How to Design an Industrial Kitchen
Before you start designing an industrial kitchen, you should assess the type of space you envision for your completed facility. A meat or fish processing plant, for example, will need plenty of refrigeration, while a bakery will require at least one oven. Project the quantity of food the operation will likely handle, get a clear idea of your budget, and then begin drawing plans, contacting permitting agencies, consulting contractors, and shopping for equipment.
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Things You'll Need
- Permits
- Plumbing
- Ventilation system
- Refrigeration
- Electricity
- Appliances
Instructions
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How to Design an Industrial Kitchen
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Begin viewing available locations. If you're lucky (or if you buy a lease from an existing food service operation), you'll be able to move into a place that already has some of the amenities you require, such as electricity, ventilation, and a gas line. You may have to choose between a space with higher rent that will cost less to remodel and a location with lower rent where you have to do a more costly build-out yourself.
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Check with your local health department before you start designing your kitchen. If possible, find an inspector willing to make a site visit to help you spot potential problem areas before you start costly construction. Although you may have to pay for a walk-through, it will be a bargain compared to undoing work that is not compliant with regulations. Some regulatory agencies require a plan review before you start building.
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Plan your plumbing installation. Every foodservice operation needs to clean equipment, utensils, and work services. This requires hot running water, which will be connected to either a commercial dishwasher or a three-compartment stainless steel sink. You'll also need a separate sink for cleaning and processing ingredients. State and county regulations may require you to install a hand washing station within your kitchen. Placing the sinks close together saves money on installation, but it may not provide an efficient work space.
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Plan your ventilation system. If you're heating any type of food, you'll probably need to install a hood, vent, and fan over your cooking equipment. This ventilation system needs to be mechanically connected to a source of intake air, to automatically replace the air that is being removed from the space. If you're doing any kind of cooking with grease, local codes usually require a fire suppression system situated in the hood, as well as larger duct work and a more powerful fan than you'd need simply for baking or boiling water. This can be quite expensive.
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Assess your refrigeration requirements. Walk-in coolers and freezers come in a wide range of sizes, and the compressors that cool them need to be powerful enough to maintain the available space at the proper temperature. You'll need a more powerful compressor if you're cooling hot food than if you're simply storing ingredients that are already cold. A competent refrigeration technician will be able to help you determine what kind of equipment you need. Reach-in coolers and freezers take up less space and can be ideal for storing smaller items.
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Tips & Warnings
Do everything you can to save money, but be prepared for everything to cost more than you think. Work with licensed contractors--ideally those you find through referrals.
