Restaurant Construction: The Perfect Kitchen

The design of a restaurant’s kitchen is a major factor to determine the efficiency of its operations. The very core of a restaurant lies in its kitchen: the food preparation and the staff that make it possible. It is also one of the biggest investments of a new restaurant, so the kitchen needs to function efficiently in order to quickly generate the return on your investment. 

The staff must be able to have easy access to all required appliances, exactly where they need them and when they need them, and the implementation of Kitchen Display Systems is a newer feature that can greatly improve efficiency.

Here are some design tips that can help achieve the maximum potential of your kitchen When you dive into the restaurant construction:

• You must follow restaurant regulations

All safety protocols must be thoroughly met in order to avoid penalties and provide a safe, quality product for your guests. These regulations might change by region -here you can find the FDA food code by state to help you out.

• Think about your menu before you start

The specific ingredients and forms of preparation are the perfect guidance to acquire and place appliances in your kitchen in a coherent way (for example, place heat sources away from cold storage to avoid energy overconsumption). Aim to have everything you need, but refrain from buying equipment that’s going to have little use or its function might be conducted by other appliances you already have.

• The most important input comes from the people that prepare the food

The chef is the right person to listen to while designing the kitchen. In order to boost efficiency, you must receive advice from the people that are directly in charge of the food -they’ll be able to tell you what equipment will be required and where to place them in order to achieve the right workflow, as well as the overall space needed to comply with the demands of the restaurant.

• Think about other operations that require space in the back of the house

It’s not just food preparation. Storage, cleaning, waste disposal, enough space for the chef to supervise and train new staff, an appropriate exhaust system and air ventilation -all must be set in a consistent way that allows easy navigation and efficiency. Modular kitchens pose an advantage in this front, allowing owners to change the setting of the kitchen according to their needs.

• Choose the kitchen layout that suits you the most

According to your staff and customers’ needs and the available space, you can determine the right layout for your kitchen: Center Island, Assembly Line, Open Kitchen, Zone Style and Ergonomic are the most popular concepts. Assess the advantages that each layout provides along with your chef, consultant designer and restaurant construction team to create the perfect design for your restaurant. 

Once the kitchen’s design is all set is when heavy-duty starts. The kitchen or “back of house” will usually require a full scope of mechanical, electrical and plumbing as well as other specialty trades. This area is the heart and soul of restaurant operations and will be heavily utilized and cleaned. As such, it is important to ensure that walls and floors are water-tight with the proper moisture barriers and sealants, that the whole room is properly fire-rated and that all appliances and installations are properly placed. 

Remember that any mistake in the restaurant construction and design can be changed with more or less difficulty, but changing kitchen installations like water or gas supply, drainage and electrical wiring can be a pain and very costly. These must be planned to detail and conducted by experienced teams to deliver professional results, and a long-lasting kitchen that will back up every need your restaurant has. 

Here’s a list of the most common Kitchen Scopes of Work. These are just the basics to keep your kitchen running:

• Grease Trap 
• Gas & Water Heater
• Three Compartment Sink
• Fountain Drink System
• Kitchen Exhaust Hood System
• Make-Up Air System
• Ansul System
• Fire Sprinklers
• Walk-In Cooler and Freezer
• Ice Machine
• GFCI Outlets
• Dedicated Circuits 
• Commercial Equipment 
• UPS Back-Up Battery
• Data & Networking POS

Along with all the necessary installations in a restaurant construction, there are Kitchen Finishes that are immensely useful in terms of sanitation, durability and practicality, such as:

• Kitchen Walls made of Fibre-Reinforced Plastic (FRP) or Stainless Steel Panels.
• Kitchen Floors made of Durable Quarry Tiles or similar.
• Acoustical Ceiling Tile & Grid.

The restaurant construction team that carries out your dream project must be well-prepared, experienced and mindful of details in order to give you the kitchen that you want. 

Check out ProTech Commercial Construction services in Houston. We have over 35 years of experience in the field. Our experts will provide a high-quality service that includes coherent and efficient kitchen planning, installations and room finishes that take your restaurant to the next level. We also have kitchen vent hood cleaning services in Houston so you can mantain your restaurant at the very top. Our 24/7 response team will be happy to help, just contact us.