What Working Conditions Ensure a Good Rhythm in the Kitchen?

A Tork study reveals the keys to an efficient rhythm

A restaurant kitchen is a demanding, high-pressure working environment. Tork®, a specialist in hygiene solutions for professionals, teamed up with Alan Kinsella, a kitchen optimization consultant, to carry out a ?kitchen rhythm study? in a very busy restaurant. The study demonstrates the importance of good organization, starting with the right hygiene tools, in order to optimize work and the smooth sequencing of tasks. In this way, chefs work better together, perform better and create delicious dishes within the allotted time.

A night in the kitchen to put everything in order
Rhythm covers every aspect of a restaurant's daily process, from breakfast to the last dessert of the day, from the first ?good morning? to the last wipe of the cloth.

According to Alan, ?what best characterizes rhythm is efficiency in the kitchen. We must make sure that chefs work in an environment where they can carry out their tasks with ease. If they can do their job efficiently, profitability will follow and the team will be less stressed,? Alan continues.

In one night, Tork and Alan identified the first obstacles to rhythm and efficiency in the kitchen:

- bins that had not been emptied,

- empty paper towel dispensers,

- messy shelves.

Following this finding, Tork installed hygiene products such as Tork Reflex™ dispensers in strategic locations to improve access to cleaning and wiping solutions during busy service periods. This helps prevent staff from forgetting to wash their hands and makes it easier to clean equipment and the kitchen during and after service.

?To maintain high hygiene standards in the kitchen, you need to establish a routine: staff must apply hygiene practices without even realizing it. This means establishing a routine by leaving hygiene products available in key places in the kitchen,? Alan confirms.

Investing in hygiene is indeed a crucial part of the daily food preparation process: cleaning and wiping solutions raise standards and provide a more pleasant working environment.

Tork Reflex, a dispenser to keep up the rhythm in the kitchen
The new Tork Reflex paper dispensers have contributed greatly to the overall rhythm of staff and service. New features, such as the rotating nozzle and single-sheet dispensing, allow paper to be accessed from any angle and reduce the risk of contamination, as each user only touches what they take.

Other solutions, such as color-coded cloths, folded wipes and Tork touch-free soap dispensers, can also improve hygiene.

The keys to ensuring a good rhythm in the kitchen
A few tips from Chef Alan for an efficient hygienic rhythm:

• Alan Kinsella's ?C.H.E.F.S? method: Control, Hygiene and tools, Engineer, Finance and Systems. Start by assessing the situation, then give your staff the resources and environment that will enable them to perform well at work. Create and structure the menu to meet customers' expectations while keeping stress to a minimum for chefs. Control all costs to achieve your goals. Once the system is in place, follow up.

• Place hygiene products in strategic locations: place paper towels and hand soap at the entrance and exit of the kitchen to make them unavoidable. Place them at eye level so they are clearly visible.

• Create a clean and hygienic environment: it guarantees a good rhythm, but also a more pleasant working environment for staff.

• Stock rotation is vital for hygiene: reorganize and clean fridges, shelves and freezers to prevent the oldest stock from being forgotten and generating unpleasant odors.

• A good kitchen must always have empty bins: this helps reduce food waste and avoid cross-contamination.

• Ergonomics is crucial: everything should be arranged in the direction you work, from left to right, and in front of you. Also remember to always keep a waste bowl nearby.