Commercial Chef Base Refrigerators & Freezers
A chef base saves valuable kitchen space by combining refrigeration capabilities with a food preparation workstation. These let you keep ingredients within arm's reach, eliminating frequent, unnecessary trips to the refrigerator or freezer.
A commercial chef base can improve efficiency and workflow in a kitchen by consolidating necessary equipment and ingredients into a single workstation. The work area of a chef base is generally made of stainless steel and is large enough to accommodate multiple pieces of equipment such as fryers, sandwich presses, and griddles; the base can have as many as eight drawers. Most models come standard with a marine edge, ensuring any spilled liquid doesn't reach the floor.
There are two primary styles of commercial chef base available: chef base freezers and chef base refrigerators. Which style you opt for is dependent on the needs of your operation, including what type of foods you're cooking, what equipment you're using to cook that food, and the existing layout of the kitchen. Though most chef bases are designed for either strictly refrigeration or freezing, some higher-end models enable users to toggle between the two modes. These independent temperature controls can be helpful for restaurants with seasonal menus or operations needing to slack a lot of frozen food before cooking it.
As with other refrigerated equipment, the location of the compressor determines where it can be placed. Chef base compressors may be side mounted (ideal for installation at the end of a lineup), center mounted (ideal for units that will be surrounded on three sides), or back mounted (rendering units unable to be placed flush against a wall). Sizing for refrigerated chef bases varies, with common widths ranging from 30 to 129 inches and depths ranging from 25 to 39 inches.