Essential Commercial Kitchen Equipment

When it comes to commercial kitchens, most people imagine it like James Bond’s car – fully-loaded with high tech gadgets and equipment. Have you ever imagined how useless some of that technology actually is and how they could have saved the millions they spent on those things? Well, Mr. Bond may not be on a budget but most of the restaurant owners are.

So, the very first thing you need to manage your restaurant budget is to make a proper, streamlined list in order to cut down all the unintentional and unnecessary expenses. What happens is that most of the restaurant owners are unable to resist the urge to buy every equipment/appliance they find in the store.  While most of this equipment may be like innovative gadgets that can reduce time and effort required for a job, they won’t be much helpful for smaller budgets.
So, before you end up helplessly spending all your money on things you don’t need, here is a streamlined list of necessary equipment to keep your temptations from straying in the store.

Cooking Range and Ovens

Commercial kitchen or domestic, you definitely need a cooking range. However, when shopping for an oven or cooking range, make sure you know the number of people you are likely to serve at a time. For most of the start-ups, a medium range stove or oven would be more than enough. For start-ups, it is best to stick to gas ranges as electric ovens can double your electricity expense and they also take a longer time to heat up.

Grills and Griddle

Most of the kitchens do require deep fryers and grills, more specific range such as Panini grill may not be necessary for everyone. You can choose a grill with a thinner sheet as it requires less heating time and energy. The thicker sheet grill, on the other hand, is more appropriate for larger kitchens as it can spread the heat more evenly over the large area.

Preparation Area

Preparation area is a must-have for all kinds and sizes of commercial kitchen. This is where the food is processed. To make things easier and faster, you must find a food processor with all the required features along with a proper mixer/blender and professional slicer. Moreover, this must be placed closer to storage shelves where most of the utensils are kept.

Cold Storage

Similarly, cold storage is also a necessary requirement for all kinds of commercial kitchens. Of course, the most heavy duty and high-tech refrigerator is not what every restaurant requires. Go for a medium range but top quality refrigerator which will be enough to meet your cold storage requirements. It is best to avoid spending on a walk-in freezer or refrigerator unless you need to store a lot.

Washing Station

A washing station may not sound like a necessity for the overly-frugal restaurant owners here. However, it is a onetime investment that can save the cost of hiring extra staff members for the job. Besides, depending on the area your kitchen is located in, the local laws might require you to have proper hand washing and dishwashing equipment.

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Commercial Range Cleaning Tips

The commercial range is the most versatile piece of equipment in your kitchen. They come in various widths and various top configurations. They come with open burners, griddle tops, hot top, French tops and charbroiler tops. Each aspect of the range requires special care, and if they care if given, your range will last longer.

Commercial Range Cleaning Tips

During the day, spills happen. Do your best to safely wipe up excess liquids from the range area. At the end of each shift, have your kitchen staff perform a more thorough cleaning process, but implementing some of the procedures below. Before thoroughly cleaning, be sure that the range is off and the top is cool.

Let everything cool down first.

Before you begin any cleaning or maintenance procedures, be sure to turn off your commercial range and allow everything to cool down, first.

• Clean as you go
  Whenever a spill occurs, be sure to wipe it up immediately. This will prevent the food from becoming baked on to the range top. If a spill extinguishes the pilot light on a gas range, you will need to clean the burner heads and pilot orifice before relighting it.
• Clean the grates
  Whether your commercial range is gas or electric, the burners can be removed for cleaning. Cast iron grates, common additions to gas ranges, can be cleaned by simply wiping down with a wet cloth. If they are in need of a deeper cleaning, these grates can be soaked in warm soapy water to break down the grease. Calrod heating elements, that are prominent on electric commercial ranges, can be wiped down the same way. If you choose to soak these elements, be sure to let them dry before plugging them back in!
• Clean under the grates or burners
  When your grates and burners are out for cleaning is a great time to clean under them. If your stove has drip trays, remove them and wipe them down. If they are wiped down daily, they will not be as difficult to clean. These can be soaked in warm soapy water if necessary. For gas ranges, wipe down the area underneath the grates.
• Empty scrap trays
  After cooking on a griddle, use a scraper to scrape off excess food products. Be sure to do this throughout the day. Not only will these keep your griddle surface clean, but it will also prevent taste contamination between foods. At the end of the shift, or the end of the day, pour water on your griddle and heat it to 150ºF or 175ºF and wipe down the area with a thick clean cloth.
• Clean the oven interior
  If the range comes with an oven base, that oven needs to be cleaned at least once a month; more frequently if there is a spillover. If it is a porcelain enamel interior, use a standard oven cleaner. For metal interiors, use a mild detergent and soft cloth.