Starting a Japanese Restaurant? Here’s a Stainless Steel Checklist
Japanese food is well known for its unique blend of intricate flavors, textures & aesthetics. It is one of the most popular cuisines in the world with a USA market worth of $22.1 billion & growing at an annual rate of 1.4%. With that said, Japanese restaurants remain a popular destination. Unlike other standard eateries, Japanese restaurants require unique utensils, wares & machinery to operate successfully. Let’s focus more on the stainless steel items.
In this article, we’ll give you a checklist of 4 stainless steel products that should be integrated into any Japanese restaurant. We’ll also offer up in conjunction some IMC products. Let’s begin the list.
☐ Cold Food Counters
The most popular Japanese food item is sushi & sashimi. In general, seafood & vegetables play a gigantic role in Japanese cuisine. When dealing with any seafood or vegetables, they must be stored at a cooled temperature to avoid spoilage. In fact, they should be stored at 40°F or below.
In order to achieve this, cold food counters must be utilized. They can safely organize & keep your foods chilled while in the prep stage. They can also be used for buffet operations in the front-of-house.
IMC offers an array of cold food counters, but we recommend Models #CFC & #CFCR. CFC is a basic cold food counter that can be equipped with ice pans (2-6 available), which are made from insulated stainless steel to keep your foods chilled. CFCR is similar, but includes a fully integrated refrigerated cold pan. Here’s a peak:
☐ Worktables
Presentation is everything. This is especially true when dealing with Japanese cuisine. Nothing is more satisfying than seeing an attractive dish land right at your table. But, if you are going to create masterpieces, you will need worktables (or prep tables) to get the job done. Having a multiple flat top surfaces organized in a sensible way will make serving smooth & quick.
To help, IMC offers Models #WT, #WTB, & #WT1.
Model #WT is IMC’s standard worktable available in 14 or 16 gauge type 300 series stainless steel. Model #WTB is the same as above except it has the addition of a 6″ high backsplash to protect your walls from damage. Model #WT1 features a 1½” backsplash. Here’s a breakdown:
☐ Knife & Accessory Cabinets
The #1 utensil to consider in a Japanese restaurant setting is knives. Special knives such as deba, usuba, yanagiba, gyutou, santoku & so on are critical to Japanese cuisine. They are among the sharpest & most reliable knives in the entire world. You’ll want a safe spot to keep them when finished with service. A dedicated knife cabinet will surely be put to good use.
IMC offers Model #KNC, a wall mounted knife cabinet. KNC has a solid stainless steel door with a knife holder holding up to 10 knives securely. Here’s a look:
Aside from knives, Japanese cuisine calls for other unique utensils such as skewers, turners, rice paddles, wok ladles, skimmers & the list goes on. These small tools need to be stored in a safe & reliable area when finished. Consider an exclusive accessory cabinet for these items. Multiple accessory cabinets can be implemented for further organization as well.
IMC offers Model #AC, a wall mounted accessory cabinet. AC features (2) adjustable shelves with a stainless steel door & an optional lock box attachment. Check out this preview:
☐ Mixer/Slicer Tables
Apart from small utensils, larger appliances unique to Japanese restaurants exist. These include teppanyaki grills, mongolian ranges, rice cookers/warmers, vegetable slicers, etc. With multiple pieces of equipment in play, having a special place to hold & operate these is crucial. Mixer/slicer tables complement these items well.
IMC offers Models #SMT & #SMTT. SMT is a stainless steel mixer table with a 14-gauge top & an 18-gauge undershelf. The low height (30″) is ideal for operating any machine. Model #SMTT is similar, but adds an integrated 40″ high tool tree for utensil storage. Here’s a look:
Japanese cuisine is home to some of the most iconic dishes. Japanese restaurants themselves are in a unique position when compared to other traditional eateries. Armed with the right stainless steel equipment, success is guaranteed. To learn more about how IMC can cater to your stainless steel needs, click here.
