CPC
Jan 20, 20214 min
The kitchen team to be successful they don’t need only their skills, but also a well-designed work space and I don’t mean it to be big, fancy or any of such but it needs to organized for the work flow from preparation, assembling, cooking, keeping to service and as chefs says the mise en place is everything.
When planning your restaurant, the workspaces throughout the restaurant -- kitchen, service area, server stations, and welcome area are prime mechanism, it is not locating the cooking equipment under the hood, worktables, sinks and shelving units around the room and against the other walls. Workstations should consider storage and preparation of ingredients. Think about your menu and plan how your team both in kitchen and service area will function in those spaces. Define tools they will need to prepare the menu items properly, from raw ingredients through cooking and plating. Be attentive to the workstations needed by your team.
Irrespective of the size of your restaurant, the budget or the menu, creating well designed workspaces for your team will help reduce waste, breakage, accidents, stress and keep your team focus on product quality and consistency.
What makes a good workstation? A good workstation allows the employee to perform their task in one place having easy access to the tools they need to do their job. Subsequently most tasks do not start and end at the workstation, circulation and access must be maintained. Frequently teams will need to send dirty utensils, pots and pans at the dish washing or pass items to another station. Take out items from walk-in cooler or freezer. This implicate creating proper flow passage space and, in some cases, opportunity for employees to pass or work back to back should be considered as part of the work area planning.
Functionality is a key
In most of the planning the workstation is dedicated to various tasks, it is not feasible to have exclusive or unique space for each task it is too costly except very few scenarios that are planned in such a way most of the required tools can and should be used for several tasks. Obviously, hygiene, flavor transfer and temperature controls will limit the cross-use of certain workstations. Pastry and baking tables, for example, should not be used for vegetable chopping. But, in general, it is expected that workstations will be used for different functions throughout the day.
Every task within the restaurant requires a "workstation." Whether to fold napkins, prepare crockeries, mixing beverages, hosting, washing dishes or grilling, the working areas required by your team has to be identified and planned, taking in consideration the specific tools that each station will require, designing the station to make the task more efficient using the “marche en avant” approach will make your restaurant work smoothly in all levels.
Workstations do not need to be fixed or permanent. Waiter could do their prep task work like polishing glassware, silverware or ceramics ware assembling at a dining table or at the beverage station.
The essential part that binds all well-organized workstations is that they contain all necessary tools to get the job done.
The Work Surface
The most common tool you are going to need for most workspaces are the work surface the flat surface where the tasks are performed or other tools are arranged.
These surfaces are available in a variety of materials and styles with many accessories. The selections you make should be based on the tasks that need to be executed.
The spectrum of available work surfaces and accessories is wide and can provide you with great flexibility to perform different tasks or be highly specific and ready to perform a very precise operation. How meticulous or general you choose to be is up to you.
All work surfaces should be smooth, level, impenetrable and easy to clean. But the choices of materials that fit these basic requirements are numerous. Which surface you choose depends on the type of task being performed.
Stainless steel: The most versatile material for a work surface is stainless steel. It can resist moisture and temperature variations, is nonabsorbent and can be customized in many sizes or shapes. Depending on the work being performed, various portable cutting boards can be set on the stainless top. Larger tables can have multiple workers using different cutting boards while sharing product and tools.
Wood. Maple or "butcher block" tables are often used for baking areas. This material does not conduct heat or cold but can be damaged by heat from hot pans or trays. Although it can absorb liquids, it is an approved surface for kitchens but should be used in appropriate areas. Bakers appreciate this material because dough does not stick to the surface yet it is not slippery.
Stone: The surface of stone, typically marble, is ideal for pastry and confectionary work, which can be very temperature-sensitive. The mass of stone does not transfer heat or cold well and maintains a more even temperature. Rapid temperature extremes may damage or crack stone surfaces, which makes them unsuitable for use under high-temperature heat lamps. Similar to wood in its aesthetic appeal, stone surfaces do not have the industrial look associated with stainless steel and are often used in work areas exposed to the public.
Faux material: There are numerous materials that have the look and feel of stone and marble. Typically, they are used for beverage stations, wait stations and tabletops. These materials can be clipped with wood or steel for added appeal. They do react to temperature and should not be used in areas where temperatures vary considerably such as under pass heat lamps or on ice cream frost tops.
Cutting boards: There are several man-made materials that are used for cutting boards that can be sized to fit an entire worktable. These materials are typically removable so that they and the supports that hold them can be sanitized. Where these materials make up the fixed top of a table, they are cleaned in place. Working or cutting directly on the surface of the table requires heightened sanitation skills since the tops cannot be washed in the dish machine and must be hand-sanitized. Small cutting boards, usually 30 by 35 cm or 45 by 60 cm
but available in any size and shape as well as color-coding for sanitation purposes, can be set on any work surface and are a practical way to set up a quick-cutting station.
Preparation work need significant workspace. Efficiency here will save costly delays and smooth assembling in the FOH.