So much more goes into a kitchen opening and closing than people realise. Your commercial kitchen will become chaotic and unsafe without formal processes in place. As a business owner, it's your job to make these duties clear and straightforward for your team, so they can focus on making high-quality and delicious food.
1. Kitchen Opening.
A kitchen opening is one of the most crucial procedures since it heavily impacts how the rest of the tasks can be undertaken. Kitchen opening jobs include:
- Turning on essential utilities (lights, ventilation, equipment etc.),
- Pre-heating kitchen equipment,
- Checking and logging temperatures of refrigeration units and freezers,
- Inspecting the kitchen area to check if closing procedures were completed (waste removed, equipment cleaned etc.),
- Receiving deliveries and storing appropriately (e.g., labelling, decanting, storing).
2. Food/ Kitchen Service Preparation.
Every kitchen should prioritise food safety. Focusing on food safety will protect your customers from illness and ensure you meet the requirements of health inspectors. Make sure your commercial kitchen staff adhere to all hygiene and safety procedures. Dishes should also be prepared according to standard recipes and served in a timely and appealing manner.
4. Kitchen Closing.
Just like opening the kitchen, closing correctly is essential because it involves storing leftovers overnight and securing the kitchen. Overlooking a simple step such as turning off ovens or stoves may lead to fire, spoiling food and other potential risks. Kitchen closing tasks include:
- Checking food has been stored appropriately,
- Checking if fridges and freezers are working,
- Locking of cabinets and storing keys,
- Shutting off heating equipment and other utilities,
- Activating security alarms and locking up.
List all of your "to-dos" in a kitchen SOP checklist on an Excel sheet so you can easily print off the tasks your team need to complete and leave space for tasks to be checked off! Want to learn more about how our self-cleaning cooking systems can enhance your commercial kitchen's productivity? Register for a FREE 10-minute webinar today and the team will be in contact to discuss your needs.