Catering Equipment You Must Have in Your Commercial Kitchen

Some catering equipment is optional or will only be necessary for your specific kitchen, while other types are virtually mandatory. Whether you are starting up a commercial food outlet or catering company, or perhaps having a re-fit, read on for the most essential types of catering equipment necessary for the smooth and safe running of any commercial kitchen establishment.

Oven/Hob/Griddle

Something to heat food up is essential for all except very small cafes that just need a sandwich toaster. Some kitchens can simply buy a griddle or grill, but most will require a full oven that incorporates a cooker grill, hob and hot plate. There's nothing worse than not buying a big enough oven, but at the same time, don't waste money on something that you will never need and takes up too much space. Speak to the customer service team at your professional catering equipment suppliers if you are not sure of what you need.

Fly Killer

No commercial kitchen is complete without something that has been designed to either kill or expel flies. Wall-mounted electric fly killers are the easiest way to manage this inevitable problem - and quite simply, the bigger the premises, the more powerful the fly killer you need. If in doubt, speak to your online catering equipment suppliers to find out what you need. Improve the fly situation further by hanging a fly screen in the main cooking area. This has the added benefit of adding a level of privacy without losing ventilation.

Fridge-Freezer

This is an absolute must, ahead even of an oven. You need a high-quality, efficient, spacious and well-functioning fridge-freezer for any commercial kitchen in order to keep food at the correct temperature at all times. Look out for one that has been built especially for commercial kitchens, as this will serve you better than a domestic one. Depending on the layout of your kitchen, it may be easier for you to have a fridge-freezer or separate under-counter options. Most cafes will need a large fridge and a small freezer, but larger restaurants may need more freezer space.

Bottle Cooler

This will be on display rather than hidden in the back like your fridge-freezer and is essential for any customer-facing businesses such as a cafe or bar. However, those running a commercial catering firm will not require a drinks chiller. Bottle Coolers are not as cold as fridges and serve to keep drinks cool rather than keep food safe like a fridge. Choose between one with clear doors and one that is fully open so that customers can help themselves to drinks.

When it comes to decking out your commercial kitchen, you need to choose the most essential items first and spend most of your budget on these items. Less essential equipment can be sought out later, but to get started you will need some basic cooking equipment, a fridge for food storage and a fly killer for health and safety.