Summer Kitchen (Australia): Ventilation Layout, Equipment Selection & EEI (GEMS 2024) — Keep ≤5 °C / ≥60 °C, Cut Heat, Cut Costs
Search intent: informational → commercial investigation. Use this as your summer playbook to keep food safe and staff comfortable: meet FSANZ temperature controls, satisfy Safe Work ventilation duties, choose climate‑class‑fit refrigerated cabinets, and audit quotes using GEMS 2024 EEI. Built for cafés, takeaways, restaurants, hotels, offices and venues in Australia.
- Food safety controls: potentially hazardous food (PHF) must be held at ≤ 5 °C (cold) or ≥ 60 °C (hot). If food leaves control, use the 2‑hour/4‑hour rule and keep cumulative time.FSANZ
- Cooling cooked foods: 60 °C → ≤ 21 °C within 2 h, then ≤ 5 °C within 4 h — log it.FSANZ
- Ventilation duty: a PCBU must ensure ventilation enables work to be carried out without risk to health and safety; review thermal comfort as heat rises.Safe Work Australia / SafeWork NSW
- Refrigerated cabinets: check GEMS 2024 registration and EEI on quotes; match test climate class (Class 4/5) to your hot service areas.Energy Rating
- Seasonal reality: BOM long‑range outlook shows warmer‑than‑average conditions heading into summer — design for peak heat, not average days.BOM
Who this is for (and what “good” looks like)
- Owner‑operators & head chefs — need practical layout rules that keep ≤ 5 °C on top shelves and staff out of the heat haze at the pass.
- Facility/office managers — need a compliant kitchenette/servery with predictable energy and low call‑outs.
- Hotline supervisors & venue managers — want climate‑class‑fit cabinets and a 60‑second EEI audit for quotes.
Outcome: fewer warm‑shelf complaints, stable service on hot days, and quotes that stand up to procurement scrutiny.
Why Australian summer quietly breaks kitchens
When heatwaves meet rush hour, refrigeration cycles lengthen, dishwash steam lingers, and the service line runs hotter — exactly when customers demand ice‑cold drinks and fast meals. The Bureau of Meteorology’s long‑range outlook indicates warmer‑than‑average conditions heading into summer; design for the hottest week, not the average one. Use this playbook to de‑stress your kitchen before the heat arrives.
Temperature control made usable (FSANZ Chapter 3 essentials)
Cold‑holding, hot‑holding and time as a control
- Hold PHF at ≤ 5 °C (cold) or ≥ 60 °C (hot) across receiving, storage, prep, display and service.
- Use the 2‑hour/4‑hour rule when food leaves control: 0–2 h refrigerate or serve; 2–4 h serve; >4 h discard. Time is cumulative across prep + transport + display.
- Display fridges must keep PHF ≤ 5 °C; frozen displays must keep product frozen hard.
Cooling cooked foods (don’t guess, log)
Cool cooked PHF from 60 °C → ≤ 21 °C within 2 hours, then to ≤ 5 °C within 4 hours. If you miss either target, investigate and correct (shallower pans, blast assist, door‑open discipline) and record actions.
Draw your “heat map” (5‑minute layout exercise)
Stand in the kitchen at 12:30 and mark heat sources and breezeways. The goal is a clear cool‑air path in and a free hot‑air path out, with no recirculation over intakes.
Typical heat sources (and simple fixes)
| Heat source | What it does | Quick fix |
|---|---|---|
| Dishwasher/glasswasher steam | Raises local RH/temp; fogs service line | Add inlet/outlet benches; ensure hood seals; vent path clear |
| Under‑bench fridges boxed‑in | Starves condensers; warms top shelves | Restore rear/side/top clearances; avoid recirculation cavities |
| West‑facing glazing | Afternoon radiant spikes | Film/deflector; relocate heat‑sensitive units; shading |
| Back‑to‑back hot/cold | Hot exhaust pre‑heats fridge intake | Rotate or separate by baffle; swap positions if possible |
Service‑line flow (keep it moving)
1) Intake
Cool air path from doorway corridor towards pass.
2) Cook
Hoods capture plume; no short‑circuit to intake.
3) Hold
Hot bar/bain marie behind sneeze‑glass; away from fridge intakes.
4) Chill
Prep fridges & benchtop salad bars under shade, lids down.
5) Serve
Minimal door‑open linger; water at eye‑level in glass‑door fridges.
Ventilation & thermal comfort — duties and practical checks
Australian WHS guidance expects workplaces to be ventilated so work can be carried out without risk to health and safety; thermal comfort must be managed, especially in hot seasons. In kitchens, that means adequate make‑up air, capture of hot/steam plumes, and layouts that don’t box‑in intakes.
10‑point ventilation pass/fail
- Exhaust hood coverage spans the full cookline (no “orphan” pans at edges).
- Make‑up air path doesn’t blow across the pass or fight the hood’s capture.
- Dish/glasswash steam isn’t recirculating into fridge intakes.
- Rear/side/top clearances enforced for all fridges and dish machines.
- Service corridor kept as intake path; no hot air dumping here.
- Afternoon west sun mitigated (film/deflector/shade).
- Door‑open linger minimised at displays; use retail displays with night blinds where suited.
- Thermal comfort review logged for summer roster (fans/air movement).
- Staff trained to keep lids down on salad bars between bursts.
- Probe the warmest shelf item during peak and record.
People care (and compliance) in one shot
Ventilation and thermal comfort are both WHS issues and food safety issues. Fixing air paths improves staff safety and stabilises ≤ 5 °C. Build this into your pre‑summer review and record it with your food‑safety paperwork.
Refrigerated cabinets: climate class, placement and EEI (GEMS 2024)
Choose by climate class (then place it right)
| Your reality | Recommended class | Why | Placement tips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool storeroom / low opens | Class 3 | Light duty; easy ≤ 5 °C | Keep off hot walls; vents clear |
| Busy servery ~30 °C; browsing | Class 4 | Closer to real ambient & door‑opens | Shade from sun; avoid hot exhaust plumes; water at eye‑level |
| Sun/hot kitchen; cramped alcove | Heavy‑duty validation (~Class 5) | Stress‑tested ~40 °C/40% RH | Show evidence of validation; double‑check ventilation path |
EEI & registration — the 60‑second quote audit
- GEMS 2024 registration ID (refrigerated cabinets)
- EEI and the test climate class
- kWh/24 h at the declared class
Where these cabinets actually go (and why)
- Glass‑door fridges — front‑of‑house browsing; keep away from west sun; validate Class 4 or heavy‑duty where needed.
- Commercial upright fridges — back‑of‑house stable cold; probe top/front shelf during rush.
- Food‑prep fridges & benchtop salad bars — lids down between bursts; shallow pans for fast recovery.
Hot‑holding without heat‑soak (bain maries & hot bars)
Hot displays should keep food at ≥ 60 °C and be positioned so their plume doesn’t pre‑heat fridge intakes. Remember: hot bars/bain maries are for holding food already reheated/ cooked to safe temperatures — not for “bringing up” from warm.
Positioning and service
- Keep a physical gap or baffle between hot and cold intakes.
- Rotate GN pans to avoid dead corners; cover between waves.
- Post a quick check “≥ 60 °C” sticker at the pass with corrective actions.
Useful categories
Daily summer ops — one‑page checklist (print this)
1) Pre‑open
Probe a top/front shelf item (aim ≤ 5 °C). Start a cooling log for any cooked items planned for cold service.
2) Place & shade
Check sun angles; shield glass doors; confirm hood capture before firing grills.
3) Lids down
On prep lines and salad bars between bursts; swap to shallow pans at lunch.
4) Door‑open control
Set a “3‑second” rule at displays; water at eye‑level to reduce browsing time.
5) Steam discipline
Run glasswasher during steady periods to avoid steam spikes at service.
6) Record & act
Log any > 5 °C readings; take corrective action (vent clean, stock rotation, service call if repeated).
Three practical tables you’ll actually use
A) Ventilation & placement audit
| Check | Pass if… | Action if fail |
|---|---|---|
| Fridge intakes | No hot discharge blowing into intakes | Rotate units; add baffle; move hot bar 300–600 mm away (or per manual) |
| Clearances | Rear/side/top kept to manual spec | Cut cabinetry; restore vents; add spacer brackets |
| Sun exposure | No direct west sun on doors | Apply film/deflector; relocate; add shade |
| Make‑up air | Intake doesn’t fight hood capture | Redirect grilles; reduce cross‑drafts at pass |
| Dish/glasswash steam | Exhausted; not recirculating | Hood tune; doors/curtains; schedule cycles |
B) GEMS 2024 “60‑second” quote audit
| Field | What to ask | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | GEMS 2024 registration ID (refrigerated cabinets) | Legal to supply; registry lookup |
| EEI | Energy Efficiency Index + test climate class | Fair comparison only within the same class |
| kWh/24 h | At the declared class | Opex forecast; aligns to your real ambient |
| Category | Display vs storage vs drink merchandiser | Wrong category invalidates comparisons |
C) Hot‑holding quick reference
| Control point | Target | Monitor | Corrective action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot bar well | ≥ 60 °C | Probe every service window | Adjust thermostat; cover pans; smaller batches |
| Cooked → hold | Reheat to ≥ 60 °C first | Thermometer at centre | Return to heat; never “creep up” in display |
| Display humidity | No condensation on glazing | Visual | Fix seals; adjust vents; service if persistent |
Copy‑ready RFQ wording (paste into your purchase/email)
- Refrigerated cabinets: provide GEMS 2024 registration ID, EEI, declared climate class, and kWh/24 h at that class. Include installation clearances and ambient limits.
- Glass/dishwashers: provide cycle times, rinse program (sanitising), water per cycle, and ventilation/steam recommendations.
- Site notes: confirm sun exposure mitigation and hood/make‑up air assumptions.
Case study: “QLD takeaway that stopped cooking the fridges”
A coastal QLD takeaway (32 m² back‑of‑house) struggled each summer: salad prep lines warmed, glass‑door drinks were tepid by 1 pm, and staff complained of heat at the pass.
Before
- Hot bar and fryer exhaust blew across the intake of a glass‑door merchandiser.
- Under‑bench prep fridge boxed‑in by tight millwork; no rear clearance.
- Dishwasher door vented steam into the service corridor.
After
- Moved the merchandiser 600 mm away and added a baffle; sun film on west‑facing glazing.
- Cut cabinetry to restore clearances; swapped to prep fridge with better airflow and lids.
- Timed dish cycles outside crush; added inlet/outlet benches to reduce steam in corridors.
Outcomes (method‑based)
- Drinks probe ≤ 5 °C at top/front shelves through lunch.
- Prep line recovers faster (lids + shallow pans); staff report less heat fatigue.
- Energy bills stabilise ~5–8% (kWh/24 h depends on model/class; your mileage varies).
Helpful product categories (fast shortlist)
Hot side
Dish & benches
FAQ — straight answers for hot kitchens
1) What temperature should my displays hold in summer?
≤ 5 °C for PHF; probe the warmest shelf product (often top/front). For hot‑holding, keep ≥ 60 °C and never use hot bars to “creep up” from warm.
2) Do I have to buy a “registered” fridge?
Refrigerated display/storage cabinets supplied in Australia fall under GEMS 2024. Ask for the model’s registration ID and EEI, and confirm the climate class on quotes.
3) My glasswasher fogs the service area — what can I do?
Ensure hood/door seals are intact, add inlet/outlet benches for flow, and plan cycles away from peak. Check ventilation so steam isn’t sucked back into fridge intakes.
4) How do I know if my kitchen is “ventilated enough” for WHS?
Use the 10‑point pass/fail list above. A PCBU must ensure ventilation allows work without risk to health and safety; review thermal comfort, not just air temperature.
5) We run weekend pop‑ups — any quick wins?
Shade the servery, keep salad‑bar lids down, use shallow pans at rush to speed recovery, and position hot‑holding away from fridge intakes. Log temps every window.
Free “Summer Layout & Ventilation Check” (15‑minute review)
Send a kitchen sketch or photos (cookline, dish area, fridges), your busiest hours and any hot spots. We’ll reply with a one‑page plan: air path fixes, climate‑class fit, and 2–3 product shortlists from glass‑door fridges, prep fridges, hot‑holding and dish — ready for procurement.
Official sources (footnotes)
- FSANZ — Keeping food at the right temperature: PHF ≤ 5 °C or ≥ 60 °C. foodstandards.gov.au
- FSANZ — 2‑hour/4‑hour rule (time as a control). foodstandards.gov.au ; InfoBite PDF download
- FSANZ — Cooling and reheating food: 60→≤21 °C ≤ 2 h; then ≤ 5 °C ≤ 4 h. foodstandards.gov.au
- FSANZ — Displaying food: hold at ≤ 5 °C or ≥ 60 °C; frozen food must stay frozen hard. foodstandards.gov.au
- Energy Rating — Refrigerated cabinets (registration & EEI). energyrating.gov.au ; consumer finder compare
- Safe Work Australia — Guide for managing the risks of working in heat. safeworkaustralia.gov.au (PDF available)
- SafeWork NSW — Ventilation at work. safework.nsw.gov.au
- SafeWork NSW — Maintaining thermal comfort in indoor work environments. safework.nsw.gov.au
- Bureau of Meteorology — Long‑range forecasts (temperature & rainfall outlooks). bom.gov.au
Last updated: . This page summarises Australian requirements and guidance; always confirm your local council’s enforcement preferences and your equipment manuals for clearances and programs.
