Restaurant Catering Equipment: Everything you Need to Know

Why is the taste and appearance of homemade dishes inferior to restaurant ones? The secret is not only in the recipe and the golden hands of the masters, but also in the fact that in the kitchens of catering establishments they cook with the help of modern specialized kitchen equipment. 

Without it, the effective operation of enterprises in this segment of the hospitality industry is unthinkable.

Therefore, those who plan to open a restaurant or cafe need to know what equipment they will have to invest in.

What should be the Restaurant Catering Equipment

The determining criterion for choosing specific restaurant catering equipment is the format of the establishment. This issue must be dealt with in advance in order to reflect your decision in the business plan, estimates and schedules. 

By this time, the frame of the restaurant menu should already be ready , since the composition of the dishes also affects the purchase of a particular technique. 

For example, a pizzeria should have special ovens (tunnel, rotary, traditional or at least portable), a molding press, a refrigerated table and a dough mixer, and a meat restaurant should have powerful freezers.

The websites of companies that manufacture specialized kitchen equipment rarely list the capabilities of absolutely all of their products. 

Even less often, they talk about how important this or that device is for work.

Therefore, we will undertake to familiarize the reader with the basic equipment for opening catering outlets of various formats and its main characteristics.

Remember that expensive equipment for the kitchen of a restaurant or cafe simply has to be cost-effective.

Decide on a purchase only after you make all the necessary calculations and take into account the following factors:

• the format of the institution (canteen, snack bar or fast food, cafe or coffee shop, bar or pub, pastry shop or restaurant);
• the number of seats in the guest room;
• kitchen area;
• menu positions.

By counting the number of seats, you will determine the maximum load of the point and at the same time decide how much furniture you will need.

The size of the room under the kitchen dictates its occupancy with ovens, refrigerators, tables, racks, etc. 

Do not forget that cooks also need to somehow fit in the space. Moreover, for normal operation and safety, they need a lot of space. If the room is small, you simply cannot technically install everything you need. 

You will either have to do a redevelopment (if the format of the institution does not allow you to get by with a small set of equipment), or abandon some pieces of equipment, or look for smaller and more ergonomic devices.

It remains to make a menu, deciding how many and what items will be presented in it. Some dishes cannot be prepared without a barbecue or grill, dispenser or dough mixer. 

To save space, look for multifunctional systems that combine, for example, a cutting surface, a hob and a grill.

If you are not ready to invest big money in all the newest and most advanced, you will have to remove some of the menu items. Perhaps it’s for the best.

Requirements for the Restaurant Catering Equipment

There are several requirements for the equipment for the kitchen of catering establishments. It should:

• made from high quality materials by proven manufacturers;
• comply with strict sanitary standards and regulations;
• have a long service life;
• have guarantees.

In the kitchen in a restaurant or cafe there is no place for something superfluous. It is necessary to arrange equipment and furniture conveniently and ergonomically. Hardware requirements can be prioritized as follows:

• Functions . Each piece of equipment has its purpose. A small coffee shop or bar cannot do without a bar counter equipped with a coffee grinder and coffee machine, built-in refrigerator and ice maker, blender and mixer, juicer and food processor.
• Operating conditions . Even in a home kitchen, the temperature and humidity levels rise during cooking. What can we say about the restaurant kitchen, where several chefs cook continuously and at the same time throughout the working day? Therefore, the quality of materials and assembly of pieces of equipment must be excellent.
• Manufacturer . It is important to purchase equipment for catering establishments directly from manufacturers. As a last resort – at official dealers. Before buying, make sure that the dealer specializes in selling one or two brands, no more.
• Prices . Don’t buy equipment without carefully monitoring market prices. Look for a combination of excellent quality and reasonable cost.

Don’t Ignore the Format of the Establishment

Let us mention once again that the list of equipment for the catering kitchen is primarily determined by the format of the establishment. 

A bakery without cool ovens is like a cozy coffee shop without coffee machines and no intoxicating aroma of coffee at all.

Specific devices are needed for the normal operation of restaurants of Chinese and Georgian, Greek and French cuisine.

Decide what format you will have and start analyzing the menu. Some positions can be thrown out of it immediately.

This is especially true for dishes with not the highest marginality, for the preparation of which special equipment is required. 

As an example, let’s take the opening of a grill bar with pizza and sushi.

Both pizza and sushi require the purchase and installation of devices in the kitchen that will definitely not pay off and will occupy usable space.

In order not to make a mistake, remember about:

• the size of the initial investment;
• kitchen area;
• the payback you expect.