Are you planning to start your own restaurant business? If so, are you prepared for all the things you need to run it? Aside from the exterior and furnishings for the main dining area, every restaurant business must carefully consider the kitchen tools and equipment needed to make meal prep and cooking faster. Ensuring a working kitchen is a topmost priority for every restaurant owner.
If you’re new to this industry, you might not know where to start. There are tons of options made available for you, which can be overwhelming. But that doesn’t have to be the case. Listed below are seven things your restaurant business needs to ensure a smooth and efficient kitchen process.
Servingware and Cutlery
Servingware and cutlery are some of the most general items a restaurant will need, no matter the style or theme. So, when purchasing these items on the market, you must ensure you purchase the maximum number that your restaurant needs. You can figure this out by determining the maximum number of potential customers you’ll serve at your restaurant simultaneously.
Furthermore, think more about the cutlery, utensils, and plates that the customer will use. Most customers nowadays love to take pictures of their food, so having a unique setup would help you gain more customers.
It would be best to account for the breakages since it is almost unavoidable in a bustling restaurant. Try to find serving ware that’s durable and food-safe. For example, purchasing wholesale melamine dinnerware is an excellent idea for any restaurant since it’s durable plastic. This means serving and cleaning it would be a breeze, and you won’t have to compromise style.
Microwave
There will be a moment when even a gourmet restaurant will find a microwave handy, and it’s always better to have it and not need it rather than to need it and not have it. Microwaves make heating meals convenient, especially when the stovetops are full. Having this in your restaurant’s kitchen ensures that every food that goes out is hot ahead of service.
When you go shopping for equipment, you’ll see that commercial microwaves tend to have higher power than domestic ones, so be sure to purchase something that will benefit your kitchen significantly.
Ovens and Grills
Think of the food you want to serve and how you’ll cook it. With this in mind, you can better choose what type of ovens and grills you should purchase for your restaurant. For example, brick ovens are perfect for the authentic cooking style of pizza restaurants. However, a convection oven heats food quickly.
Moreover, for entrepreneurs on a budget, getting secondhand commercial ovens and grills is considered a good option since they typically have a long lifespan, and you can get them for less than the original price.
Fridges and Freezers
As you probably know, restaurants must meet the local area’s food health and safety regulations. As such, a restaurant should have fridges and freezers to keep the food fresh and appropriately stored, ensuring that the ingredients are stored in a properly controlled temperature.
So, restaurant owners should invest in the market’s highest quality but affordable fridges and freezers. High-quality fridges can also be long-lasting, so search the market meticulously.
Stovetops and Ventilation
Gas stoves typically have higher daily operational costs than electric stoves. However, they’re also more durable and more affordable to fix when it gets broken. Moreover, restaurants require proper ventilation to meet the safety criteria and remove cooking fumes from the source. Having proper ventilation also ensures that there’s enough air for a conducive work environment.
Sinks and Washing Equipment
Try to find sinks used for a full-service restaurant kitchen and another dedicated for hand washing. Most restaurants would also need a third sink for food preparation and cleaning. Furthermore, each of these sinks should be large and used only for their designated purpose. This is to ensure that the processes in the kitchen run smoothly and the employees working at different stations won’t have to cross each other.
Food Processors and Blenders
Do you plan on opening a family restaurant and serving numerous people simultaneously? If so, then an industrial food processor can be your best friend.
Whenever your kitchen is busy, having a food processor can speed up many of the daily processes done in a kitchen, like grating cheese, chopping garlic, etc. Additionally, blenders are a great addition to a restaurant, not just for milkshakes but also for soups.
Final Thoughts
Different restaurants require different requirements. However, the items mentioned above are the general items most restaurant owners would have to purchase. Thus, be sure to use this list when searching for the perfect equipment for your restaurant.
Opening a new restaurant requires much thought, especially if it’s your first time. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution and checklist since every restaurant is unique. Just take a deep breath and trust you’ll figure this out.
