You don’t need a lot of space to produce delicious food. If you’re currently offering minimal foodservice or selling prepackaged foods, you’re missing out on a profit opportunity. RATIONAL can show you how to set up a full-service, hot-and-cold kitchen in a space that’s about the size of a closet. It’s a great way to increase your food quality and variety, which leads to increased sales.
The Basics
If you think you need a big investment and a big space to start up a kitchen, think again. You only need a space of less than 100 square feet and a small investment to add a fully realized foodservice offering. Here’s the equipment you’ll need: sandwich/salad prep refrigerator, worktop freezer, food processor, adequate sanitation, and the RATIONAL iCombi Pro XS and UltraVent Plus XS.
RATIONAL can show you how to turn unused space into a profitable “kitchen in a closet.” The iCombi Pro XS is the compact combi oven with all the features of larger combis. With the extremely versatile iCombi Pro XS, you can grill, roast, fry, bake, braise and more. It has intelligent sensors which can detect the size and amount of food that it is cooking and make any necessary adjustments for perfect results. With a footprint of just 23” high by 25” wide by 35-3/4” tall, the iCombi Pro XS can still hold four half-sheet pans or three half-sheet pans. It monitors cooking automatically, leaving staff to focus on other duties.
The UltraVent Plus XS is a recirculating hood that uses condensation technology to trap steam and vapors. It also has special filter technology to bind and condense steam as well as the smoke created during grilling and roasting. With this combination, food can be prepared in areas where it previously was not possible, such as front-facing areas, without the investment of traditional extraction hoods.
Of course, along with the equipment listed above, you’ll need a menu concept and a few other basic essentials, such as utility connections. Finally, you’ll need to hire a cook. Be sure that they’re trained in ServSafe and all hygienic protocols per local standards.
On the Menu
With this small but efficient kitchen setup, there’s almost no limit to what you can produce. Start with breakfast: You can make freshly baked croissants and Danish pastires,, quesadillas or even a tri-tip egg hash with potatoes and peppers. For lunch and dinner service, staff can prepare a wide range of delicious flastbreads and sandwiches in the iCombi Pro XS — like a California chicken BLT and Buffalo chicken tender sandwich. And you can take advantage of the profitable shareables trend with treats like crispy chicken tender bites and loaded totchos. All these recipes have been developed with speed, profitability and delicious flavor in mind — with an eye on cross-utilization of ingredients. And they can all be made in a small kitchen, even by a less-experienced cook.
The RATIONAL team can assist you with all the help you need in setting up your new “kitchen in a closet.” A visit toour test kitchen will show you how easily it can be done — and how delicious your new menu items will be!
