Introduction
The basic elements for a food service to function properly are equipment and furniture. When we talk about equipment, we are referring to the provision of materials used in a kitchen to prepare food.
On the other hand, furniture is a group of furniture that serves to decorate the place or business, currently there are different types of furniture that are intended to design a room, dining room or kitchen.
The decoration of the place will be in charge of giving style to the establishment, you must take into account the colors and designs that accentuate the materials that the place was built in, so that they will look more beautiful and attractive to the client.
In this work the use that is given to these elements in establishments that have a food service will be addressed, since it is known that the kitchen is a department in which they can be properly managed, either for preparation, handling and food processing.
Provision of equipment and furniture
When it comes to equipment and furniture, they refer to all those pieces of furniture that are intended for the use of customers as well as the service personnel themselves. It is very important that when selecting the furniture and equipment these are made of materials such as stainless steel, aluminum and wood, it should be noted that in order to carry out your choice, a series of qualities must be taken into account that allow a perfect adequacy between the furniture and the establishment, which must have the following characteristics:
It must be related to the category of the establishment, its decoration and the type of offer.
The design must be one of the most comfortable for the client, and thus be able to facilitate the service to the worker.
Construction materials must be easy to clean and preserve.
Standard designs and measurements should be chosen, to facilitate replacement in the event of a break or a poor condition.
Classification of furniture
In a food service establishment, furniture and equipment are classified into two groups: those that are intended for the use of customers as well as those that are intended for service personnel.
Intended for the client
- Tables: these are very useful in the provision of the service, since it is the element on which the client usually relies to taste the food to be consumed, the tables can be of different square, round, rectangular and oval shapes, it is worth mentioning The choice of these will depend on the characteristics of the establishment, although it is beneficial that this type of place have different types in terms of shape and capacity. Chairs: they are one of the essential pieces of furniture in a food service, since that it is up to them that customers feel comfortable.
They must be light in weight, in accordance with the decoration of the premises, as well as being easy to clean and maintain. Usually this type of furniture is made of materials such as wood, plastic and metal, but it is worth mentioning that in restaurants, wood is the most used.
- Highchairs: these are chairs with a smaller size, they have high legs, it is used more than anything to feed young children. Boards: they are tables of larger dimensions, generally used for the assembly of special services such as banquets, cocktail bars, buffet, coffee break, among others.
They consist of a rectangular as well as a round or oval surface with folding legs. They must be made with materials that are light, allowing them to be moved from one place to another.
Others: within this group are the furniture and equipment that can be found in restaurants such as sofas, stools, coat racks, umbrella stands, ashtrays, this more than anything to facilitate the service, making customers feel more comfortable.
Intended for use by service personnel
Sideboard: its main function is to support and house a small supply of the most used materials such as cutlery, earthenware and glassware so that they can be kept on hand. They are mainly made of wood.
Sideboards must have the following parts:
- Drawers for cutlery Shelves or shelves where materials are deposited Closed compartment with doors Compartment for dirty clothes, where tablecloths, napkins and clothes used during service are kept Top shelf, this is to help staff during work.
- Auxiliary table or gueridón: it facilitates the service to the room staff, using it as a support in the handling of dishes in sight of the client, they are mainly made of light wood, they also have wheels on the legs, they are intended to facilitate the transport of food and have better mobility. They are usually square or rectangular in shape. Buffet furniture: these are exclusively used in the buffet service. They have a wide range of accessories that complement them, there are different sizes and models, they are usually located in the center of the dining room for the exhibition of food as well as beverages and other items. Lingerie wardrobe: they are used to store all the clothes for regular use in the dining room such as tablecloths, napkins and cloths for review. Humidifying cabinet or purse:It is a cabinet where cigars that are in good condition for consumption are kept and preserved.Hot or roast beef cart: they are used to keep food warm, as well as to carve cuts of meat in front of customers, they are usually made of materials like wood.
On the other hand, the fundamental elements to be able to acquire a kitchen equipment are:
- They are easy to handle and clean, they are not very heavy, they are resistant to heat and shock, they are smooth and have a good finish.
The teams are classified in two ways:
- Fixed equipment: it includes those teams that due to their size, weight or the needs of facilities (water, electricity, electricity) are required to remain in a stable place for their use. Examples of these are stoves, fryers, grills, ovens. Semi-fixed equipment: they are those equipment that due to their characteristics, that is, due to their size, weight and functions, can be moved from one place to another, for example mixers, blenders, toasters slicers.
conclusion
The provision of equipment and furniture is essential to manage in an establishment that has a food service since with the help of these, a good service can be provided to customers.
Among the tools that include the furniture are the tables, chairs, highchairs, boards, sideboards, buffet furniture, carts, etc., it should be noted that they must be comfortable and elegant, so that they combine with the decoration of the establishment.
Currently there is a classification of these elements, the equipment is divided into fixed and semi-fixed equipment, while the furniture is classified into those that are intended for the client such as the use of service personnel, it is very important that when making the buy of these elements choose to purchase those that are made with stainless steel.
On the other hand, the equipment that is most used in food services are stoves, refrigerators, grills, ovens, irons, microwaves, dishwashers, sinks, these are mainly used for the preparation of food that will be consumed by diners. The equipment to be handled must be easy to clean, with a good finish and resistant to heat.
References
- García AJ. Use of the basic provision of the restaurant and assistance in the pre-service. 1 edition. INNOVA Editorial; 2012. García OF, et al. Basic operations and services in catering and special events. 2nd edition. Ediciones Paraninfo, SA; Madrid Spain: 2011.Gruner H. Cooking Processes. 1 edition. Ediciones Akal, SA; Madrid Spain: 2008. Anonymous. Use of the basic equipment of the restaurant and assistance in the pre-service - preparation of combined dishes and snacks. 1 edition. Vertex editorial; Madrid: 2009.
