Many people don't realize how much work goes into preparing meals at a restaurant. Employees who take care of food prep are often at work before chefs and other employees, and their work continues throughout a meal shift. Making sure the prep area has what's needed is critical when setting up a commercial kitchen. A prep area not set up correctly could mean the entire process takes longer, impacting serving times. It can also introduce cross-contamination between foods, so having a well-planned food prep area is critical.
Prep Areas are an Important Work Center in the Commercial Kitchen
Commercial kitchens depend on having ingredients ready to go when someone orders a dish. Prep work is one of the most critical factors that set some restaurants above others. The only way that workers can be expected to do their prep work in the proper manner is if they’re provided the equipment they need.
Any restaurant owner who’s trying to determine how to set up the prep area should think about what the workers will need for the menu. The flow and components in the prep station of a commercial kitchen must match the needs of the restaurant.
Planning Your Prep Zone
Planning the prep zone starts with taking a look at the menu. A prep area for a restaurant serving a meat-heavy menu will look much different than one serving only vegetarian items. One of the primary similarities in all prep areas of a commercial kitchen is that everything should be as centralized as possible.
Before any restaurant owner tries to plan the prep stations, they need to list the equipment they need. Knowing each piece of equipment’s footprint ensures enough space for it to be used properly and effectively.
When possible, dedicate a space for raw meat preparation and another space for preparing other ingredients. This can help employees to prevent cross-contamination. Although it’s possible to avoid cross-contamination in a shared food preparation area, it’s often difficult to completely eliminate the risk.
The Right Equipment for Great Prep Areas
Arguably, the most essential part of the prep area is the present equipment. Food prep employees need to know they can get things ready efficiently and with the precision that chefs and guests demand.
Slicing meats and vegetables to an exact size isn’t easy when done by hand, but slicers make this consistency possible. The same is true for someone trying to mix by hand. Electric hand mixers and stand mixers can make the process more efficient and less time-consuming. Ensuring that the mixers and slicers in the food prep area are made for commercial kitchens is critical because durability is a must.
Restaurants that offer homemade bread need high-quality equipment to prepare the dough. Proofers and bread cabinets can make this process easier, and they may free up the prep work allowing other tasks to be completed.
Some menus require special prep areas. For example, a restaurant that serves sushi or folded ice cream desserts could benefit from having a chilled food prep table. Sandwich tables that contain storage bins are another type of specialty table for restaurant owners to consider.
Throughout the shift and at the end of the day, being able to clean and sanitize the prep area efficiently is critical. DeVere cleaning solutions are ideal because they’re made for the foodservice industry. Many cleaners and sanitizing agents can’t be used on surfaces that come into contact with food, so knowing that this line is safe for these busy food prep areas should take a load off a restaurant owner’s mind.
Ultimately, food prep area design should be rather fluid, especially for a new restaurant. Owners should talk to the employees to find out how they can improve the flow or efficiency of the food prep area and make adjustments.
Make sure your restaurant's food prep area works best for your team - schedule a foodservice assessment with our team to get started!
