Kitchen Operations & Planning
The bigger decisions behind a working kitchen: how to lay it out, how to store cold stock, how to power and ventilate it, and how to keep trading when the grid or the site fights back.
- Gas vs Electric Equipment for Load-Shedding Kitchens in South AfricaHow to keep a commercial kitchen cooking through power cuts — what gas can and can't run, the electric loads that matter, generator sizing basics, and the safety rules.
- Commercial Kitchen Layout: Workflow Zones That Keep Service MovingHow to lay out a commercial kitchen so service flows — the delivery-to-service zones, separating raw and ready-to-eat workflows, and the placement mistakes that slow a kitchen down.
- Kitchen Extraction and Ventilation: Grease, Fire Risk and Staying CompliantWhy commercial kitchen extraction matters beyond comfort — grease build-up and duct fires, make-up air, the cleaning schedule that keeps it safe, and the compliance points inspectors check.
- Power for Outdoor and Event Catering: Generators, Gas and Staying Safe Off-GridHow to power a mobile or event catering setup in South Africa — generator sizing for catering loads, gas vs electric off-grid, food safety without a fixed kitchen, and the safety rules.
- Cold Rooms vs Walk-in Freezers: Choosing Commercial Cold StorageHow to choose cold storage for a commercial kitchen — cold room vs walk-in freezer vs reach-ins, sizing by volume and menu, airflow and loading rules, and the questions to ask before you buy.
- Scaling Recipes for Large Events: Catering for 200 Without Losing the PlotHow to scale a recipe from kitchen portion to event volume — the maths that isn't linear, seasoning and thickening at scale, batch cooking and holding, and the prep that makes service survivable.
- Portion Control and Food Cost: the Habits That Protect Your MarginsHow commercial kitchens control food cost — standardised recipes and portioning, yield and waste tracking, stock counts, and the small daily habits that decide whether a menu makes money.