When looking back, most restaurant owners remember the challenges of opening a restaurant very vividly. When it comes to the substantial but costly devices of the hot and cold systems, purchase decisions can be lengthy and nerve-racking. We asked Rasmus Munk, the owner of double Michelin-awarded ALCHEMIST in Copenhagen, to reveal what matters to him when selecting the cool elements of his four kitchens.

1. Quality over Quantity

Budget considerations are an omnipresent topic for restaurant owners, which obviously affects and determines the choice of devices and equipment. Being able to meticulously control and monitor the inside temperature of the refrigerated storage units is paramount for Rasmus. To starters with limited budgets, he suggests: “Always opt for one high-performance refrigerator over three, four refrigerators of lower quality. In the end downtimes and costly repair will harm the budget more than a slightly higher initial investment of one, potent refrigerator. “

2. Perfect Temperature

Being in the business for so long, Rasmus learned to stay up to date, when it comes to new innovations or technologies. Having understood the power of temperature control, he selected refrigerators, freezers, and counters that allow nuanced temperature adjustments to create perfect storage conditions for different ingredients. As an example, Rasmus outlines that his herb station is set on exactly 2°, while the caviar is stored at -1° Celsius.

3. Ergonomics

With long hours of standing, connected to potential damage to back and posture, the working life of a chef can be quite exhausting. As back and posture problems are common health issues among kitchen workers, Rasmus wanted to implement healthy work solutions from the beginning. He decided to set up height-adjustable refrigerated counters and working tables for improved posture while working.

4. Sustainability

Sustainability is a recurring topic around Alchemist. Although the quality of his products enjoys being prioritized at all times, Rasmus managed to implement an abundance of measures to save energy and to reduce waste. His selection of cold solutions has the following things in common: extremely energy-saving and provide such accurate temperature settings, that the shelf life of some products such as canned caviar can easily be extended from two weeks to up three 3 months.