It’s the start of a new year, the busiest time of year has concluded and you are finally able to take the time to reflect on your kitchen, food, staff and the overall appeal of your establishment. Many times it is the same scenario: you begin to look at the restaurants appeal to customers and the market in which you serve. We want to make sure that our consumers are satisfied with where they dine, what they are eating and what they are drinking. What we forget to think about is our internal customers, our staff, the people who make our business run successfully on a day to day basis.
One of the important internal clients is your chef, the heart of your kitchen, the person in charge of operating on a lean food cost, developing new menus and above all pleasing your external clients with delicious food. So how do you please your chef? We hear of the typical scenario, your chef is hard to please, is demanding and sometimes even hard to talk with. Here’s an idea, work on designing a new versatile kitchen that can accommodate their creative minds while executing shifts on a high level basis.
What is most important though? What design elements are most important? And what items of equipment will your chef most appreciate? Are suggestion, listen to those in your kitchen and understand your building this kitchen for better the jobs of those working in it.
1 - Research equipment- ask your chef what they need and research the best options that fulfill those requirements. Typically you will need a fryer, broiler, range, oven, convention oven and refrigeration units. All establishments are different and may require more versatile pieces of equipment to execute their menu properly and efficiently.
2 - Position equipment properly for you establishment- there is nothing worse than working in a kitchen that has tight quarters. It is imperative that you think long and hard where to place every piece of equipment that will optimize the work flow of your kitchen staff. when ordering pieces ask if they come in modular sections so that it can be customized based on your needs. Remember, you are not able to move items as easily that use gas/ electricity and water so these items must be placed properly the first time. This means you must anticipate the needs of your staff.
3 - Order only what you need- buying new products is expensive and can put you into a serious finical hole if too much is order and not needed. To make it easier to know which units to buy think about the main functions your chef needs, better yet ask! Chances are if you ask and listen you will be able to save time and money.
If you are truly doing this makeover to please your internal customers then listen to them. This process is costly and can easily go over budget. Be open to what others have to say and remember it does not only need to be esthetically pleasing, it must above all be functional.
