The equipment used in commercial kitchens has evolved a lot of the years, especially over the past twenty years. This equipment is used in restaurants, hotels, hospitals, cruise ships, and cafeterias. The equipment is much more heavy duty than what is available to consumers. It is also usually larger so that more food can be processed at any time.
Some commercial kitchen equipment includes giant walk-in refrigerators, big dishwashing machines, commercial sinks, and the various equipment designed to make dishes. Commercial kitchens have to obey public health laws which include keeping this equipment clean and meeting hygienic standards. The kitchens and the equipment used in them are inspected on occasion by public-health officials.
There is a science to laying out a commercial kitchen. The goal is for the workers to be highly efficient with everything they need within reach. The commercial equipment is laid out in a highly organized manner that promotes efficiency and performance. There are five main areas in a modern-day commercial kitchen. these are the storage area, food prep area, meal cooking area, an area to keep cleaning supplies, and a service area to transfer food from the kitchen to the wait staff.
There have been many technological advances that have been made in commercial kitchens. Most commercial kitchens today have tiled floors and walls which makes keeping things clean much easier than other materials. The other surfaces in these kitchens, such as tables where food is prepared, are made of stainless steels. This is also very easy to clean and are very durable.
Most commercial kitchens use gas stoves for a few reasons. The chef is better able to regulate the temperature of a gas stove versus an electric one. They also heat faster which means getting food out to customers quicker. Among the other equipment the kitchen workers use are steamers, deep fryers, sous vide, salamander broilers, and griddles.
Some commercial kitchens don’t have a lot of equipment in them, though, especially fast food and chain restaurants. The food is actually prepared at a food processing plant, frozen, and then delivered to the restaurant. All the kitchen workers mostly do is put the food in a microwave to heat it back up. This is highly efficient and, for the most part, the only cooking that really goes on in these types of restaurants is cooking burgers on a commercial grill or frying things in a deep fryer.
The equipment used in commercial kitchens is still continuously evolving. One of the drivers of innovation is concern over food safety. It is expected that in 2025 the commercial equipment market will be worth nearly $112.5 billion. This market is expected to benefit from gains in disposable income. As people have more money to spend around the world, they will choose to eat out more often at restaurants, cafeterias, and the like. The majority of the market will continue to be North America with a big surge expected in the number of fast food outlets being opened in the coming years.
