Guide to an Efficient Professional Kitchen

A professional restaurant kitchen is a busy place where many humans blend their talents to form one finely-tuned machine. In the efficient kitchen, the seamless teamwork is a wonder to behold with complex recipes coming together quickly in skilled and organized hands. The head chef is responsible for the flow of the kitchen, and the tools, equipment and personnel that the chef selects all play a large role in streamlining the end result of flawless efficiency and plating cuisine that is impeccably prepared.

Organization and Storage

A tidy, organized kitchen saves time and energy by placing the appropriate tools within immediate reach of each chef or cook. Thoughtful professional storage solutions include cabinets, drawers and shelving that maximize storage space with easy access and roomy interiors. Chefs who have to leave their stations, stand on a ladder or walk through the kitchen to retrieve tools and supplies are wasting time and energy while also disrupting the flow of the kitchen. The kitchen motto, “mise en place,” means “putting in place,” and it is the key to an efficient kitchen.

Organized and convenient hot and cold storage systems are also essential to the professional kitchen. With strict requirements for safe food handling, there is no room in the kitchen for subpar or inadequate temperature-controlled storage. These stations should be of adequate size to not overflow during the restaurant’s busiest times, and they should be centrally located for quick and efficient access for all kitchen personnel. Equipment that functions perfectly with energy efficiency can also contribute savings to the overall cost of running the kitchen.

Quality Professional Tools

Working in a professional restaurant kitchen can be stressful, with tight deadlines and high expectations of the chef and patrons. Tools that are of poor quality can hamper the kitchen’s efficiency by causing frustration and less-than-excellent efficiency when tools don’t get the job done in the best way possible. For lower-level cooks who don’t carry their own knives, dull tools can even become a hazard in the kitchen.

High-quality tools allow kitchen personnel to prepare food with ease; morale is high when cooking does not include the frustration that can occur with inexpensive tools that break or fail to yield optimum results. Pots and pans, bakeware, small appliances and hand tools that are in peak condition allows the kitchen team to work at the top of their game and for restaurant guests to enjoy meals that are efficiently and expertly prepared with skill.

Space and Visual Efficiency

A kitchen that is crowded with ill-fitting storage and appliances can create visual blocks and tight corners that can make an efficient kitchen virtually impossible. Working in tight spaces with fast-moving cooks can create a dangerous space with hot food, sharp knives and dangerous appliances. Kitchen staff must always have a keen awareness of their surroundings, and when a kitchen is not organized to its full potential, mistakes can happen, injuries can occur and efficiency is lost.

A kitchen with carefully selected storage, countertop configuration and pass-through spaces allows the chef and staff to maximize productivity. Separating the kitchen into zones with thoughtful transitions throughout the preparation and plating process means that food reaches waiting guests more quickly. Vertical storage space can open up floor space and create visual pathways that can improve communication between kitchen personnel as well. Sturdy workspaces that provide a strong foundation can also speed food preparation to a higher rate of efficiency.

Commercial Equipment and Kitchen Supplies  

Commercial equipment that is designed for kitchen efficiency includes small appliances, hand tools, equipment stands and specialty equipment. With a chef’s thoughtful selection of high-quality shelving and storage, the design of the professional restaurant kitchen can improve organization, efficiency and consistent cuisine that is promptly served to restaurant guests under the guidance of the organized kitchen team.