A Kitchen Designer is responsible for translating a hospitality concept into a functional, efficient, and commercially viable back-of-house operation. Within Consulting, Concept & Opening Roles, this position plays a critical role in the pre-opening and development phases, ensuring that the kitchen layout, equipment selection, workflow, and service support systems align with the venue’s menu, volume, service style, and brand standards. The goal is to create a kitchen that supports speed, consistency, food safety, and profitability from day one.
The role typically sits within the project, pre-opening, or design team and works closely with chefs, operators, architects, consultants, project managers, and equipment suppliers. Depending on the organisation structure, the Kitchen Designer usually reports to the Project Director, F&B Director, Concept Development Lead, or Operations Director. In some projects, the role may also have a dotted-line relationship to the Head Chef or Executive Chef to ensure culinary requirements are accurately reflected in the design.
Key responsibilities include:
- Designing kitchen and back-of-house layouts that support efficient production, service flow, hygiene, and safety.
- Translating menu concepts and operational needs into practical equipment lists, workstations, storage, and circulation plans.
- Coordinating with chefs, consultants, architects, and MEP teams to ensure the kitchen is buildable and operationally sound.
- Selecting and specifying equipment based on capacity, energy use, durability, maintenance, and budget.
- Reviewing plans, elevations, and technical drawings to identify operational risks or inefficiencies.
- Supporting cost control by balancing performance requirements with capital expenditure targets.
- Ensuring compliance with local health, safety, fire, and building regulations.
The ideal person for this role:
- Understands both culinary operations and technical design.
- Thinks logically, spatially, and commercially.
- Communicates clearly with both creative and technical stakeholders.
- Is detail-oriented, highly organised, and proactive in problem-solving.
- Performs well under deadlines and can adapt designs quickly as concepts evolve.
A successful Kitchen Designer is part designer, part operator, and part project thinker — someone who helps turn a concept into a kitchen that actually works in real life.