Planning Your Commercial Restaurant Kitchen for Success

One of the most expensive and important parts of opening a restaurant is preparing the kitchen.  The way you plan your commercial kitchen can enable success and profitability or haunt you with inconvenience and be very expensive to fix.  Make sure you spend plenty of time planning your kitchen to create the best environment for your restaurant.

Plan Your Restaurant Kitchen for Usage
The kitchen is the heart of the restaurant.  When your restaurant is busy there may be dozens of people trying to get what they need to serve your customers effectively.  Think about the flow of food and people when you are planning the kitchen.  Make it easy for servers to come in and out of the kitchen and get what they need quickly. Decide what commercial cooking equipment you need to prepare the food you are planning.  Designate places to keep hot food hot and cold food cold.  Do not forget to keep sanitation in mind.  Plan places for sinks, dishwashers, and other sanitation equipment.

Check with Your Local Health Department and Fire Marshal
One critical step in designing a restaurant kitchen is checking with the local health department.  Before you can open your restaurant, it will need to be inspected to receive your license.  Every health department has different regulation that need to be met in order to pass the inspection.  Also, check with the local fire marshal to see what requirements need to be met to pass the fire inspection.  The fire department may have specific ventilation requirements that can require major changes to your kitchen plan.

Consult with an Experienced Chef or Restaurant Consultant
Before finalizing any kitchen plans or making any purchases, bring in an expert to overlook your plans.  If you are not a professional chef, bring someone in that has years of experience running a commercial kitchen to get their input.  Experts will bring a new perspective and be able to give you extensive advice on layout and choosing the best restaurant supplies for your needs.  A restaurant expert will be able to spot simple mistakes that will save you money, time and a headache later on.

Choose Your Commercial Kitchen Equipment 
Once the plan is complete it is time to choose your equipment.  With your kitchen plan, most decisions should already be made, but you will still find many options when you go to purchase the equipment.  Do your research to select the best brands and to get the best price on all of your equipment. Discount Restaurant Supply carries a comprehensive selection of restaurant equipment.  We stock the best brands and keep them at low prices to make it easier for you to furnish your commercial kitchen.