Hotel kitchens are not the same as home kitchens and their requirements may differ from other professional catering settings. The demands of a hotel can be extreme and not equipping or fitting out a busy kitchen can lead to disaster and lead to unhappy guests and low revenues.
Catering is as important a requirement of a hotel as accommodation and the quality of food and service must be correct. A poorly designed hotel kitchen can lead to poor service, lack of quality food and fewer guests staying at the hotel.
One of the first aspects to get right is the distribution of the kitchen, which must be well thought out.
Everything should be close at hand and kitchen staff shouldn’t have to move freely and most kitchens are divided into preparation, cooking and serving areas, which helps keep the service running smoothly.
It is also important to ensure that there is enough space to work, as this will reduce the risk of accidents and prevent staff from getting in each other’s way. Therefore, good planning is vital in the design and installation of a kitchen, proper thought on how the kitchen will function will prevent failures in the design process. It is often best to talk to experienced staff who have to work in such an environment and who will be able to provide good feedback on what could cause problems.
Feedback is also essential when it comes to kitchen appliances and catering equipment. This is also important to do well and it must be practical and easy to clean. It’s also important to get the quantity and size right, as too few knives or other essential utensils will leave staff frustrated waiting for others to finish the items.
Size should never be underestimated. A busy hotel restaurant will not only cater to those staying at the hotel, but also to its guests, and a good hotel restaurant can also attract non-customers, which can increase revenue potential.
The hotel kitchen is key to running a good hotel restaurant, and if it runs smoothly it will help ensure that the restaurant is popular and guests are happy.