What Equipment Do You Need in Your Restaurant Kitchen?

What Equipment Do You Need in Your Restaurant Kitchen?

Outfitting your restaurant kitchen efficiently is fundamental to opening a restaurant. You will need to cook food, store food, and clean up afterwards, and do it all as quickly and efficiently as possible.The right kitchen equipment will help your chef and kitchen staff prepare food to your exact requirements, and keep your customers coming back to your restaurant time and again.

Refrigeration Equipment

Every restaurant, no matter what's on the menu, will need some type of refrigeration equipment. This will include a commercial refrigerator as well as a freezer. The size, style and capacity will be directly related to the type of restaurant you own and the quantity of food you serve.

Cooking Equipment

Cooking equipment is also a requirement of every restaurant, what varies is the type of cooking equpment you will need. Your choice of cooking equipment will depend on the type of restaurant you own and the menu items you plan on serving. Having the proper equipment will enable your chef and other staff members to prepare everything on your menu. There are some standard pieces of cooking equipment that most kitchens require including a range, a charbroiler, and a commercial oven. You may also need specialized equipment such as a: pizza oven, panini press, charbroiler, steamer, deep-fryer, and more. Often, cooking equipment can be purchased online at great savings, with financing options, or purchased used at different venues.

Cookware

Adequate cookware is also essential to help your kitchen staff prepare the foods on your menu quickly and efficiently. You can purchase cookware online at discounted prices, or find used cookware from other businesses that are closing down. If the used cookware is in excellent condition, it can be a great way of getting what you need without spending a lot of money, especially when you are just starting out. Some types of cookware you will need are sauté pans, stock pots, sauce pans, baking sheets, baking pans and other cookware specific to your menu. This can include pizza screens, woks, double boilers, and more. You should make sure that you have enough of each type of cookware to get you through an entire meal service without having to wash pots and pans. This can help to prevent delays in getting food out to your customers.

Utensils

Kitchen utensils are a constant need in any restaurant kitchen. Not only will you need to purchase utensils, you will need to purchase plenty of them. You do not want the kitchen staff to have to stop and wash utensils in order to finish cooking a meal. Some of the utensils you will need includes knives, ladles, tongs, spatulas, spoons, whisks and mixing bowls. You should consult with your chef about specific utensils that may be needed to create certain dishes on the menu.

Dinnerware

You may not automatically think of dinnerware as being a part of the kitchen itself, but it is. When the food is prepared, the staff needs the plates, bowls and platters to place it on. Even though you will need items such as cups, glasses and silverware, they are not usually counted as a part of the kitchen equipment. However, bowls and plates are. Make sure that you have enough appetizer plates, salad plates, soup bowls, dessert plates and dinner plates to service all of your customers at the same time.

Additional Equipment

There is other equipment that is also essential for your commercial kitchen. There should be plenty of shelving for your dry storage and work tables to prepare your food. All kitchens must have commercial sinks, including hand sinks and ware washing sinks, as well as dishwashing equipment.

Smaller Things

Don't forget the small things on your list of required items. You will need floor mats, disposable gloves, pot and oven mitts, food saftey supplies and plenty of cleaning supplies.

Stocking your restaurant kitchen is big job. Planning out exactly what you will need for each task will help you figure out exactly what type of equipment you will need in your restaurant's kitchen.

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