Operators also don’t have to worry about outdated equipment or adequate storage space.”Ĭommissaries that act as central kitchens also can save on labor and food costs due to added efficiency. “Kitchens can be rented on a month-to-month or hour-to-hour basis, and operators are not tied to a physical location. “Flexibility is one of the biggest benefits in using a commissary because foodservice operators don’t have to build and operate their own kitchens,” Olmstead says. Best of all, chefs have more flexibility with food preparation and location. Also, this can be an effective way for those in the industry to network with other chefs as well as work on menu development. Many commissary kitchens include equipment to handle all prepping, cooking and storage needs. For those renting out the space, it may be more affordable than purchasing a commercial kitchen. Utilizing a commissary kitchen offers a variety of benefits. A kitchen created for food trucks or pop-up restaurants will look different than one for a large-scale catering operation or ghost kitchen concept. The business type, model and scale will determine the commissary’s design. “The smaller size is more suitable for food truck vendors, while a larger commissary can accommodate cloud kitchens with big orders.” “Sizes range all over the place, from 1,000 up to 100,000 square feet, depending on what you’re looking to do,” Olmstead says. Renting kitchen space in other facilities, such as schools or churches, may be a better alternative as the availability may be better suited to the production needs.Ĭommissaries’ size, design and equipment lineup vary, depending on the operation and space. While cheaper than a private kitchen, this approach may limit production times and storage capabilities. “There are some commissaries that people rent by the hour and others like cloud or ghost kitchens that may rent the space month to month or more long-term,” Olmstead says.Īnother commissary option is renting a restaurant kitchen during its off hours. Chefs also have the option to lease a private commercial kitchen where they become the sole renter. Shared commissaries are geared to chefs looking to test a concept or those needing food prep space to accommodate a pop-up restaurant or food truck. “The two main commissary models are non-delivery, which includes food trucks or chefs preparing meals in bulk to store and distribute, and the delivery model, where restaurants or ghost/cloud kitchens use the commissary to prepare food and as a pickup point for deliveries,” Olmstead says. “ depends on the menu and how many locations are being served.” Commissary TypesĪlthough all commissaries provide the same function - a centralized location for food preparation and storage - there are different types of operations. “This may be for a school district serving K-12 schools, hospitals or casinos, for example,” says Nahum Goldberg, principal at NGAssociates Foodservice Consultants, Inc., a foodservice consulting firm based in El Cerrito, Calif. “These commercial kitchens have assisted many in the foodservice industry, including chains, in cutting costs and expanding reach.”Ĭommissaries can serve as central kitchens that support satellite sites, too. “Commissaries are on trend with ghost and cloud kitchens,” says Levi Olmstead, director of marketing for Chicago-based 2ndKitchen, which helps foodservice operations serve food without having to set up a kitchen. Commissaries can serve as a central kitchen for one concept or as rented kitchen space for multiple businesses or food providers. These are typically large-scale environments regulated by local health departments. Commissary kitchens are licensed commercial spaces that include both cooking and storage facilities for preparing and storing food.
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