Walk into any kitchen and you’ll find that it has a unique design and layout. It’s all about the menu as well as what works best for a specific chef. Although every kitchen has a slightly different layout, many are built on commercial kitchen design trends.
You’ll want to stay informed about the various design trends as they can have a dramatic impact on the way that you design yours. It can provide you with insight into better productivity, more exciting food options, and more.
#1: Slashie Restaurant
In the past, restaurants were told to scale back what they offered customers. Now, as more and more food concepts enter the arena, chefs have to fight to keep the attention of customers.
A slashie is a new trend that allows a restaurant to showcase multiple concepts from the owner under a single roof. It can meet the cravings of all customers while increasing revenue. Put simply, you won’t have to limit yourself to just one specialty.
Slashies will generally cover multiple meal periods – and some may be open from breakfast until late-night snacking. Why? Because it covers the multiple concepts that people are looking for.
Examples include the full-service restaurant that also offers a bakery counter, a wine bar that also offers a weekend brunch, and a coffee shop that also serves an array of deli and café menu items.
#2: Show Kitchen
If people are going to head out to a restaurant, they want more than just an incredible dining experience – they want a show.
Food transparency has been a hot trend for a while now – and there are a lot of restaurants that have chosen to take it to the next level. This can be in the form of a floor-to-ceiling glass wall to let diners watch the chefs in action. It can also include large stations in the front of the restaurant where chefs can put on a “show” while cooking.
A “show” can be anything from letting your pasta chef knead the dough to letting your wok master cook up a particular entrée.
Regardless of the show you create, your kitchen design will need to accommodate the theatrics you plan to perform.
#3: Pick Up Windows
The goal is to limit contact as much as possible while still serving up delicious food. Rather than investing in a significant number of plates and silverware, create an assembly station for to-go containers.
Get creative with the way that you box up pick-up orders. Allow your guests to enjoy your food without the fanciness of plates and tableside service. Remember, many guests may still want to take photos of food and post it online.
A pickup window may also require you to rethink your menu – not all foods are easy to box up in a to-go format.
#4: Drive-Thru
You may have noticed that people have been enjoying “drive-thru” and “curbside” in various aspects of their life since the start of the pandemic. This trend is continuing with the desire to enjoy drive-thru for all of their food options.
Diners don’t want access only to fast food drive-thru options. Think about adding prep tables so that you can prep more food. Think about adding steam tables so that certain foods are kept at an acceptable heat so they’re faster to serve. By reducing the cooking time to serve customers, you can keep up with the demands of an innovative drive-thru concept.
#5: Express Kitchens
Express kitchens are often concepts where there are multiple restaurants under a single roof. It can be multiple concepts from the same chef or where multiple chefs contribute their unique cuisine.
The idea is to be able to serve fresh food quickly – and right up to the counter for guests. There’s usually a limited menu of two or three items. You get to limit your equipment this way and focus on prep for only a few entrees. It reduces the amount of waste and increases the speed of service to the guests.
#6: Farm to Table
Chefs love to work with local ingredients – and this is a concept becoming more prevalent as customers express the desire to “shop local.”
In order to have a kitchen design that incorporates such a trend, you need to accommodate more fresh ingredients. You may also want to have a full area for an herb garden or to “feature” a specific ingredient that you just received for the season.
Some restaurants are even creating a unique space near the host stand where guests can buy various items that they just enjoyed – bacon jelly, fresh herbs, and whatever else. It’s a collaboration with the local vendors in the area that shows that a restaurant really is trying to be as local as possible. It can generate added revenue, too, as most restaurants take a small percentage of what’s sold from the local artisans.
#7: Dinner/Party Packs
Many restaurants have focused more heavily on takeout than on dine-in. What this means inside of your kitchen is that you may not be doing as much assembly as you would normally do.
Restaurants will create a dinner or party pack that will require assembly from the customer. This can include tortillas and all of the fixings for burritos, pasta, and all the fixings for a comprehensive Italian meal, and more.
When you’re cooking the components but not assembling, it can eliminate the need for such things as salamanders, added prep tables, steam tables, food warmers, and more.
Do You Need a New Kitchen Design?
At Mathias Food Service Equipment Company, we have been planning and designing kitchens for years. We look to ensure that a vision comes to life. With the help of our expansive network, we can ensure that a design is carried out thoroughly – complete with helping you find the necessary equipment.
You should be in love with your kitchen, and with access to the hottest designs, you can incorporate what’s important to you. It can allow you to tap into new markets, expand your revenue, and more.
Contact us today to learn more about our restaurant kitchen design services and take the next step.
