Setting up a commercial kitchen in Sydney comes down to five things done in the right order: confirm zoning and your concept, secure council and food-safety approvals, install the infrastructure (ventilation, grease trap, power, flooring), select equipment matched to your menu and volume, then commission everything with qualified trades. Get that sequence right and you open on time, pass inspection, and run a kitchen that holds up to years of daily service. This checklist walks through each stage the way we'd talk a Sydney operator through it.
📋 What this guide covers
- Planning, zoning and workflow before you buy anything
- Council approvals, the NSW Food Authority and the standards that apply
- Core infrastructure: ventilation, grease arrestors, power and flooring
- How to choose equipment by menu type and service volume
- Installation, staff training and final inspection
Phase 1: Plan the concept, location and workflow
Lock in your menu and your site before you look at a single oven. Your concept drives every major decision that follows, from the size of your canopy to the number of cool rooms you need.
- Zoning and location: Confirm the site is zoned for commercial food preparation. Verify with the relevant local council (City of Sydney, Inner West Council and so on) before you sign a lease.
- Workflow zones: Plan clear zones for receiving, storage, preparation, cooking and washing. A layout that minimises crossing paths reduces labour time and keeps raw and ready-to-eat foods apart, which is a HACCP principle worth designing in from day one.
- Budget realistically: Account for rent, legal fees, infrastructure upgrades (gas lines, three-phase power), design and equipment. Leave a contingency. Fit-outs almost always uncover a surprise behind a wall.
🔧 Pro tip, design around the cook line
Position refrigeration and prep within easy reach of your cooking suite. A chef who has to walk across the kitchen for every garnish loses minutes on every plate, and those minutes compound across a Friday-night service.
Phase 2: Council approvals and food-safety compliance
Compliance in NSW is mandatory, not optional, and it is far cheaper to build it in than to retrofit after a failed inspection.
- NSW Food Authority: This is the primary regulator. You must work to the Food Standards Code, and most venues need a certified Food Safety Supervisor on staff.
- Council approvals and permits: Secure the necessary approvals before fit-out begins. Depending on the work, this means a development application (DA) or a complying development certificate (CDC).
- Plumbing compliance: Tapware, pre-rinse units and fittings must carry WaterMark certification and meet WELS efficiency ratings.
- Fire safety: Mechanical ventilation must comply with Australian Standard AS 1668.2, and you will need fire suppression and appropriate extinguishers.
Phase 3: Get the infrastructure right
The parts of a kitchen customers never see are the parts that pass or fail an inspection.
- Ventilation and extraction: A correctly sized canopy and extraction system is non-negotiable, removing heat, smoke and grease-laden air. Browse commercial ventilation and canopies to understand what suits your cook line.
- Grease arrestor: Sydney Water requires an appropriately sized grease trap to keep fats, oils and grease out of the sewer. Sizing and maintenance are inspected, so get this specified by someone who knows the local requirements.
- Flooring: Floors must be durable, non-slip, non-porous and coved at the walls for cleaning. It is a hygiene and safety component, not an afterthought.
- Power and gas: Use certified trades to confirm you have the gas supply and electrical capacity, often three-phase, to run heavy-duty equipment.
Phase 4: Select equipment by menu and volume
This is the most expensive stage, so match every purchase to what you actually cook and how much of it. As a Sydney supplier we spec equipment to a venue's menu and covers rather than selling a generic package.
- Cooking: Ranges, convection and combi-ovens, fryers, grills and induction units. Explore commercial cooking equipment and, for versatile high-volume kitchens, combi ovens.
- Refrigeration: Upright fridges, freezer rooms, blast chillers and under-bench units. See the full commercial refrigeration range.
- Stainless steel: Custom benches, shelving and sink units. Custom fabrication removes hard-to-clean gaps between equipment and walls, improving hygiene and using every inch of space. Start with sink benches and sinks and shelving and racking.
- Warewashing: Pass-through or under-bench commercial dishwashers sized to your peak load.
ℹ️ Energy efficiency pays back
Prioritise energy-efficient appliances. The upfront cost can be a little higher, but the savings on Sydney's electricity and gas bills add up quickly over a unit's working life.
Phase 5: Installation and operational readiness
The final stage gets everything connected, safe and signed off.
- Professional installation: Use qualified technicians for gas and electrical connections so the work meets Australian standards.
- Staff training: Train your team on the safe, correct use of every appliance before service starts.
- Final inspection: Book your health and fire inspections. Once they pass, you are clear to open.
Frequently Asked Questions
It varies with the scope of work, but most fit-outs run from a few weeks to several months once approvals are in hand. Council approvals and trade availability are usually the biggest variables, so start the approvals process early.
Yes. You typically need a development application or a complying development certificate from your local council before construction or fit-out begins, alongside compliance with the NSW Food Authority and the Food Standards Code.
Let the menu lead. Your core cooking line and refrigeration are the anchor purchases, followed by stainless steel benching, warewashing and storage. Buying to the menu avoids paying for capacity you never use.
Many heavy-duty appliances need three-phase power. Have a certified electrician confirm your site's capacity early, because upgrading the supply later is disruptive and costly.
