Facilities Design, Equipment, and Technology
This domain tests kitchen layout, workflow, equipment selection, maintenance, ventilation, ergonomics, and technology. Expect questions on preventing cross-flow, lifecycle cost, and equipment payback.
Core rules and concepts
- Design flow to move food forward: receiving, storage, preparation, cooking, holding, service, dishwashing, and trash. Separate clean and dirty paths to prevent cross-contamination.
- Place equipment by workflow, not by available space. Reduce walking, lifting, and repeated handling.
- Ventilation must capture heat, grease, steam, and smoke. Hoods, make-up air, and fire suppression are integrated systems, not add-ons.
- Select equipment on lifecycle cost: purchase price plus installation, energy, water, maintenance, downtime, and training. A cheaper unit can cost more over its life.
- Preventive maintenance extends equipment life and protects food safety. Keep a schedule, spare parts, and service records.
- Technology includes POS, inventory, production, temperature monitoring, and maintenance systems. Validate data and train users.
Worked example
A high-efficiency dishwasher costs $30,000; a standard unit costs $25,000. The efficient unit saves $3,000 per year in energy, water, and chemical cost. Simple payback = extra cost ÷ annual savings = $5,000 ÷ $3,000 ≈ 1.67 years. If the equipment life is 10 years, the efficient unit is likely the better lifecycle choice, provided capacity and installation fit the operation.
Traps that cost marks
- Buying the lowest purchase price without lifecycle cost.
- Designing a layout that crosses raw and ready-to-eat paths.
- Undersizing ventilation or make-up air.
- Skipping preventive maintenance to save short-term cost.
- Adopting technology without training or data validation.