Restaurant Kitchen Equipment Checklist | Station Guide

Opening a restaurant in Australia means turning an empty shell into a working commercial kitchen — and the difference between a smooth service and a chaotic one usually comes down to whether every station has the equipment it needs. Miss a piece and you discover the gap mid-service, when a chef is reaching for a salamander that isn't there or a fridge that can't hold the prep. This restaurant kitchen equipment checklist is built to stop that happening.

We've organised it the way a real commercial kitchen actually works — station by station, from the hot line through to the bar — so you can walk your floor plan and tick off the equipment each zone requires. It's a comprehensive equipment checklist for restaurant owners and chefs fitting out a new venue or refurbishing an existing one, with notes on what each piece does, indicative budget tiers, the Australian-supported brands worth considering, and links to the right commercial-grade ranges. Whatever the type of restaurant — a full-service dining room, a fast-casual venue or a café-style kitchen — the same equipment categories apply; what changes is the scale.

Use it as your master restaurant equipment list and buying guide: print it, walk the space, and talk to our team about the gaps. Everything here is commercial-grade gear built for daily restaurant service — not domestic equipment that buckles under load. By the end you'll know exactly what equipment a restaurant needs, how to approach equipment selection station by station, and how to map this kitchen equipment list to your menu, your seating and your budget. Opening a new restaurant is a big undertaking, and the right equipment is what makes the kitchen operation run smoothly from day one.

How to use this restaurant kitchen setup checklist

A restaurant kitchen isn't one room — it's a series of connected stations, each with its own job. Build your restaurant equipment checklist around those stations and two things happen: nothing gets forgotten, and your kitchen flows logically from delivery to plate. This comprehensive guide maps the equipment needs of each zone so you can match the necessary equipment to your menu. The nine stations below cover almost every restaurant kitchen in Australia, from a compact venue to a busy full-service restaurant:

1. Hot line — the cooking heart of the kitchen
2. Cold station / garde manger — salads, starters, cold prep
3. Prep station — mise en place before service
4. Pastry / dessert — baking and plated desserts
5. Warewashing — dishes, glasses and pot wash
6. Dry storage — ambient stock
7. Cold storage — bulk refrigeration and freezing
8. Service / pass — where the kitchen meets front of house
9. Bar area — drinks, ice and glass washing

Before you spend a dollar, lock in your floor plan and menu — they determine how much cooking firepower, refrigeration and warewashing throughput you actually need. Our kitchen layout guide covers planning the space, and the commercial kitchen equipment cost guide breaks the budget down by business type. With those in hand, work through the stations below.

Throughout this checklist we've flagged each major item as an entry / mid / premium tier rather than quoting per-model prices — equipment prices move, and the smarter way to budget is by tier plus our price-match guarantee. For a full budget picture by venue size, see the sizing guidance near the end.

1. Hot line equipment

The hot line is where most of your menu is cooked, and where most of your equipment budget concentrates. Size it to your peak service, not your average — an undersized cooking line is the fastest way to blow out ticket times on a busy Friday. The tools and equipment here should all be heavy-duty, essential commercial gear under a compliant exhaust canopy.

• Commercial range / oven range — the backbone of the line. A 4–6 burner gas range with an oven below suits most mid-size restaurants; high-volume kitchens run multiple ranges. Browse oven ranges and commercial gas cooktops. (Mid → premium tier)
• Convection or combi oven — for baking, roasting and consistent results at volume. A convection oven handles most kitchens; a combi steam oven adds steam, low-temp cooking and serious versatility as you scale. (Mid → premium tier)
• Deep fryer — single or twin-pan, gas or electric, sized to your fried output. Browse commercial deep fryers. (Entry → mid tier)
• Chargrill — for steaks, burgers and that signature grill mark. See chargrills. (Mid tier)
• Salamander — overhead grilling for finishing, melting and toasting at the pass. Explore salamanders. (Entry → mid tier)
• Griddle / hotplate — the workhorse for breakfast service, burgers and teppanyaki. See griddles. (Entry → mid tier)
• Pasta cooker or wok burner — menu-dependent: an Italian kitchen wants a pasta cooker, an Asian kitchen a high-output wok range. (Mid tier)
• Steamer or commercial microwave — a commercial steamer suits high-volume vegetable and seafood cookery, while commercial microwaves handle fast reheating at the line. Both are common additions on a busy hot line. (Entry → mid tier)
• Exhaust canopy & ventilation — non-negotiable over any cooking line and a council requirement. Plan it with your layout, not after.

The commercial oven you choose anchors the whole line, so match its capacity to your covers before you fill in the rest of the cooking equipment around it.

A useful rule for the hot line: every cooking appliance you add also adds ventilation, gas/electrical load, bench space and cleaning time — so each one should earn its place on the menu. Build the line around the dishes you actually sell in volume, and resist the urge to buy a piece of equipment for a dish that turns over a handful of serves a week.

2. Cold station / garde manger equipment

The cold station — or garde manger — handles salads, cold starters, dressings and any plate that doesn't see heat. It runs alongside the hot line and needs its own refrigeration and bench space so cold prep never competes with the cooking line for room.

• Salad bench / prep fridge — a refrigerated bench with gastronorm wells keeps salad components cold and within reach. See salad bar fridges and countertop prep fridges. (Mid tier)
• Under-bench fridge — cold storage built into the cold-station line. Browse under bench fridges. (Entry → mid tier)
• Stainless steel prep bench — durable, easy to sanitise, the backbone of any station. See stainless steel benches. (Entry tier)
• Food prep machines — slicers and processors for high-volume cold prep. Explore food preparation equipment and meat slicers. (Entry → mid tier)
• Refrigerated drawer or chef base — keeps proteins and garnishes at the cook's fingertips. See chef base refrigerators. (Mid tier)

3. Prep station equipment

Prep is where mise en place happens before doors open — and a well-equipped prep area is what lets a small brigade get a big menu ready on time. Keep it separate from the hot line, with its own benches and sinks.

• Stainless steel benches — buy more bench than you think you need. See stainless steel benches. (Entry tier)
• Prep sinks & hand-wash basins — separate basins for food prep and hand washing are a compliance requirement. Browse commercial stainless steel sinks. (Entry tier)
• Food preparation machines — planetary mixers, food processors, vegetable prep machines and slicers are the essential prep equipment that does the heavy lifting. See food preparation, planetary mixers and veg prep machines. (Entry → mid tier)
• Shelving and storage — keep ingredients and equipment off the floor and organised. See storage shelving and wall shelves. (Entry tier)
• Kitchen utensils and smallwares — the low-cost, high-rotation kitchen items every prep section needs: knives, boards, gastronorm pans, measuring tools and the utensils and equipment your prep cooks reach for constantly. Budget a lump sum and buy in sensible multiples.
• Benchtop equipment — compact benchtop equipment such as a small mixer, blender or food processor rounds out the prep station without taking floor space. See benchtop equipment. (Entry tier)
• Safety items — keep a stocked first-aid kit, fire blanket and the safety items your venue is required to carry within easy reach of the prep and cooking areas.

4. Pastry / dessert station equipment

Even if you outsource bread, most restaurants do some baking or plated dessert work in-house. The pastry station needs precise heat, dedicated cold storage and bench space away from savoury prep to avoid cross-contamination.

• Convection or deck oven — even, controllable heat for baking. A convection oven suits most restaurant pastry sections. (Mid tier)
• Planetary mixer — for doughs, batters, creams and meringues. See planetary mixers. (Mid tier)
• Refrigeration & blast chilling — pastry needs reliable cold storage, and a blast chiller sets creams and laminated dough fast and safely. (Mid → premium tier)
• Dedicated prep bench — a cool, separate surface for delicate work. See stainless steel benches. (Entry tier)
• Display refrigeration — if you sell cakes or desserts up front, a cake display fridge shows them off while keeping them compliant. (Mid tier)

5. Warewashing equipment

Underestimate warewashing and you'll feel it every single service. A commercial dishwasher isn't a luxury — it's what keeps plates, glasses and pots cycling back to the line fast enough to keep up with the room.

• Commercial dishwasher — an under-bench dishwasher suits smaller restaurants; a passthrough machine handles higher covers; a conveyor dishwasher is for high-volume operations. Browse all commercial dishwashers. (Entry → premium tier)
• Inlet & outlet benches — feed and stack the machine efficiently. See dishwasher inlet sinks & outlet benches. (Entry tier)
• Pot-wash sink — a deep double-bowl sink for pots and pans the machine can't take. See commercial stainless steel sinks. (Entry tier)
• Glass & plate racks — keep washing organised and protect your stock.
• Cleaner's / mop sink — a dedicated low sink for cleaning, kept away from food areas. See mop sinks. (Entry tier)

6. Dry storage equipment

Dry storage is the zone owners forget until they're tripping over stock. Plan ambient storage from day one so deliveries have a home and stock rotation is easy.

• Dry-store shelving — adjustable, food-grade shelving for ambient goods, kept off the floor. See storage shelving. (Entry tier)
• Ingredient bins & containers — sealed, labelled storage for flour, rice and bulk dry goods.
• Wall shelving — frees up bench space and keeps frequently used items within reach. See kitchen wall shelves. (Entry tier)
• Chemical & cleaning storage — kept separate from food, as required by Australian food-safety standards.

7. Cold storage equipment

Cold storage is where compliance and food safety meet day-to-day workflow. Australian food-safety standards require cold food kept at or below 5°C, with separation between raw and ready-to-eat. Size up rather than down — a fridge packed to the door wastes energy and shortens its life.

• Upright fridge & freezer — bulk storage for stock and frozen goods. Browse commercial fridges and commercial freezers. (Mid tier)
• Under-bench fridges & freezers — line-side cold storage so staff aren't walking to the back mid-service. See under bench fridges and under bench freezers. (Entry → mid tier)
• Cool room / walk-in cooler (large venues) — high-volume kitchens need walk-in-scale cold storage; for a walk-in cooler, talk to our team about a tailored refrigeration equipment solution.
• Blast chiller — rapidly cools cooked food through the danger zone for safe storage, and is increasingly a food-safety expectation in busy kitchens. See blast chillers. (Premium tier)

8. Service / pass equipment

The pass is where the kitchen meets front of house — the choreographed handover where plated dishes leave and orders come in. Equipment here keeps hot food hot and the flow tight.

• Heated pass / hot-holding — keeps plated and held food at or above 60°C until it leaves. See hot food displays and holding cabinets. (Mid tier)
• Bain-marie — for sauces, sides and held components at temperature.
• Heat lamps & gantry — overhead warming at the pass keeps plates ready without drying out.
• Stainless steel pass bench — a clear, durable surface for plating and checking. See stainless steel benches. (Entry tier)

9. Bar area equipment

If your restaurant runs a bar, it's effectively a station of its own — with its own refrigeration, ice and glass washing so it never competes with the kitchen.

• Back-bar / bar fridges — bottle and keg storage within reach of the bartender. See commercial bar fridges and drink fridges. (Entry → mid tier)
• Ice maker — essential for any bar; size the daily output to your covers. Browse commercial ice makers and under-bench ice makers. (Mid tier)
• Glass washer — a dedicated under-bench glasswasher keeps glassware cycling without tying up the kitchen machine. (Entry tier)
• Wine fridge — temperature-correct wine storage and service. See wine fridges. (Mid tier)
• Speed rail & bar bench — stainless work surfaces and well storage for fast service.

Kitchen layout considerations

A complete restaurant equipment list is only half the job — where each piece sits determines whether the kitchen actually works. Plan your stations so food flows in one direction, from delivery and storage through prep, cooking and the pass, without staff crossing paths or doubling back. The hot line should sit under its exhaust canopy; cold and prep stations should be close to cold storage; and warewashing needs a clear path from the pass so dirty dishes don't travel through clean areas.

Get the layout right and you reduce steps, speed up service and cut the risk of cross-contamination. An efficient kitchen layout also makes it far easier to meet health code and health and safety requirements — separated wash and food areas, hand-wash basins where they're needed, and a logical flow that the food authority will check. business.gov.au provides a comprehensive guide to the licences, registrations, and regulatory requirements that Australian food businesses need to meet when starting or operating in the hospitality sector. Our commercial kitchen layout guide walks through zoning, workflow and the rules of thumb that experienced kitchen designers use — read it before you finalise where the equipment goes, because moving a fixed exhaust canopy or a plumbed dishwasher after the fact is an expensive correction.

Sizing your equipment to your restaurant

How much of each piece you need scales with your covers. Use these profiles to right-size the checklist to your venue:

These are starting points, not rules — a high-turnover 60-seat venue with a fried-heavy menu may need more cooking firepower than a relaxed 90-seat dining room. Always size to your menu and turnover first, then sanity-check against seats. For the dollar figures behind each profile, see our commercial kitchen equipment cost guide.

What to look for in commercial restaurant equipment

Two restaurants can buy the "same" piece of equipment and have wildly different experiences three years later. The difference is what they checked before buying:

• Commercial-grade build, not domestic. Restaurant equipment runs for hours every day under heavy load. Commercial-grade gear is engineered for that duty cycle — heavier components, better thermal recovery and serviceable parts. Domestic-style equipment simply won't last.
• Australian-supported brands. When something fails mid-service you need parts and a technician fast. Value brands like GasMax, FED-X, Thermaster, Atosa and CookRite deliver commercial-grade performance with local parts and service, at a far lower entry point than premium imports.
• Energy efficiency. Refrigeration and cooking gear run constantly, so a more efficient unit can pay back its price difference over its life in lower power bills.
• Footprint and fit. Measure your space and doorways before you buy — a machine that won't fit through the door, or crowds the line, is an expensive mistake the right floor plan prevents.
• Warranty terms. Commercial warranties vary by product and brand. Always read the warranty terms for each item so you know exactly what's covered before you commit.

Financing and budgeting your restaurant kitchen

A full restaurant fit-out is a significant investment, and you don't have to fund it all from working capital. SilverChef financing lets eligible Australian hospitality operators fund commercial kitchen equipment so the gear earns its keep while you pay it off, with approvals on qualifying applications in as little as five minutes. It pairs neatly with staging your fit-out: equip the essentials your launch menu needs now, and add capacity as the restaurant grows. Explore payment and finance options to see what suits your setup.

To keep the total down without cutting corners, lean on Australian-supported value brands, stage your build, ask about package deals across the full kitchen, and use our price-match guarantee so you never overpay on like-for-like commercial equipment. For a deeper breakdown, read our guides on equipment costs and the cafe equipment list if you run a café-style service alongside the restaurant.

Buying your restaurant kitchen equipment in Australia

Where you buy shapes the real cost as much as what you buy. Sourcing the full kitchen from a single supplier means your cooking equipment, refrigeration and stainless prep are specced to work together, your warranty and service run through one point of contact, and you can lean on a genuine best-price guarantee rather than chasing quotes across a dozen vendors.

Commercial Kitchen Appliances equips restaurants right across the hospitality and restaurant industry in Australia with commercial-grade cooking equipment, refrigeration, warewashing, kitchen display units, catering equipment and stainless steel benches from trusted brands under one roof. With a Sydney head office and partner warehouses in Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, we dispatch hospitality equipment quickly to venues nationwide — and our team helps you match the essential equipment to your kitchen size, then map this complete checklist to your floor plan and budget, from a single bench to a full fit-out.

Ready to fit out your restaurant?

Commercial Kitchen Appliances is your one-stop-shop for commercial-grade restaurant equipment — proudly Australian owned and backed by local support. Talk to our team about your fit-out, get a package built around your floor plan, and lock in our price-match guarantee.

• 📞 Call 1300 000 927 to speak with our team
• 📍 Showroom: 151 Parramatta Road, Granville NSW 2142
• 💳 SilverChef finance available for eligible operators
• ✅ Price-match guaranteed on like-for-like commercial equipment

Planning the rest of your venue? Read our guides on commercial kitchen equipment costs, the cafe equipment list and kitchen layout, or explore payment and finance options.

Frequently asked questions