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Is there anywhere that discusses the kitchen setup in the ChefSteps lab?

Ryan_Jones_36451

In a good number of the ChefSteps produced videos, we get glimpses of the ChefSteps kitchen setup. I was wondering if there was any discussion in the forum on the theory and decisions informing the setup. I'd particularly like to know why they chose the storage units chosen and how the organization enhances workflow.

I couldn't seem to find this info in a cursory forum search.

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Ryan_Jones_36451

Tested released a video today and I look forward to others throughout the week that is probably going to fully answer my request above. Such great cross-marketing!

Tested Lab visits Chefsteps.

https:// www. youtube.com/watch?v=hc_SFK1eZh0

(Trying to embed the video below, but seem to be having problems, so I added a few spaces to the link above to prevent it from auto formatting into a link.)

<<https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=hc_SFK1eZh0&spfreload=10>>

Ryan_Jones_36451

Wow! This in unbelievably helpful.

I am particularly interested in your pantry setup. I've been looking into the Harbor Freight tool chests for exactly the same purpose. I'm glad to learn that they are sturdy enough to handle your purposes and no longer understand why other brand name tool chests cost thousands of dollars.

I love the tips with regards to flexibility/movability and electric everywhere. What exactly do you need 600 amps for, though? Is it just the quantity of electronics used or is it due to a couple heavy duty pieces that need it?

What about the tables? Is it worth it to get thicker gauge steel? And your custom woodtop? Was that built in-house or ordered?

Thanks!

Chris_Young_80640

Ryan, we keep meaning to get around to documenting our workspace. It will happen.

In the meantime, here are some things that come to mind:

We built the kitchen on a very modest budget. We nearly put ourselves out of business before we even got started when the electrical work went waaaayyy over budget. But we have a very nice 600 amp service now.

Much of our equipment was purchased at industrial auctions and often repaired by us with the help of our engineer-type friends. Auction purchased items included our -60 °C 2-stage cryogenic freezer, our commercial refrigerators, our bandsaw, and our Rational combi-oven.

We mostly cook on a GE domestic induction stove top and IKEA induction pots, plus a mixed assortment of cast iron pots and pans.

We store our tools and smallwares on metro racking and in Harbor Freight tool chests.

Nearly everything is on wheels and we put power drops everywhere so that we can rearrange our workspace easily. This makes it much easier for us to rearrange our kitchen when our needs change. Fancy, built-in stuff in pro kitchens makes no sense to me; it costs a fortune and makes your kitchen less flexible.

We have some toys including a high-speed centrifuge, a very nice vacuum chamber sealer, nice scales, lots of digital thermometers, a binchotan grill, vacuum pumps, plenty of sous vide circulators, a chilling bath, several hundred liters of liquid nitrogen at all times, and a probably some stuff I've forgotten we even own. Most of these items are things we paid for, and very rarely do we get any special deals. If we use it, it's because we like it.

Pantry storage is mostly inside U-Line cabinets. Keeps the light out, which helps preserve some ingredients and they're tough and easy to clean. Ben, Nick, and Riley keep everything well organized. We love our label maker.

Dish pit is in the room you don't usually see in our videos. But they guys you see in the videos do the dishes too. Sometimes they even clean up after our developers and other non-chef types. Basically, our kitchen crew keeps our shit from falling apart.

So, what else can I tell you?

Ryan_Jones_36451

I found this, btw, but it doesn't shed much light.

http://www.chefsteps.com/forum/posts/chefsteps-kitchen-layout-can-we-see-how-you-designed-your-workspace-8