K-12 school kitchen design is moving toward the look and feel of college dining, with more variety, made-to-order items and flexible service, according to Eric Goodrich, a principal partner at Minneapolis-based foodservice design and consulting firm Rippe Associates.
Goodrich said high school administrators are seeking collegiate dining atmospheres, while middle school programs increasingly resemble yesterday's high schools. Technology, sustainability and efficiency are also shaping designs as labor and square footage remain at a premium.
Flexible serving lines
Operators want serving lines that can adapt during a meal period, Goodrich said. Hot and cold convertible wells, along with food shields that switch from full-service to self-serve, allow staff to serve an entrée while students add toppings or accompaniments. Tilting shields can support either arrangement, and a full-service station can be converted to self-service when staffing is short.
Digital menu boards add another layer of flexibility by showing menu changes at each serving station. Goodrich said students who understand the offerings before entering the line tend to move through faster. Clear labeling also helps neurodivergent students make decisions quickly, he added.
Multitasking equipment
With limited space and staff, school kitchens are seeking equipment that performs several jobs. Goodrich described the goal as getting more horsepower per square foot. Combi ovens have been popular in K-12 for some time, and he said more districts are moving toward blast chilling. RATIONAL's iCombi Pro, for example, supports a cook-chill program, while the iVario cooking system is available in several models that can replace frying pans, deep fryers and stoves; larger models can replace kettles and tilt skillets.
Combi ovens appeal because one unit can replace two or three pieces of equipment, Goodrich said. Preprogrammed settings can simplify cooking and improve consistency, while self-cleaning saves time. Humidity control can help protect yield by keeping product from drying out, he added.
Sustainability and workflow
Kitchen design can also support food-waste and packaging goals. Goodrich said districts are using fewer disposals and showing more interest in composting. Equipment such as milk-dispensing systems can reduce packaging waste; in some designs, milk is stored in a walk-in and routed to the front of the house through lines that make service easier for staff.
Designers are also looking for ways to let staff work with both hands. Recirculating trough systems, for example, allow workers to scrape trays with two hands instead of holding a spray rinse in one hand. Reducing steps and enabling two-handed work can nearly double speed, Goodrich said.
Dining atmosphere and open kitchens
School kitchens are also becoming less institutional. Goodrich cited demand for higher-end finishes and a homier feel, including stone countertops and tray slides, tile fronts on serving lines and sufficient display lighting.
To address limited space, operators are more open to open kitchen designs than in the past, he said. Removing a wall between the kitchen and serving line can add usable square footage and shape the student experience, replacing the traditional separation between production and service.
RATIONAL also said its free additional-year warranty program for iCombi Pro and iCombi Classic models, launched in August, extends the standard two-year coverage by 12 months at no charge to schools or districts.