What is a Shared Kitchen?

What is the Shared Kitchen Concept?

What is a shared-use kitchen? A shared kitchen is a kitchen facility that is shared by several different parties. Shared kitchens are a favorite format for virtual restaurants, food trucks, caterers, and others who require only limited kitchen access.


Sharing kitchen space is nothing new. Commissary kitchens, churches, schools, and other organizations have often made their kitchen facilities available to members of the community. Their ideal for someone who needs to prepare and cook food, but doesn't own the facilities to do so.

Cost-effectiveness is one of the big appeals of using a shared kitchen. A lot of food entrepreneurs can't afford and don't need a full-time kitchen. Scheduling time in a shared kitchen helps keep operating costs low.

Using a shared kitchen saves money in other ways, too. Many shared kitchens provide expensive industrial-grade cooking equipment to those who use their facilities at no additional costs. And these kitchens are fully licensed and up to health code standards so there are no problems with inspections, fines, etc.

It's safe to say that shared use kitchens are here to stay, As the delivery-only ghost kitchen concept catches on, the demand of commercial kitchen facilities like shared kitchens is growing. They're becoming a vital part of the virtual restaurant industry.

Shared Kitchens Provide Many Advantages:

• Shared kitchens provide a small business like a start-up restaurant a cost-effective means to prepare their menu items.
• Shared kitchens are certified commercial kitchens where individuals or businesses prepare food products and meals
• Shared kitchens charge hourly or daily rates for access to their facilities.

What are Some of the Different Types of Shared Kitchens?

A shared kitchen is a kitchen facility that has been licensed, certified, and equipped for private and commercial food production. Kitchen space is rented out to individuals on an hourly or daily basis. Shared kitchens are used by individuals who don't require the use of a full-time kitchen.

There are many different types of shared kitchens. Each offers its own advantages and disadvantages. Let's take a look at what each type of shared kitchen has to offer.

The first thing to consider when looking for a shared kitchen is how well it fulfills your business needs. Space needs to be big enough to accommodate however many cook/prep stations you need. It also needs to have adequate storage space and access to dumpsters, dishwashers, and other sanitation services.

The layout is another important consideration. A kitchen's layout is important to the food production process. There are four basic types of shared kitchen layouts-

• An Assembly Line layout begins with the prep station and continues down the line until the item(s) are ready to go. This layout is used by a lot of fast-food restaurants.
• The Island layout consists of a central cooking area, or "island" surrounded by a ring of prep, cleanup, and serving stations. This layout requires a lot of space.
• A Zone-style is typically used in large restaurants. Each station has its own "zone" in which to work in.
• In the Galley layout, all the stations are placed against a single wall or two opposite walls. This layout works well in cramped spaces like food trucks.

What is the Importance of Having Shared Kitchens?

Shared kitchens play a vital role in today's food service industry. For someone who already owns a restaurant, a shared kitchen can provide much-needed extra space. For a new food business, a shared kitchen provides a cost-effective alternative to owning and maintaining a commercial kitchen.

A lot of food businesses don't serve diners, like caterers and virtual restaurant brands, so they don't need dining space. All they require is a space to prepare and cook their meals. Shared kitchens provide this service.

Space is at a premium in most food trucks. There simply isn't enough room for the equipment, food, and packaging required to run a profitable food truck operation. A shared kitchen provides them with the extra space they need to properly prepare their menu items.

In the United States, commercial kitchens and other food preparation facilities must be licensed and compliant with local health codes. Commissaries and other shared kitchens are responsible for keeping their facilities up to code standards. This means their clients aren't, which is a big appeal to a lot of independent food entrepreneurs.

Shared kitchens also provide their renters with access to restaurant equipment they don't have. This includes equipment used to cook, handle, package, prepare or store food and food products. They also provide means for cleaning, washing. and disposing of waste.

Shared Kitchens are Helping the Food Service Industry Grow

• Ideal for foodservice entrepreneurs who only need part-time access to a kitchen.
• Ideal for ghost kitchen and virtual restaurant brands that don't require dining areas.
• Shared kitchens can provide access to commercial-grade kitchen equipment.
• Kitchen rent is cheaper than real estate rent.