Commercial Catering Equipment for your Hotel

Design
This mostly involves not having the heat-generating kitchen appliances in close proximity to refrigerators, despite this configuration possibly being more convenient for the chef. Ergonomically designed kitchens sometimes sacrifice energy efficiency to achieve greater staff efficiency and are planned to reduce the number of steps kitchen staff need take to complete a task. Design is however, crucial to the smooth running of any hotel kitchen.

Health and Safety
Here again, design is important and staff and even members of the public must be able to move about without obstruction. Flooring must be suitable to the kitchen environment where grease or other spillages may cause employees to slip and fall. This is by far the most common cause of injury regarding kitchen staff. For the same reason, there should be a floor drain near the ice-making machine. Floors and counters need to be cleaned at regular intervals, not only to avoid trips and falls, but also to prevent contamination of foodstuffs. Adequate measures such as covering of hair and provision for convenient washing of hands must also be taken to ensure that the highest standards of hygiene are maintained.

Equipment
Remember that the onus is on the manufacturer to ensure that its appliances meet safety standards and buying from a reliable, tried-and-trusted company will provide peace of mind in this regard. Basins for the washing of vegetables, dishes and hands must be of adequate size and preferably made from scratch-resistant material to avoid breeding grounds for bacteria: the same is true of kitchen counters.

How your kitchen is equipped will depend on the type of menu on offer and for most hotels, this is pretty comprehensive. Chips are standard fare and a good, reliable fryer is essential as are toasters. Ovens and grills must also be of adequate size in relation to the number of guests catered for and then of course there are the all-important refrigeration appliances. Food that is not correctly or adequately refrigerated or frozen poses significant health risks and the quality of these appliances should never be compromised for cost. A happy chef is a creative chef and supplying him / her with sufficient, reliable equipment with which to create is imperative to the smooth running and general well-being of all staff involved in the preparation of meals.

General
Priority should not only be given to the maintenance of equipment, but also to maintaining good staff morale and giving them enough space in which to move will impact greatly on the service they will provide. It is generally estimated that 5 square feet of kitchen space should be allowed for every seat in the dining-room. Peak times can often become a nightmare if staff are constantly having to side-step some obstruction or other. Easy flow from kitchen to table will provide satisfied customers and help to promote your establishment.