitchen. However, you need to comply with the necessary temperature for the food to remain dry and fresh in the storage station. Also, you have to be keen to ensure that your storage space is at par with the health and safety standards of the health department.
- Food Service Area
This station is where food is being queued to be served. It is the holding area, so there should be enough space to accommodate all orders.
Conclusion
The amount of information in this article can seem overwhelming, but it is valuable for designing your commercial restaurant kitchen. If you feel like these are too much for you to take note of, you can always seek support or help from professional kitchen designers. The key is to determine your menu, decide on the best kitchen layout, use the highest quality of materials, and set the critical workstations within your kitchen.
