How to Convert a Home Kitchen to an Industrial Kitchen
Converting your home kitchen to a business space is a good idea during tough economic times. There will always be a demand for good cooking for local workers or large groups. If you've always wanted to run a restaurant, now may be the time. Check with your local authorities for zoning restrictions and business permit requirements. If you cook food items and deliver them elsewhere, you should be able to go forward and comply with local laws with fewer issues. Remember that your county health department must inspect and offer input, if you are preparing food for the general public.
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Things You'll Need
- Industrial ovens/stoves
- Large air venting system
- Oversized refrigerators
- Upright or chest freezer
- Storage pantry
- Industrial cooking spoons/utensils
- Restaurant-sized pots and pans
- Expanded counter space
- Food packaging countainers
- Delivery vehicles
Instructions
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Carve out space for your industrial kitchen. Look for room in home pantry areas, the garage or in a sunroom off the kitchen. You will need space to cook, store items and install equipment. Start by measuring the full perimeter of your present kitchen. You will need to use every square inch possible for counter space and cabinet storage. Sketch the layout to see if you can borrow space from a hallway, closet, part of your living room or a small bathroom you don't need.
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Call in an electrician and plumber for guidance. Hire an electrician who has wired restaurants. You must have an expert who can add 220-volt plugs from your breaker box for added stoves and refrigerators. Enlist his help to wire a small section off the main kitchen for family use. Hire a plumber who can help you establish how to route extra water lines and drain lines and install a garbage disposal to accommodate the new load of waste. Follow up on references for your electrician and plumber as to how they've served local businesses, since their expertise is crucial for success.
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Install one or two industrial-quality cooking stoves, ovens and refrigerators. Buy a large freezer to store foods as well. Design the workspace to place these items fairly close together to save steps when you work. Freezer storage can be off in another area. If your ceiling is only eight feet in height, you will need to store industrial-sized pots, pans and cooking utensils in cabinets built below counter space all around the room. If your ceiling is higher, install hanging racks to store pots and pans overhead.
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Design space off the main industrial kitchen to cook for your family. This area can be one short wall to accommodate a small stove, oven and microwave. Don't mix family cooking with business cooking. Build a divider wall between family and work kitchens. Serve your family's food in a dining area away from the industrial work space, to help keep work and family separate.
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Devise good delivery methods if you will transport your food off the premises. Buy a van or delivery truck with acceptable warming or cooling cabinets to keep foods at the right temperature. Design space outside your kitchen to pull this vehicle right up to the door to save steps. Plan the process for moving food-serving containers into the kitchen space for packaging the food, storing the food temporarily and then moving the food into the delivery truck. Consider building a drive-up covered porch in case you must deliver when it's raining.
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Tips & Warnings
Consider tiling all kitchens wall to make cleanup easier. Place restaurant-quality metal sheeting on the wall behind the stove. Cooking for groups or public delivery will cause a lot of spills and splatters. Design the kitchen with materials for floors and walls that mop and wipe up efficiently. Use materials for countertops that are non-porous and won't absorb food spills.
Don't forget to install a sprinkler system in your kitchen. Fire codes will require this to obtain your permits.
Create time in the day to spend on cleaning only. You don't want germs from lots of food in the kitchen to overtake your home. Allowing mopping and scrubbing the stove or refrigerators to be overlooked can make a mess of your kitchen. Stay on top of it, since health inspectors may drop by from your local health department.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit kitchen image by AGITA LEIMANE from Fotolia.com
