Unlike its domestic counterpart, the design of a commercial kitchen is less about aesthetics and more about functionality, practicality and safety.
As such, refining the layout of a professional kitchen requires significant planning and forethought, with many factors to consider to ensure the most efficient use of space.
At JLA, we’ve helped countless chefs, caterers and restauranteurs develop the ultimate layout for their commercial kitchens, before installing the components and features to the highest possible standard. This has provided unique, time-tested insights into the full kitchen design cycle – insights we hope to share in this comprehensive resource.
Efficient plan
Defining an efficient ground plan is the first step in any commercial kitchen redesign. The ground plan ultimately controls the flow of the space, so a coordinated approach is needed to ensure that space is used efficiently without compromising on productivity, safety, and overall kitchen performance.
Factors to consider when devising an efficient kitchen plan include:
Available space: Measuring the space accurately to determine the available square metreage will be the very step in your kitchen design. This dictates which layouts and appliances are possible and which are not, so it really is the cornerstone of any kitchen plan.
Type of establishment: As well as available space, a kitchen plan is defined by the type of establishment. For example, a high-end restaurant kitchen will have very different ground plan requirements from that of an open-hatch school canteen kitchen, so this will undoubtedly have a significant influence over the kitchen’s ground plan and requirements.
Appliance location and coordination: It’s not uncommon for chefs and restauranteurs to have a preference for the location of new catering equipment within their commercial kitchen. This is factored in at the planning stage to ensure that the desired placement of some appliances doesn’t contravene the overall kitchen design, layout, and plan.
Flow: The flow of a professional kitchen is the driving force behind every design element. How efficient a kitchen is at the human level must be considered as a priority, with logical, safe pathways and work zones assigned for each member of your professional kitchen team.
Layout
Typically, professional kitchens tend to fall into one of four design configurations. Although these are not fixed and can be customised in line with your preferences, they do offer a practical blueprint around which the basic framework of a kitchen design can be built.
With that in mind, here are the four most common layouts you’re likely to encounter in commercial kitchen design:
Galley layout: Appliances and worktops are placed around the walls of the kitchen. This type of layout is common in commercial kitchens where space is restricted.
Zone layout: In large kitchens where various teams are responsible for different food preparation and processes, the zone layout ensures an efficient and methodical workspace.
Assembly line layout: This linear kitchen design layout begins with food prep and runs in a straight line, culminating with the area in which you serve the food to your customer.
Island layout: An island kitchen layout is where the preparation is located on a dedicated section in the middle of the room with the cooking equipment against the adjacent walls. This is ideal in professional restaurants with a diverse menu and where collaboration is key.
Fire safety regulations
Fire safety is an integral part of commercial kitchen design and needs to be considered from the early stages of the project. Commercial kitchens have significant fire safety requirements, some of which may require building changes before new appliances, worktops, and other hardware are brought in and installed.
A fire risk assessment can help you identify the areas of your commercial kitchen design plan that pose the most significant risk of fire and/or smoke inhalation. Your design should take the recommendations of the assessment into account from the earliest stages, ensuring that all the appropriate fire safety equipment is in place well before the kitchen is deemed ready for day-to-day operations.
Ventilation
As you’re probably aware, adequate ventilation isn’t simply a nice-to-have element in a kitchen design plan, but a legal requirement under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations Act 1992.
Indeed, on ventilation in commercial kitchens, the Act states: “Effective and suitable provision shall be made to ensure that every enclosed workplace is ventilated by a sufficient quantity of fresh or purified air.”
Of course, ventilation also helps to create a safe working environment for staff, while simultaneously affording customers the most comfortable dining experience. As such, any ventilation changes to your kitchen should be factored in from the get-go, with ducts, hoods, and pipework installed before other elements are added.
JLA provide commercial kitchen hoods to help you meet these requirements, along with regular commercial kitchen ventilation servicing and maintenance packages.
Reliable equipment
When the ground plan, fire safety, and ventilation elements of your commercial kitchen design are locked in, you can start thinking about the appliances and equipment you want to invest in for your new catering space.
That’s where partnering with JLA on your kitchen comes into its own. From commercial ovens to dishwashers, refrigerators to bain maries, we provide everything you need to kit out a professional kitchen of any size, and can also provide full commercial kitchen installation and ongoing servicing to ensure your new equipment continues to deliver service after service.
Plus, with Total Care from JLA, you can equip your kitchen with no upfront cost or investment. Simply sign up for a monthly contract and you get the appliances you need for a fixed sum, including servicing, breakdown support, and a guaranteed engineer response within eight hours.
We hope this guide proves useful when planning your upcoming kitchen redesign. Don’t forget, if you need help configuring your commercial catering space, our experts are here to advise you. Call us today on 0808 239 5538.
