Restaurant Refrigeration
Refrigerators, coolers,
freezers for your restaurant
By Lorri Mealey
An integral part of any
restaurant is its refrigeration systems. Restaurant
refrigeration ranges from small coolers (like a dorm fridge) to massive walk-in refrigerators
and freezers, and everything in between. Here is a break down of all the
different types of commercial restaurant coolers and freezers.
Buying Restaurant Refrigeration
One of the biggest steps in opening a restaurant is buying the right kind of commercial kitchen equipment. Before
you buy any restaurant refrigeration, you need to decide what types of coolers
and freezers you need. Your restaurant concept and size will be the biggest factors in wshat you buy for
restaurant refrigeration. If you have limited space in your restaurant design,
then a large walk-in refrigerator probably won’t work. If your menu is based on
a lot of frozen foods, like pub grub such as fries, chicken wings and onion
rings, then you will need ample freezer space. Your food distributors, delivery
schedule will also affect what you need for restaurant refrigeration.
Restaurants who receive daily deliveries of fresh meats, seafood and produce
won’t need as much refrigeration as restaurants who only get a delivery once or
twice a week.
Types of Restaurant Refrigeration
Reach-In Coolers – Reach-in coolers are usually
found in the kitchen and bar areas of a restaurant, though they can be in the
wait station. A reach-in, as it names implies, is low to the ground, with two
or three doors and staff must reach in to find items. Reach-ins work best if
they are isolated from the cooking line and all its heat. This will help keep
the food stored inside the reach-ins at safe holding temperatures.
Refrigeration Drawers – Often referred to as fish-drawers,
under counter
refrigeration draws are ideal for small restaurant kitchens. They are
designed to be installed directly into a cooking line and can hold seafood,
poultry or meat for the grill or sauté stations.
Walk-In Coolers – Walk-in coolers can be the size
of a small closet or as big as a living room. Walk-ins are good for holding
large boxes of produce, buckets of food, blocks of cheese and anything else
that is large, bulky and perishable. Food grade shelves, wall covering and
flooring needs to be used in walk-ins. Check with your local health department
for your state’s health codes pertaining to restaurant walk-in coolers.
Restaurant Freezers – Like coolers, restaurant freezers
can be either reach-ins or walk-ins. It is good to note that a restaurant
freezer is not a place to store or make ice. Instead, invest in an ice machine
for this job. Ice machines can be bought new, used or leased.
Restaurant Bar Refrigeration – Coolers for the bar are known as
low boys (low to the ground) or high boys (waist level). White and blush wines,
bottled beer, bar mixes and any other bottled or canned beverages are stored in
bar coolers. A separate walk-in refrigerator
may be needed for beer kegs, or you can keep them in your restaurant kitchen
walk-in, if space permits.
