Working within the confines of a small commercial kitchen? Need to maximise your kitchen’s space? Gotcha! Here, discover the secrets of creating a functional kitchen with limited space. Utilise it cleverly! In no time, you’ll be welcoming guests and smashing sales.
Small Commercial Kitchen Spaces – The DownFalls
Small commercial kitchen spaces can be tricky. Here’s what to watch out for:
- Limited workspace: Not enough room to get the job done quickly and with enough staff.
- Storage limitations: Too much stuff on the countertops makes it hard to find what you need quickly.
- Lack of ventilation: Not enough air circulation can trap heat, smoke, and odours, making it uncomfortable and affecting food quality.
- Inadequate equipment placement: Poor placement can disrupt workflow and lead to accidents.
- Sanitation challenges: Overcrowded countertops and waste disposal can cause cross-contamination and bad hygiene.
Other details to consider include building and safety regulations, appliance sizes, the amount of covers you expect to serve, the type of menu that you offer and the equipment needed to produce this.
Forget about serving large, intricate menus that require every piece of commercial equipment and all of the tools available to produce. Stick with something more stripped back, using appliances that can be used for multiple cooking functions. That doesn’t mean to say that less fanciful menus need to be anything less than exceptional, you just need to make your kitchen work smarter, not harder.
While working with a limited area isn’t as simple as when space is boundless, transforming your small kitchen into a well oiled machine doesn’t need to cause any major headaches.
What’s the Answer to Maximising Space?
Maximising space in small kitchens can be tricky. Solutions? Get creative! By working out the basics you require and with a little careful planning there is no reason why your small kitchen can’t work perfectly for you.
Here are five effective points to consider to optimise organisation, improve workflow and guarantee that space is being used to its fullest capacity.
- Storage shelves and creative storage solutions: Install wall-mounted cabinets or floating shelves to store items like pots, pans & dishes. Also think magnetic strips for knife storage & hanging pot racks from the ceiling.
- Compact appliances: Invest in compact, performance-focused appliances and smaller slimline freestanding appliances where required. Countertop units are also a great alternative. Consider multi-functional equipment can also help to combine multiple pieces of equipment into one.
- Under-counter storage: Consider refrigerated storage drawers designed to support either food preparation surfaces or hot cooking appliances to maximise space and combine cold storage and hot cooking equipment.
- Multipurpose surfaces: With limited workable surface space, areas need to be accessible for food prep, plating up and for other general tasks. Maintaining organisation and tidying workstations during service is vital to staying in control and having enough room to work.
- Create sections: even in small spaces, cooking sections can be utilised to create clear zones between storage, food prep, cooking and pot wash areas.
Organisation & decluttering are key! Keep frequently used items easily accessible & stow away less used ones to maintain a tidy & efficient kitchen. Follow these tips to maximise your small kitchen’s potential & create an awesome cooking area!
Choosing Compact Equipment
Maximising space in small kitchens starts with the right compact equipment. These appliances are designed to take up minimal space but provide maximum function. Options include compact countertop ovens (combination ovens and high speed ovens are great choices for multi-functionality), countertop fryers, fridge and freezer drawers that can be used as additional food prep surface or to support hot appliances, and undercounter dishwashers to guarantee that dinnerware can be hygienically cleaned ready for the next service. Pick equipment that meets your needs with regards to size, power and performance and fits your kitchen layout.
When selecting compact equipment, size matters. Find appliances specifically designed for small kitchens that fit your available space. Consider capacity and features too. Look at energy efficiency ratings, multi-functional appliances, and more.
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