The importance of a design of a restaurant kitchen should be obvious to all those who are involved in commercial catering. Surprisingly, perhaps, this is often not the case. Restaurant proprietors are, naturally, concerned mostly with the quality of the food which they produce. Their interest in the methods and arrangements which make the production of these dishes is of a secondary nature. Their interest in, for instance, catering equipment for commercial establishments tends to be in the way that such equipment facilitates the production of a high quality finished product. This is as it should be; a restaurant which produces low quality food will not last long.
It is however unfortunately true that even some restaurants which consistently produce food of a high quality do not succeed and flourish as businesses. The ‘bottom line’ of financial considerations always applies and those interested in these matters will be easily able to recall failed ventures made by chefs of national and even international reputations. To put the matter simply, a restaurant is a business, and a business that does not produce a profit will soon find itself in terminal financial difficulties. It is here that the importance of design for commercial kitchens becomes important.
Successful Design
Successful design should be considered a factor in overall efficiency and it is perhaps telling that well designed workplaces are efficient in ways that are not immediately obvious to the casual observer. A working space that provides easy access to all facilities, which has no choke points to hinder the flow of the food products, which is compliant with all the relevant health and safety regulations and which reduces stress and increases the safety of those employed within it, seems to be the natural state of things. In reality though, this is far from the case. It is very easy for a commercial kitchen to become a series of hazards, which the unfortunate staff must negotiate while they go about their duties. These added concerns waste time and also take attention away from the vital matter of producing a finished product of high quality. A badly designed kitchen is a drain on both time and money and might well contribute significantly to a business’s ultimate failure.
Getting it Right First Time
The solution to these problems is for the business proprietor to retain the services of a company which specialises in professional catering design. This applies when a kitchen is first being created, when the same kitchen is being refurbished, when new items of catering equipment are being installed and when the time comes for the kitchen to be redesigned, as when, for instance, it must expand in response to increased business. In all of these instances a restaurant proprietor will find it expedient to put the specialised matter of design into the hands of those who are, appropriately enough, specialists in that field. With these matters being taken care of by those with the relevant experience, the proprietor can concentrate on the many other pressing matters which come with running a catering business.
