Restaurant and pizzeria equipment checklist
Plan a restaurant or pizzeria opening with this equipment checklist for preparation, cooking, storage, table service, cleaning and safety.
In short
Opening a restaurant requires six equipment groups: preparation (knives, chopping boards and mixing bowls), cooking (pots, pans and Gastronorm trays), storage (Gastronorm containers, vacuum packing and labels), table service (plates, cutlery, glasses, table linen and condiment sets), cleaning and hygiene, and safety. A pizzeria also needs pizza peels, turning peels, dough containers and pizza plates. Calculate tableware from covers, allowing for washing and breakages.
A restaurant needs hundreds of different items. This checklist groups them by work area so you can check each department. Major installations such as ovens, hobs, fridges, dishwashers and extraction systems are outside its scope; it covers the equipment ordered from a catering catalogue.
Preparation
- Kitchen knives: at least a chef's knife, paring knife, bread knife and filleting or boning knife for each station;
- Honing steel and sharpener;
- Polyethylene chopping boards, preferably in different colours to prevent cross-contamination; red for meat, blue for fish and green for vegetables is a common system;
- Stainless steel mixing bowls in several sizes;
- Sieves, colanders and food mills;
- Graters, peelers and mandolines;
- Scales and measuring utensils;
- Probe thermometers for HACCP temperature checks.
Cooking
- Stockpots and casseroles in several sizes; see commercial cookware materials;
- Carbon steel, stainless steel and non-stick frying pans;
- Gastronorm trays and pans for the oven; see Gastronorm sizes;
- Ladles, skimmers, tongs, spatulas and whisks;
- Oven gloves and pot holders.
Storage
- Stainless steel and polycarbonate Gastronorm containers with lids;
- Vacuum packing machine and bags; see commercial vacuum packing;
- Airtight containers for prepared food;
- Labels for preparation dates and use-by dates.
Pizzeria
If you serve pizza, add:
- Wooden or aluminium loading peels and perforated turning peels;
- Oven brush and scraper;
- Proving boxes or containers for dough balls;
- Dough spatulas and scrapers;
- Small Gastronorm containers (GN 1/6, GN 1/9) for counter ingredients;
- Pizza wheels and pizza plates;
- Portioning tools for sauce and mozzarella to help control costs.
Dining area
- Plates: dinner, soup, dessert, bread and specialist plates; see porcelain, stoneware or glass;
- Cutlery; see 18/10 and 18/0 cutlery;
- Water glasses and wine glasses; see wine glass shapes;
- Cups for coffee, tea and herbal infusions;
- Tablecloths, placemats and napkins, fabric or disposable;
- Condiment sets, salt and pepper shakers, and oil bottles with non-refillable closures, as required for oil service in Italy;
- Bread baskets, charger plates and place markers;
- Service trolleys and trays.
Cleaning, hygiene and safety
- Separate dishwasher racks for plates, glasses and cutlery;
- Detergents for tableware, surfaces and floors, with their technical data sheets;
- Soap dispensers and paper towels in work areas;
- Pedal bins for separated waste; see restaurant waste sorting;
- Kitchen and front-of-house uniforms; see chef uniform requirements;
- First-aid kit and fire extinguishers according to the risk assessment.
Planning quantities
The hardest question is often how many items to order. For plates, glasses and cutlery, use the simple method based on covers in restaurant tableware quantities.
Ordering advice
Choose the crockery range first. Plates determine the table style, rack space and stack heights on shelves. Then order kitchen equipment against the final menu. Changing the menu during purchasing can mean buying equipment twice.
Find the products
The items mentioned in this guide, in the Misee catalogue.
Frequently asked questions
How much does equipment for a new restaurant cost?
It depends on covers, cuisine and service level, so one figure would be misleading. Start with this checklist, calculate quantities from covers, then request a quotation for the full list.
Are colour-coded chopping boards compulsory?
Italian law does not require them. However, colour coding, such as red for raw meat, blue for fish and green for vegetables, is a simple way to prevent cross-contamination and is included in many HACCP plans.
What extra equipment does a pizzeria need?
Loading and unloading peels, perforated turning peels, oven brushes, dough proving boxes or containers, pizza wheels, ingredient containers for the prep counter and pizza plates.
Can oil be served in a refillable cruet at the table?
In Italy, extra virgin olive oil at hospitality venues must be served in labelled bottles with non-refillable closures that prevent refilling. Refillable oil cruets are not permitted for this use.
Need advice on your supplies?
Our customer service helps you choose sizes, quantities and materials for your venue.