If you’re planning on opening up a restaurant, bakery or anything in between, then you probably understand that having a well set up kitchen is paramount to your success. The kitchen is the center of the premises, and the place where your menu comes to life. That being said, quality food preparation and food production equipment should be on top of your priority list, as well as a well thought-out plan to maximise its functionality and efficiency.
Every kitchen requires quality food production equipment in the form of ovens, mixers, fridges and freezers, and ranges. Granted, the counters, slicers, food processors, sinks and shelving all fall under kitchen equipment, but they’re far less complex pieces of equipment and it will oftentimes come down to personal preference.
Ranges
If your chef is going to prepare food over an open flame (which they most likely would), then you need a kitchen range. The kitchen range is considered the powerhouse of the kitchen, and it’s essential that it meets your cooking needs. Ranges are either electric or gas powered, with the latter being a popular option because of the responsive, visual cooking experience it provides. Moreover, gas ranges make it easier to control the heat, and you can do it much faster than with electric ranges. However, electric ranges have an elegant, easy-to-clean, smooth design.
Ovens
Usually, ranges come with an outfitted oven. If your product range includes a lot of baked products, you should consider a convection oven. Convection ovens have an exhaust system and fan which blows hot air around the food, which makes them excellent for toasting, roasting, baking pies and cookies, etc. On the other hand, regular ovens are the better solution for making bread, cakes and custards.
Mixer
Another must-have, especially if your business revolves around making bread or baking, is the commercial mixer. You usually choose a mixer depending on the volume of the food you’ll be preparing, and how frequently you’ll be preparing it. There are a two types of popular mixers and each has a distinct purpose. Spiral mixers for example are ideal for mixing dense materials. On the other hand, planetary mixers are great for mixing everything else.
Fridges and Freezers
Every commercial kitchen requires a fridge or freezer. It’s pretty common sense that fridges are essential for preserving the freshness of the food, preventing it from perishing quickly and providing a cold food storage space. There are specialised industrial grade freezers that meet the unique requirements of the food industry, and the two most popular types are walk-in and reach-in units. The size of your operation should be taken into consideration when buying, in order to ensure you have enough space for everything.
