Opening a new restaurant can be an overwhelming prospect. The most important thing is to ensure you have all necessary restaurant equipment in Delaware, or your business may crash before you have a chance to fully launch it. Here is a comprehensive checklist to ensure your restaurant is ready for opening:
- Refrigeration: You cannot keep ingredients fresh without effective refrigerators and freezers. Besides keeping your food palatable, these appliances also ensure you are in compliance with health codes. Purchase commercial-grade refrigeration equipment, as consumer models will not keep up with the rigors of a restaurant. These models also contain features that are optimal for restaurants, like sauce storage space and walk-in designs.
- Steam table: Besides keeping food cool, you also want to keep it warm as you prepare other elements in a dish. A steam table helps with this essential function. Place sauces and prepared food in metal containers and the table will use warm water to keep them warm. This way, you can serve dishes at an even temperature, rather than reduce their appeal with cold side dishes and sauces.
- Cutting boards: You need several food preparation surfaces, and that includes cutting boards. Not only do you need to make sure you have enough of them, but consider color coding them, too. Reduce the chances of cross-contamination by designating different cutting boards for chicken, veggies, fish and meat. Generally, kitchens use yellow for chicken, green for vegetables, red for meat and blue for fish and seafood.
- Slicers: Knives and cutting boards go a long way, but when you are slicing deli meat and cheese, that is the slow way to go about the job. Electric slicers speed up this process and offer thin-sliced meat and cheese that many customers enjoy. If your restaurant makes sandwiches, you likely do not want to be in business a single day without a slicer.
- Mixers: Any restaurant that features pastries and fresh-baked bread needs a mixer. Like your refrigeration units, you want to choose commercial mixers rather than consumer models. There are also different mixers depending on what you make most frequently. You also want to consider demand on the mixer. There are models that handle anywhere from 50 to 600 pounds of dough.
- Ranges and ovens: You want a commercial-grade kitchen range and a ventilation system to go with it. They are available in electric and gas models. Gas is often more cost-efficient and offers a visual cooking experience. You need to be on a gas line to make it work, but it is a good option. If gas is not available, there are plenty of options for electric ranges. For ovens, make sure you choose a model that is large enough to accommodate your most popular dishes.
- Food processors: Another labor-saving device, food processors allow you to mix ingredients more efficiently and thoroughly. Choose a model with a continuous-feed processor so you do not have to empty the bowl to keep the appliance running.
Commercial Equipment Service Inc. is a comprehensive supplier of services for restaurant equipment in Delaware. Contact us today to start checking off items on your checklist.