No matter the type of facility you are working on a commercial kitchen design for, there is usually much more involved than the finished product would indicate. The project is sizeable and requires a great deal of expertise, exacting designs, and the right commercial kitchen equipment to go from the idea phase to the completion of the project.
Your future success needs to start with the best design possible. This is where the experienced professionals at Tob Lab Commercial Kitchens can help. As a top commercial kitchen company, we pride ourselves on helping our clients create the ideal commercial kitchens to meet their needs.
Here, we cover several vital elements you must address to design your perfect commercial kitchen.
Tip 1: Layout
An efficient layout for your commercial kitchen can be the difference between a kitchen operating like clockwork or in chaos. To save time and money creating a layout, you should ask yourself a few questions before making any design moves. These include:
- How much space is available?
- What is the style of service?
- What type of dishes are planned?
- How much food prep will take place?
- Types of cooking?
- Are there storerooms, or must everything fit in the kitchen?
- Will everything need to be stored in the kitchen?
- Will I use fresh produce or dried/tinned goods?
- Do I need freezer space?
Once you can answer these questions, you can begin to create a layout for the kitchen. You must remember that nothing is written in stone at this phase, and you may discover a different design that suits your needs.
Remember, things such as ergonomics, safety, communication, and division of available space are all elements of your commercial kitchen layout that will drive the design.
Tip 2: Design
When your kitchen is being designed, you must be sure that the design allows for the following six essential areas every commercial kitchen needs. These are:
- Delivery Area – While direct access to your kitchen is best, at minimum, conveniently located near your kitchen to reduce spoilage or waste while food is unloaded.
- Storage Area – Depending on the space available, you may have more than one storage section. Typically, you will need one for food and consumable products and another for cookware, dishes, and utensils. Ideally, a third for place settings and linens will be separate from the first two.
- Washing Station – Ideally, you need separate washing stations. One for food and produce and another for dishes, utensils, and cookware.
- Food Preparation – Depending on what you serve and how it is prepared, you may have several food preparation stations. At a minimum, you will need to keep raw foods and foods that must be cooked away from each other to avoid cross-contamination.
- Cooking Station – Allow ample space for cooking equipment as well as a display section for incoming tickets here.
- Service Area – The service area should be as close to the dining area as possible, where dishes receive the final touches and go to the wait staff.
Tip 3: Supplies and Products
The scope of available commercial kitchen supplies and products can be overwhelming. If you are just starting, it may be tempting to purchase the bare bones and make do. While this can prevent excess spending right away, it can also prevent successful completion of tasks, including preparing essential menu items. The best way to know the supplies and products your kitchen must have to function is to walk through what goes into each task and each food item on your menu. This will give you an accurate sense of the necessary products and supplies so you do not overbuy or shortchange your staff.
Tip 4: Storage
You will need several kinds of storage for your commercial kitchen. Often, storage brings to mind a back room full of kitchen equipment, dinnerware, and paper products. And while you do need to be able to store these sorts of commercial kitchen supplies, there are other types of storage just as necessary.
You cannot overlook an efficient dry storage system, which can consume a significant amount of space in your kitchen. Additionally, some of your products will need freezer storage, and other perishable ingredients will need cold (but not freezing) storage, like a large refrigerator or a walk-in cooler.
When planning storage, you will get the best results if you rely on professionals to help designate space and recommend products.
Tip 5: Use Professionals
When you consider how much is riding on getting your commercial kitchen design correct the first time, you can understand why it is advisable to consult with experienced professionals. What can look like minor errors on paper can cause massive problems when you are bringing your ideas to life. This is why you should, at minimum, meet with a commercial kitchen expert and have them review your design plans before the construction starts. However, a better option would be to have a commercial kitchen expert create the designs for your kitchen. The amount you spend on a consultation will be recouped if even one or two minor oversights can be prevented.
You will undoubtedly want to work with licensed professionals to build and outfit your commercial kitchen. You must ensure all parts of your project are up to code before you get permission to open.
Another vital professional who should weigh in on your commercial kitchen is the local health and safety inspector. This can occur more than once as some people prefer to have a health inspector look over the designs to ensure compliance with all the health and safety rules. A second time will be to ensure your commercial kitchen complies with your local health and safety standards after completion.
Conclusion
While an ideal commercial kitchen may appear to come together effortlessly, the fact is you need the right combination of expert designs, products, and storage for a commercial custom kitchen design to come into existence. Additionally, working with experienced professionals is a necessity. For your next project, reach out to the pros at Tob Lab Commercial Kitchens. We have the know-how to create the commercial kitchen of your dreams.
