Commercial kitchens are the backbone of any restaurant or catering service place. A lot of thought process must go into in so that a proper well made safe kitchen is established. One of the key factors in deciding what kind of commercial kitchen one is looking to design with the kind of food they will be serving the restaurant. A lot of these steps are not strategizing, they are more towards creating a safe environment for people to work in.
If you are looking to open a new restaurant, one must consider the following factors :-
1. Understanding the space : this is one of the key steps to consider when designing a kitchen, the standard ratio from dining to kitchen is 60:40. The best solution is to plan as per kind of restaurant one is planning to work with. You must also account for things like ventilation, switches, electrical points for all the equipment, fire escapes and more.
2. Menu is key : Menu is extremely important because this will determine the storage of raw materials, essential items and the equipment which will be required for the space. Having a restaurant equipment list should help better with that aspect of things.
3. Safety guidelines & regulations : Each country has its own guidelines and safety protocols they must follow to proceed with actual construction of the space. The space must be up to date with all food and safety regulations, safety, food prep & disposal of food, wastewater & even protocols on placement of dustbin and waste.
There are key elements to consider for a restaurant kitchen layout
1. Delivery : this is particularly for the shipment loading & docking of raw materials which will be used in the kitchen for cooking. It should be close, but not too close so that it causes mishaps and spillages.
2. Storage : We cannot emphasis enough on the storage and it is essential to not only store produce, raw materials & kitchen tools but many other essential items. A lot of goods can be perishable, so this would also need a good enough storage space.
3. Prep Area : Depending on the type of cuisine the restaurant opts to serve the patronage, prep area will be required to cater to dietary needs & food allergies, having multiple prep areas also makes it easy to give timely service to the patrons coming in.
4. Cooking : Cooking stations play a vital role, in making the actual food that is being made. These areas always equipped to handle the volume it has. Each kitchen system has a KDS (kitchen display system) this shows orders directly to the POS system. Most restaurants use gas range oven, and commercial fryers for all frying food items.
5. Service : The core for any service-oriented business, is the service itself. The dishes must be made presentable before serving it to any patron. This area is located close to the dining rooms so that the staff don’t have to travel that much from the kitchen to the dining room.
6. Return of dishes : Commercial kitchens usually have a drop off point where the dishes post eating must be returned. This space usually has a waste disposal area, where any leftovers will get deposited. It must be easy for the FOH to access.
7. Cleaning : A standard layout at least has 3 sinks and a specific designated area for cleaning. A lot of glass plates are washed in a dishwasher which can clean multiple plates at a time. This area will also be equipped with drying racks to dry the utensils and cutlery.
8. Maintenance : It is extremely important to make sure that kitchen is being maintained well, along with the repairing and cleaning of equipment. Making the kitchen modular would help to easily move stuff around and make it easier to repair things.
Conclusion:
In the world of commercial kitchens, it is fundamental to have a design that is best suited to the restaurant. If it’s an open kitchen and people can see everything, the smoke managements and smells from the kitchen must be managed in such a way. The space ratio for kitchen and dining must be maintained well, so that the restaurants can cover properly for rush hours & weekends. Overall the chefs, staff & services are what make the restaurant a good one, with the help of an up to date kitchen.