Designing a restaurant kitchen around workflow: prep, cook, serve, wash

A beautiful kitchen is not necessarily easy to work in. What matters for an eatery or restaurant is that the movement of ingredients, staff and dishes is short and does not cross over. This article shows how to divide a kitchen into zones so stainless steel equipment is placed sensibly.

The "one-way" principle

Ingredients should flow one way: receiving, prep, cooking, serving, clearing, washing. Limit turning back or going against the flow to reduce cross-contamination between raw and cooked food.

Zone 1: Receiving and storage

Near the back door or where goods are received, with stainless steel shelves, refrigerators and freezers. Shelves should be high enough off the ground to be easy to clean, and cartons should not sit directly on the floor.

Zone 2: Prep

Prep tables and sinks. If possible, separate areas for meat and fish, vegetables and fruit. Multi-bowl sinks for soaking, washing and rinsing. Cutting boards and knives are used separately for each type.

Zone 3: Cooking

The line of stoves, pots, woks, grills and so on is placed under the exhaust hood. The distance between equipment should be enough to work in, neither too far nor too cramped. This zone should have an anti-slip floor and good drainage.

Zone 4: Serving

The pass can be a stainless steel table with warming lights, between the kitchen and the service area. This is the control point for dishes before they go out.

Zone 5: Clearing and washing

The dishwashing area is separated from the prep area. It needs a large sink, a stainless steel dish drying rack and a table for collecting dirty dishes.

Notes on stainless steel equipment

• Seamless tops or sealed joints, with few places for dirt.
• Water-guard edges at the back of tables against walls, so water and oil do not run down into the gap.
• Adjustable feet keep tables steady on uneven floors.
• Wire shelves or solid shelves: wire shelves are airy and dry quickly, solid shelves keep dust from falling through.
• The hood should be big enough to cover the whole cooking zone, with a grease trap that is easy to remove for cleaning.

Hygiene and food safety

Specific regulations for food businesses are issued by the authorities, and you should find out from the local regulator. On the equipment side, prioritize materials that are easy to wipe, non-toxic and smooth-surfaced.

A sample floor plan to prepare

Before meeting the workshop, quickly sketch:

1. The kitchen dimensions (length, width, height).
2. The positions of doors, windows, drain pipes, power outlets and gas lines.
3. The main menu.
4. The number of people working at once.

Based on that, the workshop can advise on the layout and make equipment to the exact size. If space is tight, cabinets and tables can be made taller to use the vertical space.