Essential Guide to Setting Up a Commercial Kitchen in Mongolia

The foodservice industry in Mongolia has been growing fast in recent years. From busy QSRs to cozy cafés and rising pizzerias, the momentum is real, and the expectations for commercial kitchen setups are higher than ever.

Building a reliable kitchen here isn’t as simple as copying a layout from Europe or China. The market is still developing, and Mongolia brings a unique mix of challenges that can easily disrupt standard operations. You’re dealing with one of the harshest continental climates on the planet, which pushes insulation and refrigeration to their limits. The supply chain can be unpredictable, where a single missing spare part might hold up service for weeks. And on top of that, local utilities bring their own complications, such as fluctuating gas pressure and hard water that can wear down standard equipment in a matter of months.

At SHINELONG, we’ve spent over a decade working in the F&B sector, including extensive hands-on experience in Mongolia. Whether you’re operating a casual restaurant, a massive food production facility, or an expanding franchise, this guide will walk you through some professional insights for building a commercial kitchen that’s compliant, efficient, and built to last.

The Foundation: Rational & Scalable Design of Commercial Kitchen

Before we jump into cooking ranges and freezers, there’s one big thing we all need to sort out first: layout and staff flow. They’re the foundation of every kitchen, especially in a Food Processing Centre (FPC) producing over 1,000 portions a day. In a market where labor costs keep rising and every step of food prep is becoming more labor-intensive, the efficiency of your layout directly shapes your profit margins.

The goal is to create a seamless journey from the delivery dock to the dining table. Here are the five classic layouts that are proving most successful in the foodservice sector worldwide.

1. The Assembly Line Layout

The go-to setup for fast-growing QSR and fast-casual operators. If your menu is focused (burgers, burritos, noodle bowls) and speed is your main KPI, this is your layout.

• How it works: Equipment is arranged in a straight, logical flow. Ingredients enter on one end, move through prep and cooking, and finish at the pickup point.

• Why it works: Training becomes simple and station-focused. And during high-volume hours, cooks aren’t crossing paths or slowing each other down, which keeps throughput high.

2. The Island Layout

Usually show up in the larger hotels and banquet halls in the city center.

• How it works: The cooking equipment (ranges, ovens, fryers) is clustered in a central block in the middle of the room, while prep, washing, and storage areas line the perimeter walls.

• Why it works: It facilitates communication. The executive chef can stand at the pass and see every station. It also creates an open, airy feel which helps with heat dissipation—a critical factor when you have high-BTU woks firing all day.

3. The Zone-Style Layout

This is increasingly popular for a Food Processing Centre or a Ghost kitchen.

• How it works: The kitchen is divided into distinct blocks based on the type of dish being prepared. You might have a "salad/cold prep" zone, a "deep fry" zone, and a "baking" zone.

• Why it works: It prevents cross-contamination, which is vital for food safety compliance. It also allows you to install specialized ventilation for specific zones (e.g., stronger extraction over the grill zone), saving energy on the quieter stations.

4. The Galley Layout

For smaller cafes, container kitchens, and mobile vendors, the Galley layout is the efficiency king.

• How it works: Two parallel lines of equipment with a narrow aisle in between. One side is typically cooking; the other is prep.

• Why it works: It utilizes every square inch of vertical and horizontal space. It’s tight, but for a two-person team, it’s incredibly ergonomic.

5. The Open Kitchen

This is a design choice that serves a marketing purpose.

• How it works: The "Back of House" becomes the "Front of House." The cooking line is visible to the guests.

• Why it works: Every diner worldwide values freshness and transparency. Seeing the flame of the wok or the grill adds theater to the dining experience. However, it requires impeccable ventilation and pristine equipment maintenance, as there is nowhere to hide a mess.

Essential Line of Appliances for Commercial Kitchen

This is the section that most owners ignore. There isn't work just simply order equipment from a catalog and expect it to perform. You need what we call the "Mongolia Spec" equipment, selected specifically to handle local utility conditions.

Cooking Equipment

One of the most frequent complaints we hear from local restaurant owners is: "My imported stove has a weak flame." The culprit is often a mismatch between the equipment's design and local gas pressure regulation. Standard burners designed for other markets may not output enough heat for the heavy frying and boiling required in Mongolian cuisine.

We specifically recommend ranges with adjustable regulators that can be calibrated to local gas line pressures. For commercial wok ranges, ensuring the refractory brick insulation is thick enough is vital to keep the heat in the pot and not radiating out into your kitchen.

- Cooking Range (stove, Chinese wok, gas, induction)
- Ovens (combi, convection, deck)
- Grills (griddles, charcoal, electric, gas)
- Fryers (deep fryers, pressure fryers)
- Tilting Frying Pans
- Rotisserie

Refrigeration and Storage

It seems counterintuitive to worry about cooling in a country known for its winters, but the extreme temperature variance is a killer for compressors.

In winter, ambient temperatures can drop dramatically, while internal heating cranks up. In summer, kitchens can become sweltering. Standard compressors struggle to regulate internal temperatures amidst these swings. That is really important to invest in refrigerators and freezers with tropicalized compressors (designed for high ambient temperatures) and heavy-duty insulation.

- Walk-in Coolers
- Reach-in Refrigeration
- Undercounter Coolers
- Stainless Steel Shelving

Food Processing Machine

Durability is the watchword here. For meat-heavy menus, you need industrial slicers, grinders for commercial use, and bone saws that use hardened steel gears, not plastic components. Sourcing these "consumable" parts (blades, gears) beforehand is a smart move to avoid downtime. Food Processing Machine is definitely essential!

The Water Filtration System

This is perhaps the single biggest "silent killer" of commercial kitchens in Mongolia. The water supply in many regions is notoriously "hard"—rich in minerals like calcium and magnesium.

When hard water is heated (in a steamer, combi oven, dishwasher, or tilt skillet), it leaves behind limescale. This scale coats heating elements, acting as an insulator. Your boiler has to work twice as hard to heat the water, eventually burning out the element or clogging the sensors.

A commercial Water Filtration and Softening System is not optional; it is mandatory protection for your investment.

Ventilation and Fire Safety

Mongolian cuisine often involves grilling, frying, and roasting generates a significant load of grease and smoke. A standard residential hood will not cope.

You need a commercial exhaust hood with a high CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) rating. We recommend hoods with baffle filters rather than mesh filters. Baffle filters trap grease more effectively and are easier to clean, reducing fire risk.

In a sealed, insulated building (common for Mongolian winters), if you suck air out, you must pump fresh air in. Without a "Make-Up Air" unit, your kitchen creates negative pressure, sucking in cold air from the dining room and slamming doors shut. It also makes the exhaust fan work harder.

Fire Suppression: As discussed in our previous safety guides, an automatic fire suppression system (like a Wet Chemical system) installed directly into the hood is non-negotiable for compliance and safety.
Everything you need to know about Fire Suppression Systems for commercial kitchens

Navigating Local Regulations & Compliance

1. HACCP Flow: Health inspectors will look for a flow that prevents cross-contamination. Raw food delivery areas must be separate from waste disposal exits. Veggie prep sinks must be distinct from meat prep sinks.

2. Structural Conformity: Floors must be non-slip, non-absorbent, and coved (curved at the wall junction) for easy cleaning. Walls must be tiled or covered in stainless steel/FRP sheets up to a certain height.

3. Grease Traps: You cannot dump grease into the city sewer. A properly sized grease trap is a legal requirement. It must be accessible for regular cleaning.

4. Gas Safety: Gas lines require certification. Inspectors will check for emergency shut-off valves and proper ventilation of gas appliances. Tip: Always engage a local consultant or a partner who understands the specific nuances of the current local fire and health codes.

Operational Excellence: Maintenance Culture

Cultivating a Culture of Hygiene and Maintenance. With our on-site visit and study, most of the Equipment in Mongolia often fails not because of manufacturing defects, but because of "user error" and lack of maintenance.

1. Training: Staff must be trained that cleaning the equipment is part of cooking. It’s not an afterthought.

2. The "Clean As You Go" Policy: Grease buildup is a fire hazard. Scale buildup is a machine killer. Implement a strict daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning schedule.

3. Visual Management: Use labels, checklists, and photos to show staff exactly what a "clean" station looks like.

4. The Spare Parts Issue. Here is a brutal reality: Mongolia is a landlocked country. Logistics can be slow. If a critical component on your combi oven fails, you cannot simply drive to a local depot and pick one up. Shipping parts from China or Europe can take weeks.

5. The Strategy: When you buy equipment, buy the "First Aid Kit" of spare parts immediately. This should include extra gaskets, thermocouples, fuses, and fan belts.

6. The Partner: Choose a trustworthy commercial kitchen supplier who guarantees after-sales support. At SHINELONG, our after-sales center are built to take care of all our clients because we know that downtime equals lost revenue. We help you forecast which parts might wear out so you have them on the shelf, not in a shipping container crossing the border.

Why You Can Trust SHINELONG

Setting up a commercial kitchen in Mongolia is a massive undertaking, but you don't have to do it alone. At SHINELONG, we don't just sell equipment; we provide turnkey solutions for commercial kitchens. We have visited our clients in Mongolia. We have walked through your kitchens, felt the ambient temperature, and learn the pain point. We understand what standard is suitable for Mongolia because we have experienced it.

1. Custom Design: We will work closely with you and draft well-rounded layouts that maximize your specific footprint.

2. Tailored Equipment: From high-BTU ranges to voltage-stabilized refrigeration, we can manufacture the appliance as you need.

3. Logistics Mastery: We handle the complex shipping and customs documentation to get your kitchen on-site, on time.

4. After-sales 24/7: the customer center is always on standby for handling your problems with equipment issues. All you need to do is dial our number and tell us what you need

Ready to launch your culinary vision? Contact us today for a site consultation!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Do I really need a water filtration system for my kitchen in Mongolia?
A: Yes, absolutely. The water hardness in many areas leads to rapid limescale buildup. Without filtration, expensive equipment like combi ovens, steamers, and dishwashers will fail prematurely, often voiding the manufacturer's warranty.

Q2: What is the best kitchen layout for a small restaurant in Ulaanbaatar?
A: For smaller footprints, the Galley Layout is often the most efficient. It maximizes vertical space and keeps everything within reach for a small team. However, the best layout depends on your specific menu and service style.

Q3: Why are my gas burners not producing a strong flame?
A: This is a common issue often related to local gas pressure being lower than the equipment's default rating, or the use of equipment designed for a different gas type (LPG vs. Natural Gas). You need equipment with adjustable regulators or high-BTU jet burners designed for commercial use.

Q4: Can I use residential equipment for a small cafe startup?
A: It is highly discouraged and often illegal. Residential equipment cannot handle the continuous load of commercial use, poses a significant fire risk (voiding insurance), and will fail quickly. It also rarely meets health code requirements for sanitation.

Q5: How do I handle spare parts if something breaks?
A: Due to logistics challenges, we recommend purchasing a "critical spares" package along with your main equipment. This includes high-wear items like seals and thermostats. Partnering with a supplier like SHINELONG which offers robust after-sales support is also crucial.

Q6: What are the key compliance checks I should prepare for?
A: Expect rigorous checks on Fire Safety (suppression systems, exits), Ventilation (extraction power, cleaning records), Grease Management (traps), and HACCP protocols (separation of raw/cooked foods).