foodservice design

Foodservice design is important, especially in kitchens, to maximize productivity. For example, in The Cheesecake Factory stores, equipment has been positioned on the hot and cold production lines for this purpose. At the West Nyack unit and many other restaurants, the hot food line (partially visible from the seating area) is laid out in seven stations, each with a front (closer to pickup) and back section. On the left, looking toward the line from the seating areas, is the pasta station, equipped with an eight-burner range top and pasta cooker along the back side for fettucini with chicken and sun-dried tomatoes, Pad-Thai noodles and bistro shrimp pasta. At this station and others, the front space is equipped with refrigerated undercounter drawers and a refrigerated pan chiller. Dishes are plated and garnished at the front and placed on shelves for pick-up by waitstaff. Several sinks are placed next to stations.

The next station to the right is the sauté station, with an eight-burner range, a griddle and refrigerated drawers below. Popular dishes prepared here include chicken Madeira, chicken picatta, orange chicken, cheese-crusted chicken, along with meat loaf, sautéed shrimp and Asian vegetable stir fries.

Adjacent to the sauté station is a fry station, where three fryers produce menu items such as calamari, popcorn shrimp, Tex-Mex egg rolls, avocado egg rolls and fries.

Moving further to the right, a flat top is used to cook quesadillas and toast bread for sandwiches such as the chicken and avocado club, cheese-steaks and burritos.

The busiest area on most Cheesecake cooking lines is the adjacent broiler station. A 12-burner broiler is in constant usage as staff prepare burgers, ribs, filets mignon, pork chops and fresh fish. Above the broiler and pasta stations are salamanders for heating and browning ingredients.

The station closest to the kitchen doors is used for salad, sandwich and pizza prep. Pizza ovens and a small sandwich prep unit line the back part of the station. The front part of the station is for salad preparation only.

Timing for production on the lines has been precisely calculated for each dish. Although executives wouldn't release the exact time required for each item, a system is in place to monitor each station's efficiency. Individual stations receive tickets for items they are to produce; an expediter then balances the orders to make sure that all the food for a particular table's order comes up at the same time. One key to maintaining product quality is keeping hot foods under heat lamps for very short periods of time before items are delivered to guests.

Walking through the doors leading away from the line, to the left is the dishroom, while the kitchen is straight ahead. Nearly all food is made from "scratch," so The Cheesecake Factory equipment package is complete with stacked ovens, six-top burners, a tilting skillet, a food processor, prep tables and large walk-in coolers and rooms for dry storage