If you’re planning to start a restaurant, one of the most crucial decisions you’ll have to make is how to set up your kitchen. The kitchen is considered the center of every restaurant business, since it’s the place that breathes life into the menu. That being the case, you need only high-quality equipment that can withstand the pressures of everyday use.
Careful planning and research are needed to maximize the efficiency and functionality of your kitchen. Consider some of the most essential cooking tools and equipment recommended by seasoned restaurant owners as you brainstorm and design the layout of your dining establishment. If you already have a restaurant, do you already have these essentials, too?
If you’re answer to that is ‘no’, then here are some of the top kitchen essentials you’re going to need:
Freezers & Refrigerators
All commercial kitchens require some type of refrigeration unit. Refrigerating food products helps prevent them from perishing faster.
Industrial-grade refrigeration units are designed to meet the unique needs of the food industry, so they’re a key purchase for any food handling operation. There are several different types of coolers and freezers available. What you decide to buy will ultimately be one of two different types: reach-in, or else walk-in units.
Before making a decision, consider the size of your operations. Walk-in units have a larger cold storage space and can be customized to fit any size kitchen. However, small restaurants often don’t need one and do well with just reach-in units. If interior space is a problem, outdoor refrigeration and freezing options can be chosen instead.
Regardless of what you choose, a cooling unit will always be essential for your restaurant.
Food Preparation Counters
Prep tables, counters and cutting surfaces are essential to any commercial kitchen and they come in many different sizes. Choose preparation surfaces made out of stainless steel, because it’s sturdy and resistant to corrosion, and isn’t isn’t affected by food and meat juices. It can even withstand the harsh cleaning products being used inside commercial kitchens.
As for cutting surfaces, choose from either plastic or wooden cutting boards. Plastic boards are easier to clean, though they can develop deep grooves that conceal viruses and bacteria. On the other hand, wooden boards are sturdier than plastic, and don’t develop grooves as easily.
Slicers
Slicers are often assigned the task of cutting the meat, cheese, or any other foods with speed and precision. If you need to buy a slicer, consider how often you’ll use it. If you’re slicing is low volume or infrequent, a manual food slicer is an ideal and less expensive option.
However, choose an electric slicer instead for larger amounts of food that need to be cut in a specific way. Since electric slicers are automatic, they can save you time and energy, and usually allow you to turn off the automatic function so you can operate them manually when needed.
These are some of the essential’s you’re going to need for your restaurant. Of course, there are a ton of other essentials you’re going to need as well to be a fully functional kitchen. If you want to learn more, visit the nearest kitchen equipment supplier Philippines and ask them for more tips.