Opening a commercial kitchen:
complete checklist
A new commercial kitchen requires 4–6 months of careful preparation. This 6-phase checklist prevents the most common pitfalls: permits, ventilation, power supply and HACCP. For restaurants, hotels, catering companies and care facilities.
By JMGT Commercial Kitchen Equipment · 26 May 2026
Total duration
Allow 4–6 months between signing the lease and the first service. For a takeover of an existing kitchen: 6–10 weeks. JMGT accompanies the entire technical project from kitchen planning through to commissioning.
Phase 1 (Week 1–4)
Concept and permits
Phase 2 (Week 4–8)
Planning and fit-out
Phase 3 (Week 6–12)
Fit-out and services
Phase 4 (Week 10–16)
Deliver and position equipment
Phase 5 (Week 14–18)
HACCP and training
Phase 6 (final week)
Opening
Five common mistakes
The following mistakes cost on average 8–15 per cent more time or money at opening. Knowing them in advance means you can avoid them.
- Applying for three-phase power too late. Distribution network operator lead times are 4–12 weeks. Without three-phase power the combi oven or dishwasher cannot be connected.
- Underestimating ventilation. Bringing in the HVAC engineer only in the final phase causes 2–4 weeks of delay.
- Sorting HACCP after opening. Environmental health requires a HACCP plan in advance, otherwise no operating licence.
- Choosing equipment for peak volume rather than practical average. Result: too high an investment, too high energy costs.
- Not exploiting energy efficiency potential. Modern combi ovens and refrigeration use up to 30–40% less than older generations – factor this into your budget.
Frequently asked questions
What is the first step when setting up a commercial kitchen?
Start with the operating concept: how many covers per day, what menu, what peak times. From this you derive the capacity for each appliance. Then permits (planning permission, premises licence, environmental permit for refurbishment if applicable) and only then equipment planning. Doing it the other way round is a costly mistake.
What permits do I need for a professional kitchen?
Standard requirements: planning permission for refurbishment, premises licence, registration with the food safety authority for food hygiene, environmental permit for large extraction or grease separator where applicable. For care facilities additionally notification to the relevant health authority. JMGT helps with the equipment specifications for the permit application.
What does a complete commercial kitchen fit-out cost?
For a restaurant of 50–100 covers: €75,000–150,000. For a hotel or catering company: €150,000–300,000. For a care facility production kitchen: €250,000–500,000. Including combi oven, refrigeration, dishwasher, stainless steel fabrication and installation. Modern energy-efficient units noticeably reduce ongoing running costs.
Which appliances are always needed?
Core: combi oven (Rational iCombi Pro or Classic), refrigerator and freezer (Hoshizaki), professional dishwasher (Winterhalter or Hobart), 1–2 refrigerated counters for mise en place, stainless steel worktables for the prep zone, ventilation system. For specific menu extensions: iVario, fryer, salamander, deck oven.
What do I need to know about ventilation?
The extraction hood must handle the capacity of your cooking zone (1,500–5,000 m³/h). Fresh air supply is required at at least 80% of the extraction capacity. Plus grease filters and HACCP documentation. Good ventilation costs €15,000–40,000 and takes 4–6 weeks to install – plan early.
What is a realistic timeline for opening?
For a completely new commercial kitchen: 4–6 months between signing the lease and the first service. Fit-out 6–12 weeks, equipment delivery 4–8 weeks (in parallel), stainless steel fabrication 6–10 weeks, HACCP training and trial run 2 weeks. For a takeover: typically 6–10 weeks.
Next step
Planning a new kitchen or a refurbishment? Request a free kitchen check: we measure up on site and give you a project overview and an initial quote.
Sources
- Rational – Product information – Rational AG
- Hoshizaki Europe – Hoshizaki Europe