Starting any business is exciting enough but setting up a catering company particularly for those with a love of cooking and serving others, can be tremendously satisfying. Business start-up advisers will give you help on getting your finances in place along with all the other requirements but for caterers, you should know the essential items needed to get you up and running. The most important one on the list being the one thing you need to preserve your most valuable stock items i.e. food and drinks, so let’s start with the catering freezer.
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Commercial Refrigeration
There are a few items that fall under this heading but the upright commercial fridge with stainless steel exteriors and interiors for keeping your products fresh is the first thing to put onto your shopping list. An important item in the kitchen and also for product display, a commercial fridge will ensure you keep within food hygiene guidelines as well as allow you to offer your customers a quick and easy way of viewing your products.
If you are offering cold drinks and alcohol, you also need to include a bar fridge which can be free standing or built in. One, two or triple door coolers are available depending on your requirements. If you need display cool rooms or freezer rooms, these can also be custom built to fit in any awkward or small space you have as well. There are lots of different designs on the market that will suit all your needs so make sure you take time to look at the variety of catering fridges for sale.
Commercial Oven
Similar to the catering freezer, this will be an item that you will use on a daily basis. There are several types of ovens that are on offer to commercial caterers, and you need to find out which ones are going to work best in your company. For quick and easy catering, commercial microwaves take a matter of seconds to heat through food products. For a conveyor belt approach to dining and catering, the conveyor oven moves the food through a timed cooking process coming out the other end ready to be served to your customers. There are also convection ovens or fan ovens that circulate hot air to cook everything to an even finish.
Pots and Pans
The big items are important, but you won’t get very far without a selection of commercial pots and pans. Alongside this cookware you will need spoons, tongs, bowls, grill scrapers and a selection of sieves or colanders. Plus, a selection of chef knives for the preparation of food products and all should be stainless steel for easy cleaning and maintenance.
Commercial Dishwasher
You will be generating a lot of dirty dishes and pots so to keep to strict hygiene requirements, a commercial dishwasher has to appear on this list of essentials. These differ from the ones you would use at home because they can take a larger volume of dirty items and are very fast working. Depending on the space and layout of the kitchen, you can look to invest in an under-the-counter dishwasher or if you have the space, a conveyor style washer.
Stainless Steel Shelving and Benches
In any workspace where there are food preparations underway, stainless steel benches act as a valuable and hygienic work prep area as well as storage. Benches come in a range of shapes and sizes, so you need to work out the best layout for you and your staff. These can be fitted to the required height (very important for catering staff who are on their feet all day in the kitchen to work ergonomically) and are very easy to clean and move, so the floor and walls can be cleaned as well.
Stainless steel shelving should also be included in this part of your list to fit out your larder and preparation area. Some foods need to be stored away from the floor so that rodents and insects are not attracted to them. An easy-to-clean and install shelving unit ensures your catering venture gets off to a great start.
Set up your catering company for success with these essential items!