Commercial Kitchens: Functionality & Efficiency Rely On Good Design

If you're thinking of running a commercial kitchen, then it is important that you understand the value of good design.

Good design takes account of many different parameters; things you might not have considered. Below, we have created a brief guide to help you to understand the various aspects of good commercial kitchen design.

Preparation Areas

Firstly, you will have to consider the various types of perpetration area you will require. There are rules that regulate preparation areas. For example, you’re not allowed to mix areas where you prepare raw foods that need to be cooked (e.g. chicken) with foods that aren’t cooked thoroughly (e.g. salads & cakes).

Look at your menu, then consult the relevant governing body to establish how many preparation areas you need. Keep them separate as legislated.

As well as this, you should arrange the preparation areas in a way that makes sense logically. For instance, if you’re going to prepare hot food straight out of the oven, it makes sense that that particular preparation area is as close to the oven as possible. This minimises the risk of accidents in the kitchen and keeps it safer. It also makes the kitchen more efficient. Things happen faster and more efficiently.

Cooking Areas

Again, when choosing where to place your various cooking appliances, you need to consider the logical flow of the kitchen:

Which configuration makes the most sense from an efficiency perspective?
Which configuration makes the most sense from a health and safety perspective?

Choose a configuration that accounts for both where you can. If you have to choose between one or the other, then health and safety is the first priority. If you can combine them both, it’s ideal.

Delivery

This is something that people almost always overlook when they’re new to commercial kitchen design. In fact, it’s something many new businesses overlook, regardless of their area of expertise. However, delivery is an essential feature of any kitchen, and it has two facets.

Delivery from your suppliers to the kitchen: you need to ensure that there is plenty of space for your suppliers to make their deliveries. You need good access to the kitchen by road (even if it’s just a service road). Make sure that your staff/their staff can easily carry in the delivery through the doors.

Delivery from your kitchen to your customers: next, you need to consider how you will deliver food from the kitchen to the main restaurant. A hutch is often ideal, but if that’s not possible, then a door that swings easily is the next best option.

Service Area (for some types of restaurant)

This is only relevant for certain types of restaurant: those that incorporate a self-service feature in their menus. If you have a self-serve salad bar or food area, then you need to consider carefully where to put this. It needs to be placed in a way that people approach it in a circular fashion. They come in from one side, and they leave from the other. This will help minimise any accidents.

If you would like further help and advice about commercial kitchen design, then please visit Garners fse