How to Select Shelving for Your New Restaurant

There are few conditions more frustrating to a professional chef than a disorganized kitchen. More often than not, poor space planning and design from the get-go has created this situation, resulting in a compromised work environment and limited opportunities to properly store and manage tools, supplies and raw materials.

Adequate and proper shelving is one of those details. Think of shelving as a management tool. Most of your working inventory -- food, beverages, dry goods, china, glass, flatware, kitchen tools, supplies and small appliances -- is stored on shelving. Managing this inventory preserves its quality, limits loss and damage and enables your staff to work efficiently, which reduces payroll and injury. All of this contributes to a more profitable operation. But most restaurant kitchens suffer from limited storage. Making the space you have as efficient as possible should be a high priority. Examining opportunities and options for shelving may inspire you to make simple refinements to your restaurant.

First Considerations

There are many issues to consider. For example, all equipment used in commercial kitchen applications must meet the requirements and standards of the local health department. Painted wood, plastic laminate or industrial shelving may not be acceptable in some areas. Where these finishes are accepted, painted wood and plastic laminate are not recommended for hot, wet or high-use environments.

Another concern is timing. With independent restaurants, it is not unusual for chefs and operators to wait until the walk-in is set and the equipment in place to decide what type and where shelving will go. While basic shelving decisions can be made on the architectural drawings, many restaurateurs need to be in the space to get a feel for where they want shelves and the type they want. Even after a restaurant is initially set up, chefs will often ask for additional wall shelves to fill every open wall surface.

An advantage to waiting until the space is at least partially completed before ordering shelving is that actual dimensions may vary from those indicated on the drawings. Field conditions may reduce or alter space and affect your shelving plan. Shelves that don't fit, resulting in wasted time and additional cost, frequently frustrate equipment installers.

But first things first; before you decide where and when shelving should be installed, you need to consider the types of shelving that are available. From there, work with your chef, consultant, and/or architect to determine placement and quantity of shelving.