As anyone who owns a restaurant will attest to, behind every good chef is a top quality piece of equipment. It doesn’t matter how accomplished you are in the kitchen, when you’re using sub-par catering supplies, it’s a waste of time. Whether it’s a little cafe, a bar or a large restaurant, the kitchen has to be equipped with high functioning, durable appliances.

The ideal commercial kitchen has to be highly functional, with particular types of equipment being a necessity. These consist of a high performance traditional oven, as well as a microwave and convection oven, fridge, freezer, dishwasher, grill, and a preparation counter. Certain kinds of restaurants might also have a need for specific equipment, including a pasta boiler, rice cooker, griddle, or a pizza oven. Machines that help with food preparation, including food processors, mixers, blenders and potato peelers can save you masses of time in the kitchen, leaving you to get on with other tasks.

Always make sure that your equipment is big enough to cater to the expected size of clientele. There’s nothing worse than discovering you have spent a lot of cash buying things for your commercial kitchen, only to find out that the oven or fridge isn’t suitable for for your needs. In addition, don’t think that you can count on hand washing if you hope to serve a large amount of customers. If you don’t buy a commercial dishwasher you will notice that your kitchen staff are spending more time washing dishes than they are actually preparing food! While fresh food is most favourable, a walk-in freezer is essential, as there are a lot of items that you might not be able to buy on a daily basis. This also means that you are able to buy in bulk, preventing that unpleasant moment when you have to notify your patrons that you are out of something. This is particularly critical for ’specials’ on the menu, or your signature dish.

Don’t forget the fundamental requirements for second to none food preparation: superior chef knives and cookware. Keep an extensive supply of pots, pans, baking trays and mixing bowls in a number of different sizes and shapes. Assess the type of cuisine that you will be making, and purchase the relevant utensils and kitchen accessories.

Your bar area should be well stocked with all the correct barware and bar equipment you need to serve whatever drink is required. Remember cocktail shakers, bottle chillers and ice buckets, and obviously, the proper glasses. Don’t make an error such as using the wrong type of glass for a certain beverage. This will tip the customer off that the bartender is inexperienced!

A very important part of your restaurant is the decor. Table linens, china and cutlery must be of the highest quality. A patron will have plenty of time when waiting for their meal to take a look at their surroundings, and poorly matched or cracked items will quickly be noticed. It is crucial to present your menu well. Many bistros choose a hanging board, while in contrast others may opt for the classic table menu.

Cleanliness is non-negotiable in the food industry, in fact, most diners are just as finicky, if not more, about the hygiene of the restaurant as they are about the the quality of the food. If you expect your kitchen to pass food hygiene standards, the entire area must be extremely clean, especially food preparation and storage areas.

A lot of restaurants these days have an ‘open-plan’ kitchen with their chefs in full view. Consequently, it is exceedingly important that they are dressed accordingly. On occasion, the chef may venture into the restaurant area to converse with the clientele, so they should be dressed smartly from head to toe! This is also relevant to waitstaff and greeters. These are the first members of staff that your clientele will converse with, and always remember that first impressions count.

A restaurant will only be successful in today’s competitive market if it is adaptable. It’s always a good idea to keep on top of the up-to-the-minute culinary trends and equipment available, so that you can keep your restaurant ahead of the competition. Finally, when furnishing your establishment, always buy whatever you need at a reputable catering supply company, and look into their policy on returns and delivery service.

Millie S Bates has worked within the catering supplies industry for quite a few years and provides suggestion about finding good commercial catering supplies at the webpage Chef Shop.

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