Kindle Your Commercial Kitchen
We’ve all had occasions to dine in fancier restaurants with great reviews, beautifully plated food, and high-end ambiances. While a lot of the enjoyment is tied to the food itself, there is something to be said for the totality of the experience . . . the service, the decor, the style, and even the lighting. In the dining area, customers enjoy mid-level, warm lighting. Hopefully enough to see the menu and the meal, but not too much to offend with glare and hotspots. When opening or operating a commercial restaurant, these considerations top the list for the customer’s enjoyment, but what about the kitchen staff? You can’t have a highly successful restaurant without a happy and healthy chef and crew. So, let’s talk about lighting behind the scenes in the commercial kitchen.
Health and safety are priorities when considering employees in any workplace, however in a commercial kitchen environment with knives, fire, and an array of other potentially dangerous conditions, keeping people safe takes on a whole new spin. Ample, bright light is critical in most areas of food prep for detailed cutting and cooking but making sure the bulbs are shatter resistant is an extra (appreciated) precaution. No customer is looking for a side of broken glass with their entree! And your cooks shouldn’t be subjected to any more risks than necessary. Shatter resistant bulbs are made with a protective coating that will contain the broken glass in the event of a bulb blowout. It’s a no brainer!
Keeping any kitchen clean is a colossal task, so imagine what it takes to clean a commercial kitchen! Keep the light fixtures sleek, smooth, or recessed to prevent buildup of cooking debris, dust, and other contaminants. Vapor-tight fixtures using LED technology are an excellent choice for commercial kitchens as they provide quality light, don’t produce a lot of heat (which would add to an already steamy situation!), and are a breeze to clean. They are also IP65-certified which means they can stand up in harsh environments (even harsher than a commercial kitchen!)
When you’re choosing the kitchen fixtures, pay attention to the color of the light and check for fixtures that have adjustable color temperatures. While most often you’ll need the brightest, higher color temperature setting for tasks, when plating the culinary masterpieces, you’ll want a warmer color temperature to mimic that which the diner experiences. Using the full color temperature palette in your space is an appetizing way to engage both customers and employees.
We’ve got a full menu of great commercial kitchen lighting options here at 1000Bulbs.com, and our knowledgeable lighting specialists can help you get your order in with recommendations and specials of the day! Give them a call at 1-800-624-4488 or try the convenient pop-up chat at the bottom right corner of our web pages.
