How to Install an A la Carte Kitchen? What Are its Features?

20.07.2022

 

How to Install an A la Carte Kitchen? What Are its Features?

Coord. Chef Ahmet ÖZDEMİR

 

Today, à la carte kitchens, one of the favorite cuisines of professional kitchens, are at the forefront. Well, those who want to find the answer to the question of what exactly does a la carte cuisine mean, can read my article named " What is an à la carte restaurant ". In this article, I would like to talk about a la carte cuisine with my unique style and examples. A la Carte Kitchen Installations are a Work that Requires More Virtue Compared to Other Kitchen Types. Although there are institutions that carry out professional studies on this subject, some problems arise when the general application and working phase begins in the kitchens.

 

Although some of these disruptions are related to industrial kitchen companies, it is seen that most of them are caused by the new restaurant budget (construction) of the restaurant business. In fact, after months, they will see that restaurant businesses are reflected in their restaurant opening budgets as 3-4 times as much as a cost in professional kitchen planning . A construction is made once and used for a lifetime. The more regularly and completely it is made, the more effortless and convenient it serves.

 

Although making some additions to a restaurant construction after months or breaking something and rebuilding it brings extra costs, it also negatively affects the operation of the business. Therefore, among the most frequently asked questions by those who want to open a new restaurant , the question of How to Design a Kitchen is one of the most important topics to be answered. In other words , if you want to be among the Most Successful Restaurants , it should be done once by thinking at least 3 times...

 

Before Establishing an A la Carte Kitchen in Answering the Question of How a Newly Opened A la Carte Restaurant from the Gastronomy Sector will be successful , find the answer to the following questions and forward your kitchen planning to your kitchen equipment company.. .

 

 What are the Product Types in Your Sample Restaurant Menu?

 What are your Target Restaurant Concept and Guest Principles?

 What are the Menu Types You Will Use in Restaurant Management ?

 What are your target service areas and service concept in indoor and outdoor areas?

 (Activity & Banquet, Wedding, Banquet , Protocol, Lounge, Vip, Summer, Winter, 12 Months Continuous Etc.)

 Are You Considering Show Kitchen & Open Kitchen in Your New Restaurant ?

 Which Cooking Equipment Do You Want in the Kitchen Sections Suitable for Your Concept in terms of the Operation of the Business ?

 General Kitchen Planning Which Kitchen Units Do You Need To Use?

 How did you plan the relationship of the à la carte main kitchen with the other sections ?

 

After answering their questions, either trust the Industrial Kitchen Planning company, which is an expert in the business, to get your job done or get support from the relevant people about the kitchen consultancy . Otherwise, you will either store most of the kitchen equipment you bought in the future, or you will go into construction in the kitchen a few months after your opening, and you will break and rebuild many places. A good possibility is that your service quality is not fast and you will employ extra staff due to the deficiencies in the kitchen planning that is not done properly.

 

What is A la Carte Kitchen? What are the Features of A la Carte Kitchens?

 

A la carte kitchens can be evaluated as a sports and powerful car, on the contrary of hotel kitchens or industrial kitchens. Kitchen staff should have everything at hand. Working chefs should be able to get the product they want in a few steps and reach the equipment they want by taking a few steps. In order to have a permanent restaurant focused on success , I list the definition of a real à la carte restaurant and the most important features it should have below.

 

 

 Short Distances in Kitchen Design

 Equipment that can be reached with a few steps,

 Powerful And Convenient Kitchen Units,

 Cooking and Serving Areas in Reverse Directions,

 Independent Dishwasher and Independent Cooking Area,

 Close Storage Warehouses and Cold Weather,

 Independent Service Department and Appropriate Layers,

 

It is to put the best quality food on the guest's table in the shortest time, in the most cost-effective way, with the least staff available, in accordance with the restaurant concept. The explanations above are among some of the most important features of à la carte kitchens.  

 

What Cooking Equipment Are In A la Carte Kitchens? How is Kitchen Planning Made in A la Carte Kitchens?

 

If you want to apply New Food Trends & Restaurant Trends in 2022 and you should use cooking equipment and kitchen units that are suitable for your restaurant menu? For example, an overturned ceiling or steam boiler has no place in à la carte kitchens. As I mentioned above, according to the service you will provide in your service areas, you should buy equipment according to your menu contents. If I were to give another example, an oven is not placed in a la carte kitchens for one or two oven dishes in your menu. 

 

This means staff, energy and empty crowd. If you are going to put an oven in your à la carte kitchen, you must have at least 10 types of products that need to be cooked in the oven. If I need to give a few examples as an example of this;

 

 Pizza Types,

 Pita Types,

 Meals Served by Baking After Cooking,

 Your Own Bread for the Restaurant,

 Bakery Desserts,

 Special Bakery Dishes Used in Your New Restaurant Promotion ,

 

There may be some of them. The oven issue is just an example. I touched on this topic so that it can be compared with some other equipment. If you do not have enough experience in menu making, you may get service in menu consultancy or you may need to employ a chef who is knowledgeable about the subject. 

 

Other Examples of the Importance and Value of the Restaurant Menu in Conclusion;

 

 Menu Equals Kitchen Equipment, 

 Menu Equals Profit Margin,

 Menu Equal Less Staff,

 Menu Equals Kitchen Planning,

 Menu Equals High Quality,

 Menu Equals Short Time in Cooking,

 Menu Equals Number of Staff,

 Menu Equals Guest Satisfaction

 Menu Equals Energy Cost...

 

I can multiply such examples. In this regard, you can review my article titled "What are the importance and features of restaurant food menu in à la carte kitchens" with the aim of using a product in many places in different ways . In addition, if I talk about some equipment used in a la carte kitchens;

 

What are A la Carte Kitchen Units and Equipments?

 

 Charcoal Grill, Lava Stone Grill, Electric Grills,

 Flat Fryer, Or Printed Fryer,

 Bain-marie that keeps side dishes and special sauces warm,

 Food Storage Heaters,

 Plate Warmers,

 Electric Or Gas Cookers, 

 Under Appliance Coolers, 

 Salad Pizza Make-Up 

 Hoods with Filtered Suction and Discharge Feature,

 Coolers with Permanent or Temporary Use,

 A la Carte Preparation and Service Units,

 Powerful and Versatile Ventilation in Heating and Cooling,

 Types of Plates According to Menu Contents of Different Sizes,

 Turbo Conventional Ovens,

 Sous Vide Cooking Equipment

 Use of Knives Suitable for A la Carte Kitchens,

 salamander....

 

There may be some kitchen equipment that should be in a la carte kitchens. Of course, these products can increase or decrease according to the menu content, kitchen sections, cuisine types and service areas of the restaurant. 

 

What are the Characteristics of A la Carte Chefs? How is A la Carte Kitchen Management Made? A la Carte Kitchen Organization u How is it done?

 

The restaurant kitchen organization depends on the sauce chef. When the sauce chef is not available and when necessary, he can contact the chef (private organizations). It is responsible for preparing all kinds of meals requested by hotel and restaurant guests for the à la carte restaurant and room service during the day. Employees next to him; Their numbers vary as A la Carte Chefs, A la Carte Assistants, and A la Carte Apprentices. à la carte masters; They can be grillers, salad makers, decorators, dessert and fruit plate masters. 

 

Since it is an à la carte cuisine, it is very common for a master to have experience in a few departments. This may be due to restaurant management principles regarding personnel management. A la Carte Cuisine Chef is authorized in the à la carte kitchen in the main kitchen and in other à la carte cuisines in the restaurant (eg Turkish cuisine, Italian cuisine, Asian cuisine). Details such as the working order of all à la carte kitchens, food menus and menus of the day are under their responsibility. 

 

In à la carte kitchens, the preparation of special drinks can sometimes be included among their duties (wine and cheese presentation, caviar platter). In some restaurant kitchens, the griller works under the A la Carte Kitchen Chef. This hierarchical order is at the initiative of the à la carte kitchen chef, according to the number of restaurant guests.

 

What are the Characteristics of A la Carte Kitchen Staff? You Must Employ Experienced Chefs For For -profit Success In Your Restaurant! What Are the Characteristics of Chefs from A la Carte Kitchen Staff ? What is the Kitchen Organization of A la Carte Chefs with Required Culinary Training ?

 

A la Carte Chefs work in accordance with the rules in the definition of a la carte restaurant. A la carte restaurants serve with the same logic, whether in the hotel or in the city. A la carte cooks working under the A la Carte Kitchen Chef are paid higher wages than other cooks because their work is intense and demanding. They adhere to the à la carte menu, which is also approved by the restaurant management by their chefs. The richness of the à la carte menu options, which vary according to the service understanding of the restaurant management circular , indicates the intensity of their work.

 

According to the à la carte restaurant concept they have worked with; The staff of the à la carte cooks, consisting of cold cook, fryer, griller, dessert and fruit seller, consists of 4-6 people, depending on the size of the restaurant. In some restaurants, this number may increase depending on the intensity of the work. In their work, they benefit from the help of à la carte assistants and à la carte apprentices working in the à la carte cuisine department. The most important principles; It can be said that it is the goal of serving the best quality food to the restaurant guests as soon as possible, taking into account the special standards requested.

 

The cooks working in the à la carte kitchen are faced with the miniature version of a large main kitchen structure. They have to be in contact with each other every minute. Because one of the most important details in the feature of these kitchens is that all the dishes of any table should come out at the same time and go to the table at the same time without waiting. The reason for this is to ensure table integrity. In other words, when 4 people who are going to talk business sit at the same table, as an example; Assuming that meatballs, fish, steak and sauteed meat are requested, all of these dishes will be prepared at different times, as will be done by different cooks, but will be served at the same time.

 

A la carte cooks, who are managed and directed by the A la Carte Cuisine Chef in a coordinated manner, have to pay great attention to the aesthetic and special presentations on the dinner plates. Because both the satisfaction of the guests and the tip to be left after the meal are important for them.

 

What are the Features of A la Carte Auxiliaries in A la Carte Kitchens  ?

 

A la Carte Assistants are mostly chosen from people who have studied or graduated from the gastronomy and culinary arts department. Because working in à la carte kitchens and helping à la carte cooks require extra skills and practical intelligence, as well as the ability to act quickly. Sometimes while watching the work of the masters, being able to think about the materials that they may need after a few seconds and extending the materials they need without asking the master can win a reward.

 

Before the service time comes, they enter the kitchen where they are assigned before the à la carte cooks and check the ingredients in the cabinets of the cold, hot, grill and dessert sections. They complete the materials that are not sufficient for the service hour with the help of their a la carte apprentices. They carry the pans, pots and similar materials to be used in the stoves and other sections to the areas where they should be. They put the sauces and garnishes to be used at the time of service in the salad cabinet and hot bain-marie.

 

In the majority, every à la carte cook has at least one assistant. By examining the a la carte menus and the menu of the day , they carry the missing meat varieties from the butchery kitchen, which is one of the main kitchen sections in the restaurant kitchen organization, to the à la carte kitchen . They make the necessary preparations for the meat to be seasoned by the à la carte cooks. They tell the special exceptions that should be communicated to the waiter and busboys in the service department before the service hour comes (example: soup of the day, dish of the day, dishes that are not available, etc.).

 

When à la carte cooks come to the kitchen, they give information about the types of dishes and ingredients that are not available for different reasons. During the service in the kitchen all day long, they stay with their masters and do the work they direct. When they cannot afford the given jobs, they seek help from their a la carte apprentices. They ensure that the work is not interrupted by completing the materials that are missing in the cabinets during the service.

 

If you are asking yourself, How can I have the best restaurants in the city, one of the most important issues you should pay attention to is which plates are used in A la carte cuisines?

 

One of the answers to the question of What Should You Pay Attention to When Opening a Restaurant is to pay attention to the selection of plates in à la carte restaurants. At the same time, it is one of your fixtures that will reflect your concept in the presentations made for television and newspapers used in Restaurant Promotion. If I talk about the most important elements to be considered when choosing a plate;

 

 Classic or modern, but it should definitely be compatible with your restaurant concept,

 Porcelain or copper should be strong and heavy,

 It should not discolor and lose its appearance properties in long-term washings,

 Separate plates should be used for soups,

 Separate plates should be used for salads,

 Separate plates should be used for pasta,

 Separate plates should be used for appetizers,

 Separate plates should be used for special meals,

 There should be a separate plate for main meals,

 There should be a separate plate for fish dishes,

 Separate plates should be used for desserts,

 According to the restaurant concept, separate plates should be used for garnishes,

 

Table sizes should definitely be taken into account when choosing plates in à la carte restaurants. In some restaurants, some types of food can be served on the same plates. This is not a huge problem. This can be done according to the physical characteristics of the products included in the menu content. For example, in the Most Successful Restaurants, dishes with sauce, grills, dishes with less sauce and side dishes can be classified according to the chef's preference and the shape of the dish. But it is very important for the reasons between guest satisfaction and the reasons why guests prefer restaurants .