When you consider designing your own restaurant, you likely have tons of decor ideas. However, one aspect that you really need to take into consideration is disease control. By following the tips below, you can successfully fight disease that would otherwise fester in your eatery.
Have Separate Stations
If you’ve done any reading up on foodborne diseases, then you know cross-contamination is one of the biggest causes. This could be as simple as using a cutting board for meat and fruit. To help avoid cross-contamination in your restaurant, simply designate various stations for different categories of food. This way, all the meat cutting can be put in one area and all the fruits cutting in another. It’s much easier to avoid the effects of cross-contamination if you have separate equipment for the various foods that you produce.
Easy to Clean Materials
At the basis of your restaurant health is your cleaning staff. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that people are more willing to put effort into cleaning when dealing with easy materials. For example, restaurant ceiling tiles are one very easy material that will make your staff want to clean your ceilings. Stainless steel appliances are another that takes a few minutes to scrub and they look like new. The materials you pick to construct your restaurant will make all the difference in the cleaning requirements your staff will undergo.
Consider Delivery and Storage Needs
When designing the back of the house, you need to take into consideration the delivery of your foods and the way you store them. Just as cross-contamination can be present during the preparation of your foods, this can happen when you store your foods. You should have a clear delivery route that is easy to access and doesn’t pose the risk of intermingling food. Your storage should be separate for various categories of items that you have at your restaurant.
Have Staff Entrances Away from the Food
One of the best ways to prevent disease in your kitchen is to have separate entrances for your staff members. Your servers are the most likely to bring in disease due to their constant interaction with customers. You should, therefore, have a separate area designated for food pickup that is set apart from the actual kitchen. When your cooking staff enters to start their day, the entrance should not truck through the kitchen. Rather, it should be a separate room that they can get properly suited up before entering the kitchen.
The design of your restaurant does more than just impress your patrons. It makes a world of difference in how your business operates. By setting up your restaurant with these key tips in mind, you’ll be better able to control disease in your eatery.