Learn to keep what's essential when 'value engineering' kitchen renovations

Nation's Restaurant News, Oct 29, 2001 by Gary S. Bensky

The heinous crimes that occurred on Sept. 11 undoubtedly will touch every industry as the effects ripple through our economy. Although few will bear the brunt the way the airline and hotel industries have, the foodservice industry is taking its own hits.

In light of the swift downturn in business following the tragedy, many operators have been forced to rethink plans to renovate their operations. In addition, many projects in the planning stages are looking at ways to "value engineer" their plans so as not to be encumbered with large debts and untenable repayment schedules.

Taking a close look at the budget and setting real priorities in terms of production requirements in a given kitchen, servery or bar is critical to ensuring that a finished operation effectively can "deliver the goods." For example, equipping a cooking-from-scratch kitchen with cheap, underpowered, light-duty appliances and equipment could render the kitchen helpless.

It still is a much more sound approach to buy the best, most high-powered equipment for the most important production functions and compromise on the smaller, less-essential pieces, which probably can be purchased out of the capital budget at a later date.

Ask yourself: "Do we really need to spend $3,500 on a banquet hot cabinet when all we have been using it for is to stage hors d'oeuvre during the cocktail hour? Can we heat the plates carefully at a low temperature in an oven rather than spending $1,000 a pop for three heated dish dollies?"

Another consideration is the type of flooring you install in a kitchen. Different options can save an enormous amount of money. While quarry tile still is the most common flooring many alternative materials are available, including heavy-duty vinyl and formulated substances that are recycled materials from other industries.

Guests' meals are not dependent on the type of floor installed in the kitchen, but they may be on the BTU of the range or grill you install. I much rather would sacrifice the above-mentioned items than give up double-stacked combi steamers that enable the kitchen to increase the quality of the meal while reducing labor and food cost.

Typically, it is a wise decision to move the compressors for all refrigeration in a kitchen to an area away from hot and grease-laden air to an area where the compressor doesn't have to work as hard, such as the basement or the roof. That effectively can double the life of the refrigerator or freezer. In addition, the refrigerators in the service pantry and in the garde manger department really don't need to be remote. Self-contained units can save $1,700 per single door unit when one takes into account the cost of the compressor as well as installation.

Likewise, I much rather would forgo other items to keep in the budget an agitator pot sink that frees up 75 percent of the pot washer's time. He then can help with food preparation and keep the staff free of that drudgery.

If it is a renovation, and the primary equipment was correctly sized and powered to begin with, then maybe many appliances can be repaired and refurbished with new parts to extend their lives for several more years.

People from outside of our industry may not understand the vast differences that exist in the quality and function of foodservice equipment. For example, the type of stove typically specified for light production in a church kitchen would fall apart in a short time under the normal production requirements of a club or restaurant.

The reason we specify the equipment chosen is for exactly one reason. Our experience has shown that if we don't specify the right pieces in the first place, the owner becomes saddled with operating and replacement costs that far exceed the original cost of doing things right from the beginning.

With good planning and careful analysis of which equipment really makes a difference on what eventually ends up on the plate, value engineering can become less painful.

After what we all have experienced in the last several weeks, reducing pain and getting on with business is the most important thing we can do to get back to normal although normal never will be the same again.