Open Questions
Answered
| Question | Answer | What it means for the plan |
|---|---|---|
| Lunch, dinner or both? | Both | Two overlapping baker shifts (see Layout & Workflow). |
| Price level / role of desserts | A highlight, but included in the buffet price | Quality and looks matter, but cost per portion must stay low. This favours tray bakes and pour-and-set desserts. |
| Takeaway or separate sales? | No. Possibly pre-ordered large cakes or catering later | See Cakes to order and the regulation notes. |
| New build or existing kitchen? | New build | The layout, electrics, drains and ventilation can be designed for the bakery from the start. Involve the kommun early. |
| Can ventilation be extended? | Yes | Ovens can go under a shared or extended hood. |
| Walk-in cooler/freezer? | Yes, in a separate basement. 2–3 fridges and freezers in the kitchen | Bulk and frozen stock goes downstairs. The bakery needs a small working stock upstairs and a daily pull from the basement. |
| Bought-in bases? | No, everything from scratch | Tart shells, red bean paste, custards and syrups are batch-made and frozen. See the production plan. |
| Soft-serve part of the bakery? | No | Removed from the bakery menu. The bakery can still supply toppings (kinako, kuromitsu). |
| Staff experience | One half-trained baker, one untrained | Easy items first, a phased launch, written recipe cards and programmable equipment. See Staff skills and phased launch. |
| Budget | Not set, "be sensible" | See Recommended setup. |
| New or used equipment? | All new | Prices in the equipment list are for new equipment. |
| Preferred suppliers/brands? | None | Get quotes from 2–3 suppliers. Favour brands with local service technicians. |
Still open
- [ ] Expected guests per day, weekday vs. weekend? This decides oven and chiller sizes.
- [ ] Floor area for the bakery (m²) and ceiling height?
- [ ] Opening hours, and the earliest time baking can start?
- [ ] Is there a goods lift to the basement walk-ins, or only stairs?
- [ ] Can 1–2 of the kitchen fridges/freezers be dedicated to the bakery?
- [ ] Will the bakers refill the buffet themselves, or will floor staff do it?
- [ ] Warm desserts on the buffet (bao, egg tarts)? If so, heated holding is needed on the buffet line.
- [ ] Cake pre-orders/catering: roughly how many per week, and how much notice?