Remote Kitchen Efficiencies to Maximize Your Earnings

Written by Chef Alan Skversky, Published on 12/14/2020

I am an industry veteran. My career has spanned everything from restaurant start-ups, corporate R&D for multi-unit locations as well as catering. I joined Foodom to have an outlet to use my skills and experience in a way that is thoughtful and fills a need.

Much of my work history has been leading the efforts to maximize kitchen efficiencies. I am happy to bring that knowledge to this new experience and share it with other cooks. This can help you increase your pay and increase customer satisfaction as you will be spending less time in their kitchen while preparing high-quality meals more efficiently.

Personal Chef Efficiency Methods

Organization is key
Study the recipes and visualize the steps
Leave behind a sparkling clean kitchen and printed Reheating Instructions

The Well-Organized Chef

I created a “remote kitchen” in a large storage container to house small wares and cleaning supplies. See the long list at the bottom of the post. Think of these as inspiration and adjust based on the equipment needed for the dishes, it’s listed in the production report in the recipes. I take all of it but you might just want to take some of the suggestions.

If you have a rice cooker, bring that when needed for consistently perfect rice.

If you have a griddle, bring it when needed for certain recipes. It is very versatile, takes up little space, cleans easily and can make 8-10 zucchini fritters at a time!

So far, I have found that most homes only have one large pot. I bring two so I can utilize as many burners as possible.

Cook Better by Studying Recipes and Creating a Plan

You probably heard that Olympic athletes visualize the day of the race in their head, they go over any possible scenario and plan their steps and rerun in their heads.

The chefs don’t need to race in the Olympic games, but if we use similar methods in our work and passion, we will be much more efficient. How will you benefit from this?

In my opinion, the best way to make my customers happy is to create delicious food, leave their kitchen cleaner than I got it, and get out of their way so they can get their kitchen space back. Especially during COVID time, when they shouldn’t be in the kitchen with us.

At the same time, the faster I finish cooking, the more I make per hour and the more time I have to accept more orders, increasing my pay even more.

Provide Printed Reheating Instructions

Create a simple summary with reheating instructions, based on details available in the recipe or create your own (and provide to Foodom so they will update the recipes accordingly).

Proofread the instructions to make sure they read well for the client. Some are taken directly from the original recipe and are too simple or don’t provide easiest detail. See an example in the picture. This along with a sparkling clean kitchen are high satisfaction factors for customers.

The Chef's Remote Kitchen

Small Ware	Cleaning	Other Equipment
Measuring cups and spoons	Cleaning towels	Pen
Sharp Knives / Small Stone / Steel	Nitrile or Latex Gloves	Paper
Tongs	Small First Aid Kit	Sharpie
Spatula	Sanitizer	Blue Painter’s Tape (1)
Whisks	Paper Towels
Rubber Spatula	Spice Grinder
Sponges / Scrub Pads	Sponges / Scrub Pads
Mixing Bowls	Dish Soap / Sanitizer
Strainer and Colander	Antimicrobial Wipes
Mandolin	Large Trash Bags (2)
Grater	Broom / Swiffer Wet Mop (3)
Two Large Pots
Microplane Zester
Can Opener
Wooden Spoon
Immersion Blender
Spice Grinder
Two Half sheet pans + nested cooling screens
Two Cutting Boards + rubber matting for stability (4)
Digital Probe
Digital Scale
Heavy-Duty Aluminum Foil / Large Format Cling Wrap
Kitchen towels

Comments on the equipment items:

(1) I have been taking my trash, recyclables, and compost. I consider it part of clean up

(2) I consider the floor part of the cleanup and prefer to have items I am clear on how to use

(3) Other equipment: proper labeling assists the client

(4) one for proteins/one for produce