The choice of equipment for the institution is an individual process, depending mainly on the format of the institution. This issue is recommended to decide at the stage of creating a business plan for a cafe or restaurant. Not every site of the company-manufacturer can accommodate information about all the existing and possible tools, and even more so to tell what and for what is used and how important for the work of each device. We have tried to talk about the main aspects and basic equipment for the opening of the cafe.

On the equipment do not save money, but this does not mean that you need to choose only the most expensive. And it is better not to consider used equipment for air conditioning, heating and ventilation systems.
Especially not worth the risk when opening its first establishment, when you do not yet know how and what should work and how much it will benefit you. And remember: any expensive restaurant equipment must be profitable, and you should buy it only after making all the calculations.
General requirements for catering equipment
Professional restaurant equipment is expensive and not always available, so you should buy it after making all the calculations, taking into account the following factors

The number of seats in the hall;

kitchen area;

format of the institution;

the content of the menu.

Calculate the number of seats
This is how you determine the maximum load of kitchen equipment and the capacity of cabinets. This also determines the choice of furniture for the hall.

Assign to the kitchen room a certain area
It directly affects the configuration of kitchen equipment. For example, in a small room you just technically will not be able to put everything you need, you will have to sacrifice something or choose a smaller refrigerator, oven, etc.

Do not forget that the staff must be free to move around the kitchen. If the space is too limited, it is better to look for more ergonomic furniture and equipment for cafes and restaurants.
Calculate productivity to strike a balance between the quality of the food and the speed of preparation. This way you will know whether it is worth paying extra for more functional and powerful models.

Draw up a menu and decide on the number of items
For some dishes, you will need special equipment: grills, grills, dough mixers, dispensers, etc.

Modern systems for the restaurant are multifunctional and combine, for example, grill, cooking and cutting surfaces. This saves a lot of space.

However, restaurateurs who are not willing to pay for the newest and most advanced equipment will have to sacrifice some of the equipment.

Requirements to the equipment:
compliance with sanitary norms;

long service life;

high-quality materials of manufacture;

a proven manufacturer;

availability of warranty.

A cafe kitchen is a complex structure, where everything should be located as conveniently and ergonomically as possible; nothing unnecessary, only the most necessary. To help you a little, we have prioritized the requirements for kitchen equipment.

The functions of each piece of equipment. For example, for a small cafe or bar you will need a bar counter with coffee grinder, mixer, built-in refrigerator, juicer, blender, ice maker and food processor. For any format of establishment – an automated program for a restaurant or cafe.

Operating conditions for the equipment. As a rule, in the kitchen there is a lot of humidity and high temperature. Therefore, the quality of materials and equipment assembly very much affect the operation.

A proven manufacturer. It is desirable to buy equipment only from manufacturers or official dealers who sell one or two brands.

Another tip: Monitor the prices of equipment. You need to know at least two prices for each piece of equipment to understand where the cheaper.
The format of the institution directly depends on the list of equipment for opening a cafe. A coffee shop will not do without quality coffee machines, and to open a bakery need good ovens. Cuisines of the world: Chinese, Georgian, French, etc. – need specific equipment. For example, to cook Italian pizza, you will have to buy a pizza press, a refrigerating table, a dough mixer and an oven – traditional, rotary, tunnel or portable.

When you accurately determine the format of the institution, you can begin to analyze the menu, because some items may not be successful. If you want to open, for example, fast food, is it initially worth introducing korn dogs, kono-pizzas or pancakes?

You need to buy special inventory for these dishes, so it’s worth remembering again:

What your initial investment was;

How much kitchen space you have;

On what return on investment you expect.

If these items on the menu are not UTP (unique selling propositions) or “chips” of the institution, it is better to give them up.

Professional equipment for the kitchen

Choose technological equipment is worthwhile after studying the sanitary regulations for catering. There are certain standards for kitchen equipment, established on the basis of fire safety rules and sanitary regulations.

The working day of the cook often lasts longer than the institution itself is open. All kitchen equipment works about as long, so everything should be as optimized and reliable as possible.

For example, the kitchen must have a division into departments that cannot be passable. The exception is workshops connected by sequential technological processes.

Refrigeration equipment must also be placed in such a way as to eliminate the meeting of raw materials, finished products and semi-finished products. Cutting boards must be labeled accordingly, for example “SM” – raw meat.
If you do not adhere to the rules for the arrangement of equipment at the beginning of the arrangement of the kitchen space, then the first inspection by the regulatory authorities will reveal all the shortcomings and you will have to suspend the work of the institution.

Equipment for restaurants and cafes can be divided into several categories:

refrigeration;

thermal;

Bakery and confectionery;

dishwashing;

electromechanical;

bar;

auxiliary.

This list of equipment may also include trade equipment, furniture and utensils, automation systems for canteens, cafes and restaurants.
Refrigeration equipment
The main criterion in choosing refrigeration equipment – whether the technique maintains a certain temperature conditions. You should also pay attention to tightness, capacity and dimensions.

Refrigeration equipment includes:

Cabinets – for storing food, for display in the hall;

Chambers – the body consists of sandwich panels. They are oversized, so they are more suitable for large establishments. There are also freezers;

Tables – allow to save space in the kitchen by combining several functions: horizontal refrigerator with a working surface, pizza table, saladette (table with gastrostatic capacity for ready meals);

refrigerators – pastry, tabletop, freezing, multi-purpose;

ice-makers – are indispensable for bars, where it is necessary to work with large volumes of ice. The form of ice can be different: cubes, pellets, pyramids, etc.;

Blast chillers – for intensive freezing of large quantities of products in a short period of time without losing their flavor qualities.

There are both blast chillers and blast chillers which are almost the same in terms of functionality. Cabinets are less bulky, so they are better suited for professional kitchens.
Almost all refrigeration equipment for restaurants differs in temperature modes, dimensions, availability and number of additional drawers.
Heat treatment equipment
For most establishments with a kitchen, this is a basic piece of equipment. Thermal equipment for opening a cafe is necessary for cooking hot dishes and baking. Types of heat treatment of products: frying, pasteurization, boiling, sterilization.

Cooking separately all the ingredients for each dish is too expensive and impractical, so for the preparation of dishes using equipment of two types.

Stand-alone. Highly specialized devices for cooking individual dishes or their components, semi-finished products.

Multifunctional. Such technique is designed for different consecutive actions.

Often also use equipment with several working zones, such as a stove with different burners. But today more and more restaurateurs are turning to combi steamers, which can replace not only the stove.

Thermal appliances are divided into these types:
Stoves – gas, electric, induction, convection;

Combi-steam ovens – multifunctional devices that combine the functions of a stove, deep fryer, oven, electric griddle;

Ovens – some of them consist of several sections, which are separated by insulating material, others are simple, with one compartment. In each of the compartments you can cook different dishes at the same time (meat and fish, baking and vegetables, other).

There are also additional optional thermal appliances for the kitchen: sectional equipment for buffet-style meals, marmites, fryers, rice cookers, pancake cookers, etc.

Combi steamers
The combi steamer combines several cooking modes: convection, steam cooking and their combinations. With such a multifunctional device you can cook food in different ways – from roasting to baking.

They are very popular because they replace several types of kitchen equipment: stove, oven, fryer and even an electric frying pan.

Another big advantage of them is that they save not only money on buying different appliances, but also the working area of the kitchen. There are even models that significantly reduce overall energy consumption, since they run on gas.
Kitchen stoves
Not all establishments will be enough only a combi steamer, especially for restaurants and cafes with a large number of seats and high turnover. Such places often use special stoves with built-in scales.

Many people install stoves of two types at once: electric and gas, if, of course, there is gas in the room. If it is difficult with gas, it will have to put a cylinder, as some dishes are cooked only on an open fire.

Other dishes require precise compliance with the technology of cooking, and in the electric oven is much easier to do, because it can adjust the temperature to a degree.

When choosing, you should also pay attention to these points:

Whether the stove has a function of switching off when there is no cookware on the burner: this helps to significantly save on utility costs.

Presence of instant heating. Induction hobs have this mandatory function; just in this is their big advantage, because conventional electric stoves take quite a long time to heat up.

Method and type of installation. There are floor-mounted variants of cooking stoves and more compact, table-top ones. Here the prices are also different, and you always have to pay extra for saving space. Do not forget that only a specialist can properly connect an industrial stove.

Grilling cabinets
A frying cabinet is a device that carries out the heat treatment of food in accordance with a preset program. With the help of such a cabinet you can cook meat or fish, steamed vegetables and even baking. Without these cabinets it is hard to imagine a modern cafe kitchen.

The principle of operation of frying cabinets are similar to ovens. Whereas in a regular oven the heat comes from below, in a frying oven the heat is distributed more evenly, it comes from all sides. This type of heat treatment ensures proper cooking.

Cafes usually use multi-sectional cabinets, they look like a stack of microwaves. In each section of the cabinet you can cook a separate dish according to a specially set program.

Some models, in addition to treating food with temperature, are also able to treat steam, ventilate the chamber and change the temperature during cooking.