Equipment for restaurants and cafes: choose and buy

Have you decided to open a restaurant, cafe or bar? Pay special attention to the acquisition of good professional equipment, because the success of the enterprise itself will depend on its quality and functionality. What are the requirements for equipment for cafes and restaurants and what equipment you need to purchase, we will tell in this article.

A variety of factors influence the success of a business, and in the restaurant business, the determining factor is, of course, delicious and varied dishes, for which the visitor will return to you over and over again. The creation of culinary masterpieces, as well as the speed of their preparation, depend not only on the talent of the chef, but also on the characteristics of the equipment and food service equipment parts that are used in the kitchen. That is why it is so important to choose the right one.

Spare parts are crucial components that play a vital role in maintaining the functioning of equipment. These components help to repair, replace, or upgrade broken or worn-out parts of the equipment, thereby ensuring its optimal performance.

There are several reasons why spare parts are essential for equipment. Firstly, they ensure that the equipment continues to function even when one or more parts fail, without requiring the need for an entire replacement of the equipment. Secondly, spare parts can be used to improve the performance and efficiency of equipment. Thirdly, they allow equipment owners to avoid costly downtime by making repairs quickly and easily.

Spare parts are commonly classified into two types: original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and aftermarket parts. OEM parts are produced by the same company that manufactured the original equipment, while aftermarket parts are produced by third-party manufacturers. While both types of parts can be effective, OEM parts are typically more expensive, but offer better quality and reliability compared to aftermarket parts.

It is important to note that choosing the right spare parts for equipment requires careful consideration. Factors such as compatibility, quality, and cost must be taken into account to ensure that the spare parts are suitable for the specific equipment and its intended use.

Requirements for professional equipment for restaurants and cafes

  1. Professional kitchen equipment has significant differences from household equipment that we use at home. First of all, this is the  scale and frequency of use : even a large family does not cook as often and in such quantity as they do in a restaurant or cafe. As a result, professional equipment must be more durable, durable in use and functional, have high performance.
  2. Another important factor is  the conditions in which the technique is used . As a rule, cooking takes place at elevated temperatures and humidity, which means that the equipment must be made of quality materials that can withstand such loads. Moreover, the materials must be allowed by the relevant order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation for contact with food.
  3. Finally, the third point – any equipment must  comply with the standards  of technical equipment for public catering establishments, operational documentation and the requirements of SanPin .

What equipment is needed for catering establishments?

When selecting equipment for your establishment, consider the following points:

  1. The size of the institution, the number of seats in the hall . The volume of cabinets and the level of maximum load of the equipment, as well as its performance, will depend on this. If the equipment is not enough, then the staff will not be able to cope with the flow of orders. An excess of equipment (when the equipment is idle) will lead to a decrease in the profitability of the enterprise.
  2. Kitchen area . This is an important factor that affects the efficiency of the staff. Depending on the area, a complete set of equipment is selected.
  3. Restaurant or cafe format, menu content . So, for example, if you are planning to open a bakery or confectionery, then you cannot do without specialized and large ovens; if this is a coffee shop, then you will need good machines for making different types of coffee and coffee cocktails. The cuisines of different peoples of the world will require the presence of highly specialized equipment.

For most types of restaurants and cafes you will need:

Thermal equipment

Thermal equipment will be required for establishments where it is planned to prepare hot dishes and pastries. Any stoves, regardless of the orientation of the institution, are made of stainless steel, and the frying surfaces are made of durable cast iron or stainless steel of the required thickness. In this case, the heating surface must necessarily have a special protective coating that can be cleaned with abrasive products. It is advantageous to use stoves both gas and electric at the same time.

Heating equipment also includes combi steamers, ovens and convection ovens. The latter are used for baking and cooking confectionery, have removable grills and lights. Ovens are useful, for example, in a restaurant of Russian or Chinese cuisine. They can consist of several sections, between which there must be a heat-insulating material. In each section, you can cook a separate dish – meat or fish, vegetables, pastries. Combi ovens are the heart of the professional kitchen. One combi steamer can replace several types of equipment. They can cook more than two dishes at the same time without mixing odors and combine different operating modes.

Technological equipment

This is another type of equipment that almost no institution can do without. It includes all the equipment that speeds up and simplifies the cooking process – mixers, blenders, dough mixers, meat grinders, meat looseners, vegetable cutters, etc. If these are devices for cutting and chopping, then it is important to pay attention to the quality of the blades.

All such equipment must have a high level of hygiene and be made of a material that is not susceptible to oxidation. Technological equipment should be easy to clean and wash, while the units for working with meat and fish should be especially thorough. If the institution is large, then it is recommended to regularly conduct a technical inspection of industrial meat grinders.

Often, one technological equipment has several nozzles that expand the possibilities.

Bakery and confectionery

In confectionery and bakeries, in addition to ovens, it will also be useful: dough mixers, flour sifters, dough sheeters, bread slicers, mixers, beaters and other devices for creating culinary masterpieces. Much will depend on what kind of products you will produce and sell. It can be flour products or sweets, marmalade, chocolate and more. Most often, floury sweets are made in cafes and restaurants, but here there is a difference – whether you bake buns, cakes, waffles or cookies. Each product has its own technique. The volume of equipment will depend on the direction: for a bakery, for example, large-capacity ovens will be needed.

Neutral

Neutral equipment is non-mechanical equipment, which includes a fairly large group of goods: everything that makes the work of personnel more efficient and convenient. Neutral equipment includes tables, washing, exhaust hoods, racks, stands, conveyors and much more. This set is less important than the basic set, but such devices are indispensable, therefore, neutral equipment must be of high quality and meet all the necessary requirements.

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