Learning Objectives

• Examine the factors to be considered in designing the kitchen layout

• Understand the work flow in a production kitchen

• Understand alternative systems for holding food safely

• Identify alternative approaches to tray assembly and trolley loading

Introduction

A catering system has to be designed and organised to produce the right quantity of food at the correct standard, for the required number of people, on time, and using the resources of staff, equipment and materials effectively and efficiently. A central constraint is that in flight catering, production is separated from service by distance and time.

Because of the complexity of the operations in terms of numbers and meal components, catering and process engineers have become heavily involved in the design of the operation. Such an approach to design provides:

• in-depth analysis of functional requirements

• integrated thinking

• enhancement of knowledge base

• effective flow

• balance between all stages of the process

The design application should cover a logical sequence of the planning procedure while considering the delivery of total quality management.

Principles of Flight Production Unit Design

As the costs of space, equipment, fuel, maintenance, and labour continue to rise, thought has to be given to production facility design in order to achieve the integration of process, organisation, and systems. The requirements of the system have to be clearly identified with regard to the type of service that is to be prepared in the production unit and served on board the aircraft. Since the early 1990s concepts developed in the manufacturing industry...