FAQ

We will arrange to either come out to see you and your site, or depending on location, arrange an online meeting to get started. We will discuss what you’re looking to achieve, your expectations, timescales and budgets. Following this we will put together an initial block design, high-end project budget and any additional ideas we have for your project. We will also propose our design consultancy fees to take you to the next and various stages of the project, depending on what you’re looking for. We have numerous ways we can work with you, so will discuss these in our initial meeting, and you are then free to chose if and how you would like to move forward with us.

We are passionate believers that anyone undertaking a commercial project these days should get as much help and advice as possible. Whether it be EFD or another consultant, always seek advice before spending large amounts of money on catering equipment. We see so many situations where the wrong item has been ordered, the wrong power supply, access issues and the client is stuck, having already made the full payment. We may not always look the same price as an online seller, but there may well be a reason for this, we will make sure we have allowed for every eventuality, necessary accessory, delivery, and install.

We don’t know… yet. But fairly quickly we can give you some early budgets, and indications of on-going/running costs. It’s not in our interests to waste your time by hiding true costs from you, we want you to know exactly what you’re looking at, at an early stage. We can then work together spending your budget wisely, and making sure you’re not going to be hit with unexpected costs further into the project.

That’s okay, we don’t get it spot on every time! It’s a development process, and we want to work together honestly with you. Come back to us with your feedback and comments and we’ll look to implement them in the revised plans giving you guidance and experience throughout.

It really depends on a number of factors. We’re fairly confident, that with our experience, after a good initial meeting and understanding your requirements, we can go away and put a decent concept together to adapt and develop. We always aim to work within with your timeframes, so if things need to move quickly then that’s fine with us. We’ll give you guidance as to when things need to be approved and will always keep the dialogue open with you throughout the design process.

Daniel - I have been in the commercial kitchen design world for the past 22 years, starting in the coldroom/refrigeration sector, and moving into kitchen design two years later. I have designed kitchens, bars, interiors in many different environments, including; colleges, universities, restaurants, pubs, army bases, hotels, theatres, stadiums, ships and oil rigs. Over the years I have been lucky enough to work on some amazing projects, not only in the UK, but around the world. I’ve gained a wealth of experience, learning from architects, chefs, engineers, and am always excited to try my hand at something a little different!

Richard -

We always aim to offer client focused options, so you’re only paying for the service or services you need. We offer a free initial survey, discussion, layout plan and quotation following our first visit. We can then understand what it is you’re looking for and an idea of the time and systems we will need to get you there. We are completely upfront and aware of the current financial climate, so focus on being as cost effective as possible for you. We break down our design proposal so you can select how far initially you wish to work, and add things on as needed.

Myself (Daniel), I always wanted to be a chef growing up, I had a passion for cooking (particularly licking the bowls) and being my Mum’s sous-chef. I worked briefly as a pot washer in Deliah Smiths kitchen at Norwich City Football Club. My career took a different path and a couple of years later I began designing kitchen layouts. I love the kitchen environment and get so excited when working alongside chef’s and learning about all of their various ways of working and kitchen beliefs! After 22 years designing many varying types of kitchen I still get that buzz of being in a kitchen and watching, learning and implementing what I’ve seen with my designs.

Equipment costs obviously vary. We do however believe in buying once, and buying well. We will always recommend equipment that we feel is sufficient for the job in hand. It’s about selecting the piece of equipment that will not let you down and keep you serving. It is very Important not to under-spec an essential piece of equipment in order to save a few pounds.

Probably. It’s always good to have air movement in any kitchen. Gas kitchens require various safety systems and usually need a forced air removal and intake system, as well as safety shut offs in the event that the extraction stops working. There is a little more scope with electric kitchens and new concepts such as recirculating systems have revolutionised where you can site a kitchen in a building. We will always take this element of the project seriously and look to tackle this early on. We can offer expert advice, having carried out many many varying extraction system projects.

Myself (Daniel), I have a few passions outside work, although my work is something I really love and spend a lot of personal time on drawings, 3D visuals and innovations I think will help both EFD and our customers. I love upcycling furniture, baking, playing guitar and going out to see live music… bit of a music junkie. I also love staying in with films and hanging out with my three kitties, Kate Bush, Ian Curtis & Mrs Warboys.

Richard:

We can work with you in varying ways. We can provide you a one-stop shop where we take the lead and run all elements of the project, bringing in our own set of tried and tested contractors, depending on what works are required. We are also very happy to work in with an existing set of contractors, providing them any and all information they need and assisting at all stages.

This is obviously a hot topic at the moment, and not always easy to answer. Electric equipment tends to be far more efficient, in terms of best use of the energy. An induction stove is 5 to 10 percent more energy-efficient than a conventional electric stove and about three times more efficient than a gas stove. But an all electric kitchen may require a large supply and most likely require three phase, which could result in large costs setting up. While an electric kitchen may have those initial costs, there would be large savings over the years through using efficient electric equipment, as well as a much simplified extraction system. Gas appliances require your extract system to have a manner of safety shut-off features, as well as a requirement for outside, fresh air coming into the kitchen area. We will always discuss the various options with you and aim to guide you accordingly.

We have a strong ethos on reducing waste and reusing equipment if absolutely possible. As part of our specialist surveys we can analyse equipment and advise on its future use. If we can use it, then we will. It may be that we recommend replacing something larger, like a pot washer, or more difficult to install, if this is the only time we’ll have a full shut-down of the environment, and it would cause huge upheaval to do later, but we will always advise this during the early stages of the consultancy period.

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We try, we will absolutely try our best. We focus on early planning, working hard to look at costs, timescales, technical and building issues, things that in our experience can be problems down the line in a project. We work hard for you, and honestly want to hand over a project that you’re over the moon with and the whole experience, while usually is hardwork, has been something you’ve enjoyed.

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EFD will be your point of contact for the first year if there are any issues with the equipment. We will provide you with training on the equipment, during our handover, to ensure you know how to use and maintain the kitchen. When we hand a project over, you’ll have a commissioning sheet and any extended manufacturers warranties will be detailed so you’ll be able to quote them the serial number and have peace of mind that they will then look after you too. When selecting equipment, we always ensure that companies with a proven history of aftercare are considered.

Most of our designs start life on AutoCad. This works great for the initial 2D and technical layouts, and sharing with architects, builders, M&E firms etc. We also work with AutoCad 3D and SketchUp in producing visual concepts as well as augmented reality and virtual reality walk throughs.

Well, it changes obviously, and it’s our job to ensure we’re on top of changing ideas, innovations, and technologies available. Over the last few years, there has been a big movement in energy saving electrical equipment such as induction hobs and griddles, while refrigeration manufacturers are constantly researching and engineering new systems to provide better savings. The working environment has also changed, with a lot more emphasis on happier workers and calmer, safer kitchen spaces. Cleanliness is something we focus on too, being able to keep your kitchen or station clean and tidy. We focus on that a lot when designing a kitchen, bar or servery.