It’s one thing having an idea to start your own restaurant or professional catering business. It’s another thing completely to prepare a business plan, furnish a commercial kitchen, and get all the other necessary elements in place.
Running a business can be fun and a successful pastime, but, you need to be prepared before you start. That’s why it’s a good idea to read the following checklist, it will ensure you know what equipment you need for a commercial kitchen.
The Big Stuff
The most obvious items are your oven, grill, hotplate, refrigerators, and even the freezers. But, that’s not the only larger expenses you’ll have.
It’s also important to think about ventilation, you’ll need to remove cooking aromas from your kitchen. The alternative is to be surrounded by smog!
The ventilation system needs to run above all the cooking appliances and push the air out of the building.
You’ll also need to consider dishwashers and drying areas. This may just be a sink and plenty of countertop space, although this is not the most efficient method. Dishwashers are generally a better option but you’ll still need loading and unloading space. You’ll also need to ensure the plumbing can be got to the right place to support the dishwasher.
As well as investing in countertops to prepare food, you’ll also need to consider where you’re going to store pots and pans, these may be kept under the countertops, or in dedicated cupboards/shelving.
Finally, don’t forget the fryers, no matter how healthy your food you’ll appreciate one of these. You may also want to invest in pizza ovens.
The Smaller Stuff
One thing that is easy to overlook is the array of food processing equipment that you’ll need. This includes mincers, tray sealers, and even all the appropriate utensils to allow you and your team to cook the best dishes.
It’s extremely easy to overlook these items but, you can’t have too many of them!
Safety First
Your business must comply with safety standards, which means you need to be aware of what they are and have all the right equipment on hand. Essential equipment includes fire extinguishers, cleaning products, gloves, brushes, mops, and anything else that will help to ensure your commercial kitchen is always above the necessary health standards.
Out Front
You’ve probably thought about tables and chairs, but, you should also take a look at the array of tills available. You’ll need point of sale equipment that allows customers to pay quickly and efficiently, regardless of what they’ve ordered. It’s essential to include this in your commercial kitchen shopping list because it may need to be linked to the kitchen and you can’t produce anything if you can’t charge people for it!
Finally, don’t forget an appropriate range of linens, for any tables, for drying dishes, and even for wiping hands between preparations.
The list can seem ridiculously long, but, by taking it one step at a time you’ll quickly get everything you need for your commercial kitchen.