WHICH COMMERCIAL KITCHEN LAYOUT IS RIGHT FOR YOUR RESTAURANT?

The kitchen is where the magic happens in a restaurant. As many chefs can attest to, a kitchen’s layout can make or break the dining experience. A well-designed kitchen enables the staff to work efficiently, while a poorly designed kitchen can cause chaos and frustration.

So, how do you decide which commercial kitchen layout is right for your restaurant? Let’s take a look at the five types of layouts and which restaurant types they work best for.

1. Assembly line layout: The assembly line layout is like a conveyor belt for food, with a central row or island that starts with food prep and ends with a completed dish ready to be served. It works best for fast-food restaurants or restaurants with limited menus. Think Chipotle or Subway.

2. Island layout: The island layout is great for larger kitchens with ample space. The perimeter of the kitchen has storage units, washing stations, and food prep counters, while the center of the kitchen has cooking equipment. It’s perfect for restaurants that require lots of communication between the BOH team and the executive chef.

3. Zone-style layout: The zone-style layout is perfect for restaurants with diverse menus and lots of staff. It creates separate stations for each type of activity or dish, allowing for different types of dishes to be prepared at the same time. You can hire a specialized chef for each station, rather than a line cook to create everything from start to finish. This layout works best for large operations like hotel restaurants or catering kitchens.

4. Galley layout: The galley layout is perfect for tight spaces with few staff, such as food trucks. In this layout, all stations and equipment are placed along the perimeter of the kitchen, making it easier for multiple cooks to work in the kitchen at once.

5. Open kitchen layout: The open kitchen layout allows patrons to see the action that takes place behind the scenes. This layout can be achieved by taking down a wall, but it’s important to keep hot cooking appliances as far away from customers as possible. A glass partition between the service area and guest seating is a smart choice to protect the food from unexpected sneezes or coughs.

When choosing a commercial kitchen layout, it’s important to consider the size of your kitchen, the number of staff you have, and the type of restaurant you’re running. A well-designed kitchen not only makes your restaurant more efficient, but it also provides a great dining experience for your customers.

At the end of the day, a restaurant is only as good as its kitchen. So, whether you’re building a restaurant from scratch or renovating an existing kitchen, make sure you choose the right layout for your needs.

Your staff and your customers will thank you!