Kitchen Types

Kitchen Residency

A Kitchen Residency offers the chance for a food business/chef to the the kitchen facilities and equipment of the host for a set period of time which can last anywhere from a few days to a year.

It can be used as an opportunity to try out new menus or concepts, as a precursor before opening a permanent location or simply to gain experience or exposure.

Dark Kitchen

A Dark Kitchen which can also be referred to as a ‘Ghost Kitchen’ is a facility for cooking and/or food preparation that operates solely for the basis of delivery or takeaway orders. There is no on-site seating or eating and the facility operates on a delivery only basis.

It is an efficient and cost effective option for running a food business with the focus on cooking, preparing and fulfiilling customer orders without the additional costs a permanent site can incur.

CPU (Central Production Unit)

A Central Production Unit in catering is a specialised facility where food is prepared, cooked and packaged before then being distributed to a point of sale which are usually but not limited to restaurants, schools, hospitals and canteens.

They are designed to maximise efficiency and high-volume food production through bulk food preparation, packaging and labelling. The unit is also usually responsible for ingredient procurement and storage.

Mobile Kitchen

Mobile Kitchens generally come in the form of mobile food/catering vans or trailers which are designed to be able to serve and accommodate customers in various locations. These modified vans and trailers are equipped with kitchen and storage space to facilitate the preparation and cooking of food while on the move or at a specific location such as a market or festival.

One of the major advantages of a mobile kitchen is the ability to move from location to location, target high traffic areas and serve different customer bases whilst not being laboured by significant monthly rental and maintenance costs.