Caterzone has helped hundreds of UK restaurant owners plan and equip their commercial kitchens from scratch — and the most common mistake we see is buying equipment reactively rather than planning the full kitchen as a system. This essential equipment guide for setting up a restaurant kitchen covers everything you need, in the right order, with honest guidance on what to prioritise when budget is limited.
Setting up a restaurant kitchen is one of the largest investments you'll make in your business. Get the equipment right from the start and you'll have a kitchen that supports your menu, your team, and your customer volumes for years. Miss something critical at the planning stage and you'll be working around the gaps — or spending again to correct them — during your most vulnerable early trading period.
Start with Your Menu, Not Your Equipment List
Before ordering a single piece of equipment, finalise your menu. Your menu determines your cooking methods, and your cooking methods determine the equipment you actually need. A pizza restaurant needs deck ovens and a dough prep area; a café needs a convection oven, coffee machine, and prep surfaces; a restaurant serving complex à la carte needs a full cooking suite with multiple heat sources. There's no universal equipment list for all restaurant kitchens — only the right list for your kitchen.
Once you have a confirmed menu, list every cooking method it requires: grilling, frying, baking, steaming, boiling, holding. That list becomes your equipment specification. Then layer on your anticipated volume — covers per service, peak throughput — to determine the capacity required at each station.
Cooking Equipment: The Core of Your Kitchen
Commercial Ovens
Almost every restaurant kitchen needs at least one commercial convection oven. For most independent restaurants, a 6-tray GN 1/1 convection oven provides the right combination of capacity, efficiency, and cost. If your menu demands steam cooking or you're planning for high volume from the outset, an entry-level combi oven gives you significantly more cooking versatility in a single unit. Budget between £800 and £3,000 depending on your specification. Ensure the oven is positioned beneath your extraction canopy and that your electrical supply can support the unit's power requirements.
Range Cookers and Hobs
A commercial range cooker — combining a gas or electric hob with an oven below — is the most space-efficient solution for kitchens where the chef works across both hob and oven cooking simultaneously. Gas ranges offer faster response and lower running costs than electric equivalents. Standard UK commercial ranges are 700 series (700mm deep) or 900 series (900mm deep) — choose based on your kitchen's depth and the cooking intensity your menu demands. A six-burner gas range is the workhorse of most UK restaurant kitchens serving 40+ covers.
Fryers
If your menu includes chips, fried chicken, battered fish, or any significant fried items, a commercial fryer is essential. Counter-top commercial fryers with 8–10 litre tanks suit lower-volume operations; floor-standing twin-tank models with 15–20 litre tanks each handle the throughput of a busy fish and chip shop or pub kitchen. Gas fryers heat faster and have lower running costs; electric fryers are easier to install and offer more precise temperature control.
Griddles and Grills
A flat commercial griddle is one of the most versatile pieces of cooking equipment in a busy kitchen — suitable for burgers, bacon, eggs, pancakes, sandwiches, and fish. Available in gas and electric versions, in flat and ribbed surface configurations. A commercial chargrill adds the visual char marks and smoky flavour profile required for steaks, chicken, and premium burgers. Both are measured in width — 400mm, 600mm, or 900mm — to match your throughput requirements.
Refrigeration: Don't Underestimate This Category
Upright Refrigerators and Freezers
You will need more refrigeration than you think. The standard rule of thumb for a 60-cover restaurant is a minimum of 400 litres of refrigeration capacity (split across fridge and freezer) plus dry storage. Commercial upright cabinets in GN 2/1 format provide organised, accessible cold storage and maintain consistent temperatures under the high door-open frequency of a busy kitchen. Ensure all refrigeration equipment carries an appropriate energy rating (A+ or better) — energy costs add up significantly over years of 24-hour operation.
Refrigerated Prep Counters
Refrigerated prep counters keep ingredients at safe temperatures at the point of use, which is particularly important for salad bars, pizza prep stations, and any section where raw proteins are being portioned and plated. A counter with a 2/1 GN top and under-counter refrigerated drawers is one of the most useful pieces of equipment in a kitchen serving any volume of cold-assembled dishes.
Ice Machines
A dedicated commercial ice machine is essential for any bar or restaurant serving cold drinks. Calculate your daily ice requirement from bar and table service volumes — a busy 80-cover restaurant with a bar can easily consume 15–20 kg of ice per day. Plumbed-in ice machines with self-contained storage bins are the most practical solution. They require a water supply, drain, and adequate ventilation clearance; condensate-cooled models need more ventilation than water-cooled alternatives.
Food Preparation Equipment
Food Mixers and Prep Machines
If your kitchen produces bread, pastry, or any pasta, a commercial food mixer saves significant labour and ensures consistency. 10–20 litre bowl capacities suit most independent restaurant kitchens. For high-volume vegetable preparation, a commercial vegetable prep machine can process 100 kg/hour of sliced, diced, or shredded vegetables — transforming prep-kitchen labour efficiency.
Meat Slicers and Mincers
If your menu includes charcuterie boards, carved meats, or house-ground burger blends, a commercial meat slicer and meat mincer respectively become essential tools. Both are high-hygiene items that require thorough daily cleaning under UK food safety regulations — choose models with easily disassembled, dishwasher-safe components.
Warewashing: Often Underbudgeted, Always Critical
Your kitchen will produce an enormous volume of dirty crockery, glassware, and cutlery every service. A commercial dishwasher rated for your expected daily cover count is not optional — domestic machines simply cannot handle the volume, the water temperatures required for commercial sanitisation (82°C final rinse), or the recovery speed needed between loads. For wine bars and operations with significant glass volume, a dedicated commercial glasswasher prevents the micro-scratching that makes glassware look old and cloudy.
Stainless Steel Furniture: Your Kitchen's Infrastructure
The worktables, wall shelving, and sinks of your kitchen are the structural framework within which everything else operates. 304-grade stainless steel is the commercial standard — hygienic, durable, and easy to clean. Specify the correct worktable height for your team (standard is 850–900mm), ensure you have adequate shelving for dry storage above the bench, and plan your sink positions carefully — you'll need a dedicated handwash basin in your kitchen under UK food hygiene regulations, separate from the food preparation sink.
Commercial stainless steel tables are available in incremental widths from 600mm to 2,400mm — order to fit your space precisely rather than making do with standard sizes that leave awkward gaps. Under-shelf brackets allow you to maximise every centimetre of your kitchen's vertical storage space.
What to Buy First When Budget Is Limited
If you're setting up on a tight budget, prioritise in this order: cooking equipment (you can't open without it), refrigeration (food safety compliance is non-negotiable), warewashing (you'll need it from day one), prep surfaces and sinks, then food prep machinery. Equipment like food mixers, slicers, and dedicated fryers can often be deferred until cash flow allows — provided your initial menu is designed around the equipment you do have.
Frequently Asked Questions
What equipment is legally required in a UK restaurant kitchen?
UK food safety law (Food Safety Act 1990, Food Hygiene Regulations 2006) doesn't specify exact equipment, but it requires that your kitchen is designed and equipped to handle food safely. In practice, this means: adequate refrigeration to maintain food below 8°C (ideally 1–4°C for high-risk foods), sufficient cooking equipment to achieve safe core temperatures (75°C+), a dedicated handwash basin with hot and cold water, appropriate waste management facilities, and equipment that is clean and in good repair. Your local environmental health officer will assess your specific setup during registration.
How much does it cost to equip a restaurant kitchen from scratch in the UK?
A realistic budget for equipping a 40–60 cover independent restaurant kitchen from scratch in the UK is £15,000–£45,000, depending on specification, whether you buy new or refurbished, and how complex your menu is. New equipment from quality suppliers starts around £20,000 for a complete kitchen setup; refurbished equipment can reduce this to £12,000–£15,000. Factor in installation costs (electrical, plumbing, extraction) which can add £3,000–£8,000 depending on the state of your premises.
Should I buy new or refurbished commercial kitchen equipment?
Refurbished equipment from a reputable supplier offers excellent value for budget-conscious new restaurants. Key items to consider buying refurbished: ovens, refrigeration, and stainless steel furniture. Items where new is usually worth paying for: commercial dishwashers (older machines use far more water and energy), ice machines (water system components wear), and any equipment with complex electronics or seals. Caterzone stocks a selection of quality refurbished equipment alongside our new range — browse our refurbished and B-grade collection for current availability.
How do I plan the layout of my restaurant kitchen?
Plan your kitchen layout around your service flow: goods-in → storage → prep → cooking → plating → pass. Minimise the distance between your cooking station and your pass — every unnecessary step costs time and heat. Position your extraction canopy directly over all hot-cooking equipment. Ensure adequate aisle widths (minimum 900mm for single-person working, 1,200mm for passing) as required by workplace safety regulations. Your local environmental health officer will also assess layout as part of your food business registration.
What commercial kitchen equipment is best for a small restaurant just starting out?
For a new restaurant working to a limited budget, prioritise: one quality commercial convection oven, one commercial refrigerator (minimum 400 litres), a compact undercounter commercial dishwasher, a gas range or combination hob, and sufficient stainless steel worktable space for your team. A single fryer if your menu requires it, and a commercial glasswasher if you have a bar. Everything else — food processors, specialist prep machines, additional refrigeration — can be added as your business grows and cash flow allows.
Build Your Kitchen with Caterzone
Whether you're equipping your first kitchen or upgrading an established operation, Caterzone has the complete range of commercial kitchen equipment to meet your needs. From commercial ovens and fryers to refrigerated counters and commercial dishwashers, everything is available with full UK warranty support and expert advice from our team. Browse our complete range or contact us to discuss your kitchen project in detail.
