Winter means festivities, celebrations, and great demand for your community kitchen. It also means harsher weather and seasonal risks. Is your kitchen ready for winter? Here are some important things to consider.

Preparing for heavy kitchen usage in the winter

Church and community kitchens are hubs for local events and celebrations, and during festive seasons that demand often becomes even more intense. The community will be holding events and celebrations, and many groups from elsewhere will be keen to hire and use the facilities too.

Such high volumes of usage can easily create wear and tear if your kitchen is not durable enough. Materials like vinyl-covered MDF do not stand up to heavy use, and they soon deteriorate and absorb moisture. Make sure your kitchen can withstand intense use by choosing a material like mild steel for the kitchen carcass, and stainless steel for the worktop.

Catering for crowds

Festive events attract crowds, and in order to maximise the potential of your events, as well as the revenue that they can generate, you need the right equipment.

For example, instant hot water boilers make it possible to serve teas and coffee at scale, where a kettle would not keep up, and can also dispense mulled wines and ciders very efficiently.

While many community kitchens have limited space, smart design can allow for a much broader range of equipment than you might expect to fit. Design experts like Steelplan Kitchens can advise on the best solution for you and your plans, and can even provide a free 3D mockup to help you visualise how the new kitchen would look.

Insulation and heating for your community kitchen

You will want your kitchen to be as warm and welcoming as your community itself.

Design is often the solution to managing the temperature, without heating units taking up space or interfering with the use or aesthetics of the kitchen. Speak to Steelplan Kitchens about incorporating heating into your kitchen design, and we can advise on the best approach for your space and your usage.

Preparing for floods

If you live in an area that is prone to flooding, you know first-hand how devastating it is. Your kitchen could be a lifeline for people whose homes are damaged by floods, offering them somewhere to meet, enjoy a meal, and speak to people who can help, advise, and comfort them.

Of course, that means you need to make sure the kitchen doesn’t shut down due to flooding, so in addition to sensible flood defences, you should make sure your critical equipment and storage is positioned high enough that flood water won’t reach and ruin it.

You will also find that a semi-commercial kitchen materials will be resilient to water, whereas domestic-style kitchens will not be. MDF is not waterproof, and the kitchen carcass will be destroyed by water. Mild steel and stainless steel, however, are robust and non-absorbent, and can withstand flooding.

For a free consultation on renovating your kitchen, maximising its potential for catering and events, and creating a space that is safe and comfortable all year round, get in touch with Steelplan. Call 0844 809 9186 or email [email protected].