Health and Safety Factors For Kitchen Design and Installation

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Meeting health and safety requirements is an essential consideration when designing and installing a new kitchen and equipment. Making sure all bases are covered will take a lot of planning beforehand, and with new COVID-19 restrictions, there’s even more to think about – ensuring you’re social distancing and providing the right hygiene measures is crucially important.

We’ve put together some health and safety factors to consider for kitchen design and installation to make staff and customers feel safe at all times.

Ventilation

It’s common sense that a safe kitchen needs the correct ventilation to maintain the right temperature, but with a refurbishment, it’s crucial that it remains a highly important factor of your kitchen. The right ventilation will not only make food preparation areas safe for kitchen staff, but will also make the temperate more bearable too. 

There is an increasing need to maintain and improve hygiene standards and reduce fire hazards within kitchens, and ventilation is the key to getting it right.  We have over 4 decades experience in the design, manufacture and installation of all types of commercial kitchen and industrial ventilation systems, so we’re the best people to speak to!

Space and flow of a kitchen

Every stage of the cooking process should be considered when designing and installing a commercial kitchen and equipment. If space is an issue in your kitchen, then the risks will certainly be increased if you don’t make the most of it. Space and flow issues, especially with fresh food and waste, can be a breeding ground for bacteria.

However, a smaller space doesn’t mean the end of the world – you just need clever design. It can be hard to organise and transform a space when you don’t have much to work with, but that’s why our design team is here! We’ve designed countless kitchens, big and small, to ensure the flow of your kitchen works for your staff with protective measures in place to protect against COVID-19.

Up to date equipment

Is it about time you started looking into new pieces of equipment or upgrades on older equipment? If you’re in need of a new commercial kitchen, it makes sense to consider what you need and how you can make your food preparation space more efficient. Not only will equipment in tip-top condition make food taste better and keep your kitchen staff more organised, but newer equipment or serviced equipment can save your kitchen money and energy in the long run.

When your ventilation or catering equipment malfunctions, you can always rely on Swift Maintenance to get your operations back up and running again as smoothly as possible. With accredited technicians situated throughout the UK, we aim to be by your side within four hours of your call.

General safety and cleanliness

Of course, when you have new equipment installed, you need to ensure you take care of it properly. Daily cleaning of equipment is mandatory to keep a kitchen safe and removing any hazards in the environment will also assist in doing so. Make sure you can keep up with the demands of everything a new kitchen install brings before you commit to ensure you get the most of it.

Need help with your next design/install project?

Choose Swift for your kitchen design and installation project and receive the most professional and cost-effective approach. We have been in the industry for more than 40 years and have built up a strong reputation for quality and design. For more details on how we can help you, contact us today and book an appointment.

New Year, New Kitchen: 2021 Trends and Beyond

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A brand new year seems like the perfect time to spruce up your commercial kitchen and make sure it is fit for purpose, especially in the new normal. Whether you’re in desperate need of some new kitchen equipment to keep staff safe and working efficiently, or you’re looking into a full kitchen refurbishment, we can help you get there.

Even though we can’t all enjoy restaurants to the fullest at the moment, some are still opening for takeaway, and are still functioning in order to not only serve customers, but to keep their business afloat in these troubling times. Here are some kitchen trends for 2021 and beyond, and exactly how Swift can help make your kitchen design dreams a reality.

Express/Ghost kitchens

As more and more kitchens are forced into take away only service, it’s inevitable that we’ll see a rise in the amount of express or ghost kitchens. These kitchens are specifically designed for takeaway only service, but, depending on the establishment, may allow diners to collect orders. With social distancing and lockdown measures in place for the UK, the rise of these kitchens is inevitable for the future, but for just how much longer remains unknown.

Customer pick up areas

With predictions of collection maintaining its popularity into 2021 after the current lockdown, it’s inevitable that restaurant kitchens will need to incorporate pick up areas for their customers. These areas will need to keep social distancing measures in mind and also make it easy for customers to swiftly collect their orders and be on their way. We predict this will be the norm for the foreseeable future!

Drive thru ordering

Drive thru order and pick up has been the norm for a handful of fast food restaurants for a while, particularly McDonald’s who opened their first in the UK in the mid 80’s. Even though many current restaurants don’t have the capacity to incorporate a drive thru service, that doesn’t mean to say new-build restaurants and kitchens won’t. We can probably predict that a variety of new restaurant builds may opt for additional drive thru capacity just to ensure they keep on retaining custom whatever the future holds for the current pandemic. 

Dining pods

Moving away from kitchens slightly and more into dining, we can probably expect to see a lot of change with how diners enjoy their meals while eating in a restaurant. For customers to feel safer eating out, restaurants will have to plan ahead if they want to retain custom and entice customers back when lockdown has eased. Dining pods are looking to become the norm, shielding diners from one another whilst making them feel comfortable and safe at all times.

Other things to think about

When reopening your kitchen in 2021, attention to detail in this new normal is what will ensure you succeed. Here are some of the things you’ll want to consider to make things run as smoothly as possible.

Make the most of your space

Gone are the days when small kitchens meant limitations in service. These days, with advanced technology and design software, we can measure up the space you have and help you make the most of it. Clever, compact design and equipment can transform smaller kitchen spaces and give you abilities you never thought you needed. Speak to us if you’d like to see what’s possible!

Care for the environment

New catering equipment is much more environmentally friendly than old equipment you may have had for some time. Out with the old and in with the new will most definitely get you on the way to saving money and energy. Here at Swift, we can not only help you create an efficient kitchen space to work in, but also help you choose the right equipment to fill it with. 

How can Swift help you?

Swift Maintenance offers commercial kitchen design, installation and maintenance throughout the UK. For the past 40 years, we’ve been helping businesses in commercial kitchen installations, catering and refrigeration equipment, air conditioning and kitchen ventilation systems. 
We’ve helped our clients build, expand and maintain their operation by advising, designing and delivering future proof solutions that meet and exceed their needs. If we can help you meet your kitchen goals for 2021 and beyond, give Swift a call today: 0121 505 4001.

Which Combi Oven Is Best For Your Kitchen?

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It goes without saying that the commercial oven is an essential element of professional kitchen equipment. An appliance that meets your demands as well as providing the type of cooking you need proves invaluable in a commercial kitchen, but getting it right requires a bit of thought. How can you ensure you’re choosing the right combi oven for your commercial kitchen?

Even though the main job of combination ovens are the same, there are different features and specifications available to ensure you get the most out of yours. We’ve put together a few things to consider before you settle on a specific oven – as always, if you need any further assistance, speak to the Swift experts by calling us on 0121 505 4001.

Freestanding/Countertop

This is a consideration when looking at the size of your kitchen. If you have limited free space or a smaller kitchen, a countertop model may be your best bet. Bigger kitchens with a high demand for service will most definitely need a bigger, freestanding option. No matter which option you choose, there are many ovens to choose from to suit your needs.

Holding capacity and controls

Knowing how often your combi oven will be used and the volume of meals being prepared will help when identifying the ideal holding capacity for your new oven. Observe the number of orders and how many meals are being distributed, so you know how much needs to be prepared simultaneously.

The controls for your combi oven will also depend on the complexity of your menu. Automated controls that are programmed into the oven will come at a greater expense, but are often needed for more precise cooking. Manual controls from a chef will provide a more personalised touch, but of course, there is still room for human error.

Ease of cleanliness

Kitchens can be hectic environments and when cleaning time comes around, you need to be able to do your duties quickly and effectively. With many modern combi ovens for commercial kitchens boasting advanced technology, self cleaning features are becoming more common, saving time and resources. However, most ovens have an easy clean guide to help reduce the time it takes to get an oven ready for its next service.

Budgets

The price you pay for your commercial combi oven will vary depending on the needs of your kitchen. However, if you can afford the investment, your new oven will prove to be very worthwhile, as it will save time, money and resources in the long run by performing cooking tasks with ease, and being something you use with each and every kitchen service.

If you have any questions about costing or all the options that are available to you when purchasing your oven, get in touch with the team.

Rely on Swift for the best combi ovens for your kitchen

The right oven will depend on your business and needs. We select commercial kitchen equipment that is high-quality and able to withstand the demands of busy food service. If you’re in need of a new combi oven upgrade or even additional ovens for a thriving kitchen, get in touch with the team at Swift today on 0121 505 4001 or use our contact form here.

Commercial Design For Care Home Kitchens

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It’s crucially important for care home kitchens to be well designed to ensure that they work for a specific home. Here at Swift, we understand that each care home is different, each with different sized and shaped spaces to work with. Not only that, but the regular need to serve hot meals to residents must be considered too. It can be a tricky job, but that’s exactly why we’re here – and we’ve got the best team to help make care home kitchen visions a reality!

There are a number of steps we take to ensure that our commercial design for care home kitchens meets the needs of the care home staff, making their jobs safer and more effective.

Meeting hygiene criteria

Now more than ever, care homes need to be thoroughly protected from the spread of germs as many residents will be in a vulnerable category. Our commercial design for your care home kitchen will take this into account and ensure that surfaces and equipment are easy to clean and suitable for frequent cleaning and disinfecting. It’s also important to remember handwashing facilities and sanitising stations too, for both staff and residents.

If you need any help or advice for what your care home kitchen should include, speak to Team Swift.

Maximising space

In the past, we’ve managed to help many establishments make the most of their available space and to create a kitchen environment that works for them. See our refurb of the Duke of York, Litchfield here,where we came up with a cost-effective way of giving their kitchen a much needed makeover. Our design team are experts when it comes to maximising space to ensure you get the most out of it. Give us a call if we can help your visions come to life.

Storage and equipment

Depending on the size of your care home, you may need more storage space for equipment and food, and thankfully, we’re experts in space saving design. Our team will closely liaise with you in order to establish your goals and specifications, and we’ll then guide you throughout the whole process, selecting the finest kitchen equipment and installing them to ensure your kitchen never lets you down.

For more information about exactly what we can bring to your new design, see our catering equipment supply.

Comfortable environments

A lot of the time, care home staff who look after residents day in, day out are also the kitchen staff, so a kitchen environment needs to be as comfortable and as bearable as possible. We offer commercial kitchen ventilation to ensure your staff members remain cool while preparing hot dishes for residents.

Looking for help with your care home kitchen design project?

We are a kitchen design team that offers a complete service, from the initial concept through to the finished project. With more than four decades’ experience in the industry, we can turn your care home kitchen visions into a reality. Whether you are looking for a small upgrade or to completely redesign your kitchen, our talented team will give you the best service and products available.

Call the Swift team today on 0121 505 4001 for more information.