Gaining the Right Consents and Getting Through Planning
Catering Kitchen Planning - Technical Specifications
Setting up a foodservice business in a new premises can often require planning permission for ‘Change of Use’. Anyone can submit a planning application, however you may need specialist information to assist a successful application with minimal conditions for a foodservice business.
Target Catering Equipment can produce detailed technical specifications for submission to local authorities requesting information on ventilation systems, odour and noise control measures, as well as generating building floor plans, sections and external elevations showing the proposed technical details.
Compliance with Planning and Environmental conditions can save you heartache and a lot of money should you choose not to follow specialist advice. Retrospective applications and non-compliance will be costly, so make sure you get it right first time to save time and money.
Planning Permissions and Licenses
Questions you will need to ask prior to embarking on your new build kitchen design:
Do you need to apply for planning consent?
Is your development in a conservation area or listed building?
Do you need to apply for building regulations compliance for alterations?
Do planning conditions need to be discharged prior to installation of a kitchen ventilation system?
Do you need to apply for a license to operate or a change of use: i.e. from commercial property A1 Retail to A3 Restaurant or A5 Hot Food Takeaway?
Newly Launched Bistro Opts for Induction Cooking To Get Things Fired Up
A newly launched Hertfordshire Bistro is hoping induction cooking will be the difference when it comes to making guests warm to its contemporary offering based on classic British and European cuisine.
The Arbury in Baldock, which opened it’s doors just a few months ago, in a derelict former Greene King pub site, has turned to induction cooking to deliver food for its 40 covers; opting for induction cooking technology over gas as it bids to speed up the cooking process.
Martin Nisbet and partner Lucy Thompson, the pair behind the Arbury, made an enquiry to bespoke commercial kitchen specialists, Target Catering Equipment, about the possibility of introducing induction cooking into their new restaurant having previously worked with gas.
Convinced by the subsequent conversations and a visit to Target headquarters, The Arbury turned to Target for a full kitchen fit out, including the installation of an induction stove complete with induction solid top, induction plancha, fast action salamander grill, extraction system and bespoke fabrication of service hot pass, shelves, dishwasher sinks and tabling.
The whole kitchen was fitted and completed in July 2019 and in the months the bistro has been open, Martin, who operates as effective head chef, pot washer and everything in between, has been experiencing the operational and financial benefits of induction first-hand.
“The power that induction offers is phenomenal,” said Martin. “I don’t have to leave things switched on and can now do things instantaneously so, therefore, the ambient temperature is significantly less.
“I went for induction as it’s the way the modern world is heading, and I wanted to use renewable energy. Also, it’s far more pleasant to work in an induction kitchen all day than gas. It’s easier to clean and we don’t have to deal with gas burning all day. Going with induction was a win-win situation,” he added.
With his new induction kitchen, Martin can switch his salamander grill on whenever he needs it, with the fast action unit reaching full heat within just 4 seconds, as opposed to using a gas grill which would usually have to be left on for the duration of full shifts.
As someone who “hates cleaning”, Martin also benefits from only needing to carry out a simple wipe down of the units after shifts, a stark contrast to the dirty burned on carbonised black environment caused by cooking with gas.
Having saved on time, money and energy by turning to induction, Martin summed up his new pièce de résistance as a nod towards the future of commercial cooking.
“Having worked with gas for many years before opening The Arbury, I’ve noticed a massive difference between the two. It’s quite revolutionary actually and I feel quite emotional talking about it. I can’t thank the team at Target enough for helping me turn my vision into something beautiful.”
David Pedrette, Managing Director at Target Catering Equipment, said: “To hear such fantastic feedback from Martin is wonderful for what we’re trying to do. Induction has so many benefits, especially for smaller operators such as The Arbury where quick turn around and fast heat is essential. We’re delighted that Martin is so pleased and we wish him all the best with his efforts at The Arbury!”
Target is widely known for its commercial induction ranges, which have been recognised as highly sustainable products by industry body CESA/FCSI and the Carbon Trust.
For more information on The Arbury, visit https://www.thearburybaldock.co.uk/
Asian Restaurant Kitchens - It's Out with Tradition!
Target's Managing Director, David Pedrette, discusses why traditional Asian Oriental kitchens need to evolve in order to be successful.
Producing commercial kitchens for almost 30 years, Target Catering Equipment has seen many changes within the Asian Oriental Cuisine sector and experiences on a daily basis the hurdles that the industry is faced with, whether it's restrictions from local councils, staffing issues or energy costs. As equipment manufacturers and design consultants, it's Targets job to find solutions to overcome these issues. Here, Target's Managing Director, David Pedrette, discusses the future of Asian Oriental kitchens.
Asian Oriental cuisine is a favourite on British high streets, however, is fiercely competitive, with an estimated two businesses closing down each week, business owners are always looking at ways to increase profit and maximise output, without compromising on quality and consistency. There are many factors which contribute to the success of an Asian Oriental business many of which can be found inside the kitchen.
Gone are the days when businesses started up on a shoestring with minimal regulation and compliance issues, using a mix of used, second hand affordable equipment that was unregulated and inefficient, usually hived off from kitchen refurbishments and rescued from the scrap yard.
As a result of lack of regulations over the years high streets have become overcrowded, with rental and business rated climbing businesses now have to consider smaller premises. With this comes the challenge of installing a working kitchen that makes the most of the available space, is efficient and does not compromise the quality of the finished product.
Planning Your Commercial Kitchen -
Kitchens must be compliant to all regulations and restrictions; with modern regulations becoming ever more stringent and governing bodies carrying out regular checks to regulate compliance, sourcing equipment which complies with regulations is a major factor.
The amount of regulations you are required to comply with starts with the type of fuel you decide to use within the kitchen. Traditionally, gas has always been the favoured fuel within the Asian Oriental market. however, with the recent development of commercial induction cooking technology there is now a more powerful, controllable and efficient alternative to gas, which is not burdened with the regulations as attached to gas equipment.
With all electric commercial kitchens, ventilation systems become smaller, more efficient, cheaper to install and maintain. Regulations are minimised meaning compliance with local authority regulations and DEFRA requirements becomes easier.
One of the major stigmas that are linked to working in an Asian Oriental kitchen is the environment. When using gas fired open burners, Asian Oriental kitchens are amongst the hottest commercial kitchens to be working in. However, when induction technology is used, there is no waste heat being given off into the atmosphere, all the heat and energy goes diectly into the product in the pan, resulting in a substantially cooler kitchen for chefs to work in.
Induction technology also dramatically reduces fuel costs, not only do you remove the waste heat from the kitchen, energy is only consumed when the pan is on the hob. With instantaneous heat, burners do not need to be left on to heat up, minimising energy consumption, reducing fuel costs and speeding up cooking times.
With the number of fully trained, qualified, Asian Oriental chef's rapidly depleting, running a business and kitchen which attracts the best staff has never been more important. This continual lack of skill has inevitably resulted in the decrease in qualtiy of end product thus over the years resulting with the negative reputation that the industry is often tarnished with by younger generations.
In order to remove the stigma that comes with working within the Asian Oriental industry working conditions and tradition has to change, it's time to embrace modern technology.
Business owners are now able to employ staff that may lack in skill, whilst remaining certain that the end product will not be compromised, and will be of a consistent quality no matter which chef is in the kitchen purely by implementing automation and programming into cooking processes. These easy to use systems are more often image controlled and are therefore easy to use by people of varying ethnicities, without any confusion, thus addressing the ongoing crisis of lack of skilled staff, giving head chefs the opportunity to expand their skills and develop menus trying out new ideas with the kitchen.
Once the equipment has been chosen it's important to get the right layout. Having the correct layout will ensure flow within the kitchen and minimise the possibilities of cross contamination.
This is the secret to business success, getting the right equipment and systems in place to optimise output without compromising quality while delivering great service and hospitality in comfortable on trend surroundings.
Target's 5 Top Tips:
Make sure your kitchen complies with the latest regulations
Consider which type of fuel will be best for you
Trial equipment before making decisions
Think about long term running costs
Invest in your business at the start for long term success