Lunchtime at school is always a popular topic among kids. The school cafeteria is where students gather for their meals and to spend some social time together. In today’s school kitchen, the major concern is providing healthy options and establishing a welcoming environment for students.
If you are designing an institutional kitchen, you need to consider each of the following components that go into establishing a well-run kitchen.
Come up with an elaborate floor plan.
Every design starts with a blank canvas. Mark the locations of the utilities you will need in the kitchen. Consider the positioning of water inlet fittings, sinks, gas supply points, power cabling, workstations, storage, and all the other important elements.
Food Prep area in one of our featured projects at Moi Educational Centre
Create a Food Prep Area/ Workstation
Efficiency creates excellence. The last thing you want is a kitchen full of hurried staff who have to reach and stumble to retrieve the appliances and tools they need. Design a food prep area, where your space will accommodate all the ingredients for any dish you are serving. Therefore, before you begin your design, go over your menu and get storage space for each ingredient to be fitted into the prep area so that it’s easily accessible when needed.
Efficient Storage
In addition to the above, consider storage and accessible ways for all culinary equipment to be stored. This not only guarantees easy retrieval of items by your staff it also allows for individual accountability. Have a section where you can place bulky items like cookware and utensils. You can also install lockers to provide a convenient place for staff to stow personal items, such as aprons and hairnets. A lack of efficient design can slow down productivity and hinder your culinary environment from giving off the air of professionalism your staff aspires to achieve.
Water Supply and Drainage
Ensure the kitchen has an accessible water supply and is fitted with Kitchen sinks, drying racks, and a location near the kitchen entrance for servers or the students to drop off the dirty dishes and waste. Design and install a full drainage solution that can withstand the amount of waste or discharge that you foresee the kitchen will produce.
Drainage solutions are challenging to design, however perfectly fitted drainage systems can be easily cleaned to improve the health and safety of the entire environment. Get a water drainage solution with absolutely no compromise in terms of food safety. Trench drains, gullies and floor drains in stainless steel are part of the most important hygiene environment for a commercial kitchen.
Furthermore, we all know that trips and falls are common in kitchens and account for 40% of injuries in this sector; in particular, an overflowing drain can cause a serious trip hazard. If you choose to work with us, Merican Limited will conduct a slip test to assess the friction offered by the floor when a foot comes into contact with the surface. With slip-resistant flooring, not only are you minimizing the risk of injuries but also minimizing wastage in terms of broken equipment and wasted food items prepared for meals.
Cooking.
This is the primary function of the Kitchen, right? Well, make sure your source of energy is efficient. Try out our customized kitchen equipment range.
Customize your Institutional kitchen design layout
Air ventilation systems: Placement and maintenance
When designing a restaurant, an extraction system is an essential aspect of your kitchen and must be placed strategically within the layout. Foodservice exhaust hoods control the smoke and grease that comes from cooking food. Proper ventilation is essential for replenishing the environment with fresh air.
A stainless steel exhaust hoods. Merican Limited extraction systems are extremely energy efficient with superior exhaust flow rates.
Service to Clients.
Finally, you need to consider the proximity of the cooking area to the eating bay. Ensure there is a clear pathway to a clear service bay where the meals are taken from the kitchen and served to the students.
Customizing your kitchen design layout for specific operations can enhance the ease of flow for your entire operation. Always start by researching the full spectrum of most commonly used layout styles before you make a final decision. These may include Island or Assembly Line styles. Talk with your construction crew about the various layout options to create the perfect set-up for the specific needs of your commercial kitchen. And guess what Merican Limited is here for you, specifically to get you the most suitable layout for your institution.
