Last Updated On: February 9, 2021.
When opening a restaurant, there are hundreds of pieces of equipment you have to think about buying, and as such, you may end up overlooking sinks as less essential items.
However, sinks require you to pay just as much attention as you would to any other equipment. Purchasing the wrong basin that doesn’t end up meeting your business’ will most likely end up costing you a lot more in the future regarding remodeling and replacement.
Therefore it is essential to know a little more about what type of commercial sink you’d want. Below are the three main types of commonly used in a restaurant or other food-serving businesses that are open to the public.
3-Bowl Scullery
The 3-Bowl Scullery is a three-bay sink that is ideally suited for washing kitchen utensils. Just as the name suggests, it consists of 3 basins, one used for washing, the other for rinsing, and the last one for sanitization. It’s also preferable to have additional space which you can use to drain your wet items at the end.
It will most likely be the biggest piece of cleaning utensil in your kitchen. You may be tempted to get one that doesn’t take up a lot of room but be careful when making that choice.
Most health codes tend to specify that a commercial scullery needs to be large enough to be able to accommodate at least 50% of the largest pan in the kitchen. This also includes racks, warmers, dough bowls, and other extended or deep utensils commonly used in the kitchen.
For example, if the biggest utensil in your kitchen measures 20-inches, your scullery sinks have to be at least 11 or 12 inches deep.
Hand Sink
A hand sink has to be in the best location that is easily accessible for your food preparers, cooks, or chefs. If it’s located further away, workers in a restaurant will be less likely to wash their hands if they have to walk across the kitchen just for something that takes a few seconds.
Before you go buying a new hand basin, make sure that you plan a good location for it (preferably somewhere close to where your employees will be working most of the time) and also get one that will fit easily.
The basin typically does not need to meet size requirements, but it is important for it to be easily accessible to everyone working in and around the area.
Some health codes may also require you to have splash guards or other similar considerations, so make sure that you are in full compliance with your health code before you do the installation.
Prep Sink
The primary purpose of a prep sink is to keep the food secure. Prep washbasins are very useful for preventing any cross-contamination.
It can also be used to rinse foods, wash vegetables, clean out items, and any other process that requires touching of water. Of course, the size of the product has to be in line with the limits of your kitchen.
However, it is also essential to take into account the amount of food that you will be working on day-to-day. For example, is the basin able to manage 100 pounds of tomatoes at a time or just 10?
Are you able to drop large utensils in the prep sink or just drain it for easier use? Make sure whichever one you buy will be able to fit all your standard daily food and utensil cleaning requirements.