Tag: Industry

The open kitchen is quickly becoming not just a luxury but a necessity in catering facilities, as more and more restaurants seek to deliver an attractive environment for their guests.

GastroNorth are highly experienced in delivering well-designed and installed open kitchen areas, and are confident in offering this in-demand theatre-style kitchen to those who desire it.

When it comes to the design of open kitchens, our talented team at GastroNorth know that there is much to consider, such as the aesthetics and the functionality of the space.

It’s vital to take into account what the customers will embrace from the open kitchen, such as noise pollution, and what equipment and cooking methods are on display – it needs to be the right amount to deliver the ‘wow factor’, many cooking methods are not appealing and wouldn’t offer a good show for guests.

Space is often limited in open kitchens, so operators need to get the most out of what room they have by utilising multi-functional products. Equipment such as combination ovens or vario cooking centres allow chefs to switch cooking methods whilst remaining on one product, and also save on energy, cleaning and staff training.

Suited equipment and bespoke cooking blocks are incredibly popular as they are aesthetically pleasing when on display in an open kitchen. Stand alone units are not a good choice as the design and look of the kitchen needs to be flush, created with performance in mind.

Evaluating the preparation, production and service areas is necessary for open kitchens, as this will ensure that the whole process is pleasing to the eye, but also functional for the chef and kitchen staff.

This could be making a compromise on the how much is on display in the open kitchen, for example, the dishes would be created back-of-house and then finished off front-of-house in the open kitchen, on display for guests.

Every kitchen operation is different, so it’s essential that operators speak to professionals, like our team at GastroNorth, who have experience creating open kitchens for numerous establishments – from multisite operations to Michelin star restaurants.

To find out more about GastroNorth and how they can help you create the perfect open kitchen, give the team a call on 0191 4142882 or email gastronorth@upnorthgroup.com.

How important is the look and feel of a dining area? Can it influence meal take-up? 

The look and feel of a dining room in the education sector is highly important and can have a huge influence on meal take up in schools and colleges. The exposure to eating out of the home has a huge impact on this generation and it’s important that education sector caterers embrace trends outside of their establishments and bring them into the ‘canteen’. As the younger generation eat out more often than require a more varied, complex and interesting offering and this needs to be thought about when considering the layout, flow and design of the dining area and food offering.

What are the key things to consider when designing a new catering area or refurbishing an existing one?

The procurement of flexible equipment that will last and suit the ever evolving needs of diners, this rings true in a number of sectors and requires kitchen designers to carefully think about adaptability of both front and back of house operations.

Throughput, flow, volume and budget are all key considerations when planning education sector projects. Catering and Purchasing Managers should seek professional support and advise from experienced catering equipment distributors before making their purchasing decisions. Seek case studies and examples of kitchen designs that have worked for other schools and colleges to give real life examples of what works for other establishments.

Are there any trends within catering design that can work or be adapted for schools?

The key trends that we are seeing in the market are the need for variety, flexibility and versatility of equipment. This enables caterers to switch their menu offering to suit seasons, trends and menu changes without the capital outlay every time a trend changes. Combination ovens, vario cooking appliances are a key driver in the market and the uptake of these units are on the rise.

Another key trend we are seeing in the market is the embracement of internet connectivity in the kitchen, everything from your ware washing products right the way through to your combi oven can now be connected to the internet to help schools and colleges clearly asses the performance of a product in relation to efficiencies, service requirements and product performance. All of which are highly important when reviewing capital expenditure vs operational expenditure.

How important is it to get an expert involved in the design of a catering area?

A school or college should always seek professionally accredited suppliers when planning any new catering project. CEDA member companies should always be considered as they have been passed as professional bodies in the industry who have a proven record in providing solutions to the delight of clients. Using a professional company to handle the design, supply, installation and aftersales is also beneficial from an organizational and efficiency view point. By employing one professional company to project manage from start to finish is high beneficial.