Front cooking is no longer just a trend, but has long since established itself in professional kitchens. Being able to watch the staff in a hotel, restaurant or at events as they efficiently bring a meal to the plate and garnish it with a little small talk - for many guests, this is a real added value.

Nevertheless, many managers still struggle to integrate front cooking into their catering concept. But if you follow five simple tips, you will quickly become a front cooking specialist.

Offering front cooking sounds easy at first: just buy a cooking station and off you go. Right? For front cooking to become a successful feature of the in-house catering concept, thorough planning is required in good time.

It is important to develop a concept that is customised to the style of the establishment and to select the appropriate hardware and equipment. In addition, staff should be involved in decisions at an early stage. This step demonstrates appreciation and promotes employee motivation.

If you cut corners with front cooking stations, you risk long queues, stressed staff and annoyed guests. High-quality front cooking stations ensure constant performance and efficiency. This is particularly important for live cooking events in order to reduce waiting times for consumers.

Flexibility is also important, as professional front cooking stations should be versatile and adaptable to different cooking techniques and menu requirements.

Overall, investing in the right hardware ensures efficient and smooth kitchen operations, enhances the customer experience and boosts the productivity of the kitchen team.

With its COOK family, B.PRO has the ideal hardware for sustainable front cooking experiences in its portfolio. The COOK classic cooking station is particularly powerful and spacious and is available in three sizes.

The COOK i-flex, on the other hand, is characterised by its compact dimensions and flexibility. It offers the option of serving a variety of dishes throughout the day. Cooking attachments in various designs are simply placed on top and can be quickly exchanged. In its Plug & Play version, it is not only independent of location, but can also be connected to standard earthed sockets.

Both front cooking stations impress with intuitive operation, powerful induction technology and an integrated extraction and filter system. This is an unbeatable advantage, as it allows you to cook directly in the dining area - independently of a stationary extractor bonnet.

All components are easy to clean. Various equipment options and interchangeable panelling guarantee optimum adaptation to individual requirements.

Working behind the scenes in a fully equipped kitchen is different from cooking in front of the guest at a mobile cooking station. Front cooking requires the ability to keep an eye on several things at the same time: the degree of preparation of the meals, communication with the guest and efficient, safe handling.

This makes it all the more important for staff to be prepared for these challenges. Eye contact, a smile and a little chat are the best ingredients for a lasting experience that guests will not soon forget. All of this can also be learnt - as can intuitive, confident operation of the front cooking station.

But there are even more ways to make your staff fit for front cooking: in 2002, front cooking expert and master chef Bernd Trum from Limburg an der Lahn founded the ICA Frontcooking Academy. His portfolio includes in-house training, staff qualifications, process optimisation, the development of food concepts and product presentations.

Which front cooking concept do we want to offer? One thing is clear: the menu selection must correspond to the gastronomic orientation of the establishment. It should also be borne in mind that a front cooking station only has a limited amount of space available. Here, it is practical to cook dishes with just a few high-quality ingredients. However, depending on the degree of preparation or convenience, sophisticated dishes can also be conjured up on the plate.

The more guests are to be catered for, the sooner the ingredients are ready to serve or just need an effective finish, for example by being regenerated or tossed.

Optimised workflows play a central role here. Among other things, sufficient storage capacity and available standby personnel are important factors in this context.

Hygiene is an important aspect. Easy-to-clean materials and surfaces are crucial in order to comply with the strict hygiene standards in the catering industry. Regular cleaning of the equipment and work surfaces used as well as regular hand washing must remain a matter of course despite the hectic pace. This also includes a well-groomed appearance - including a spotlessly clean chef's jacket and hygienic headgear.

Would you like more information on effective front cooking stations or do you have general questions about front cooking?