(Newswire.net — February 28, 2024) — Successful commercial kitchens have better quality food and happier people than their less efficient counterparts. They also have higher profits. It doesn’t happen by accident. A commercial kitchen that runs efficiently runs that way by design.
No matter what stage a commercial kitchen is in, there are always ways to improve its efficiency. These methods can improve food quality, employee morale, and customer feedback. They can also increase the restaurant’s cash flow.
1- Get the Layout Right
The very first aspect of a commercial kitchen that needs assessment when trying to improve operations is the layout. The layout is the foundation of an efficient commercial kitchen.
Is hot food prepared in its own designated area, separate from cold food? Are those areas close enough to storage areas that will need to be accessed during a shift? If not, switch things around and create a more efficient and productive workspace.
2- Only Keep the Necessary Equipment
Having all the state-of-the-art kitchen gadgets looks cool, but are they necessary for the success of the operation? If that wood-fired pizza oven in the back of the restaurant is effectively a shelf for miscellaneous items, it’s just taking up valuable space.
Some things don’t take up as much space, like a blender, but the concept is the same. If it doesn’t have a specific purpose, it’s in the way. Clutter has no place in an efficient commercial kitchen.
3- Efficient Work Flow
The layout of a kitchen should take workflow considerations into account, but there are secondary techniques that can be utilized to improve operations by encouraging a better workflow.
Walkways should always be clear at all times of miscellaneous equipment and supplies. There should also be a policy for how people operate around busy corners. Some of this is basic kitchen etiquette, but it goes a long way toward preventing accidents and bottlenecks in production from occurring.
4- Task Lighting
Little things can build up stress in a kitchen, and stressed employees are less productive. Insufficient lighting adds extra stress to a task without even noticing it. It can also make a task more hazardous.
If a corner of the kitchen designated as a prep station doesn’t receive the best lighting, consider adding lights to that specific area. A well-lit workspace will allow people to complete tasks quickly, efficiently, and without causing any unnecessary stress.
5- Color Coding
Organization is key to a successful commercial kitchen operation. Color coding equipment and supplies make acquiring things quicker and easier for everybody.
Think about color-coding utensils, storage bins, and even sections of the walk-in cooler. While people will generally know where things are and where they go without color coding, it will save a lot of time for newer employees as they learn. It will even save kitchen veterans precious seconds throughout the day.
6- Set Up a Professional Hood and Exhaust Cleaning Schedule
A grease in a restaurant exhaust system can create extra smoke inside the building and severely increase the risk of a fire starting. It’s crucial to set up a regular servicing of your exhaust system.
Professional exhaust hood cleaners clean the hood, filters, ductwork, and fan. Daily or weekly maintenance, depending on the amount of usage, is still necessary to keep grease from building up around the hoods. But professional cleaners are a must in a commercial kitchen operation.
7- Utilize a Preventative Maintenance Schedule
Things break down in a commercial kitchen. It happens. But just because it’s going to happen someday doesn’t mean it needs to happen next week.
Create and utilize a preventative maintenance schedule to go over once a month or so. Check and clean things like gaskets, seals, and refrigerator coils. Those little things can be easily replaced if they’re in disrepair, and doing so will prevent bigger problems from occurring later on down the road.