Running a successful food business depends on having the right tools for the job, which means making sure you have the essentials when it comes to professional kitchen equipment.
While starting out with a new restaurant business can be expensive, having the right professional kitchen equipment in place can make all the difference in quality and speed of service.
After all you don’t want to be let down in those early days when you are working hard to establish a reputation and develop diner loyalty.
The main areas to consider are: storage, refrigeration, preparation, cooking and hygiene.
Storage
Food needs to be kept fresh and secure. A lot of fresh fruit and vegetables do not actually need to be kept in a fridge so allocating cupboard space for this early on can help to reduce reliance on a large fridge.
Make sure certain food groups are kept together and that any storage units would meet health and safety standards.
As well as food you need to consider where pots, pans, crockery and cutlery will be stored. These need to be easily accessible.
Refrigeration
It is quite likely that when investing in professional kitchen equipment you will need a fridge and a freezer to store food and drink that need to be chilled. The size will depend on your business requirements: how many diners you will be feeding, how much space you have and the frequency of deliveries.
Cold rooms or walk-in freezers are designed to meet high demand, while some fridges and freezers can add counter top space in a smaller kitchen.
Oven
This is the beating heart of the kitchen so select this part of your professional kitchen equipment wisely. Choose one that will meet your needs, is responsive and will fit into your kitchen in terms of both energy source and size.
Preparation areas
There is little more frustrating in a kitchen than inadequate preparation space. Before you end up balancing pots of sauce in your hand while rapidly clearing space with the other, plan in plenty of preparation space to your kitchen design. Counters can be stand alone or incorporated into storage or refrigeration units, just make sure you have all the preparation space you need when selecting your professional kitchen equipment.
Hygiene
An important consideration when running a kitchen, hygiene is essential to good practice. Add easy access sinks, separate preparation areas for fresh meat or allergies, and make sure bins have been considered. Make sure your professional kitchen equipment includes secure units that are sealed, and keep food out of easy reach of pests.
Depending on the food your restaurant will offer there are many other items you may wish to add, such as microwaves and fryers.
To make sure you get the best out of your kitchen, Caterline can help to design your kitchen layout when advising you on the most suitable professional kitchen equipment.
To find out more about what professional kitchen equipment to add to your food business contact Caterline.
