State-of-the-art equipment can help make commercial kitchens smarter and more efficient, but for Kathleen Held, who leads one of the nation’s top foodservice consulting firms, a human-centric approach to kitchen design is equally important. And for Held, President/CEO of Washington, D.C.-based Cini-Little, the most effective human-centric approach to kitchen design includes strong focus on inclusivity.
“More attention is typically paid to dining rooms in terms of meeting compliance codes and ensuring inclusivity, but not enough consideration is given to kitchens and the people working there,” Held says. “It’s a different set of challenges that needs to be addressed from the very start of the design process. The bottom line is that inclusive back-of-house design results in safer, more dignified, lower-friction work environments for a wide range of bodies, abilities, languages and neurotypes. It’s really critical, especially with labor recruitment, retention and injury reduction being strategic priorities.”
For designers, Held notes, it starts with understanding client cultures and identifying employee characteristics, including those that may fall into so-called edge categories. “Considering the edges doesn’t mean just designing with obvious special needs in mind. We also think about everyday things, such as right- versus left-handedness; height, girth and arm-reach ranges; mobility levels; strength; hearing and vision issues; sensitivity to noise, temperatures or lighting extremes. It’s about human engineering and ergonomics. When you design for those at the margins, everyone’s experience improves.”
Among the design and equipment strategies and tools Held and her team use to create kitchens that work for a wider spectrum of employees:
- Primary task reach distances within 15 to 48 inches.
- Height-adjustable work tables and a mix of prep table heights, allowing for knee and toe clearance for seated work.
- Landing zones at heavy-use appliances.
- Powered pan/rack lifts and cart ramps.
- Multilingual and pictogram-based training tools.
- Sound-absorptive ceilings and walls, and low-glare task lighting.
- Circulation space of 40 to 60 inches for primary hot-line aisles and turning clearances for mobility devices and carts.
- Staff spaces, including appropriately sized lockers, hydration stations and, where feasible, quiet break/lactation/prayer accommodation areas.
“We’re also embracing newer and expanding solutions, such as digital checklists with icons and audio support, and hearing-assist and/or visual/vibration alerts at expo stations,” Held says. “And we know there are some issues, especially relating to neuro inclusivity, that merit greater focus. To that end, we’re looking at design solutions for noise management, predictable visual fields and low-stimulus break zones.”
Looking ahead, Held says, such inclusivity-driven designs strategies will only grow in importance. “We all — designers, consultants, operators — need to keep evolving and innovating to meet the needs not just of today’s employees but also of the workforce of the future. As the labor force continues to evolve, what will the ‘edge’ characteristics be? Kitchens are built to last more than a few years. We have to work now to ensure that we’re prepared to meet those future needs.”
