When designing your commercial kitchen there is no one layout that works for every restaurant. Overall needs vary from kitchen to kitchen so it’s important to choose a layout that meets your own individual needs. The better the design the more your kitchen will function smoothly and efficiently even during extreme rush periods ensuring cooks can get the job done right. With so many layouts and designs to choose from consider these tips for saving space in your commercial kitchen.
Think Vertical
When storage space is tight is may be best to configure your kitchen equipment vertically. Often time’s people design horizontally but by repurposing empty walls vertically you will find a lot of unused space. Cabinet doors and extended shelving offer wonderful opportunities to hang smaller items such as pots, pans and utensils making putting items back extremely easy.
Another option to take advantage of is stackable products. These products tend to be very pleasing to the eyes, durable, and best of all create much more space in your kitchen.
Optimize Your Work Flow
Some of the most efficient kitchens are not necessarily the largest ones, but the ones with mindful placement of equipment and a space that is designed to function well with the kitchen flow. Square layouts can be more efficient than kitchens that are configured in other shapes, such as galley-way designs. When determining your equipment placement, remember to group like-minded items together. For example, if two cooks need access to salad greens, group these two stations together so you don’t have to set up two separate salad prep areas.
Use the Right Equipment
When shopping for restaurant equipment, look for space-saving pieces and other options that take advantage of that vertical space. Stackable ovens are great for kitchens that need multiple ovens. Tall reach-in cooler/freezer combo options are a fantastic space-saving alternative to chest coolers. All-in-one ranges are another smart option – their designs incorporate burners, ovens and a griddle in one piece of restaurant equipment. Bonus – you only need one gas line. For help determining the best types of restaurant equipment to maximize your space, call one of ACityDiscount's experienced sales associates at 404-752-6715.