The commercial cooking range is widely considered to be the beating heart at the core of every dining establishment. A restaurant equipment design plan should take into account a number of important considerations such as size, the number of moving parts, potential long-term maintenance costs, durability and even looks.

When selecting appliances such as a commercial range, the manager and chef should answer a number of questions about how the piece must function. A knowledgeable restaurant design and supply contractor can plan a cost-effective floor plan for restaurant design, kitchen layout and appliance checklist based on your answers:

• How many people will use it?
• How complicated is it?
• What level of training will the staff receive on its proper use?
• What volume of product will be turned out?
• Does the restaurant equipment design make it easy to maintain and clean?
• Will it be visible to customers?

A great deal of thought goes into a restaurant kitchen design; exercise the same diligence in choosing appliances, and you could be off to a great start.

If one piece is all you need, trade shows and industry conventions are a nice way to touch base with many manufacturers and see their products all in one place. Use the opportunity to test the quality of the models that appear to suit your needs. Also, get as much detail as possible about the vendors' expertise and what kind of support and customer service you can expect. If you're in the market to outfit an entire business, note what you learned during your trade show visits and consider meeting with a restaurant design and supply consultant who can gather all the best deals under one service contract.