Creativity and inspiration are a big part of making your culinary process a success. But another equally important and easily overlooked factor is organization. Even people with the most vibrant imagination need some structure to ensure effective and reliable output. Well-maintained and neatly organized surroundings are more likely to boost your motivation. They are also more likely to produce efficient results. If you have spent some years as a chef in a commercial kitchen, you will likely have already noticed the benefits of keeping your kitchen in order. But if this is a process you are only beginning to start, you can feel a little overwhelmed at the thought itself.
We have put together a list of commercial kitchen organization ideas that you can consider when organizing your kitchen. We hope you find this useful!
Keep Small Gadgets in Reach
Simplicity is often the key to getting it right. Something as little as making your small gadgets easy accessible will make your food preparation and presentation process seamless and enjoyable. Gadgets that you use every day are your most reliable tool in the kitchen. Keep them handy! You could try hanging items like spoons, whisks, measuring cups, pots, pans, ladles, spatulas, strainers, and even wine glasses. Restaurant supplies that are easy to use will go a long way in keeping your kitchen functioning effortlessly!
Create Designated Stations
Prepare a map of your kitchen and plan a layout. Once you have done this, it is a good idea to segment your kitchen into different stations. These will be spaces where only work of a particular type is done. This factor will let you have more creative and practical control over different aspects of your kitchen. For instance, you could have a cleaning station for dishes and other utensils. Incorporate a dishwasher and have a modern sink installed if you don’t have one already.
Similarly, create a station to sort and store the heating equipment. This place could be where you place the microwave, install your electric stove and store the boiler, frying pans, and warmers. This section will prevent oil and grease from leaking out towards your refrigerator or other storing units. You could also have a station for dry work like chopping, cutting, and peeling.
Give ample space to the counter
Remember to give yourself a lot of counter/ tablespace. Finally, there could be a separate area for your freezer and refrigerator. Plan this at a considerable distance from your stove, and your heating spaces as the warmth directly impacts your refrigerator’s temperature. Please feel free to think of other ways to create different sections. You can categorize as much as you’d need, but try not to over-complicate it. Give yourself a fair amount of time during this stage of your restaurant kitchen organization because getting this right will ensure that all your operations continue to run smoothly and effectively!
Use Shelves and Racks
We can all be tempted to have large storage space for all our ingredients. While this does give the appearance of a tidy kitchen, think of all the effort you will have to go through every time you want to locate a particular item or ingredient. Rather than having one large closed cabinet in your kitchen, it’s worth considering different shelves designated for different items like oils, spices, and condiments. Racks are a non-negotiable addition to your kitchen and a ready-made way of having everything right where you need it. The only thing you want to remember is to put everything back where you first found it once you are done working your magic!
Organize Your Refrigerator Units
You’d be surprised to know how crucial this aspect of organizing your kitchen is. Yet, it is one of the most easily overlooked. Well-organized refrigerator units ensure the longevity of the items. This part also ensures that your food stays safe. Where you store different items is equally important. For example, keeping cooked and dry meat separate is a non-negotiable rule of food safety. Different refrigerator storing units also makes it easier to find and locate items easily. No one wants to be bending over and scrambling through a refrigerator looking for jars at the last minute!
These aforementioned tips can help you manage your restaurant kitchen efficiently while ensuring that every task is fulfilled without any hassle!