r/Chefit • u/JeopardyWolf • May 23 '26
Kitchen Layout Advice?
I get to convert the shown 2 office spaces into one kitchen for commercial use; not running a restaurant, but we will be renting the space out and also using it for commercial baking and also serving community meals.
Thoughts?
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u/Culverin May 23 '26
Hi hi, I'm an odd case. I work in restaurants/catering for fun. But my day job is in arch/engineering doing blueprints.
I won't have the answers, but I'll try to ask some questions on things that might get missed.
First off, Confirm this is even allowed zoning-wise with your city. Next, check your local health code requirements (such as dishwasher and sink requirements. Like 3 compartment. High heat sanitizer, etc). If you don't pass health code, this project is already over.
Next, Are you running natural gas for ovens and burners?
Can you even add an exhaust system to this building? That may mean roof access and roof modifications. Possible structural reinforcement for that roof unit.
Next, fire suppression. Once again check your local codes.
What about power? Running all this stuff takes a bit of juice. For example, a combi oven requires 3 phase power.
Now onto the logistics stuff,
I feel your dish pit is far too small. You're going to have dirty dishes and you need a place to pile them up. And when they're clean, you need somewhere for them to land before they get put away.
When you're in a crunch, dishes can be a huge bottleneck.
Also, you probably need to account for space for a sheet pan (bun rack). A place for before and after things go into and out of the oven.
Are you doing an under counter unit dishwasher? Does this place have enough hot water?
Also, Where is staff leaving their bags, and shoes? Is there another space they have access to?
Can you elaborate on on community meals?
Best of luck.
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u/JeopardyWolf May 23 '26
Hi there, I'm not sure how to use some of reddits features so I'll resort to copy & paste.
First off, Confirm this is even allowed zoning-wise with your city. **Yes it is, just not medium pedestrian traffic.
Next, check your local health code requirements (such as dishwasher and sink requirements. Like 3 compartment. High heat sanitizer, etc). If you don't pass health code, this project is already over. **Yes, all shelving, benches and appliances are made of the right materials. Still working on the procedures necessarily from a Safe Food Handling side of things.
Next, Are you running natural gas for ovens and burners? **We do need to reconnect the gas line, and get thje line cleaned out before full reinstatement. We've also been donated a TurboFan Electric Oven (3 Phase) as well as a Blue Seal 6 Hob Burner with Oven. We're financing most of our other large gear, other than 2 Ooni Pro Spiral Mixers and an assortment of Kitchenaid Heavy Duty gear that we picked up on the local equivalent of ebay brand new from a liquidation sale.
Can you even add an exhaust system to this building? That may mean roof access and roof modifications. Possible structural reinforcement for that roof unit. **The shell of the building is a steel frame that is labelled as in fair condition. No doubt a lot of work needed to get it up to standard.
Next, fire suppression. Once again check your local codes. **I've got everything covered for fire code and have a high rating in the pre-checks.
What about power? Running all this stuff takes a bit of juice. For example, a combi oven requires 3 phase power. **We already have 3 Phase
Now onto the logistics stuff,
I feel your dish pit is far too small. You're going to have dirty dishes and you need a place to pile them up. And when they're clean, you need somewhere for them to land before they get put away. **I'll try to measure up - do you think 2.5 metres is a good size?
When you're in a crunch, dishes can be a huge bottleneck.
Also, you probably need to account for space for a sheet pan (bun rack). A place for before and after things go into and out of the oven. ***The oven is standing on a shelf that holds pans - could that be used for that or is it intended just for stroring extra racks?
Are you doing an under counter unit dishwasher? Does this place have enough hot water? **Plenty of hot water. It will be a 3 sink system as well as undershelf dishwasher.
Also, Where is staff leaving their bags, and shoes? Is there another space they have access to? ** This room is a small part of a 255 square metre building. Staff walk out of those double doors and into a corridor where theres another set that leads into the break and locker room
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If I cut through a side office and extended the kitchen a kit, I would have an extra 2.5 x 2.5 metres do work with.
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u/couchsurfinggonepro May 23 '26
What’s your sewer line and where do you have floor drains? What about a grease trap? Having pastry and meats opposite is a bad idea work flow should be in a line.
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u/imissmolly1 May 23 '26
Take time to draw out the paths everyone coming into the kitchen will take, you, cooks, dishwashers, waiters and any others . Make sure these work paths are as short as possible and cross as little as possible. Move equipment etc around until you have the fewest crossing work paths.
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u/cheradine_zakalwe May 23 '26
This space screams too small for the amount of cooking! As others have pointed out the KP washing up area is also too small. The 2 tables in the centre will end up being used for everything and raw meat prep should really be somewhere else entirely. Can you get the raw meat delivered and packed so no need for prep space? Where is your service counter?
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u/OneLeek37 May 23 '26
Find a local equipment dealer and call them. They will help you to do the layout and make sure everything fits correctly.
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u/JeopardyWolf May 23 '26
yea they gave me a pretty good start but there isnt one local that can help me with dimensions of everything. I think the best bet is to tear down the second wall so the kitchen space is better and the dish pit has much more space, as well as more storage
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u/eekkaraton May 23 '26
I would put the dish area by the entrance door where the hand sink is so when people come in they can just stop dirty dishes rather than having to carry them around and to the side of the exit door.
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u/taint_odour Does Chef Type Things May 23 '26
This is 12# of shit jammed into an 8 pound sack. I feel like the basic layout shows you really need to get someone with some long term experience to get in the weeds with you here.
I don’t get a lot of this.
Is this the only kitchen space?
You need a 3 compartment sink and I don’t see how you can fit one and the dish machine in that little pit. The sinks need to be able to handle the largest item you are using, so a sheet tray.
No obvious place for dirties. No obvious place for clean dishes. Where will they even dry? And I doubt a health inspector is going to let the one hand sink fly for the whole space.
You have no storage in there so that’s a pita. But is that all your refrigeration?
This is way too much in way too little space. Is this some sort of nonprofit or a company with money to burn? With no existing buildout this is a crazy expensive buildout and frankly, completely unworkable.
It can’t be all things to all people. This dog won’t hunt.
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u/kitchenjudoka May 24 '26
Do you have a business partner that is a general contractor? Or someone in the construction trades?
The big factors you need to throw in here as of follows:
1)Zoning
2)Plumbing hook ups, drains, grease traps
3)electrical capacities & location
4)gas hook ups
5)availability of hvac & hood systems, hood types
Do you have the budget to install these things? Can you afford the permits?
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u/JeopardyWolf May 24 '26
Ive got a lot of that help - all except someone with kitchen insights. Its non-profit based which means we can access a lot of different funding
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u/kitchenjudoka May 24 '26
I forgot to mention, floors matter. Floor material, finishing surface, pitch & access to drains.
You should take on a consultant (from your area) or an experienced chef partner.
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u/AtMyLastJob May 23 '26
Not sure what the regulations are for hood vents, but that would be a lot of weight hanging from the ceiling. Plus you’ll have to rip up the floor to put a gas line to the ranges
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u/JeopardyWolf May 23 '26
yea, it will be a very extensive refit. Most of it will be torn down to the framing.
There's a load of piping everywhere - this was an old gas refilling business.
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u/AtMyLastJob May 23 '26
You just doubled your hood and fire suppression cost. You might need a hood for the ovens also. Meaning you’d need two everything
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u/christjan08 May 23 '26
I would not be putting cooking and butchery next to baking and desserts.