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KITCHEN LAYOUTS
1.3 KITCHEN LAYOUT
Designing the layout of a functional kitchen is one of the crucial
factors for achieving success in restaurant operations. It is
mostly dependent on the business needs of the restaurant such
as product offerings and scale of production.
Layout Systems
When understanding the various types of kitchen layout, the following key
aspects should be considered when designing the kitchen:
• Energy efficiency
• Appropriate size
• Ergonomics
• Equipment placements
• Good ventilation
The Kitchen Work Triangle
The theory behind the “kitchen work triangle” is that a triangle should be
formed from three main working areas in the kitchen. It represents traffic
flow within a kitchen, ideally creating a rotational movement between the
tasks of cooking (stove), chopping/peeling (sink), and storage
(refrigerator). So it is also important that no element block the flow.
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Figure 1.5: The Kitchen Work Triangle
Types of Kitchen Configuration
Ergonomic Configuration
• Customised to actions that take place in the restaurant for the fastest
cooking.
• Service efficiency is often prioritised over energy efficiency.
Assembly Line Configuration
• Ideal for minimal menu items, for which their preparations have to
be flowing in line.
• This is common in fast food, sandwich restaurants, bakeries and
pizzerias.
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Zone Configuration
• Work tables are configured according to the operations performed in
the kitchen such as cleaning, cutting, mixing, etc.
• Tables in these zones are equipped with appliances and equipment
that is necessary for the most effective performance of operations
i.e. garbage bins, mixers and knives.
Island Configuration
• In this kitchen tables are arranged similarly to the zone style
configuration with the difference that in the middle of the kitchen is
one main block.
• The central section is usually used for cooking while the cleaning and
cutting the food is done on tables along the walls of the kitchen.
Various Kitchen Sections
Hot Kitchen The Hot Kitchen sometimes known as the ‘Main
Kitchen’ is where a chef handles and produces
all main courses meals that are presented hot.
Meals offered depends on the type of menu
including: fried food, soup, steak and others.
Due to the function, this section is the most
important part in any kitchen.
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Cold Kitchen This section is where the chef concentrates on
the production of food that are prepared cold.
Many of the items need to be cooked before they
are worked on. The type of dishes prepared in
this section include salad, cold sauce, sliced
fruits, pudding, dessert and appetizers. This
section also plays an important role that can
help fulfil ingredients that are required in the
Hot Kitchen.
Figure 1.6: A sample layout of a hot and cold kitchen
The Pastry section is where the pastry chef
Pastry Kitchen
produces a wide variety of different sweet
dough, confectioneries, desserts and pastries.
This section is usually self-contained in the
matter of cold storage. The function of this
section is to prepare hot and cold sweets, for
lunch and dinners and pastries for tea-time and
other occasions where required.
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Figure 1.7: A sample layout of a pastry kitchen
Butchery Kitchen
In large establishments, a butcher section will
be made available. Butchers will be in charge of
meat cutting and carving; and prepare the
poultry and fish. However, this kitchen is only
available in big hotels and cities. While in other
smaller establishments, all of the butchering
tasks is to be completed by the Head Chef
himself.
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Figure 1.8: A butcher and deli shop
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Larder Kitchen This kitchen is meant for storage of perishable
food; both raw and cooked. For example, meat,
fish, poultry and game are prepared and made
ready for cooking. All cold food items include
those such as hors d’oeuvre, cold fish, meat
dishes, cold sauces and salad dressings.
Another special duty in this kitchen is the
preparation and presentation of all types of cold
buffet.
Figure 1.9: A larder kitchen in a hotel
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Figure 2.0: A larder kitchen at home
Food & Beverage Kitchen Outlets
The hospitality industry has a wide range of sectors including food and
beverage outlets. These outlets on the other hand, are also divided into a
variety of types. For example:
Hotels
Depending on the size and type of The type of food and beverage
the hotel, almost every hotel will outlets that are found in hotels are
have one or more food and usually:
beverage outlet in their • All day dining restaurants
• Fine dining restaurants
establishment; solely for the
• Bars and lounges
purpose of in-house guests but is • Cafes
• Room service / In-house
also made available for other
dining
customers too. • Ballrooms
• Meeting / Conference
Rooms
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Restaurants It also depends on the type of
Restaurants can be found in a lot cuisine offered in that restaurant,
of different type of categories. for example, Chinese, American,
Depending on the style and type of Indian, Arab and others. The food,
restaurant, below are settings service, uniform, décor will also
commonly found in restaurants: reflect on the type of restaurant –
whereby different culture and
• Family style
tradition can be experienced.
• Fast food
These restaurants may be
• Fine dining
attached to a hotel or exist
• Fast casual
independently.
Cafés capacity as opposed to a
Unlike restaurants, Cafés usually restaurant. The layout of their
serves light snakcs, finger food, kitchen would be smaller in size
pastries, hot drinks and cold drinks too (see Figure 2.1).
as well. They are also smaller in
Figure 2.1: Café Kitchen Layout
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Fast-food outlets
As the name suggests, a fast-food outlet aims to deliver food to the
customers as quickly as possible. The setting in this type of kitchen has a
very systematic approach. This is because all tasks are divided amongst
employees who are stationed in their designated section to do only one
type of preparation. In other words, a step-by-step process. As can be
seen in the figure below, the numbers illustrate the food preparation
process from Station #1 (order is placed) to Station #8 (delivery of order).
Figure 2.2: Fast-food Kitchen Layout
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Food trucks
When it comes to designing the kitchen layout for a food truck, the interior
design is exactly what will make or break the business. Which is why it is
important to decide what to offer in the menu and what type of equipment
will be needed. This will then allow proper planning on other aspects such
as:
iv. Emergency exits:
i. Good ventilation:
Identify an exit where it will
It can be in the form of a
be clear and safe to
hooded fan or roof vent with
evacuate the food truck in
additional windows
an event of an emergency or
ii. Adequate space:
accident
Allow enough space so staff
v. Workflow:
can move around freely
Installation of refrigeration
while carrying hot pots and
and dry storage, food
pans
preparation area, plating
iii. Easy access to inventory:
and serving area, grills,
This will allow ease of
deep fryers, ovens and stove
transitioning between one
tops and clean up station
workstation to another
Figure 2.3: Food Truck Kitchen Layout
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