Starting a hotel or a restaurant can be exciting. While the dining hall and bedrooms require good management skills, creativity, and money to decorate the place exquisitely, the kitchen is equally important. Without good food, you might not be able to hold your guests for too long even if your decor has cost you a fortune. To bring good and tasty food to the table, you need to have an efficient kitchen.
Professional kitchens are different from residential kitchens. You need everything in industrial grade, which costs money. Here is what you should consider when setting up a commercial kitchen at your new restaurant.
1. Hire Credible Chef And Staff
The most important thing about a commercial kitchen is the hiring of the head chef and his team. If your chef is great but his team is not efficient, your kitchen might be a failure. Therefore, make sure you choose the right staff.
Take your time to find a credible chef. You should consider various factors when hiring a chef. Once the chef has been found, he can help you find a good team with experience and eagerness to learn.
2. Invest In Industrial Equipment
Never compromise on the quality of equipment you are buying for your commercial kitchen. If you hold your hand now, you might end up paying double later. Therefore, make sure you choose all the best quality equipment available in the market.
Industrial equipment requires high maintenance. Make sure that you have someone reliable to fix the sub zero refrigerator if it ever stops working. A commercial kitchen is running on time. You can not rely on someone who will take days to reach back to you. Therefore, have a reliable maintenance team in your contacts.
3. Stock Up Mindfully
A commercial kitchen requires a huge pantry. You should have supplies in large quantities so that everything is available enough for the day. However, while stocking up the pantry, make sure that you are doing things right.
Food items can expire quickly. Make sure that you get fresh fruits and vegetables supplied every day, whereas, other items that can last a few months should be stocked up. Keep track of the pantry so that you know when to order fresh supplies.
4. Decide Menu With Great Care
Selection of the menu is a tough job and it should be done wisely. You should offer the dishes that the chef’s team is perfect at. You can not afford substandard food items on your menu. Therefore, know your team’s specialty before finalizing the menu.
You should also keep your budget and availability of raw materials in mind for each dish so that you are not overspending.
5. Ensure Safety And Cleanliness Protocols
Commercial kitchens should be squeaky clean all the time, otherwise, they can be sealed by the health department. Make sure that your employees are trained to follow the cleanliness protocols. They should wear proper attire which includes covering their heads and wearing gloves when handling raw food.
Your staff should also follow the safety protocols. Commercial kitchens are busy and during rush hours accidents can happen. Your staff should be trained enough to meet the emergency at all times.
