Commercial kitchens must meet strict requirements to keep in line with consumer health and safety.
Regular kitchen maintenance can seem like a daunting task but understanding the importance of doing this regularly can give you some motivation and steer you in the right direction.
The Benefits of Regular Commercial Kitchen Maintenance
Regularly paying attention to when commercial kitchen equipment needs some TLC can have an array of benefits and keep your kitchen running like clockwork.
Saves Money
Regularly performing maintenance checks on your commercial kitchen equipment spots faults before that equipment fails completely – saving money in the long run.
Having equipment break down completely is a huge inconvenience as it means you’ll have to call for a speedy replacement and often someone to install the replacement. This can be a lengthy process, especially when equipment or parts are out of stock or are in high demand.
Reputation
Consistent failures of significant equipment will eventually show through in your company’s reputation. Customer’s waiting long periods of time or certain menu items being off sale due to an equipment fault will soon show through in online reviews and word-of-mouth.
Also in places where customers are able to somewhat see through to the commercial kitchen, having an unclean kitchen will have them speak badly in reviews and through word-of-mouth.
Routine maintenance prevents this from happening regularly so you can maintain a good reputation and a loyal customer base.
Maintains Employee Morale
Having regular, scheduled maintenance on kitchen equipment can help employee morale. If you have kitchen equipment that is out of use because you’re waiting on a replacement, it will be your employees that feel the pressure of this the most.
Employee morale is directly correlated to how smoothly the kitchen runs, even the smallest of problems can cause a dip in morale and increase stress levels.
What Should I Include in My Commercial Kitchen Maintenance?
Regular kitchen maintenance is vital for keeping your kitchen going and running smoothly.
Being proactive with equipment maintenance can avoid costly repairs as well as prevent any health and safety issues that may arise as a result of faulty equipment.
Grills and Griddles
Many commercial kitchens rely on grills and griddles to cook a majority of their meals during the day.
Grills and griddles are easy to maintain and keep clean provided you do the following things:
- Wipe down any grills and griddles after use
- Clean burners
- Check grease filters
Dishwashers and Sinks
Regardless of if you wash your dirty dishes through a dishwasher or by hand washing, the system you use to clean your dishes is an important part of a running commercial kitchen.
Important things to maintain in your dishwasher in particular include:
- Clean the filter every 15 cycles or so
- Ensure employees are rinsing food from plates and cooking equipment before putting them in the dishwasher to prevent any blockages
- Check levels of detergent, sanitiser and rinse aids
- Inspect the water tank and change the water regularly
- Look for any damages to dish racks
Fryers
In any commercial offering fried foods, the frier will be the heart and soul of the kitchen. Fryers should be regularly maintained to stop any build-ups of dirty oil which will impact the quality of food being served.
Thorough maintenance of fryers should include:
- Extracting dirty oil regularly
- Clean fryer baskets and inspect for damages
- Check and clean combustion fans
- Pay attention to the type and quality of oil being used in the fryer
- Regularly check for gas leaks
Ranges
The cooking range is the star of the show in any commercial kitchen. If it becomes faulty and breaks down completely this will cost you a lot of money to rectify and will drastically slow down the operations of your kitchen and affect employee morale.
Things to regularly check in relation to your ranges include:
- Make sure the valve knobs are greased regularly
- Clean and secure burners and grates
- Clean behind and around the range
- Make employees aware of any health and safety hazards when using the range
Fridges and Freezers
Maintaining fresh food at a consistent temperature is vital for preserving the food and keeping it fresh for as long as possible. If a fridge or freezer unit goes down in a commercial kitchen, this would cause a large financial dent in lost food.
Keeping an eye on as many elements as you can in commercial fridges and freezers can hugely minimise the chance of losing any stock, should a fault happen.
Things to look out for include:
- Look at and lubricate doors and hinges
- Clean gaskets
- Check refrigerant level
- Inspect suction line insulation
- Check and adjust defrost timers
- Calibrate thermometers
- Check electrical wires
Storage Spaces
While storage spaces don’t cook or store fresh food, they are still important to maintain to keep your kitchen hygienic and sanitary.
Important maintenance factors to look for in storage spaces include:
- Ensure food and supplies are stored correctly and are not on the floor
- Ensure all food is properly labelled
- Check the temperature of storage spaces is at an appropriate level
- Make sure employees are aware of food storage practices
Floors
The floors of a commercial kitchen are just as important as the equipment at maintaining and can sometimes be overlooked.
Clean, slip-free floors are essential to ensure the health and safety of those in the kitchen. Keeping the floors clean is not the only step when it comes to maintaining the kitchen floors, other steps include:
- Use a degreaser to get rid of any grease
- Sweep and mop regularly
- Be vigilant for any cracks or damage to the floor that could be a safety hazard
- Check that all floor drains are draining properly
When Should You Replace Your Commercial Kitchen Equipment?
When it comes to replacing commercial kitchen equipment, there are usually some tell-tale signs. Keeping an eye on these things will let you know when it’s time to replace any kitchen equipment that’s seen better days.
Replace Equipment When Repair Costs Rise
The cost of repeat repairs can often be costly, so when the repair cost will exceed the cost of new equipment it’s definitely time to replace it.
It’s always important to weigh up the costs of repairs against the costs of replacements and to decide which would be most beneficial.
Replace if It’s Tough to Find Spare Parts
Some pieces of commercial equipment may be old and/or may have difficult replacement parts to source. Having equipment out of action and needing to wait for a while for a replacement part could really hinder your business and operations.
Sometimes the best thing to do is to replace the equipment.
Replace if There Are Safety Concerns
The safety of you, your employees and your customers are essential within a business.
If any commercial equipment is posing a safety risk, it’s best to replace it completely to be sure. Examples of safety risks can include, food not being refrigerated at the right temperature or cracks or bumps in floor tiles that could cause a fall.
Is It Time to Replace Your Commercial Kitchen Equipment?
If you’ve followed our checklist and noticed that some of your equipment would benefit from a replacement, Dolphin Fabrications have you covered.
We have a range of equipment suited to your commercial kitchen needs such as commercial ventilation systems, tabling and shelves, sinks and heated gantries.
If you have any questions regarding any of our commercial kitchen equipment, please do get in touch.
