Design the Best 21st Century Kitchen

The expectations of a restaurant experience is ever changing. A large dining area is expected with an openness and honesty about how food is cooked. It’s no wonder that open kitchens are on the rise, just take a look at Nando’s and Wagamamas. With the back-of-house now being the centre of attention, chefs and equipment are now a theatre performance. Customers now view the restaurant as a spectacle and so it needs to be aesthetic as well as dramatic. When designing a 21st century kitchen, what do you need to consider and what are the best brands to go for?

Showmanship

While the showmanship of cooking growing, kitchens continue to become smaller. For this reason, the equipment used in the kitchen needs to adapt with these trends. The units must be economic in space whilst producing the same great cooking results. You need to design around your space and required kitchen aesthetic.

Energy Efficiency

With fuel and running costs at an all time high, this is no longer an aspect that can be overlooked. A commercial kitchen must be energy efficient not only for the environmental benefits, but for your wallet too. Why waste money on electric and water consumption, when that could be better spent elsewhere?

Chair of the CESA Glenn Roberts says that when buying catering equipment ‘sustainability should be at the heart of any buying decision… Energy- saving equipment will save money – the extra cost is often paid back in months rather than years. And once it’s paid back the savings continue.’

Heat

With the showmanship of a commercial kitchen being considered, the heat that the equipment expels will directly affect the temperature in which your customers dine in. Equipment needs to be purchased that doesn’t expel a significant amount of heat, no one wants hot and bothered customers.

Durability

Catering equipment is a large investment, so you need units that will have a long lifespan whilst getting the most for your money. One example being a hotel kitchen where the equipment is being used continuously. These machines must be durable against wear and tear! No one can afford unreliable machinery that constantly breaks down.

With all of these points considered, what equipment do chefs actually buy and prefer?

A research team at F&B magazine, have done the research for you. From 150 leading hotel culinary decision makers, executives, head chefs and managers. Here are the results…