Setting up a new bakery café requires a multi-month undertaking that caps a three to the four-week opening procedure. You have to train the staff during the opening process and it is an all-inclusive process. There are several things to consider when setting up a bakery café: ensuring traffic flow, architectural designs, tools, mise en place – a French phrase for putting everything in its place – and training, etc. 

Keep Everything in Zones & Parts

It is a straightforward concept because it is essential to keep ingredients and tools together that will address all the where, when, and how questions when you need to use them.

For example, we keep all the spices in one cupboard and utensils in the other at home, and we classify items by their type and use. So, when you are thinking of launching a bakery café, you have to think in zones and parts, like goodies, bread, sandwiches, made-to-order facility, production, customer service, breakfast meal, lunch, dinner, and more.  

You can keep all the sandwich-related spices and ingredients near to the sandwich station. Similarly, you can do the same for other bakery items. You can have small divisions for sauces and other seasonings as it will make the preparation method easier and quick.

You have to go with the same approach for tools too, and they should be stored in their dedicated stations. If the same tool is required for different items, provide each station with its own set (it is doable for small equipment like a whisk). 

Regarding parts, we have to consider the tools and their uses too. You do not want to use the same mop to clean the lobby with which you have cleaned the mill room. You have to consider the supplies and tools and store them properly carefully. You have to keep the packaging in mind as well. Consider storing cups adequately for morning coffee and Kraft bakery boxes for pastries. Kraft paper is eco-friendly and will leave an impact on the environment and customers. 

Organize the Task Efficiently

You also have to consider the footsteps required to design and set up a kitchen. Enabling your staff to complete their tasks efficiently will lead to happy customers and lower labor numbers. You have to calculate the footsteps a baker takes from the kneading table to the oven, along with the steps your employees take from the sandwich station to the walk-in refrigerator.

Similarly, consider the footsteps a customer service representative has to take to deliver to the customer. It might look absurd but it smoothens the entire bakery working.

Have a Dress Rehearsal

Before opening a bakery café, it would be a great practice to perform a dress rehearsal. You have to run through the procedure you are working on setting up in real-time and ask if your ingredients are readily available, if your tools are appropriately placed, and if you are wasting footsteps for a job that can be done more efficiently. Performing a dress rehearsal will help you manage and understand the working better.

Be Aware of Customers

You will see that many bakery cafes have an open interior where the production space is easily viewable to the customer. Please learn that having transparency is quite hip and integral for engagement. It also asks you to keep everything immaculately clean and organized. 

Please do not leave your junk space messy; clean it and keep it out of the customer’s sight. You can go for one theme for an entire season or use décor and off-season packaging for different seasons and occasions. A place with a soothing and dazzling ambiance always steps down in the heart of a customer. 

To End With

You can use these ideas and see how much time and effort you save for a successful bakery café. You can hire a few services to help you set up your kitchen in the most beautiful manner possible. 

We would appreciate you sharing your views and ideas with us to help us set a cafe better.