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Who Can Assist In Putting Together A Restaurant Kitchen?

Posted in kitchen, Uncategorized on 05/12/2011 10:48 pm by admin

There are typically 3 types of restaurant kitchen design consulting firms available. All of which can very professionally develop a kitchen project with an owner and their design team, but only a few can add value in ways that others can't, so if you are not sure what you are looking for in a consultant, you first have to understand the capabilities and limitations of each.

The first type of commercial kitchen design consultant would be one that works only in the field of design. This consultant does not sell equipment, is not associated with any specific manufacturer and will provide a project with the most unbiased options for specifications based on the owners parameters. In utilizing this type of consultant, once the design process is completed, the owner is typically responsible for managing the acquisition and installation of equipment from a separate company to bring the project to fruition. Depending on the level of experience of the restaurateur, this could prove quite challenging and can absorb much of their time.

The other two types of restaurant and hotel kitchen design firms are similar in nature, but function very differently in their approach and capabilities. They are considered what would be termed design build firms. The first of the two are primarily restaurant equipment supply firms that offer design services at a reduced or no fee. On the surface, this seems like a great deal for the business owner, but as any entrepreneur will tell you, nothing in this world is free so do take this marketing tactic with a grain of salt.

These equipment dealers are usually aligned with certain manufacturers in that they purchase from them in bulk, which provides them greater buying power and access to rebates when purchasing in volume. If the new business owner does not have a preference as to what brand of equipment they will be using, this can be a cost effective direction to go since they can tap into the dealer's buying power and reduce some of their initial costs. The downside is obviously that the business is relegated to what that dealer buys well, which may or may not be in the best interest of the new operator.

The last of the design firms is essentially a hybrid of the two consultants referenced above. Although be aware of firms that claim to do it all themselves, they tend to be a jack of all trades and masters of none. This last type is a full service design build firm can provide as much or as little a new owner may need to develop their project; including cost effective equipment supply without affiliation with any manufacturer. The specification preferences of equipment by this consultant may be biased, but this will be derived from professional operating experience as a user as it relates to the needs of the project, not based on the potential increase of profit. A true full service restaurant kitchen design firm will have a number of outside resources they can provide the owner in the fields of architecture, engineering, construction as well as with business development services like brand development and graphic design, that they have worked with in the past and feel are the best fit for the project. They should refer a restaurateur to these companies via introduction and allow the owner to contract with them directly.

There are numerous options out there to assist any new owner with the development of their business, but regardless of what type of firm or consultant you decide on; know and understand your needs before you contact anyone to submit a proposal. This will save you valuable time during the interview process and will provide your potential team member with a clear understanding of the type of service you are looking for.

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