We’ve got some top tips for you to ensure your commercial kitchen works harder for you.

Is there a part of you that wishes your restaurant was making you a little more money? If you had that little extra money, what would you do with it? Re-invest in your commercial kitchen or restaurant or maybe pop off and enjoy a well-deserved break!

The truth of the matter is there are always ways you can make improvements – give your customer and staff a little more.

First things first – make sure you check your appliances, if your energy costs are high then, generally speaking, you could potentially need new appliances. Your old fridge could be costing you 5x more than a new modern fridge, although replacing appliances may seem like a costly project, your commercial kitchen will benefit from newer, more energy efficient appliances. And guess what? Lower energy bills!!

Now let’s talk about your waste – every commercial kitchen is going to create waste but have you actually sat back and analysed the cost of the waste coming from your restaurant? A good way to lower your waste is to monitor the food regularly returned or left by your customers and what ingredients are regularly being wasted due to its expiry date. Once you have spent some time doing this you can adjust your menu accordingly and give your customers what they want with unnecessary wastage. There is always going to be unavoidable waste but maybe consider a partnership with a Charity or local Community where you can give away these ingredients to save them going in the bin unless of course, they are inedible!

We also feel that investing in your staff should be a priority because having well-trained staff will give you a restaurant that will flow. Engaging with staff and making sure they are knowledgable about the menus, ingredients and process of how your commercial kitchen works as well as great customer service means you will reap the benefits. The more you are invested in your staff the more they will be invested in you and provide the best possible service to your customers.

Keeping your commercial kitchen well organised is critical! You would not believe how much a disorganised kitchen can cost you. Make sure your storage solutions are obvious to staff, having staff constantly asking questions about where things are stored can be incredibly time- consuming. Try and keep relevant items near relevant stations – under counter fridges and rollers can make life a lot easier! Store condiments where they are easily available for waiters and waitresses to take to tables – condiments should also be kept clean and fresh and where necessary in the fridges (and don’t forget condiments in glass bottles are much more environmentally friendly). Having well-organised stock in fridges and storerooms will also reduce your restaurant waste.

Finally our biggest piece of advice has to be to ensure that your commercial kitchen is NOT a stressful, hectic environment – these types of kitchens may have been all the rage a few years ago but today, commercial kitchens environments are changing and should be calmer, more collected environments – where chefs are concentrating on flavours of the dishes rather than getting dishes out the door as quickly as possible. Latest commercial kitchen trends are leaning towards ‘open-kitchens’ where customers are able to see the Chefs in action so your kitchen design should reflect what you want your customers to see.

Finally, if you are in the right market for it, you may consider offering a takeaway menu. This is a great way to increase revenue and provides an alternative solution to your customers and potential customers who may not have the time to dine in. Offering great lunch solutions for busy workers could give your restaurant the boosts it needs! Ultimately, the name of the game here is to keep your kitchen busy.

In need of some advice around your commercial kitchen design or appliances? Click here.