How to Choose the Right Shelving for Your Restaurant Kitchen

Restaurants and commercial kitchens are hotbeds of creativity. But with online food delivery now a big part of the business, kitchens are under more pressure than ever. Orders have to go out fast, clean and right, every single time.

That puts the spotlight on something most owners don't think about until it fails: storage.

Today's kitchens need storage that delivers:

• Hygiene and protection from germs and micro-organisms
• Quick, easy access to raw materials and finished products
• Compliance with food safety and sanitation requirements

The right shelving helps your staff find everything they need and get every order out of the door safely and quickly. Here are the four things to check before you choose.

1. Sanitation comes first

Sanitation is the most important factor when choosing racks for a food business. Shelving should be easy to clean, should not trap dirt or moisture, and should support the hygiene standards your food safety inspections expect.

Open wire design lets air circulate and stops dust and spills from collecting the way they do on solid shelves. In stainless steel, it is easy to wipe down and sanitise daily. That is why stainless steel wire shelving has become the go-to choice for commercial kitchens and food prep areas.

Rackwell tip: For wet areas, wash zones and cold rooms, choose SS304 grade stainless steel for the best corrosion resistance.

2. Built for a long life

Durability isn't only about carrying heavy loads. Shelving that rusts, flakes or bends quickly becomes a hygiene problem of its own.

Kitchen shelving faces tough conditions every day, from the cold and moisture of a freezer room to the heat and steam of the cooking line. Invest in rust-resistant stainless steel shelving that handles changing temperatures and constant use. It lasts longer, stays cleaner and saves you the cost of frequent replacement.

Our stainless steel shelving systems are made to order, with custom dimensions and adjustable shelf heights to suit your kitchen layout.

3. Everything within easy reach

The whole point of kitchen shelving is to give your team quick access. Wire shelving is open on all sides, so staff can see and reach stored items at a glance, without digging through closed cupboards.

It also adapts to almost any job:

• Hang pots, pans and ladles with S-hooks
• Store crockery, containers and wine bottles
• Hold heavy sacks of flour, rice, wheat or vegetables
• Make use of awkward spaces with corner wire shelving

Choose the height that fits your space: 2-tier, 3-tier, 4-tier or 5-tier units.

4. Mobility saves time

Moving stock around a busy kitchen eats up time and effort if you don't have the right equipment.

Add castor wheels to a Rackwell shelf and it instantly becomes a mobile cart. Move ingredients from the store room to the prep line, roll racks aside for deep cleaning, and keep the strength of wire shelving while you do it. See our full range of wire shelving accessories, including mobile cart shelving, extra shelves, liners and ledges.

The bottom line

The next time you plan storage for your restaurant, keep these four points in mind: sanitation, durability, accessibility and mobility. Get them right, and you'll have shelving that works for your kitchen, no matter what you serve or how busy you get.

Planning a new kitchen or upgrading your storage? Browse all Rackwell products or share your sizes with our team for a made-to-order quote.