Creating a kitchen that is both functional and cost-effective is important. You want to be able to create impressive dishes that your diners will love while making it easy for your staff to work efficiently. Commercial kitchen design can vary based on the square footage of your space and the kind of equipment that you need to utilize. Even the type of service you offer will factor into layout ideas.
Consider these five kitchen layout ideas so that you can decide what’s best for your restaurant.
Table of Contents
Zones
Zones work really well when you have a variety of dishes being created in the kitchen. You can have the stations isolated from one another with the assumption that one zone doesn’t need to touch the food made from another zone.
The zones make it easy to assemble a wide array of menu items – such as steak, seafood, pasta, and salads.
The zones can also provide adequate separation so that those working in prep won’t interfere with those who are cooking.
The basic zones of any kitchen should be:
- Inventory/storage
- Food prep
- Cooking
- Service area
- Dishwashing
You’ll find that there are many benefits to a zone-style kitchen. First, it’s ideal when you have a large space and there’s a lot of multi-tasking involved. It allows the staff the focus on specific areas while also improving the flow to get food cooked and out to diners easily. Finally, you can create a larger menu without anyone feeling cramped inside the kitchen space.
Galley
The galley is a common layout when space is at a minimum – which is why it’s the desired layout on cruise ships and yachts, too. You’ll see the stations and equipment all along the walls of the kitchen.
The benefit of everything being along the wall is that it maximizes the square footage that you do have, leaving plenty of room to walk around.
You’ll also find that this can lend to ghost kitchens and more because of the flexibility and the small space that is required.
Assembly Line
When you have meals that require a significant amount of assembly, the assembly line works well. If you have a kitchen responsible for high volumes, catering, or even on-demand foods (like many taco and burrito fast food restaurants), this style of kitchen works well. The food moves from start to finish and is then handed off to the server or guest.
Assembly lines will have food prep then cooking, then service. The storage and dishwashing are usually out of sight, such as behind the wall, so that it is not intrusive and not visible to guests.
The primary benefit of an assembly line is the speed of service. It also allows every member of your back of the house to have a very specific role that they should perform. It works well when you have a small menu.
Island
The island layout is common when your chefs are the “stars” of what’s going on – and the kitchen islands are often visible to diners. The island is where everyone works – and the equipment is centered around them. This means that food prep, service, inventory, and dishwashing are usually found in the corners of the kitchen with the cooking happening in the center.
Having an island layout is a great idea when you have some artistry that goes into the meals – and it can lend to the overall experience of the diners.
Additionally, the island can serve as the center of operations, making it easy for a chef to manage the kitchen with ease.
Open Design
Out of all of the commercial kitchen designs, the open design is what allows you to get the most creative. You can decide where you want everything placed – and it works well when you have a lot of space in your kitchen.
Typically, an open design allows at least some of what’s happening in the kitchen to be viewed by those sitting in the dining room. The prep, storage, and dishwashing are usually completely out of view so that it doesn’t take away from the experience you’re offering.
Open designs can vary dramatically based on the type of equipment that needs to be used, the type of food being prepared, and even the head chef.
BBQ restaurants may choose to have a butchery station front and center while an Asian restaurant may want to have a work station in front to show off how everything is flying around the pan.
By choosing equipment that can easily move around, you can try a few different open layouts to see which one allows you to maximize your space and improve the efficiency of your staff.
Final Thoughts
Choosing from the many commercial kitchen designs isn’t something that you should take lightly. What you decide on will allow your restaurant to be successful (or unsuccessful).
There are so many components that have to be factored in.
- Measure your space
- Determine the size and extensiveness of your menu
- Decide whether you want to make a spectacle of cooking some or all of the dishes
- Explore the health codes and safety regulations in your area.
When you finally land on a design where everything comes together, it will show in the speed of your back-of-house crew as well as the guest experience in the dining room.
There’s no reason why you have to make the decisions on your own. Choosing a consulting company will ensure that your kitchen is built according to all of the latest regulations and requirements. Whether you choose a modern or an industrial kitchen design, it’s possible to get help sourcing all of the equipment that you need. It can make it easier for you to have the kitchen you’ve always wanted while staying within budget.
And remember, these kitchen layout ideas are just to help you get started. You can add in various elements to make your restaurant truly unique and customized to the menu you want to offer.
