BULK PRODUCTION

THE ABILITY TO EFFICIENTLY PRODUCE VAST VOLUMES OF A VARIETY of FOOD items FROM WITHIN A CENTRAL PRODUCTION KITCHEN

Providing healthy, nutritious meals for customers are of vital importance to the caterer. However, the central or bulk production kitchens must be able to produce large amounts of food across varied menu styles and catering requirements.

From refectory kitchens to banqueting, outside or events catering, these operations essentially use the same products within its catering operations. 

Falcon has had a longstanding reputation of supplying the perfect equipment to these sectors and our products can be found in most  kitchens across the nation. 

In the article below our chef offers some suggestions as to those equipment that bulk production kitchens should have to help them easily cater for the demand placed on them.

Essential Equipment – The Must Have’s:

Most central production kitchens will typically need a combination of the following products in order to produce the variety of menu items demanded in a production environment: 

  • Stock pot stoves - essential for any bulk production kitchens, allowing for large quanities of stocks and sauces. 
  • Oven Range / boiling top - all kitchens need the versatility of some kind of hob - main query is what type (open top, solid top, hotplate or induction). With the addition of an integrated oven this device will be able to deliver even more functions.
  • Combination Oven - hugely popular cooking devices for every production kitchen. Able to combine dry and moisture cooking, and on demand steam. Most flexible device.
  • Bratt pans - a must have appliance in any central or bulk production food operation, ideal for stewing, braising and shallow frying. 
  • Boiling kettles - an important piece of equipment that will help the operation cope with large amounts of soups and stocks by means of accurate thermostatic controls.

 

The combination of products the quantity and type of appliance will vary significantly with factors such as numbers catered for, size of kitchen, menu requirements, service times etc. all being important considerations when selecting equipment. 

Traditionally, production kitchen equipment featured mostly gas appliances, but new builds have seen a distinctive turn towards electrical equipment, with energy efficient products such as induction hobs and combi ovens becoming integral parts of many new kitchens. 

Consideration Points 

  • Usable kitchen space
  • Kitchen layout and design
  • One or multiple production lines
  • Energy source and capacity available for the equipment
  • Menu requirements and or food offering
  • Kitchen staffing, i.e. skills set, formally trained / qualified
  • Amount of kitchen staff vs numbers catered for
  • Other catering requirements; such as in-house or production / supply kitchen and external provision via outside catering. 
  • Collective equipment budget

 

Other Equipment – The Nice to Have’s

These products are generally not an absolute necessity for most central production kitchens but can be worth considering depending on the factors mentioned previously:

  • Fryer/s
  • Mobile heated and insulated food trolleys / carts
  • Regeneration and or hot holding ovens
  • Mobile heated plate dispensers

 

Which is best for my specific set up?

Essentially every bulk production kitchen will operate using the same type of catering equipment. Subtle differences may be models, energy source, size and manufacturer. 

Although the emphasis is now firmly on producing profitable, high quality meals / foods, it is important to recognise health and safety, reliability, efficiencies, performance and reputation as driving factors behind the considerations and decisions operators make with regards to acquiring new equipment. 

Therefore, the equipment required may well vary, not just in type, but also in the amount installed per kitchen.

The demand placed on bulk preparation kitchens not only refers to numbers catered for, but also the amount of functions or events being catered for at the same time. Without high performance and reliable equipment, this will not be possible.

Typical Kitchen Equipment Set-up

Equipment type 50 - 300 300 - 750 750 - 1000 +
Oven range / boiling top 2 - 3 3 - 4 4 - 6
Combi Oven 1 - 2 2 - 3 4 +
Bratt Pan 1 2 3 - 4
Stock pot stove 1 2 2
Boiling Pan / Kettle 0 - 1 1 2 - 3

 

Whether you need to replace existing equipment, add extra capacity or completely redesign your kitchen, our comprehensive product portfolio, experienced and knowledgeable support team and understanding of the unique requirements of the production caterer makes us the ideal partner for all your catering equipment needs.

HELP ME WITH MY CENTRAL PRODUCTION KITCHEN

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