When most people think of a commercial kitchen, they think of complicated and specialised equipment run by loud chefs assisted by his or her subservient helpers. However, there is more to a commercial kitchen than the people and heavy machinery.
Good kitchen design includes organising the elements of the kitchen for maximum performance and efficiency. Irrespective of whether Dawnvale designs your kitchen or not, all commercial kitchen designs will include the following:
Cleaning or Washing Area
The cleaning or washing area of a commercial kitchen is a must in a commercial kitchen where hundreds of utensils needs constant cleaning before they are used. The cleaning area of a commercial kitchen will include equipment like sinks, washing machines, soap holders and drying racks for cleaning the utensils.
The cleaning or washing area often is one of the most active areas of a commercial kitchen so its location in the kitchen’s design is paramount for success. The kitchen staff should be able to get whatever utensils they require easily and constantly form the washing area.
Storage Area
The storage area is another crucial element of kitchen design and should be optimally placed if you want a commercial kitchen to run smoothly. The storage area in a commercial kitchen is often divided into cold storage, non-food storage and dry storage.
Cold storage is where you will store perishable food products while dry storage will be for food products that last longer and should not be wet. The storage area should be located in a place that allows for swift and easy retrieval of items but also so that new items can be easily restocked in storage.
Food Preparation Area
All food needs to be prepared before it is cooked. The food preparation area is very crucial to the operations of a commercial kitchen and should be given deep thought when designing the kitchen.
The food preparation area of a commercial kitchen is often divided into an area for preparing raw food and area for sorting food into a bundle. It is often better to place the food preparation area near the storage area as food often comes from the latter to the former. It improves the speed and efficiency of the kitchen.
Meal Cooking Area
The meal cooking section is the heart of a commercial kitchen. This is the where the magic happens and a kitchen’s design should revolve around this area.
The meal cooking area typically includes a lot of equipment like ovens, burners, ranges and fryers. The area can also be further divided into smaller portions including a baking area, frying area, grilling area e.t.c.
The meal cooking area should be as close to the service area as possible to ensure meals get to customers as quickly as possible. Another reason is that foods can be quickly prepared if returned to the service area.
Service Area
A commercial kitchen’s service area is the last part of the kitchen the food touches before being served. If you plan on having buffets, the service area will be the food presentation area before customers serve their food.
The service area is typically located at the front of the kitchen. Accessibility and closeness to tables are the main factors influencing the service area’s location.
