I’M OPENING A CAFE – WHAT TYPE OF COMMERCIAL KITCHEN EQUIPMENT DO I NEED?

Let’s not downplay what is really happening! You’ve been working towards your goal of opening up your own café, you’ve looked at countless locations and decided on Sydney, considered several aspects about how you will make it work best, you’ve questioned your decisions on the daily, you’ve focused on your big goal and now you are here! Here in a world where you are needing to decipher what type of commercial kitchen and catering appliances you actually need!  

The beauty of kicking off with this blank canvas, that you now call your café; is you make it work for you and your business. There are no 2 businesses or 2 people the same, so what works for your mate or the business next door, may not be what works for you. 

 

Lets take a look at some things you need to consider and ponder while making some choices for your new Sydney Café.  

 

PURPOSE 

Think about what the purpose of your cafe is Will your customers be sitting in and waiting for their food?, will they order from a menu that comprises of a 'grab and go’ set up?, or will you have ready made food that only needs to be packaged and paid for? 

 

These aspects will influence your choices. Regardless, you will need to focus on food prep appliances that are efficient, time saving and reliable.  

 

DISPLAYS & CUSTOMER ACCESS 

 

Will you have ready made foods that require commercial refrigeration? For example, are your salads premade? Perhaps a salad bar display is needed. Can they order and run? Will the drinks be on display that the customers can grab themselves? Will you be showcasing your delicious cakes? 

Alternatively, you may need to use benchtop catering equipment to display your pre cooked hot foods. 

 

AESTHETICS 

Will you have an exposed cooking are? In this case you might consider showcasing stainless steel sinks, benches and shelves that complement your café's aesthetic while remaining functional and professional. 

 

It’s always nice to see what is going on in the kitchen, especially when it is beautifully presented, with a feel of transparency and ease. Your choice of aesthetics will definitely help to share your café vibe and allow customers to have a visually interactive experience. 

 

SPACE 

How will you make best use of your space? A commercial cookery can get crowded, not just with staff, but with food prep equipment and kitchen supplies also. 

 

Equip your commercial café kitchen with benches, splashbacks and shelves to maximise your space capacity, as well as capitalising on the functionality of your space. 

 

Your commercial catering equipment should work in your space. Create a space that is comfortable, accessible to staff, safe and one that flows with the needs of your café. 

 

FOOD PREP EQUIPMENT 

 

Food preparation is going to depend completely on what type of menu set up you will have, however, regardless you need tools that makes your life easier. These days we are spoilt for choice, ease and have access to some of the hardest working and most clever equipment that strive to make our life easier. 

 

COMMERCIAL GAS COOKTOP 

 

An essential in most kitchen set ups. Most of your cooking will occur on a cooktop, but like most things, the options are endless. Factor in your space, which will help lead you to decide how many burners you need. For example, will you only need a small 4 burner, or will you double up and go for an 8 burner?  

How about an oven? would you like your cooktop to also have an oven and how big? An 8-burner gas cooktop will naturally have a larger oven compared to the 4 burner. 

 

Did you consider having a deep fryer for the crunchy chippies? Or a broiler for a beautiful finish on that delicious steak? Or a griddle for that line up of bacon and egg orders on a Sunday morning?  

Let’s be honest, the options are endless so understanding how you will use your kitchen is imperative. 

 

INVESTMENT 

 

When shopping around, remember to think about this as an investment. When you invest into something you gain from it. We invest our time and money into many things and this café set up is no different. 

 

Your investment into a quality commercial cookery, that suits your café needs will have the following benefits: 

 

·         Save time – investing into quality products that speed up the process and in turn free you and your staff to work on other things. Your hungry customers will also love a speedy turnaround time I'm sure! 

·         Staff efficiency– having a cook’s room equipped with the right facilities, your staff will have an environment that allows them to do their job effectively. 

·         One time – in most cases, you invest into these appliances that assist in the food prep process once. When cared for correctly and maintained clean, they may form part of your set up for years to come. They often have warranty which you should hold on to also. 

 

COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SUPPLIER 

You will find a commercial kitchen supplier in Sydney, or Perth or anywhere in between.  They have relevant, quality, dependable and necessary equipment for your café and guide you with what you may need to invest into. From the electrical needs like refrigerators to the functional needs of stainless steel hoods, benches, shelves. A good supplier should understand your needs, deadlines and be able to offer a service to meet your individual café needs. 

 

While there are many things to consider, many decisions to make and many changes to roll with; deciding on what will work best for you and your café is paramount. Ensure that you are making choices with the bigger picture in mind that will benefit you, your café, your staff and in turn your future customers. Ideally, they will become your braggers when you and your team are able to deliver an exceptional service, of top quality with all the tools you have invested in.