Are you about to open a restaurant? Then you need to equip your professional kitchen. And since this is one of the most important expenses when you start your business, you might as well take it seriously!
It all starts with a list: the list of professional catering equipment you will need. This will give you a clear idea of the equipment you need for your restaurant and the budget it represents.
The mission of this article? To provide you with a complete list of supplies to invest in for your kitchen.
The essential supplies for your restaurant
Whether you are starting a fast food or traditional restaurant business, kitchen equipment is not to be taken lightly. What are the essential supplies for its proper functioning?
1. The cooking equipment
Let's start with the most obvious: cooking equipment. Unless you're opening a salad bar (and even then, you'll need it).
The oven
The oven is the must-have of your culinary arsenal. To choose your oven, the first thing to do is to think about the layout of your kitchen and your restaurant furniture. This will give you an idea of the space you have available to install your oven. The amount of food and the nature of the dishes served at each service will also help you determine the size, capacity and functions of your future purchase.
There are several categories of ovens to choose from, depending on your needs:
- The conventional oven. Chances are you'll need one. This one is ideal for cooking dishes in the oven.
- The convection oven. This one has a fan that circulates hot air. It is particularly suitable for baking pastries, breads, quiches, pies and cookies. It can also be used for toasting, roasting and drying. A great asset in the kitchen!
- The combi oven. As its name suggests, this is a 2-in-1 oven that combines convection and steam cooking. Roasting, steaming, sautéing, simmering, browning, smoking or grilling, you will be amazed at its versatility!
- The pizza oven. It is obviously used to cook this emblematic Italian dish, but also beef pieces and desserts thanks to its high temperature cooking.
- The conveyor oven (let's get into the technicalities)! This one is equipped with a conveyor belt on which you place the food so that it passes into the oven. It is thus cooked at a certain rate and a precise temperature. Pizzerias and sandwich shops are particularly fond of it!
That's it, we've done the trick!
The furnace and ventilation
Isn't the stove where the magic happens in the kitchen? Well, a lot of it anyway! You can choose between a gas or electric stove. The former guarantees good temperature control. The desired temperature is reached as soon as the stove is turned on. Moreover, in case of power failure, it continues to work. On the other hand, it is more difficult to clean and carries a higher risk of fire or gas leakage.
Electric stoves are efficient, easy to clean and provide more consistent cooking than gas stoves. But, because there is a but, it can quickly add to the electricity bill.
👉For more: 6 tips for dealing with inflation.
Now let's talk about ventilation! A good ventilation system is crucial to regulate the airflow and temperature where cooking, frying and other tempting preparations take place. This allows you to maintain a healthy and pleasant working environment. Your kitchen staff will thank you!
When choosing your ventilation system, keep the following 5 criteria in mind:
- the air volume flow,
- static pressure,
- the size,
- energy performance,
- and noise.
The water bath or the hot table
Both solutions are particularly useful if you need to keep food hot for the duration of the service. For this purpose, you can use metal containers specially designed to maintain a hygienic temperature for several hours.
The microwave
Whether you advocate home cooking or not, a professional microwave is always useful in the kitchen. It allows you to steam, reheat already cooked dishes or defrost products.
The grill
Electric grill or gas grill? Quite a dilemma when you know that the latter allows you to cook meat, sear vegetables or toast sandwiches. Once again, it is the surface and the layout of your kitchen that will guide your purchase. If you have an open terrace, choose an outdoor grill model.
2. The equipment dedicated to the elaboration of the recipes
You are now equipped for cooking food, let's move on to the equipment you will need to cook it.
The food processors
These appliances will help you chop, grind, grate, mince, slice, chop and even puree certain foods. A third or even fourth arm in the kitchen is a must!
There are all kinds of food processors on the market, but they can be divided into 4 categories:
- Tank robots,
- Heavy-duty vegetable cutting machines,
- Meat grinders,
- Combined robots.
Mixer-mixers
Smoothie bars do not have a monopoly on blenders! The model you choose will depend on the volume you plan to use and the frequency of use.
Choose one of these three models:
- a stand mixer,
- a hand blender,
- a professional mixer on a stand.
The slicer
Do you serve cheese boards, cold cuts or sandwiches? Then you can't afford to miss out on this tool that will allow you to cut meat and cheese in record time. Take the time to think about the size of the blade, the power and the frequency of use (occasional, regular or intensive).
Work tables and cutting boards
Tables and worktops are as essential as stoves in the kitchen. These work surfaces must be both durable and versatile, i.e. suitable for all types of preparation. For this, rely on stainless steel, a robust material in which bacteria do not encrust.
The sharpeners and sharpeners
Good kitchen knives are quite an investment, so you might as well maintain them. To do this, you'll need sharpening tools.
3. Conservation supplies
To shorten the time between the customer's order and the delivery of his meal, the key is to prepare a maximum of food. This raises the issue of food preservation.
Freezers and refrigerators
Here, don't look for savings, you will have more to lose than to gain. It is better to focus on quality than on entry-level models. Refrigerated cabinets and separate cold rooms are the most popular formats for restaurants. Finally, pay special attention to the location of the condenser.
You can then look at all the features of these devices: layout, energy consumption, connected or not, etc.
Storage containers and bins
Storage bins and containers will help you keep your kitchen organized and fight food waste.
One food = one bin!
So plan multiple ones:
- jars, to store dry food in small quantities,
- vegetable bins to preserve the freshness of the products,
- Dough trays to store bread or pastry dough before baking,
- large ingredient bins to store dry ingredients such as flour,
- food storage boxes, of different shapes and sizes, to store all fresh and/or previously opened products.
For efficient storage, be sure to label containers with what is in them and the expiration date of the products.
4. Storage shelves
A functional kitchen cannot do without shelves. It is important to be able to store ingredients and utensils properly so that everyone knows where to find them easily.
So start by choosing the material of which your shelves will be made:
- stainless steel,
- chrome plated grill,
- polymer,
- resin,
- powder-coated metal,
- antimicrobial coating.
All of these materials are both durable and resistant to the repeated application of household products. If you need to move them on a regular basis, opt for mobile shelving instead of stationary.
Your final task is to organize them so that your staff can find what they are looking for easily and quickly.
5. Equipment for customer service
Dishes, cutlery and table accessories
Your professional kitchen is also the place where you will store the dishes, cutlery and accessories you will use for service, delivery or take-out.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of what you will need:
- dishes: plates of different sizes and depths, salad bowls, dishes and bowls, cups,
- cutlery: knives, spoons and forks,
- glassware: wine glasses, beer glasses, cocktail glasses, water glasses and dessert glasses,
- table accessories: salt and pepper shakers, plate covers, bread baskets, butter dishes, under plates,
- table linen: tablecloths and napkins.
Depending on your business, you will need more or less investment and the amount of equipment depends on the number of meals you plan to serve.
Answering these few questions will certainly help you to see more clearly:
- What is your table turnover rate?
- How many covers does your restaurant have?
- What kind of dishes do you serve?
- How many customers do you expect on your busiest days and times?
- What are your most requested dishes?
- What type of dishes do they require?
If you start a fast food business and most of the dishes and cutlery are thrown away, think eco-responsibility (biodegradable material, reusable or recycled containers)!
Utensils and cookware
To delight your customers' taste buds, you will rely on your kitchen staff of course, but it is important to provide them with all the equipment they need:
- pots and pans (all sizes) with lids,
- professional knives,
- basins, bowls and salad bowls,
- kitchen and serving spoons,
- whips,
- spatulas,
- shady,
- clamps,
- pastry moulds,
- plates and roasting pans,
- tea towels,
- rags.
You need to provide them in quantity so that your kitchen brigades don't have to wash each utensil after use.
6. Miscellaneous
The sink
What are the three functions of a sink? Hand washing, preparation and washing up. It's no wonder that hygiene and safety standards require a professional sink and dishwasher in a restaurant kitchen.
Here is a small overview of the existing sinks on the market:
- Multi-bowl sinks allow you to assign a function to each sink.
- Bar sinks are mainly used to empty glasses and bottles.
- Sinks with a disposer are equipped with a waste disposal system.
- Handwashing stations are smaller than standard sinks and allow staff to wash their hands without contaminating other sinks.
- The service sinks are used for cleaning and maintenance.
- Mobile sinks, generally used for outdoor catering. They are positioned on a cart equipped with tanks.
The ice machine
The ice maker is also a kitchen essential. The best option here is a machine that dispenses ice continuously into a tray so that ice cubes are always available.
Safety equipment
In terms of safety and hygiene rules, you will need to equip yourself with :
- extinguishers,
- aprons,
- first aid kits,
- protective glasses or visor,
- rubber safety mat,
- protective gloves,
- Slippery floor" signs,
- surveillance cameras,
- heat-resistant oven gloves.
This way, you guarantee the safety of your staff and your customers.
The cleaning equipment
In the kitchen, you need to make it shine! For this, equip yourself with the following products:
- Brushes (soft, hard, wire) for cleaning stoves, plates and grills,
- mops,
- sponges,
- rags,
- detergents,
- brooms,
- a vacuum cleaner, anything that will help you get the grease and dust out of your kitchen.
Equip your restaurant: where to buy?
On paper, everything is clear! There is one more thing to do before you take action (meaning investment): choose the brand and model of each of the kitchen supplies. For this, you can either go to the store or rely on the opinions of online users. Your list will gradually become more precise and you should now have an idea of your budget.
With your list of restaurant supplies in hand, you have two choices: new or used. The main advantage of used supplies is price. A stove only needs to be used a few times for it to lose its value, and you'll have no trouble getting second-hand equipment in perfect condition. This type of kitchen equipment, on the other hand, does not come with a warranty and you are not sure to find the model you are looking for.
To do this, visit sites like :
For new equipment, turn to professional foodservice equipment suppliers:
The importance of digital in your restaurant
We couldn't end this article without mentioning the importance of digital!
There are many reasons to use digital solutions:
- improve the management of its restaurant,
- provide a better customer experience,
- improve the working conditions of its employees,
- or not to be left behind by the competition!
That's whereInnovorder comes in: from order taking to kitchen preparation, payment and management, we put digital technology to work for your restaurant.
3 solutions to digitalize the room of your restaurant
An NF525 certified cash register system
The cash register is the heart of your restaurant's digital ecosystem for 4 reasons.
It allows :
- Place orders faster than ever with simple, customizable and intuitive software.
- Increase the average basket by creating optimized order paths.
- Simplify your operational management by centralizing all your devices
- Easily manage your business by generating reports to help you make the right decisions
👉 To go further: How to choose your NF525 cash register?
A control terminal
Particularly appreciated in the fast-food industry, a kiosk installed in a restaurant captures up to 85% of the orders placed!
It's an ideal investment to reduce waiting time, collect more customers and increase your average ticket by up to 20%.
👉 To go further: restaurant kiosks: the guide to choosing well.
A client screen
Also known as the ODS (Ordering Display System), the customer display alerts your customers when their food is ready.
Again very practical in fast food restaurants, it allows your teams to focus on high value-added tasks rather than calling distracted customers across the restaurant.
Connect your kitchen with a production screen
A production screen ensures a perfect fluidity between the order taking and the preparation in the kitchen.
It has 3 major advantages:
- Increased productivity: no more orders scribbled on a piece of paper, the dishes are easily readable on the production screen and the employees prepare the right dish at the right time.
- Better timing: orders from all channels are displayed in order of priority according to preparation times.
- A more responsive service: the use of timers and color codes allows you to prioritize your resources in real time.
👉 Going further: restaurant purchase orders: paper or digital?
Managing your business: the icing on the cake
You know as well as we do, in a restaurant, order taking, food preparation, room service, delivery and piloting are all one!
By equipping yourself with the solutions listed above, digital technology helps you connect all the steps of your day to ensure smooth service and optimal productivity.
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You had thought of everything to equip your restaurant, but do you know all that digital can do for you?
Request a complete audit of your digital ecosystem and discover how to optimize your restaurant's organization with an Innovorder expert!
