Before purchasing expensive restaurant equipment, you need to work out exactly what equipment you will need. This will depend upon the style of restaurant, the size of the space you have in your kitchen, but all the kitchen equipment should be of a high enough standard to run a quality restaurant. Make [...]]]>

Before purchasing expensive restaurant equipment, you need to work out exactly what equipment you will need. This will depend upon the style of restaurant, the size of the space you have in your kitchen, but all the kitchen equipment should be of a high enough standard to run a quality restaurant. Make a list of all of the kitchen equipment you will need to run your restaurant.

Categorize your list according to the specialties of most suppliers (e.g., cleaning equipment, cooking accessories, restaurant furniture). Be as specific as possible with the items on your list, and include all quantities.

Purchasing equipment for the kitchen requires high upfront costs, but you probably won’t need every piece of equipment listed in the catalogue. Sit down with your Head Chef and Kitchen Manager before you buy in order to use your money most effectively. Choose quality, long-lasting equipment that won’t fail when your business is getting off the ground.

Ovens and Ranges: there a variety of oven and range designs, with models available to fit any style and space needs for the kitchen. A quality kitchen will have both standard and convection ovens, with combination ovens, which combine elements of the two, are a good compromise if space is an issue. Space for a griddle, char broiler and burners also need to be thought about, but will depend on the overall theme of the restaurant. A steam table for holding hot foods is also a necessity.

Pots and Pans: quality cookware sized for restaurant volume is a must. The sauté and sauce pans, which come in different sizes, will be the workhorses of your kitchen, purchasing quality items at the outset will save money long-term. Other essential items are different capacities of stockpots, hotel pans, baking sheets and loaf pans. Other equipment can include braziers, pasta cookers, steamers, cast-iron cookware and woks.

The Prep Area: to save time and many, a good prep table, shelving and adequate equipment for preparing food are necessary. You will need to plan for industrial mixers, blenders, food processors, a microwave oven and a commercial meat slicer, all large items which are also needed.

Utensils and Small Wares: other items that you will need for your restaurant equipment include bowls for mixing, cutlery, a food scale, spatulas, whisks, long-handled spoons, juicers, zesters, graters and peelers. Larger prep equipment that you need are bus tubs, cutting boards, salad spinners, commercial can openers and food storage containers.

Cold Storage: Like ovens and stovetops, your refrigeration and freezer capacity may be dictated by the projected volume of meals served in your restaurant and the space available. Many commercial restaurants use walk-in refrigerator units, and some can even house walk-in freezers. However, good quality stand-alone units are available and can be used safely and efficiently.

You must also plan for the ergonomics of the kitchen.

With all the kitchen equipment and the staff that are in the kitchen area, you must spend time working out where to place the equipment. Good placement will cut down on the possibilities of staff having accidents, save money by increasing productivity and help with food hygiene.

You must also allow for space to work in, there must be as much space as possible for the staff to function properly. When considering space, you must also consider access for the installation of the equipment you purchase.

When ordering the kitchen equipment, make sure that any of the items purchased will fit through a standard size door. Often large items of equipment have been designed to break down and to be reassembled on the other side of the door.

A fire waiting to happen

Extraction system filter will never eliminate all vaporized grease [...]]]> There are many reasons why you should have your extraction system cleaned, potential hearth hazard, that will comply together with your insurance policy, helps with the performance of your system and to prevent the build-of grease, mud and harmful bacterial.

A fire waiting to happen

Extraction system filter will never eliminate all vaporized grease that, together with debris, condenses onto the cover plenum, duct and fan surfaces. This build-up now solely needs heat-readily accessible in every kitchen to trigger off a horrifying process. A spark or flame is not necessary, as spontaneous combustion will occur.

The grease in the duct acts as a fuse, carrying fireplace through the duct and the building. Fire, smoke and hot gases might break out at any penetration, hole, joint or discharge point or following heat-induced collapse of ductwork

Temperatures up to 1200 degC transmit heat through the metal to distort, destroy or ignite nearby cloth like duct support hanger, packing materials, electrical systems and litter. In this way hearth can spread rapidly following duct route that may be difficult and dangerous for hearth fighters to access.

Insurance risk

The insurance industry is hardening its angle on the issue. This is often hardly shocking since the association of British insurers has recorded losses related to dirty kitchen extract fires rising from 65 million in 1998 to 107 million in 2004.

The insurer’s loss prevention council recommend that at least annual cleaning of entire systems by specialists is carried out, the precise frequency to be determined by reasoned risk assessment.

Failure to comply with the terms of a policy could mean invalidation of your policy.

Typically small print on insurance policy is over looked this is often where all the necessities are found.

Therefore please take the time to browse all the tiny print terribly carefully.

Below are clauses taken from major insurers in the UK, detailing the clauses that must be coated by warranties to validate the cover.

AXA

• Grease traps filters and other grease removal devices are cleaned every week.
• The grease extract ducting is cleaned each 6 months.
• Deep fat frying clause used on pubs, hotels etc
• All extraction hood canopies, filters and grease traps are cleaned at least once each seven days
• All extraction ducts are cleaned at least once every twelve months by a specialist contractor.

Sterling

• Extraction hoods, canopies, fat/grease collectors and filters are cleaned a minimum of once each 7 days.
• Specialist ductwork cleaners

NIG

• Extraction ducts are cleaned a minimum of once each six months

St Pauls

• Clause Deep fat frying
• The extraction ducts and flues are to be cleaned at least monthly
• If this condition is not complied with, this section can not cowl fireplace or explosion damage caused by the deep fat frying equipment at such business premises.

Hazards of a dirty kitchen extraction system

Even the the majority of effective extraction filters can not remove all traces of grease and dirt from the air, over time a layer of grease and dirt is deposited on the surface of ventilation duct, canopies and extraction fans once time your extraction system will start to slow down and you may hear undue noise or vibration this is often because of the grease and mud baking hard that then forms a carbon like deposit, this could cause overheating and fans to chop out and low airflow pressure. This excessive grease is additionally an environmental health hazard and creates a breeding ground for bacteria and foul odours.

It is there for essential to carry out regular cleaning to your kitchen extraction system this should be carried out by a specialist contractor that will offer you with photos before and after and a sound certificate, failing to do thus could cause a breech of the Environmental Health Laws and might invalidate your hearth insurance policy.

Cover UK Extraction Degreasing and Maintenance Service

There are a number of companies that will clean and maintain your extraction canopy. Some of these companies offer monthly payments which makes the cost easy to deal with. Make sure the cleaning company has a track record and has the required amount of fully trained people.

As you are aware your extraction system never goes down on a Monday morning at nine o clock, it always looks to happen on a Friday night or over the weekend, make sure your company is available at these times not just normal business hours. Make sure the contract include cleaning of all accessible duct work, the fans, filters and canopy, footage will be taken before and once and you should also receive a copy of the images together with a legitimate certificate for your insurance policy.