Commercial Kitchen Design Considerations

A commercial kitchen needs to be designed carefully and with consideration of all that will be required of it during day-to-day service. What sorts of food need to be prepared in it? How many covers will it be serving each day? How many kitchen staff will need to be working simultaneously in the space?

There are also all-important health and safety elements to account for. With all these questions and more, it can seem like a daunting task to design a commercial kitchen from scratch.

So, here are some of the main things to consider when beginning to design your new kitchen.

1. Menu first

One of the first things to consider is what’s going to be on the menu that you will be serving. A small café will have very different requirements to a large restaurant with a very varied menu, or even those of a mass-catering facility for a school or care home. It, therefore, helps to involve your chef in the conversation at the design stage, as they will have important views on workflow, sanitation issues and layout considerations that other people might not understand in the same way. It would be counter-productive to plan a kitchen now that will require expensive alterations later because it isn’t fit for purpose.

Since COVID, many kitchens continue to serve takeaway options and if this is a feature of your business that you want to retain, then you’ll need to consider the layout to accommodate this.

2. Ergonomics

To make sure that your kitchen can produce excellent, high-quality food efficiently whilst keeping staff safe in the process, you will need to consider the workflow of the kitchen. A clear flow between different preparation areas, from cooking to the service of customers is essential.

Some of these things will be taken care of by first planning the menu. An ergonomic workflow will make sure that chefs aren’t having to reach across other work areas for pieces of equipment. You’ll also want to ensure that front-of-house staff won’t have to pass through the pot wash area with food they are about to serve, in addition to considering other practical issues such as which way a fridge opens, to ensure efficiency and prevent trip hazards.

3. Measure the space

It’s a crucial part of the design process to make sure you have detailed measurements of where windows, doorways and outlets for plumbing, gas and electric are, to make sure your equipment fits and is in the right spaces for functionality. It won’t be any good to order a fridge unit so wide that it blocks the doorway, or a prep unit that covers electrical sockets. A CAD design will help you envision how everything fits into the space.

4. Storage

Storage is an essential part of any commercial kitchen design. You will need to be able to store raw, fresh and ambient ingredients, as well as cooked food – all of which will need to be adequately separated in order to prevent cross-contamination. A large commercial kitchen that serves many menu options might need a walk-in chiller, whereas a smaller café will only need localised undercounter refrigeration units. All of this is before you figure out where to store plates, cutlery and serving dishes, as well as cooking and cleaning equipment.

5. Hygiene and safety

In order to maintain the high levels of hygiene that you and your staff know are vital to good food preparation, chefs and service staff will need to regularly wash their hands, as well as those involved in clean up and pot wash work, so you will need to provide appropriately positioned hand washing stations. Sinks are also vital for cleaning food prior to preparation, as well as for washing up pots, pans and dishes returning from the front of house. The design of your kitchen needs to prioritise these essential needs. Designing storage on wired shelves or moveable units enables all the regular cleaning routines to be undertaken daily and efficiently. Fire exits for both staff and customers need to be planned in and part of the essential safety of the kitchen must also include a ventilation system that meets DW172 regulations.

6. Right appliances

Nowadays, energy efficiency is a major priority. It could be worthwhile in the long run to install newer equipment that is easy to maintain and consumes less energy than older equipment, which presents a higher risk of breakdown. Regular service and maintenance need to be factored into your decisions when it comes to choosing which appliances to fit.

Commercial kitchen design from Abraxas

If a kitchen revamp or brand new commercial kitchen design, is on the cards, why not get in touch today with our team for a helping hand?

At Abraxas, we have vast experience in designing and remodelling commercial kitchens and we know what works and what doesn’t. Our creative design engineers will help to determine the equipment you need and how to create an ergonomic design that allows your kitchen to run smoothly, allowing you to deliver excellent service to customers in the most efficient way.

We offer a full turnkey service, taking you from initial site visit and CAD design to the final installation and commissioning of your finished commercial kitchen, ready for your first customer’s meal.

Our team are F-Gas and Gas Safety trained and able to ensure the safe installation of your appliances and we also offer full service and maintenance plans to enable your kitchen to function as new well into the future.