Wherever there is not enough space to arrange cooking in a straight line, a popular and efficient alternative is the parallel flow. There are four variations of the parallel style:
1. Back to back. The gear is arranged inside a long, central disk or island in two straight lines that run parallel to each other. Sometimes a four or five foot room divider or low wall is placed between the two lines. It is primarily a safety measure, keeping noise and debris to a minimum and preventing liquids spilled on one side from spreading to the other. But the placement of a wall here also makes cleaning and sanitation much more difficult. The back-to-back arrangement centralizes plumbing and utilities;
you may not need to install as many drains, sinks or outlets as both sides of the counter can share the same. A back-to-back arrangement where the pass window is parallel to (and behind one of) the production bays is sometimes recognized as a California-style kitchen. When the walk-through window is placed perpendicular to the production line, it can be called a European-style kitchen style. The advantage of the European style is that each chef in line can see the progress of several dishes that make up 1 table’s order.
2. Face to face. In this kitchen configuration, a central aisle separates two straight lines of utensils on either side from the room. Sometimes the aisle is wide enough to add a straight line of workbenches between the two rows of gear. This setup works well for high-volume feeder facilities such as schools and hospitals, but does not benefit individual utilities. While it is an excellent layout for monitoring workers, it forces individuals to perform with their backs to each other, in effect separating the cooking from the food from the rest from the distribution procedure. Therefore, it is probably not the best style for a restaurant.
3. L shape. Where space is not sufficient for a straight or parallel arrangement, the L-shaped kitchen design is well suited to access several groups of equipment and is adaptable for table-top restaurants. It gives you the opportunity to place more equipment in a smaller room. You will often find an L-shaped design in sink areas, with the dishwasher positioned in the center corner from the L.
4. U-shape. This arrangement is rarely used, but it is ideal for a small room with one or two employees, such as a salad preparation or pantry. An island bar, such as those in T.G.I. Friday’s restaurants, is another example of the U-shape when performing. There are also circular and square kitchen designs, but their limited flow patterns make them impractical. Avoid wasting space if you can, by making your kitchen rectangular, with its entrance on one of the longest walls to save steps.
