What are the steps to improve commercial kitchen efficiency & workflow?
A lot of discussions happen regarding the topic of commercial kitchen efficiency. Pantry owners talk of workplace effectiveness with customers, colleagues, and other industry specialists. But, what does efficiency mean? Why should you care about it? How does efficiency impact your kitchen, your venture and your result? The immediate answer always revolves around the number of returns you accrue on your capital. Commercial kitchen equipment soaks a large chunk of investment and ongoing management expenses. Therefore, strategising for the best return on investment through efficiency and other catering service design considerations make good business sense.
Every food establishment owner knows the back of the house (BOH) has its unique style that enables the menu arrangement and the business requirements. The pantries that hamper this system are inefficient and slowly erode their bottom line by creeping overheads and labour costs. Efficiency is never an accident. Please don’t leave it to chance; ensure that every cent spent on the back of the pantry is cleverly spent. The following steps will give you a good starting point for getting your commercial kitchen efficiency on track.
Are you planning to add beverages like soups to your menu? If yes, consider trying our premium Commercial Bain Marie products. For more information, visit the Simco website.
Commence Operations by Focussing on the Menu
The first part is to look at the cuisine you will present to your customers. Verify whether the menu is too diverse and contains adequate coordination between food items. Different delicacies require separate workflows and appliances to achieve the intended outcome. When your menu includes food from multiple genres, you can end up with considerable inadequacies due to crossovers in the task process, equipment that is overworked or not used to its full potential, and, generally speaking, a pretty chaotic back end. If you’re working towards re-adapting your menu, perhaps you’ll find there’s the equipment you don’t require or that your workflow is not proving enough. Take stock of the situation and begin to plan for the future.
Monitor the Work Efficiency in your Kitchen
Poor workflow & monitoring practices contribute to the bulk of inadequacies in the workspace. Many commercial catering equipment operators do not realise the aspects which might have a role in their downfall. One should constantly monitor whether there are crossovers, people reluctant to perform a specific task, too many processes between cold or dry storage and the prep areas. If your pantry is experiencing poor workflow, it can quickly add to high back end labour costs, enhanced power expenditure, and upkeep issues. You can employ some quick fixes, such as moving or purchasing simple countertop equipment to provide further flexibility or streamlining your workflow, trying to adjust the layout of your prep areas or the staffing of your kitchen. Always ensure keeping food hygiene & security in mind while making any tweaks to your pantry layout. One example of such change is keeping raw and cooked foods separate. Your design and workflow should be coherent yet different. They are structured yet flexible.
https://simcogroup.com.au/blog/post/why-should-you-upgrade-your-commercial-kitchen-equipment
Proficiently Manage Inventory Delivery & Storage
The improved effectiveness of a workplace starts with proper inventory management. Create prudent policies & processes and be aware of the in and out stock flow for various supplies, such as delivery slips processing and other correspondence. A rationalised process for deliveries and storage will keep your bookkeeping in order and identify issues with orders or inventory early on. The layout of your industrial kitchen should be well-thought-out and designed to reduce steps between stations, including storage areas and prep areas, to best facilitate efficient management of deliveries and storage without compromising the food safety of customers.
Food security is an essential component of inventory operations for commercial kitchens. If an organisation gets this wrong, it could quickly eat into all the gains you made through your efficiency efforts. Some critical things to think about for storage and food security are as follows:
- Check the temperature of cold or frozen delicacies as they are delivered. This practice ensures the items are within the agreeable temperature range before being put in your hard storage places.
- Ensure proper maintenance and pest-free existence of storage locations by frequently cleaning & monitoring them. You can contact Simco, the leading commercial kitchen equipment supplier in Sydney, for help.
- It is essential to teach your employees to notify you of any issues with food storage. Taking the time now to provide the training will save you time in the long run and reduce the risk of miscommunication, delays, or poor judgment.
If you are looking for storage of your perishable food items, look no further than the Commercial Refrigeration options offered by our page. For more details, visit our homepage.
Ensure Focusing on Equipment Efficiency
The effectiveness of operations should not only exist for workflow but also equipment. There should be correct clearances between each appliance for equipment to operate efficiently. Consideration should be given to capacity, the types of equipment located near each other, frequency of use, the workflow’s impact on appliance use (e.g. fridge doors opening and closing), and more.
Equipment efficiency can also come in multi-purpose appliances and advanced technology. For example, Various cooking centres are grills, fryers, and Bratt pans rolled into one device. The specification of energy and water-efficient equipment is also a wise investment, wherever practicable and within budget. Rapid technological and eco-friendly advancements are finding their way into the foodservice industry, so ask your foodservice designer or commercial kitchen equipment manufacturer about how these high-tech solutions can fit into your kitchen efficiency plans.
Always Prepare for your Tasks in Advance
Another crucial step is to prepare for your future activities in advance. Your staff is most likely to be anxious during the most active hours of the day at your food establishment. Therefore, you need to plan and strategise before time as much as you can to avoid the rush. It would be best to strategise by thinking of the future for increasing kitchen production. To reduce the task load, consider organising repeatedly utilised things in your kitchen at off-peak hours or before the start of the day.
It’s essential to be advised by industry specialists to ensure that your design is rational and adaptable to future requirements with the growth and expansion of your restaurant. It is clever to hire a staff member to take care of kitchen preparation to ensure that everything runs well. An employee can also be made responsible for checking if your inventory and workstations are fully supplied or if your culinary equipment is clean and in good operating order. Simco, the leading commercial kitchen supplier in Brisbane, has a wide variety of such items, and you can procure the required appliances from them.
We also deal in equipment that lets you prepare for the cuisines you’ll prepare later. One of the items is the Stainless Steel Benches that are durable & useful in equal measure. You can get it on the Simco web page.
