Do You Struggle With The Idea Of An Open Restaurant Kitchen?

I’ve been thinking about this for a while. Last week me and my wife went to this fine dining restaurant near where I work. While we were in the middle of our dinner, the couple at the next table asked the waiter if they could get a tour of the kitchen. The waiter leaned forward and said something I didn’t catch, but I’m guessing it was a “No”.

An open kitchen, it struck me as an interesting idea for an article.

With the foodservice market expanding to the point of over-saturation, as a restaurant operator you don’t only have to provide customers with great food and service, but also peripheral details and good reason to talk about your restaurant. “Their experience needs to go above and beyond the food and beverage,” another blog says. In this regard, a show kitchen fits the bill nicely.

But take note that a show kitchen is something that could either make or break your business. I’ll consider the pros and cons.

Advantages
1.   It keeps employees on their toes
What better way to keep the kitchen staff in check than to allow diners to watch them at work? Some chefs have problems with others burning a hole on their backs while they go about their work, but in my experience most employees get used to it over time. On the other hand they get the pleasure of interacting with diners.

2.    Customers gets to see things for themselves
There are government agencies responsible for monitoring the cleanliness of restaurant establishments. But even so, in my opinion, as a diner I sometimes can’t help but wonder what really goes on behind those double kitchen doors.

By implementing a show kitchen, customers get first hand accounts on how clean (or dirty) your kitchen is even during peak hours. If you can keep the kitchen clean at all times, your diners will definitely be impressed. I am sure a clean place always leaves a lasting impression.

3.    It’s something different
I know. A show kitchen isn’t exactly a novel idea. But still when was the last time you walked into a restaurant with an open kitchen and didn’t find it the least bit interesting? A properly implemented show kitchen area will only generate good talks about your place, and we all know viral marketing is the cheapest and most effective way to advertise.

Disadvantages
1.    Some customers complain too much
The problem with an open kitchen is you leave your staff and restaurant too much at the hands of your customers. Simply put, there are some nitpicky customers who always find something to complain about just for the sake of it.

Be prepared to handle these kinds of customers if you decide to implement a show kitchen. You also need to train your employees how to deal with these situations in case you’re not around.

2.    Extra costs to maintain a presentable show kitchen
Take note that you’ll be spending more on labor and maintenance just to keep your show kitchen at its best possible shape. Not to mention you need to replace kitchen tools and equipment more frequently or as soon as they begin showing the smallest signs of wear and tear, all for the sake of aesthetic value necessary in maintaining a show kitchen.

3.    Customers trying to interfere with kitchen operations
One other problem is customers trying to talk to the cook or else get his attention. I’ve seen instances where diners try to tell the cook what to do and how to do it even when it isn’t even their order to begin with.

You need to put this in consideration when designing the layout of your show kitchen. Make it so there’s an open view of the kitchen, but with minimal ways for customers to interact directly with the chef.

A show kitchen is a double-edged weapon. Use it right and it does its purpose perfectly, swing it the wrong way and you end up cutting yourself instead. Think it over very carefully and consider the pros and cons when designing and implementing your own show kitchen.