Central Kitchen Case Study: Design & Construction
Case study quick links: intro & planning, benefits, design & construction (current page), menu & procurement, staffing, and community engagement.
Design Considerations
There are many design considerations to take into account when planning your central kitchen. For example, your menu and food safety practices should influence design decisions.
Central Kitchen Case Study: Design & Construction
Case study quick links: intro & planning, benefits, design & construction (current page), menu & procurement, staffing, and community engagement.
Design Considerations
There are many design considerations to take into account when planning your central kitchen. For example, your menu and food safety practices should influence design decisions.
Since 2009, the FSD has been building capacity to use fresh, raw meats in its program. Through their procurement work, they have also been able to increase the amount of locally produced fresh beef and chicken. But due to the limited storage capacity at the warehouse and storage and cooking facility at the Regional PK kitchens, they have been reliant on the frozen raw or frozen pre-cooked chicken, beef, turkey and pork procured through the USDA Commodity Foods program and prime vendors.
Since 2009, the FSD has been building capacity to use fresh, raw meats in its program. Through their procurement work, they have also been able to increase the amount of locally produced fresh beef and chicken. But due to the limited storage capacity at the warehouse and storage and cooking facility at the Regional PK kitchens, they have been reliant on the frozen raw or frozen pre-cooked chicken, beef, turkey and pork procured through the USDA Commodity Foods program and prime vendors.
The sous vide processing equipment, sourced from TUCS Equipment, can be programmed to shift from cooking to chilling, which allows the FSD to time slow cooking meats like pork and turkey to be cooked and chilled in an overnight cycle. Because of the precision, control and increase of production yield, the use of sous vide is common now both in restaurants as well as industrial scale processing. Use of plastics in sous vide may be considered an environmentally negative aspect, but there are tradeoffs, as use of single-use plastic and metal wrapping is also pervasive in food service. Use of sous vide bags will reduce use of the plastic wraps. The FSD is well aware of the environmental impact of single-use plastics and has been a leader in composting and reusables in BVSD food service. They are developing processes for each recipe and batch size to keep plastic waste to a minimum.
The sous vide processing equipment, sourced from TUCS Equipment, can be programmed to shift from cooking to chilling, which allows the FSD to time slow cooking meats like pork and turkey to be cooked and chilled in an overnight cycle. Because of the precision, control and increase of production yield, the use of sous vide is common now both in restaurants as well as industrial scale processing. Use of plastics in sous vide may be considered an environmentally negative aspect, but there are tradeoffs, as use of single-use plastic and metal wrapping is also pervasive in food service. Use of sous vide bags will reduce use of the plastic wraps. The FSD is well aware of the environmental impact of single-use plastics and has been a leader in composting and reusables in BVSD food service. They are developing processes for each recipe and batch size to keep plastic waste to a minimum.
Developing the HACCP Plan
The FSD’s Operations Manager took the lead on the development of the CC’s HACCP plan, initially working with two other District Managers. A concern was which regulatory entity would have oversight based on the business model of the CC ⎼ county, state, or federal. They worked closely with a specialist at the Boulder County Department of Health (BCDH) who provided checklists and guides for each of the processes they would be addressing in developing the HACCP plan for CC system.
With the enormity of the task, the FSD turned to a food safety plan consultant with specialization in writing HACCP plans and SOPs for sous vide and cook-chill systems operating under USDA and FDA oversight. Ultimately, it was determined that the County would be BVSD’s regulatory oversight, given the production and service model, including selling meals to charter schools. The BCDH has been an invaluable partner in the process.
Developing the HACCP Plan
The FSD’s Operations Manager took the lead on the development of the CC’s HACCP plan, initially working with two other District Managers. A concern was which regulatory entity would have oversight based on the business model of the CC ⎼ county, state, or federal. They worked closely with a specialist at the Boulder County Department of Health (BCDH) who provided checklists and guides for each of the processes they would be addressing in developing the HACCP plan for CC system.
With the enormity of the task, the FSD turned to a food safety plan consultant with specialization in writing HACCP plans and SOPs for sous vide and cook-chill systems operating under USDA and FDA oversight. Ultimately, it was determined that the County would be BVSD’s regulatory oversight, given the production and service model, including selling meals to charter schools. The BCDH has been an invaluable partner in the process.
Digital Temperature Monitoring System
A key feature of the plan is use of a digital temperature monitoring system. The FSD purchased one from E-Control Systems. The digital system links temperature probes throughout the CC refrigeration and cooking systems to a digital tracking hub. The daily monitoring and verification record-keeping of the CCPs for the HACCP plan will still be reliant on a paper-based system, but the FSD will eventually shift to a software-based verification method when funds allow.
As batches of ROP food components are finished, they will be labeled with date of production and use-by dates and stored in a dedicated refrigeration unit that is managed at just under 34 degrees. This allows the product to be stored up to 30 days, though the FSD’s production plan will limit storage to 21 days to account for movement of the product to the school sites.
Digital Temperature Monitoring System
A key feature of the plan is use of a digital temperature monitoring system. The FSD purchased one from E-Control Systems. The digital system links temperature probes throughout the CC refrigeration and cooking systems to a digital tracking hub. The daily monitoring and verification record-keeping of the CCPs for the HACCP plan will still be reliant on a paper-based system, but the FSD will eventually shift to a software-based verification method when funds allow.
As batches of ROP food components are finished, they will be labeled with date of production and use-by dates and stored in a dedicated refrigeration unit that is managed at just under 34 degrees. This allows the product to be stored up to 30 days, though the FSD’s production plan will limit storage to 21 days to account for movement of the product to the school sites.
