Help needed

   I can't tell you what other schools are like, but I can tell you a bit about the school that I am attending.  Just so you know, though, I am studying Culinary Arts at a local community college, so it only offers a two year degree, or a certificate.

   The kitchen is huge, of course, as we generally have 2 classes plus a small cafe cooking there.  There is an adjacent area where the baking and pastry art students do their work.  There are 4 huge stoves and a small deep frying station in the back part of the kitchen where my class normally is.  Up in the front of the kitchen, there is a grill, as well as a medium sized griddle.  There are a few stationary tables set up there, next to various coolers and cooking equipment. 

   Do realize that most kitchen equipment is mounted on casters so that the body of the equipment is at least 6 inches off of the floor.  Either that, or it has to be sealed to the floor.  The walk-in coolers and freezers are required to be sealed to the floor and wall(s).  Also, just so you know, coving is required to be used, to prevent any sharp areas that would be difficult to clean.

   We have several handwashing stations located in various parts of the kitchen, as well as a small bathroom.  There are rooms for cleaning supplies, dry storage, offices within the kitchen, and of course, a room especially designed for dishwashing.

   We have a lot of movable tables, so that the students can use them to do their prep work.  Sometimes we use induction burners, and various other types of kitchen equipment on them, as well, so the room is supplied with multiple overhead electrical outlets.

   That is about all that I can think of, right now.  I hope that it helps.

Some "design items" to remember:

• Hand wash sinks within the area of EACH work station
• Ware washing area requires three (3) sinks, wash, rinse, sanitize
• ALL sinks within the kitchen area MUST have "air gap drains", i.e., the sinks MUST drain into floor sinks with, I believe, not less than a 6 inch (15 cm) air gap between the sink drain and the floor sink drain
• Floors MUST be impervious where food is stored, prepped, or cooked
• ANYTHING resting on the floor must either be movable or tightly sealed to the floor to avoid collecting food stuffs or liquids
• There are specific "air change" requirements for ventilation and make-up air, especially concerning the "hot line"
• There are specific "fire suppression" requirements for "open flames" and "grease laden vapors".

Otherwise, the school should be accessible to non-school personnel to provide for a customer base to eat the food produced by the students.

Equipment is dependent on the curriculum, i.e. deep fat fryers may not be necessary in the stock making kitchen, ovens are essential in baking kitchens, etc. It would be a good idea to discuss the layout and equipment with the Executive Chef in charge of the school!

Air Gap sinks in Florida are only required for specific SALAD prep sinks. Floors must be Non slip if tile(Osha) and workmans comp  req. All refrig. must have external or internal thermometers and wire racks

   Thanks, Chef McCracken, I had forgotten about those minor, tiny, little details.  Hmm, as for location, you would want your students to be able to access the school pretty freely, so I certainly consider locating it near a city bus route.  I would think that you would want some sort of a business district around, where you would draw your cafe customer base from.  I wouldn't necessarily want it near a bunch of other restaurants, though.  Why add to your competition?  However, being a beginning Culinary Arts student, I have never opened up a new restaurant, either, so my opinions on this should be suspect.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nadeest ...I wouldn't necessarily want it near a bunch of other restaurants, though.  Why add to your competition? ....

Ah, but "competition" is only bad when the food you are producing is not a good as the competition!

Besides, if you locate where people are use to going for food, then your "walk in potential" is more targeted.