Hotel kitchens are not the same as domestic kitchens and their requirements can differ to other professional catering scenarios. The demands on a hotel can be extreme and failing to equip or fit out a busy kitchen can lead to disaster and lead to unhappy guests and poor revenue.
Catering is just as important a requirement of a hotel as accommodation and quality of food and service needs to be got right. A badly designed hotel kitchen can lead to poor service, a lack of quality in the food and a decline in guests staying at the hotel.
One of the first aspects to get right is the kitchen layout, which needs to be properly thought through.
Everything should be on hand and kitchen staff should not have to needlessly move around and most kitchens are divided into preparation, cooking and service areas which helps to keep service running smooth.
Ensuring there is enough room to work is also important as it will reduce the risk of accidents and prevent staff for getting in each other’s way. Good planning is therefore vital in designing and fitting a kitchen, proper thought into how the kitchen will run will prevent flaws in the design process. Often it is best to speak to experienced staff who have to work in such an environment who will be able to provide good feedback as to what could cause problems.
Feedback is also essential when it comes to kitchen appliances and catering equipment. This too is important to get right and needs to be both practical and easy to clean. Quantity and size is also important to get right as too few knives, or other essential utensils, and staff will be left frustrated waiting for reach other to finish with items.
Size should never be underestimated. A busy hotel restaurant will not only serve those staying in the hotel but also their guests, and a good hotel restaurant can attract non-patrons too which can increase revenue potential.
The hotel kitchen is key to the running of a good hotel restaurant, and if it is operating smoothly will help ensure the restaurant is popular, and guests are kept happy.
