Running a catering business from home can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to start your own food company. However, a regular domestic kitchen is often not suitable for preparing food on a commercial scale. Extending your kitchen can provide the extra space and facilities you need to grow your business. Here are some key considerations when planning a kitchen extension for catering purposes.
Assessing Your Needs
The first step is to assess what kind of catering you will be doing and what your needs are. Will you be cooking daily for local customers? Catering large events? Making celebration cakes? Your catering style will determine what type of equipment and layout your new kitchen requires. Consider:
- Type of food – Do you need specialist equipment like pizza ovens or pasta machines? Price up your options and consider the extra space needed for larger catering machines.
- Quantity – How much food do you need to produce in a day? This affects oven and hob capacity. Depending on the scope of your business, you may need more than one oven and multiple food prep areas for additional staff.
- Workflow – Think about how you will move efficiently from storage, to prep, to cooking, to plating up. This is important, as mistakes made in this area will have far-reaching effects on your future productivity.
- Refrigeration – A catering kitchen needs lots of cooling and freezing space for ingredients, prepared food, and completed dishes.
- Washing – A separate wash up area with commercial dishwasher will be required. In addition, you will need additional space for hygiene equipment like utensil washers and hand washers. AES Food Equipment’s hygiene products include food hygiene equipment like glove dispensers.
With an idea of your equipment and workflow needs, you can design the right space.
Layout Considerations
When designing your kitchen layout, think logically about how you will use the space.
- Zones – Group tasks like storage, washing up, and cooking together in separate zones to minimise cross-contamination and wasted steps.
- Triangle – Position the refrigerator, sink, and oven in a triangle so you can efficiently move between them while prepping and cooking.
- Lighting – Maximise natural light where possible, and install bright task lighting over key workstations.
- Ventilation – Range hoods, extractor fans, and external vents are essential to manage steam, grease, and odours.
- Flooring – Choose commercial anti-slip floors that are durable and easy to clean. Tile or poured resin floors are ideal.
- Access – Have wide doors and corridors so you can move around easily while carrying ingredients or hot dishes.
Service Requirements
Catering requires more services than a normal kitchen. When planning your extension, factor in:
- Power – Catering equipment requires three-phase power. Upgrade your supply and wiring accordingly.
- Gas – Installing quick-connect gas lines will allow you to hook up multiple heavy-duty cookers and ovens.
- Water – Increase your hot water system capacity to run multiple sinks and cleaning. A booster heater near equipment may be needed.
- Drainage – Size drains for the extra waste water from dishwashers, sinks, and cleaning. Grease traps are also essential.
With the right services in place, your kitchen will run efficiently for high-volume catering.
Regulations
There are legal requirements for commercial kitchens that may require council consent. Your extension will need:
- Venting and fire suppression as mandated by local regulations applicable to your geographic area.
- Certified gas and electrical installations.
- Food safety and hygiene standards like washable surfaces, hand basins, and temperature controlled storage.
- Disabled access, like a wheel-in pantry zone, may be required under disability laws.
Speaking to your local council early in the design process will ensure your kitchen extension meets planning regulations – smaller extensions will likely fall under permitted development but be aware that there may be covenants in place to prevent your home from being used for commercial purposes.
By carefully assessing your catering needs, planning an efficient layout, allowing for all services, and meeting legal requirements, you can create the ultimate catering kitchen in your home. This will let you grow your culinary business in the most cost-effective and convenient way possible.
Always work with an experienced contractor who is comfortable working on commercial builds because they will be better able to advise you on issues that may arise during the project.
Photo by Gary Barnes: https://www.pexels.com/photo/happy-women-arranging-cakes-on-table-in-cafe-6231593/
Recent Comments