Commercial Kitchen Opening Checklist

A practical start-of-shift prompt for the person opening the kitchen. Adapt every step to your own layout, equipment, responsibilities and procedures.

Use the browser’s print command to print or save a PDF. Tick each item as your team completes it.

Adapt this checklist. Each kitchen should adapt it to its own procedures, layout, equipment and responsibilities. This is a practical starting point, not a universal legal checklist or a substitute for your food-safety management procedures.

Kitchen condition

Walk the kitchen and check that floors, worktops and access routes are in the condition expected by your opening procedure.
Check sinks, handwashing points and dispensers are ready for use; report anything missing or not working.
Confirm waste, drains and any pest or damage concerns are handled through your site procedure.

Refrigeration and equipment

Take and record the required readings for each fridge, freezer or other monitored unit using your own procedure.
Check doors, seals, displays and alarms for obvious faults; report a unit that appears damaged or is not operating as expected.
Switch on or inspect service equipment needed for the shift, such as ovens, extraction, dishwashers and hot-holding equipment, where applicable.
Confirm any required pre-use checks are complete and isolate or report equipment that is unsafe or out of service.

Hygiene and cleaning readiness

Check that the opening clean has been completed for the areas and equipment used by this shift.
Make sure suitable cleaning materials are available and stored as required by your procedures.
Check that food-contact surfaces are ready for use and that cleaning tasks needing follow-up are handed to the responsible person.

Stock and deliveries

Review deliveries due for the shift and follow your business’s process for receipt, checks, storage and recording.
Check key ingredients and service stock are available; flag shortages, damaged packaging or other concerns for follow-up.
Put stock away using your kitchen’s identification, storage and rotation practices.

People, safety and handover

Confirm the opening team knows its assigned areas and who is responsible for review or escalation.
Read notes from the previous shift and identify open issues before service begins.
Record any incomplete task or fault honestly, including who has been told and what follow-up is needed.
Tell the manager or designated lead when the kitchen is ready, or clearly hand over anything that remains unresolved.

Opening lead / handover note:

Commercial kitchen opening checklist

Kitchen condition

Refrigeration and equipment

Hygiene and cleaning readiness

Stock and deliveries

People, safety and handover