Frequently Asked Questions What is a Commercial Kitchen? A commercial kitchen is a fully equipped kitchen made for shared use. Popularly, these are also known as culinary kitchens, shared kitchens, community kitchens, and food hubs. However, the different names of commercial kitchens may confuse many of us. Moreover, you may get confused while gathering information on this subject. If you want to set up your commercial kitchen, you may contact commercial kitchen consultants in Mumbai. In addition, you may find kitchen consultants in Mumbai online. Why Use A Commercial Kitchen? A commercial kitchen offers numerous advantages; however, the most sought-after reason for using a shared kitchen is cost-efficiency. These kitchens are well-equipped with the latest tools ideal for commercial food production. As a result, you get everything you need at a place, and all you have to do is prepare quality foods for your customers. When you set up your restaurant, you need to ensure that the kitchen is set according to the regulations. In addition, you have to buy or rent proper kitchen equipment, make the payments, and fund repairs to meet the rules. Moreover, you must obtain the necessary permits and licences to start commercial cooking. However, you can reduce the setup costs by opting for a commercial kitchen. Commercial kitchens are great for ghost restaurants that do not own space for a restaurant. Moreover, these are suitable for food truck operators requiring extra space for prepping their menu. These points are enough to support why you need a commercial kitchen. If you want to consult professional kitchen consultants in Mumbai, you may contact the renowned commercial kitchen consultants in Mumbai by booking online appointments. What are the general requirements for commercial kitchens? The requirements of a commercial kitchen depend on the location. However, the general guidelines include: There must be a separate storage space for chemicals. They must be stored away from the food storage. The refrigeration and freezing equipment must work optimally. Moreover, the equipment must pass inspection. There must be proper hygiene in the kitchen space. The cooking space and floors must be made of non-porous materials. Moreover, the materials need to be disinfected every day. You may choose stainless steel for the kitchen cooktop. There must be the availability of a clean water supply. The gas hookups must pass inspection. There must be a clean and hygienic washroom for staff. Moreover, it must have a non-porous flooring and hand washing station. There must be three separate sinks for cleaning, hand washing, and food preparation. Your staff must have obtained a food handling licence. You must adhere to the local rules and regulations for a shared kitchen. Setting up a commercial kitchen requires experience. So you can meet commercial kitchen consultants in Mumbai to share the load. In addition, you may find various options for kitchen consultants in Mumbai online. What are the equipment requirements for a commercial kitchen? The equipment requirements for a commercial kitchen are: Three sinks You must maintain three sinks for mops, handwashing, and food washing in the kitchen. Refrigerator and freezer There must be proper refrigeration to keep the food safe and fresh. A lack of appropriate refrigeration can reduce the shelf life of packaged food products. To choose a refrigerator for your kitchen, focus on your needs and see which refrigerator will work the best for you. For example, if you have a juice or smoothie shop, you require a large refrigerator. Cooking equipment The cooking equipment depends on your food servings and menu. However, every restaurant requires a range, oven, and holding equipment. Moreover, you will need a toaster, griller, microwave, deep fryer, and broiler. Storage containers Buy storage containers for sauces, seasonings, and sides. Tape or labels You will need labels or tapes to mark the date of preparation on the prepared food and sauces. It ensures that the items are consumed within a safe time frame. Smallwares The smallwares include knives, spatulas, spoons, pots, pans, cutting boards, dishes, and other cooking tools. Dishwasher You must install a dishwasher that meets the local code requirements. Janitorial equipment Always keep cleaning products like mops, brooms, dustpans, vacuums, wet floor signs, trash bins, and recycling bins. Moreover, keep a stock of paper towels, microfibre cloths, and restroom supplies. Some other essential equipments that you may require are: Beverage equipment If you have included beverages in your menu, you must include an ice machine, beverage dispenser or a coffee machine in your kitchen. Food processors To save time on manually cutting, chopping, and slicing the food items. Mixers Mixers are essential for baking operations. Spice grinders To grind spices for enhanced flavours. Blenders It is a kitchen essential and makes your work easier. Racks You may use racks to maximise the space in your kitchen. The equipment is essential to set up a commercial kitchen. Moreover, you may install other equipment necessary for your business. To establish a commercial kitchen for ghost restaurants, you may contact kitchen consultants in Mumbai. In addition, you may view options online for the best commercial kitchen consultants in Mumbai. What are the space requirements for a commercial kitchen? Your kitchen’s layout, safety requirements, and the organisation decide the space requirements. However, the general space requirement for a kitchen include: Cleaning and washing There must be a separate space to store cleaning and washing products. The space must be situated away from the cooking area to avoid cross-contamination. Food prep There must be a proper shelf or cooktop or food preparation, and this space must include a sink for food washing and preparation. Moreover, you will require a separate area for chopping, prepping meats, and dressings. Storage There must be a proper storage space for cold and dry food. The storage must be away from a water source to prevent moisture buildup. Cooking The cooking area is the most crucial space in your kitchen. It is the place where you prepare sumptuous dishes for your customers. Finishing You need a finishing space to pack or plate your food. If you add this space to your commercial kitchen, you can increase your kitchen’s efficiency. To prepare a commercial kitchen, you may contact kitchen consultants in Mumbai. How To Develop Your Restaurant's Menu? Are you establishing your first restaurant with a well-curated menu for the first time? Or maybe you are looking to expand your branches and diversify your menu. In that case, you need a strategy. The strategy should be in place to prepare the dishes and beverages with offers. You are moving in the right direction if you have done concept development planning. The menu of your restaurant reflects the personality of your restaurant. It should be made while keeping customer experience as the priority. Keep in mind the details of your menu and craft a great menu. To craft a good menu, you should first understand your customers and your style. Then, you need to do a thorough advanced hyper-local analysis (competitive analysis) to understand the preference of your customers and how you are at an advantage because of the local economic factors. Factors such as the restaurant's location and competitors in the vicinity are essential to consider while developing the menu. Here are a few ways you can develop your restaurant's menu more effectively: ●Develop the concept for your menu The menu is the backbone of your restaurant. It is not possible to have all hit dishes. You should decide what you 'want' to be known for in that area. The USP of your restaurant will make customers who will keep coming back for it. After this, you can move on with developing flavour profiles with other elements of attraction such as colour, texture with promised taste. However, try to keep it simple yet catchy without congestion for higher productivity. Also, it is better to keep the menu under 32 items to make it easier for management and customers. If your menu is long, start narrowing it down by the golden triangle rule. While going through the menu, our eyes move to the centre of the menu next to the top right and then to the top left corner. ●Create a list of key ingredients for your dishes While making the menu and concept, be sure to target your customers' flavour preferences such that they are amazed by it. Make a list such that your ingredients would deliver that wow factor. Decide what category of restaurant you want to be. Is it going to be a blend of flavours and locality? Also, try to invest in ingredients that can be used in multiple dishes. Also, look for readily available ingredients from the neighbourhood, along with seasonal items and meat from the local butcher, to reduce transportation costs. ●Do proper research about the supply chain After deciding on the menu and core ingredients, start looking for the sources. Try to reduce the risks by eliminating third party suppliers as much as possible. After selecting your suppliers, inquire about their history, delivery services, ethical behaviour and storage facilities. Next, list down two to three local butchers, seafood suppliers, craft breweries, wineries and other suppliers required for your restaurant. ●Set the cost of your menu with respect to several factors Make a spreadsheet for analysing the concept, portion size, and items required for preparation. You can also use a recipe management program for this purpose. Based on the above evaluation of ingredients, overhead costs of the items on the menu can be priced according to the target customers and the locality. Think about the average revenue per customer, profit requirements as per the location, etc. Thus, having a business plan ready in hand would help you understand your business's key performance indicators (KPIs). ●Imagine the kind of plating and glassware you want to use After deciding on the concept and menu of your restaurant, this is the next step. The kind of crockery used speaks a lot about the style of your restaurant. It contributes to the customer experience while enjoying a meal at your restaurant. Think about how the food or drink would look after serving on the plate or glass. You may want to check if colour contrast between the food and plate would make the dish more aesthetic. Is the plating Instagram worthy or not? Which food element would go better with a fork or spoon together? If delivery services are available, how will the dish or drink be packed so that it still delivers the restaurant's authenticity? The only solution for all the questions is the hit and trial method. First, plate the dish in three different ways and take photos of it to pick the best option. Also, test it for 10 minutes for takeaway services to check the condition after a while. ●Try a test session in your restaurant with customers The most adventurous part of the entire procedure is to try out all the items in your thoughtfully curated menu, whether they meet your expectations or are a straight hit. Try all the flavours and different combinations, cuisines and colour combinations. Blend in flavours and decide which is the best. Next, involve all the members of your team and take everyone's feedback. Then, to test the popularity of the dishes, take their photos and upload them on social media and choose the one with the highest engagement with its visual appeal. To conclude, if you want to set up a successful restaurant business, go with a short and simple menu and elegant aesthetics to attract customers from all age categories. It is better to have a focused menu with limited items, which is excellent for making the restaurant the go-to place for the customers instead of long, elaborate menus. Instead of becoming a part of the crowd, make yourself stand out by specialising in your niche. Also, keep in mind to offer a balance in the service and pricing. With all this, you are all set for success. If you want to be guided in the journey, you may consult Nitin Tandon, who is highly recognised among some of the best restaurant consultants in Mumbai. He is among the top restaurant setup consultants in Mumbai who have helped multiple businesses get to the top of their business. So get in touch with Mr Tandon to develop your business with one of the best restaurant consultants in Mumbai.