Mobile food trailer design includes choosing functional commercial kitchen equipment for a vehicle. It is quite a tricky task for a starter because of the shortage of space in a trailer. Forget about that cumbersome commercial equipment that most restaurants use and used cooking appliances in your kitchen. Your mobile food trailer is too small to fit them, so they are bound to have an adverse effect on your working efficiency and food quality. Then, how to choose the proper kitchen equipment for a food trailer? This guide tells everything you need to know when buying any kitchen equipment for a food trailer, involving 4 factors you should consider for your mobile kitchen, a complete food truck kitchen equipment list, how much it cost to have an equipped food trailer, installation, how to make choice between new cooking equipment and used one, and where you can source high-quality equipment for your mobile kitchen.
Things You Should Consider Before Buying Kitchen Equipment for a Food Trailer
What are Local Regulations and Health Codes in Your City?
Please check the local health codes first before you plan the space for any commercial kitchen equipment. They stipulate a list of necessary equipment for the mobile food trailer operation and food safety. Lacking any equipment they require results in a failure to get a license for your trailer or a hefty amount of fines. These codes differ from those set for common restaurants and vary from country. Here are the food trailer kitchen equipment and appliances required by federal laws in the USA:
1. Worktables with a clean surface
All food should be been more than six inches off the ground, so worktables are necessary for the preparation of food. Tables must be made of food-grade materials and easy to clean, such as 304 stainless steel.
2. Fridge or freezer for keeping food at an ideal temperature
Food should be kept in an ideal temperature range for retaining its best quality and taste. If you don’t have a fridge or freezer in your trailer, store food in a commissary near you.
3. Commercial range hood above ovens, burner, grills, and fryers
NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) said that any cooking equipment producing greasy smoke should be equipped with a commercial exhaust hood that has easy access to its interior surface for cleaning.
4. Portable fire extinguisher
NFPA emphasizes the fire extinguishing equipment for the protection of cooking equipment and range hoods used in any fixed, mobile, or temporary concessions, such as mobile food truck trailers.
5. 3 compartment sink with splash guard and a hand sink
Your equipped food trailer is crowded with various food trailer kitchen equipment, but you have to leave some space for a 3-compartment sink with a hand sink, important kitchen equipment required by the food codes. The sink needs to have splash guards at the rear and sides, to protect water from splashing everywhere and contaminating food. Besides, a small and separate sink needs to be set up for washing hands only.
