There are three primary reasons to hire a temporary kitchen. First, for a special event where either there are no kitchen facilities or where the current kitchen can't cope. Typically this would range from music festivals, where a kitchen might be set up in the middle of a field, to construction sites to sporting venues. Sometimes hotels and restaurants will hire a temporary kitchen to tide them over especially busy periods - such as Christmas. Two Chinese restaurants hired kitchens that were set up in Trafalgar Square to feed the crowds at the 2008 Chinese New Year celebrations.
Second, a temporary unit may be required if the permanent kitchen is being closed for refurbishment. Hospitals, hotels, pubs, schools, colleges and restaurants will all need to refit their kitchen at some time. A temporary kitchen means the foodservice can continue uninterrupted.
The third reason is when there's an emergency. Typically this will be when a kitchen has to be closed, perhaps because of a fire or other disaster. Again, a temporary unit means business can continue as usual.
What's on offer?
Temporary kitchens are available in a huge range of sizes, to feed from 30 to 3,000 or more. And not just kitchens. Coldstores, dishwash rooms, washrooms, dining areas, prep rooms - they're all available to hire and can be linked together to form a large complex when required.
Most temporary kitchen specialists will offer to hire a kitchen for just about any amount of time - from one day to several years. The longer the contract, the lower the 'price-per-day'. There will also normally be a separate charge for delivery and collection.
Pick a kitchen...
There are various factors to consider when selecting a temporary kitchen. The size will depend on how many people need to be fed, how many chefs are working, what equipment is required - and the amount of space available to house the kitchen, along with ease of access.
These last two considerations - space and access - are critical but there's no need to fret about apparently insurmountable walls or tight corners: temporary kitchen specialists are used to these problems and have a range of solutions for just about any eventuality.
A temporary kitchen can either be connected up to the mains services - power, gas, water, waste - or it can be a stand-alone unit, with its own generators and so on. However, if the kitchen is going to need to be moved during the contract, then the supplier will take this into account and advise accordingly.
Fitting out your temporary kitchen
The temporary kitchen can be adapted and supplied to suit whatever type of food you are cooking - whether it's fast food or a five-course banquet. The best temporary kitchen hire companies will offer a wide choice of equipment, so that you can select exactly what you want - fryer, combi, microwave, range, hob, or whatever. In fact, the temporary kitchen can be set up to mimic the kitchen and equipment the chefs are used to.
