Before making decisions on the new kitchen for your church, it’s important to understand the difference between a commercial setting and a domestic one – and the requirements they bring…
When determining whether to invest in a commercial kitchen, a semi-commercial setting or a domestic installation, the best place to start is by looking at what you want to achieve. Can you cope with the restraints of a domestic kitchen or do you need the full power of a commercial one?
While a domestic setting is homely and welcoming, it won’t withstand a large amount of footfall or heavy use. But a commercial kitchen might feel hostile to your congregation and could feel a little over the top for its usage. Which is where Steelplan’s semi-commercial kitchens can provide a halfway point between the two.
What’s cooking?
Most domestic kitchens in churches have the capabilities to feed up to 80 people, at a push. But it all comes down to what’s on your menu. If you’re just making soup for your monthly pensioner book club, a four-ring residential oven should be up to the job, but if you regularly host a roast dinner evening or you’re planning to hire out the kitchen for large events, you should consider a semi-commercial layout. The same is true for a church café.
Offering a variety of cooking stations to deal with different tasks to create the type of food you’d like to serve – such as a combi steam oven or a baked potato oven – a semi-commercial kitchen can maximise the efficiency of the space while creating a robust, hard-working installation that still feels welcoming to its users. And, by focusing on the infrastructure of your kitchen, your budget, the accessibility of your kitchen space and the practicalities, Steelplan can create an installation suitable for your needs, providing free of charge consultancy and guidance.
Hire the experts
So, once you’ve decided to step into a semi-commercial kitchen, you need to weigh up your budget and your church’s infrastructure. While it’s always great to have dreams for your new kitchen, it’s also important to understand the limitations of your church, such as whether your electrics can cope with a higher demand? Or if you have enough gas power? Or gas in the kitchen at all? And do you have the budget to undertake a major amount of work if needed?
Ultimately, functionality is key and appliances can make all the difference to the smooth running of your kitchen. For example, a domestic oven may take up to 90 minutes to cook one roast chicken but could take three times as long to cook more. But a commercial range oven can cook more in less time, allowing you to keep up with the demands of a Christmas meal or an 18th birthday party. And while commercial appliances come with different requirements, such as a gas safety register, Steelplan can guide you in the right direction.
To start designing your church’s new semi-commercial kitchen, including all the appliances you need, call Steelplan Kitchens on 0844 809 9186.
