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Mistakes made during the designing of a dining room can get repaired or redone without too much stress, though of course at a cost. But when it comes to making major changes to the design of a restaurant's kitchen, then as the business proprietor, you would have a huge task and a big cost ahead of you.
Such big projects would, for example, be those that involve changing installations like water supply and drainage, gas supply, electrical wiring and other such key installations. The trick is to avoid such a need by initially putting in place the standard and smooth running features suitable for any commercial outlet.
Main Attributes of a Business-Oriented Kitchen
In Australia, commercial kitchens are expected to take into consideration Australian Standard 3.2.2 on Food Safety Practices & General Requirements. Your commercial or restaurant kitchen can be said to be well designed when it has most or all of the following characteristics:
a) Ergonomic Kitchen Design
A good ergonomic kitchen design minimizes staff movement while they prepare food and work. This is a major factor that greatly influences savings on time during meals preparation and cuts down on the risks of kitchen accidents. In addition, accidental food spillages are minimized.
b) Energy Efficiency
The design of your kitchen directly affects energy consumption, which makes it a very crucial factor as you plan. For example, when you place the cookers in a single location, it reduces the energy costs for running your range hoods. For energy efficiency and safety reasons, coolrooms in Australia must be fitted with standard safety devices that comply with the Building Code of Australia.
c) Good Kitchen Ventilation
Without good ventilation, working in the restaurant or hotel kitchen will not be possible, unless for a tiny outlet serving very small numbers. The constant presence of smoke and steam is dangerous, unhealthy and unacceptable, for your kitchen staff, besides flouting the safety rules.
You will certainly not want to have your customers stinking of smoke when they leave our commercial outlet as this would not be good for future business.
d) Easy to Maintain
The ease with which your kitchen can be easily cleaned will be largely dependent on the material used in making it, the plan or arrangement of your kitchen elements and how your cookware is stored.
e) The Appropriate Equipment
Each restaurant kitchen is unique, and will be in need of equipment and appliances meeting specific requirements. Always go for equipment made specifically for the commercial and professional kitchen.
In general equipment for a commercial outlet can be categorized into the following groups:
Food preparation tables/tops.
Electrical cooking, frying and baking equipment.
Big fridges, freezers and ice machines.
Dish washing equipment.
Drawers, shelves and cabinets for storing dishes
In conclusion, it is worth pointing out that in general, your commercially based kitchen must be designed in compliance with several other legal requirements provided in the Food Act 1989, the National Code for the Construction and Fitout of Food Premises, which have been published by the Australian Institute of Environmental Health.
