Kitchen Opening Checklist
Daily kitchen opening checklist: equipment startup, walk-in temperatures, mise en place, and line readiness before the first ticket.
- Estimated time
- 25 min
- Frequency
- daily
- Business type
- restaurant
- Category
- opening
- Role
- kitchen manager
- Role
- head chef
- Role
- line cook
- Role
- prep cook
Purpose
Prepare the back-of-house for safe, consistent service before the dining room opens.
Complete this kitchen opening checklist before the first order fires. The kitchen manager signs off after equipment, food safety readings, and mise en place are verified.
Equipment Startup
Turn on and verify all cooking equipment before service.
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Hood and ventilation operational
Pass / Fail
Why it matters: A non-functional hood allows grease buildup and smoke accumulation that triggers fire suppression systems.
Inspection: Inspectors verify hood operation and check that grease filters are clean and intact.
Common mistakes: Running the hood on low speed all day: grease accumulates faster than extraction clears it.
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Ovens preheated to service temperature
Why it matters: A cold oven on the first ticket means 15-minute waits and angry servers before 11 AM.
Inspection: Not directly inspected, but preheat temp logs support food safety and cooking time records.
Common mistakes: Cranking the oven past target to 'speed up' preheat and forgetting to lower it: burns first batch.
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Fryers at operating temperature
Pass / Fail
Why it matters: Cold fryer oil produces greasy, undercooked food that drives takeout complaints.
Inspection: Inspectors check fryer oil clarity and record last change date on the cleaning log.
Common mistakes: Adding fresh oil to old, unfiltered oil: rancid oil contaminates the fresh batch immediately.
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Grill or flat top preheated
Why it matters: A cold grill causes food to stick and cook unevenly, slowing ticket times during morning rush.
Inspection: Surface temperature can be verified during equipment inspections.
Common mistakes: Preheating on high and forgetting to adjust to cooking temp: burns the first protein.
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Equipment issues or maintenance notes (optional)
Note
Food Safety Checks
Record temperatures and verify sanitation supplies.
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Record walk-in cooler temperature
Recommended: 1-5°C
Why it matters: Walk-in failures happen overnight. A morning temp check catches them before food is used in prep.
Inspection: Temperature logs with AM readings are required. Missing entries mean no proof of compliance.
Common mistakes: Logging 'feels cold' instead of using a calibrated probe thermometer.
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Record freezer temperature
Recommended: -25--15°C
Why it matters: A freezer door left ajar overnight can thaw thousands in inventory before anyone notices.
Inspection: Inspectors cross-check freezer temps against receiving logs for temperature abuse patterns.
Common mistakes: Not checking the freezer because 'it's always fine', until a door seal fails.
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Sanitizer buckets at correct concentration
Pass / Fail
Why it matters: Sanitizer at wrong concentration either fails to kill pathogens or creates unsafe chemical residue.
Inspection: Inspectors test every bucket: concentration must be within labeled range for the chemical used.
Common mistakes: Reusing yesterday's solution without testing: quaternary ammonia loses efficacy within 24 hours.
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Hand sinks stocked with soap and towels
Pass / Fail
Why it matters: Empty soap or towel dispensers are the most common handwashing compliance failures cited in inspections.
Inspection: Inspectors check every hand sink: one empty dispenser anywhere is a critical violation.
Common mistakes: Stocking sinks at opening but not checking mid-shift: supplies deplete during prep.
Mise en Place
Verify prep and line stations are ready for service.
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Daily prep list reviewed with team
Why it matters: Missing prep items cause mid-service fire drills and 86'd menu items during peak hours.
Inspection: Prep lists demonstrate planning: inspectors note whether they are posted and current.
Common mistakes: Assuming yesterday's prep list is identical: daily specials change volume and ingredient needs.
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86 list posted at expo and line
Why it matters: An outdated 86 list leads to servers promising dishes the kitchen cannot deliver.
Inspection: Not directly inspected, but guest complaint logs trace back to 86 communication failures.
Common mistakes: Relying on verbal 86 communication: one missed handoff creates a table comp situation.
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Line stations stocked for service
Why it matters: An incomplete station forces line cooks to leave the line during service and hold up tickets.
Inspection: Not directly inspected, but consistently stocked stations correlate with lower overtime costs.
Common mistakes: Setting up by memory instead of a station checklist: items get missed on busy prep mornings.
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Garnishes and backups prepped
Kitchen Readiness
Final checks before the first ticket.
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Kitchen floors swept and dry
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Trash and recycling bins emptied
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Opening briefing completed with kitchen staff
Why it matters: A kitchen briefing aligns the team on 86 items, staffing coverage, and timing for the shift ahead.
Inspection: Inspectors interview kitchen staff during visits: unaligned teams suggest poor management.
Common mistakes: Holding the briefing while the team is mid-prep: no one is actually listening.
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Opening notes or special instructions (optional)
Note
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who should complete the kitchen opening checklist?
- The kitchen manager or head chef should lead the checklist. Line and prep cooks complete station-specific tasks; the kitchen manager signs off before service.
- How is a kitchen opening checklist different from a restaurant opening checklist?
- A restaurant opening checklist covers the whole building: dining room, POS, and staff. A kitchen opening checklist focuses on equipment, food safety temperatures, mise en place, and line readiness.
- What walk-in cooler temperature should be recorded at kitchen opening?
- Record walk-in cooler temperatures between 1°C and 5°C (33°F–41°F). Freezers should read between -25°C and -15°C (-13°F to 5°F), per FDA Food Code cold-holding guidance.
- How long does the kitchen opening checklist take?
- Most kitchens complete this checklist in about 25 minutes when equipment startup and mise en place are split across opening cooks.
- When should fryers and grills be started?
- Start fryers and grills during the equipment startup section so they reach operating temperature before the first ticket. Record pass/fail for fryer oil temperature before service.