Why Stainless Steel Tables Are Essential for Commercial Kitchens
Why Stainless Steel Tables Are Essential for Commercial Kitchens
Whether you’re fitting out a new commercial kitchen or looking to improve an existing workspace, choosing the right preparation surfaces is an important decision.
Your tables need to cope with the demands of a busy kitchen while providing a practical, hygienic and reliable area for everyday food preparation.
That’s why stainless steel tables are such a popular choice across restaurants, cafés, takeaways, pubs and other professional catering environments.
But what makes stainless steel so well suited to a commercial kitchen, and what should you consider when choosing your next table?
Why Choose Stainless Steel Tables for a Commercial Kitchen?
Commercial kitchens are demanding working environments.
Food preparation surfaces can be used throughout the day, so they need to be practical, hard-wearing and easy to incorporate into your cleaning routine.
A stainless steel table provides a dedicated preparation area while complementing other stainless steel equipment commonly found throughout professional kitchens.
They’re also extremely versatile. Depending on your kitchen layout, a stainless steel table can be used as a general food preparation area, an additional work surface or a convenient station between other pieces of catering equipment.
A Practical Choice for Food Preparation
Hygiene is always an important consideration when choosing equipment and furniture for a professional kitchen.
The smooth surface of stainless steel is straightforward to clean and maintain, making it particularly well suited to areas used for regular food preparation.
A dedicated stainless steel catering table can also help you organise your kitchen more effectively by providing a defined area for preparation rather than relying on whatever worktop space happens to be available.
Which Size Stainless Steel Table Do You Need?
One of the most important considerations is size.
A table that is too large can restrict movement around a smaller kitchen, while one that’s too small may not provide enough useful preparation space.
Before buying, consider where the table will be positioned and measure the available space carefully.
Cater Kitchen’s Economy stainless steel catering tables are available in several practical sizes, including:
- 300mm x 600mm infill table
- 450mm x 600mm
- 600mm x 600mm
- 750mm x 600mm
- 900mm x 600mm
- 1200mm x 600mm
- 1500mm x 600mm
The smaller 300mm x 600mm infill table can be particularly useful for making use of narrow gaps within a commercial kitchen layout, while the 450mm and 600mm options provide compact additional work surfaces where space is limited.
For larger kitchens, a 1200mm or 1500mm stainless steel table provides considerably more room for everyday food preparation.
The best option ultimately depends on your kitchen layout, available space and how you plan to use the table.
What Is a Stainless Steel Table Upstand?
You’ll often see commercial kitchen tables described as having an upstand.
This is the raised section running along the rear of the table. It is particularly useful when the table is positioned against a wall, helping to protect the area behind the work surface from accidental food and water splashes.
Cater Kitchen offers stainless steel tables with rear upstands as well as table options without upstands, giving you the flexibility to choose according to where the table will be positioned.
For example, a wall table may benefit from an upstand, whereas a table positioned centrally within the kitchen may require a different design.
Make Use of the Space Under Your Table
In a busy commercial kitchen, storage space can quickly become valuable.
Choosing a catering table with a lower shelf allows you to make use of the space underneath your preparation surface.
Cater Kitchen’s Economy stainless steel catering tables feature an adjustable galvanised lower shelf designed for dry storage, helping you make practical use of the area underneath the main worktop.
This can be particularly useful in compact kitchens where efficient use of available space is essential.
Adjustable Feet for Uneven Kitchen Floors
Not every commercial kitchen floor is perfectly level.
An unstable preparation table can quickly become frustrating, particularly when it’s being used throughout a busy service.
Cater Kitchen’s stainless steel tables feature individually adjustable feet, allowing the table to be stabilised when positioned on an uneven floor.
It’s a relatively simple feature, but one that can make a significant difference to the practicality of your food preparation area.
Economy vs Premium Stainless Steel Tables
Another consideration is whether an Economy or Premium table is best suited to your requirements.
Cater Kitchen’s Economy Stainless Steel Tables feature a food-grade stainless steel worktop and stainless steel legs, with an adjustable galvanised lower shelf for dry storage. They provide a practical solution for businesses looking for a reliable commercial preparation table at an economical price.
For businesses wanting a higher specification, Cater Kitchen also offers Premium Stainless Steel Tables manufactured using full 304 food-grade stainless steel for the tabletop, legs and lower shelf.
Both ranges are designed with busy commercial kitchens in mind, so your choice will depend on your requirements and budget.
Where Can Stainless Steel Catering Tables Be Used?
Stainless steel tables aren’t limited to one type of catering business.
Their versatility makes them suitable for a wide variety of professional environments, including:
- Restaurants
- Cafés
- Takeaways
- Pubs and bars
- Hotels
- Bakeries
- Canteens
- Catering businesses
- Food preparation areas
Essentially, anywhere that requires a strong and practical food preparation surface can benefit from the right commercial stainless steel table.
Creating an Efficient Commercial Kitchen Workspace
Your table shouldn’t be considered in isolation.
Think about how it will work alongside your sinks, appliances, shelving and other catering equipment.
Positioning preparation tables in the right places can help create a more practical flow around the kitchen, while lower shelving can provide additional dry storage without taking up extra floor space.
The smaller 300mm infill table can also help make use of narrow spaces between equipment that might otherwise go unused.
For kitchens where storage is particularly important, Cater Kitchen also offers wall tables with double over shelves, combining preparation space with additional shelving above the worktop.
Taking some time to plan where each piece of equipment will sit can help you make much better use of the space available.
Shop Stainless Steel Tables at Cater Kitchen
At Cater Kitchen, we stock a wide selection of stainless steel tables for commercial kitchens, with Economy and Premium options available in a range of practical sizes.
From compact 300mm infill tables designed to make use of smaller spaces to larger 1200mm and 1500mm work surfaces, there are options to suit different commercial kitchen layouts.
Whether you need a table to fit between existing equipment or a larger work surface for everyday food preparation, you can find options designed specifically for professional catering environments.
Browse our range of stainless steel wall tables and find the right size and specification for your commercial kitchen.
