Commercial & Restaurant Kitchen Equipment Guide

The success or failure of your restaurant hinges significantly on the commercial kitchen equipment you choose. Selecting professional kitchen equipment that meets your unique menu's preparation and cooking requirements can help you achieve your goals and thrive in today's competitive restaurant industry. Here's what all restaurant owners need to know about enhancing performance and productivity in the kitchen by outfitting their operations with the appropriate new restaurant equipment.

WHICH KITCHEN COOKING EQUIPMENT DO YOU NEED?

Numerous types of restaurant cooking equipment exist, but ranges, griddles, charbroilers, and deep fryers are essential components for any versatile commercial kitchen setup.

Ranges

In the realm of industrial cooking equipment, the range holds an indisputable position as one of the — if not THE — most crucial components in a restaurant kitchen. As a versatile unit that combines both an oven and a stove, ranges facilitate operators in cooking menu items simultaneously in various ways, including baking, boiling, frying, pan-searing, roasting, and broiling. The range of options available to you will depend on the size and volume of your operation, ranging from units with just two burners to those with as many as twelve.

Griddles

Breakfast spots, diners, and other high-volume establishments rely on griddles and flat-top grills for quick, even cooking of items like pancakes and burgers, thanks to a heat source under the flat plate. If you're looking for a new griddle, Texas Restaurant Supply, a leading commercial kitchen equipment manufacturer, offers many models with various features. Gas or electric, plate thickness, plate finish, depth and width, griddle controls, and burner BTUs are all factors that affect the performance of this professional cooking equipment.

Charbroilers

This widely used commercial restaurant equipment adds incredible smoky flavor and appealing sear marks to meats, fish, and vegetables. Charbroilers come in gas and electric (infrared heat) models, available in various sizes. Features include different grate designs, griddle plates, overshelves, splash guards, condiment rails, plate rails, and cutting boards. Countertop charbroilers are also popular among restaurants for their space-saving convenience.

Deep Fryers

Diners have an affinity for fried foods, and nothing aids in the creation of popular appetizers, French fries, donuts, fish and chips, and other favorites quite like deep frying with commercial-grade kitchen equipment. Available in both freestanding and countertop models and equipped with traditional ventilation systems as well as ventless options, gas and electric deep fryers feature tank capacities that cater to small restaurants as well as larger operations.

OTHER COMMERCIAL KITCHEN EQUIPMENT NEEDS

Apart from commercial cooking equipment, restaurants require various other types of equipment to operate efficiently. This includes refrigeration equipment, food preparation equipment, storage solutions, small wares, and janitorial equipment.

Refrigeration Equipment

Many different types of refrigeration equipment are available from Texas Restaurant Supply, which offers a comprehensive range of refrigerators, freezers, blast chillers, and more. Depending on the specific needs of your food service operation, other examples of refrigeration equipment include ice machines and beverage dispensers. 

Food Prep Equipment 

Restaurant menus exhibit a wide range of diversity, leading to varied food prep equipment requirements. Among the most commonly utilized prep equipment in food service operations are food processors, commercial mixers, and slicers produced by brands such as Hobart, with Berkel being renowned for its meat-slicing equipment. Additionally, prep tables, spice grinders, and blenders are essential tools found in many commercial kitchens.

Smallwares

Smallware pertains to the various tools utilized by kitchen staff for the preparation and cooking of dishes. These encompass knives, cutting boards, mixing bowls, pots, pans, food pans, turners, tongs, and numerous other items. It is crucial to bear in mind that, when procuring small wares, ensuring the right quantity is selected is vital to enhancing productivity.

Janitorial

Maintaining a clean kitchen is an absolute necessity! Whether you're setting up a new commercial kitchen or reassessing your current cleaning supply requirements, the majority of operations rely on a three-compartment sink, microfiber cloths and cleaning rags, scrubbers, and sponges, food service chemicals and sanitizers, trash cans and recycling bins, mops and buckets, brooms and dustpans, restroom supplies, and wet floor signs.

Storage Equipment

Storage is essential for maintaining an organized, efficient, and productive restaurant. Standard pieces of commercial storage equipment include shelving, sheet pan racks, bussing and utility carts, drying racks, dunnage racks, and food storage containers, which provide storage for everything from food prep equipment to small wares to ingredients.

CLICK YOUR WAY TO THE RIGHT COMMERCIAL RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT

Unsure about the type of griddle controls you need? Having trouble selecting the right fryer for your menu? Want to maximize your cooking line with a high-output charbroiler? Overwhelmed by the 100+ variables involved in choosing the perfect electric or gas range for your operation? The message is straightforward: Restaurant owners encounter numerous decisions when outfitting their kitchens for optimal performance.

The good news is that although making informed decisions about kitchen equipment and its uses can be time-consuming and filled with uncertainty, it doesn't have to be that way. Thanks to the release of a new digital tool designed to simplify the process of selecting commercial food equipment, the Texas Restaurant Supply Guide, the process is now easier. Just answer a series of simple questions about your operation, and our analytics will identify the ideal griddle, fryer, or charbroiler for you.

Running a restaurant can be challenging, so why not simplify things where you can? The Texas Restaurant Supply Guide is a valuable resource for today's busy, bottom-line-focused commercial kitchen operators. It takes the guesswork out of the equipment-buying process and provides you with the necessary information at your fingertips.