Catering equipment – where to start? Which is better pressure fryer or commercial fryer? Should you equip your premises with brand new catering equipment, or with second hand catering equipment? Find out how to equip the kitchen of an establishment serving breaded chicken and make your catering business idea a reality!
Fast food kiosk equipment – small costs
A chicken restaurant is an attractive catering business idea for a number of reasons. Firstly, chicken dishes are very popular, easy to prepare and convenient to serve on the go. So you can successfully offer customers a wide range of attractive dishes based on breaded chicken and serve them both on and off site.
Secondly, opening a chicken restaurant requires relatively little money. We asked Damian from Wrocław, owner of a small restaurant serving breaded chicken dishes, about the costs of equipping a fast food kiosk.
“Equipping my restaurant with the necessary catering equipment cost me around several thousand PLN. Friends have asked me how I managed to do it. The truth is that the kitchen in a restaurant serving chicken can work brilliantly if you equip it with some basic equipment. That’s what I did. And I have no regrets. The investment paid for itself after three months, and the restaurant started making money straight away”.
How to equip the kitchen in a fast food kiosk?
Before deciding on specific restaurant kitchen equipment, it is worthwhile for you to first develop a list of dishes you want to serve your guests. The commercial kitchen equipment will depend on what is on the menu. This will help you avoid buying equipment that you will not use later. Sensible planning of the new restaurant kitchen equipment will allow you to invest your money well and make better use of the kitchen space.
Basic fast food kiosk equipment
So if you have decided to open a fast food kiosk where you will serve chicken dishes and you have developed a menu – it is time to choose your cooking equipment. Wondering what equipment to choose for a fast food kiosk?
Here’s a list of appliances and cooking equipment you will definitely need at a chicken restaurant:
1. Catering refrigeration equipment
• under-counter refrigeration cabinet,
• freezing equipment
• beverage refrigerator or post mix dispenser
2. Heat treatment equipment in commercial kitchen
• fryer or adjustable fryer
• fryer to prepare fries or snacks
• fries warmer
• display cabinet
• heating lamps
• toaster
• contact grill or grill plate
3. Mechanical processing catering equipment
• blender
• massage tumbler
4. Other important catering equipment
• sink and basin
• ventilation hood
• breading table
5. Catering utensils for a commercial kitchen
• coating containers
• frying baskets
• stainless steel food pans
6. Kitchen utensils and accessories
• sifter for sifting the coating
• tongs
Catering refrigeration equipment
Catering refrigeration unit is essential on a restaurant equipment list – especially for restaurants with chicken-based menus. Refrigerating cabinets are essential for storing meat during the marination process. The number of refrigeration units is determined by the sanitary expert in the technology plan. Freezing units will come in handy for storing fries or other frozen food essentials.
Heat treatment equipment in commercial kitchen
Professional catering equipment for thermal processing is another extremely important element on the restaurant kitchen equipment list – both fast food kiosks and restaurants. You only need a few basic appliances to start with: a toaster, a grill, a deep fryer. Heating lamps and display cabinets, waffle irons and fries warmers will also be useful. In a restaurant serving chicken, the ‘heart’ of the kitchen is where you fry the strips or wings: the fryer or deep fryer. What are the differences between the commercial deep fryers and which one to choose? It all depends on your budget.
Pressure fryer or adjustable fryer
Breaded chicken is most conveniently prepared in a professional fryer. Both the pressure fryer and the open fryer have built-in filtration. Thanks to the automatic oil filtration, the oil can be used for a longer period of time, which translates into major savings on fryer purchases.
However, if you prefer a budget solution, you can successfully invest in an electric adjustable fryer. It will be perfect for frying breaded chicken parts. However, it is worth bearing in mind that the fryer does not have built-in filtration.
Mechanical processing catering equipment
In addition to a blender, a massage tumbler is also useful in an American-style chicken restaurant. It allows you to thoroughly massage large quantities of meat in a short space of time. If your restaurant sells more than 40 kilos of poultry meat per day this kitchen equipment will be extremely helpful, but not essential.
Other important catering equipment
Fast food kiosk equipment consists of sinks, basins, cooker hoods, as well as catering furniture – preferably high quality equipment from stainless steel. Robust workmanship makes the furniture durable, resistant to damage and corrosion and easy to clean. When choosing a breading table, go for one made of stainless steel or a fully automatic one with a built-in flour sifter to save coating.
Catering utensils for a commercial kitchen
The list of small equipment is long and it largely depends on what kind of dishes you intend to serve in the restaurant. You should certainly equip your commercial kitchen with different types of catering utensils such as food pans, bowls, stainless steel pots and buckets. Breading containers will be particularly useful. They will make breading the chicken more efficient and comfortable.
Kitchen utensils and accessories
Be sure to invest in catering appliances such as a sifter for sifting the coating. These kitchen utensils will make preparing breaded chicken even easier and more convenient.
Additional catering equipment
You can complete your basic commercial kitchen equipment with additional appliances and accessories. It all depends on how varied the menu will be, whether you intend to enrich the offer with hot drinks and desserts or whether you plan to serve the food on tableware or rather rely on disposable catering packaging.
Depending on your business profile, a professional dishwasher with scalding function, a vegetable slicer, pizza ovens, convection ovens, planetary commercial mixers, dicers, food processors and other catering equipment will be suitable for the restaurant kitchen.
Second hand or brand new catering equipment
Fast food kiosk equipment – second hand or brand new? It all depends on your budget. Buying brand new equipment means more cost, but also more safety. In the event of a breakdown, you can lodge a complaint. However, second-hand resturant kitchen equipment is often the only option. It is worth making sure when buying such equipment that it has been used as intended and that its technical condition is as the seller assures.
