We’ve pulled together the top 3 commercial kitchen trends our team at Gratte Brothers Catering Equipment Limited has spotted so far this year:

Commercial catering has had a tough few years, to put it lightly. Now, with kitchens reopened and public confidence in dining out restored, we’re seeing some definitive trends emerging within the industry. Our work in design, installation and maintenance at Gratte Brothers Catering Equipment Limited (GBCEL) has provided us with inside knowledge that we’d like to share, to help you plan your next commercial kitchen venture.

1. Duplicate cooklines

The pandemic has had numerous derivative effects on society, with one being a greater awareness of environmental issues and a shift towards eco-friendly lifestyle practises. As a result, public interest in veganism has soared over the last few years. The last survey in 2019 estimated that there are upwards of 600,000 vegans in the UK, with The Vegan Society recording a record 1milion sign-ups to Veganuary, January 2022.

This is creating a knock-on effect throughout the food industry (and beyond). For instance, Deliveroo reported that in 2021, 15,000 restaurants added plant-based dishes to their standard menus. One trend that GBCEL has noticed as a result is the increasing numbers of requests for duplicate cooklines in commercial kitchens; one for meat, and one for plant-based meals.

Incorporating duplicate cooklines into your kitchen design serves to avoid cross-contamination and provides a PR hook for your establishment. Additionally, it could save your brand facing negative press in the same way Burger King did in 2019 when it was discovered that their meatless patties were being prepared on the same equipment as their meat patties; angering their vegan patrons.

2. Multiple collection points

Another trend with its roots in the pandemic is the rise in consideration for food collection points. The pandemic created a huge demand in home-delivery of professionally cooked food. This trend is proving to be permanent, despite the return of on-site dining. To ensure customers are having the best possible interaction with their brand, business owners are increasingly looking to integrate multiple collection points to their commercial kitchens. The first of these is the customer collection point, with seating and the option to order a drink while waiting. Secondly, designated driver dispatch points; designed to keep drivers from interrupting the main restaurant area. The traditional chef-pass areas are being retained, but with a renewed sole-purpose for providing dishes for restaurant dining only.

Integrating all these dispatch points maximises kitchen efficiency, and improves the customer experience for restaurant patrons – a win, win!

3. 3D design

The ability to design, review and adapt 3D kitchen designs has revolutionised kitchen planning. Creating a virtual and immersive plan highlights unforeseen issues before any resource has been wasted to reach that same point in real life. Plus, it has the added benefit of maximising communication pre-design/installation; the customer is able to sign-off on the project knowing that what’s being delivered is an exact match to their brief. Gratte Brothers Catering Equipment Limited has the ability to create these 3D designs and virtual walk-throughs in-house. This technology proves its value in minimising errors and maximising customer satisfaction on every project it’s utilised in.

See a sample walk-through of a recent project, here:

Paul Gilhooly of GBCEL

Thanks go to Paul Gilhooly, Sales Director at GBCEL for providing the insight behind this article.
If you’re planning your next commercial kitchen project, get in touch with our expert team today to see how we can help you.