How to choose the right equipment and supplies for Asian Restaurants

As you start your equipment-buying journey, keep these tips in mind to help you save money and find quality equipment:

• Create a budget for your equipment and supplies, and don't overspend.
• Find trustworthy suppliers that offer reasonable prices on high-quality equipment and supplies.
• Shop multiple suppliers and look for the best prices.
• Consider future cost savings by choosing energy-efficient equipment.
• Research the products you're interested in buying. Look at online reviews and ask other restaurant professionals their opinions of equipment.
• Leasing or otherwise financing equipment can help you get all the necessary equipment and supplies without outlaying all the money upfront.
• Protect your critical and expensive equipment with extended warranties.

Buying commercial cooking equipment for Asian restaurants

Every Asian restaurant is different. Let your menu guide your equipment purchasing decisions; that way, you don't buy equipment you'll rarely or never use. The frequency you'll use each piece of cooking equipment is different -- a sushi bar may not need a charbroiler or griddle, but all restaurants use the same basic equipment.

• Griddles - Flat-top grills, another common name for griddles, are versatile cooking equipment. Flat tops can cook vegetables and meat and heat pots and pans. Many griddles have multiple heating zones, allowing the cook to prepare several dishes simultaneously. Teppanyaki griddles are often used at what is commonly called hibachi restaurants (a hibachi is a different type of cooking equipment more similar to a grill or charbroiler). Teppanyaki are flat metal cooking surfaces that drop into counters or have counters built around them. They allow guests to watch as their food is prepared.
• Commercial rice cookers - Rice is a staple food worldwide and features heavily in Asian cuisine. Investing in one or more commercial rice cookers will make sure you have plenty of consistently cooked rice throughout the day. Dedicated rice warmers keep rice at food-safe temperatures and ready to serve.
• Steamers - Commercial steamers can cook large batches of steamed food.
• Steam tables - If your restaurant has a buffet at lunch or all the time, steam tables will keep your food at safe temperatures. You'll also need metal food pans or hotel pans. For food that's served cold, use a salad bar.

In many locations, you'll need to keep most of your cooking equipment under an exhaust vent or hood to meet local health and fire safety codes.

• Walk-in refrigeration - Most restaurants couldn't operate without a walk-in cooler or freezer. Walk-ins allow you to keep large quantities of raw ingredients and prepped food ready to cook and serve. Depending on your space, walk-in refrigerators and freezers can be installed inside or outside your restaurant.
• Worktop and undercounter refrigeration - If space is a concern in your commercial kitchen, undercounter refrigerators and freezer can slide under worktables and countertops to give you extra cooling space. Worktop freezers and refrigerators feature a work surface on top and sometimes a backsplash. Another space-saving type of equipment is a refrigerated chef base. The reinforced tops of these refrigerators allow you to put other equipment like griddles, mixers, and charbroilers on top of them. Worktop and undercounter fridges and chef bases are also called lowboys due to their short height.

Making food in a commercial kitchen takes more than cooking equipment and refrigerators. You need food prep equipment and supplies like cookware, including sauce pots, stock pots, fry pans, mixing bowls, steamer baskets, and woks. Mesh strainers, China caps, and colanders to rinse rice and produce are also important in any kitchen. Colanders can sometimes be used as steaming baskets.

You'll need cutting boards and knives when breaking down chicken, pork, and vegetables to cook. Most chefs and cooks use different knives for different purposes. You'll need boning knives, fillet knives, butcher knives, and cleavers to break down large pieces of protein and remove bones. Most chefs prefer to use a chef knife or santoku knife as their primary blade. Paring and utility knives are used for smaller applications like cutting fruit or peeling vegetables. Scissors or shears can also be helpful in the kitchen.

Food processors, blenders, and mixers are popular food prep equipment but might not be needed in all kitchens.

Thermometers and timers are other common pieces of commercial kitchen equipment that are easy to overlook but are needed in every restaurant. Other easily overlooked kitchen equipment include utensils like spoons, spatulas, spoonulas, turners, tongs, stirring paddles, wok shovels, cooling paddles, and bamboo sushi rollers.

For your dine-in customers, you'll need the following:

• Dinnerware - Plates, platters, and bowls come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. Choose colors and patterns that compliment your restaurant's interior colors and decor. When selecting sizes for your dinnerware, consider your serving sizes and how they will look on the plate.

• Beverageware - The type of drinkware you purchase depends on the kind of restaurant you run. Do your decor and atmosphere require actual glassware? Or can you use plastic tumblers? If you serve alcohol, you'll want to purchase specific glasses for your cocktails, beer, or liquor. You'll also need pitchers to refill customers' water glasses.

• Flatware - The cutlery your customers use may seem simple, but you'll need to balance factors like design, weight, and cost to find the right forks, spoons, dinner knives, and steak knives. Asian-style soup spoons are popular for dishes like ramen, pho, and wonton soup.

• Serving trays - Waitstaff often need trays to take orders to customers. Some restaurants that serve sushi will serve large orders on wood or melamine sushi boats or other sushi serving trays.

• Equipment stands - Purchasing countertop griddles and charbroilers is often less expensive than buying models with open or cabinet bases. An equipment stand can bring your countertop items to an easily workable height.

• Work tables - Your staff needs a place to prep and plate food. Stainless steel work tables give your employees a large, sturdy, easy-to-clean work surface. Work tables come in a range of sizes and can have backsplashes to prevent ingredients and tools from falling between the table and the wall. Kitchen work tables can have an undershelf, an open base, or an enclosed base.

• Sinks - Your restaurant kitchen needs multiple sinks. You'll need at least a single basin hand sink for your employees to wash their hands and a three-compartment sink to wash pots, pans, plates, etc. A spray nozzle can be helpful to rinse dirty dishes before sending them into a dishwasher.

• Dishwasher - A commercial dishwasher can save time and keep clean plates, glasses, silverware, pots, and pans ready for your waitstaff and kitchen staff. Dishwashing racks will help you organize and protect items as they go into the dishwasher. Bus boxes and bus carts will help you clear tables and transport dishes to and from the dishwashing pit.

• Restaurant chairs - The wrong chair can ruin a customer's otherwise stellar experience at your restaurant. Make sure your chairs are comfortable, sturdy, easy to move, and match the rest of your decor.
• Bar stools - If you're using bar-height tables or have seating at a bar, you'll need bar stools. Some bar stools are made to match chairs, giving your restaurant dining room a consistent look. If you use a different bar stool, make sure they complement the rest of your dining room furniture and decor to give your business a professional look.

• Booths - Restaurant booths provide customers with a sense of privacy in an otherwise busy space. When purchasing a booth, make sure you're buying properly sized tables to go with them.

• Patio tables and chairs - If your Asian restaurant has room for outdoor seating, take advantage of it with patio furniture. Make sure the outdoor restaurant furniture you buy is comfortable, easy to clean, and complimentary to your decor. You'll also want to balance between furniture that's heavy enough not to fly away but also not extremely difficult for your customers to move.

Whether you're serving traditional Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Korean, Japanese, Thai, or Vietnamese food, having the right equipment and supplies from a trusted equipment dealer will make starting your new Asian restaurant easier.