Restaurant Kitchen Design & Layout

Dubai Municipality mandates that the kitchen occupies at least 40% of the total restaurant area or a minimum of 28 square metres (300 sq ft), whichever is larger. Our designers confirm the exact threshold for your space category during the initial site survey and build this directly into the compliant floor plan submitted to DM.

Yes. Every MMR kitchen design follows a mandated unidirectional raw-to-cooked workflow with physically segregated zones for raw meat, vegetable prep, hot cooking, and ready-to-eat plating. Dedicated handwash stations, double-bowl prep sinks, and separate entry and exit points are positioned to satisfy UAE Food Code and DM inspection criteria.

We design and size exhaust canopies, supply air systems, electrostatic precipitators, and carbon filters to meet Civil Defence specs — including chimney stacks that extend at least two metres above the nearest building line. Our drawings are prepared to CDD format and we coordinate the inspection appointment on your behalf.

Typically four to ten weeks from signed brief to approved DM drawings, depending on kitchen size and authority queue times. Fabrication and fit-out runs in parallel where possible. We provide a written milestone schedule at project kick-off so your restaurant opening timeline is never a surprise.

A professional DM-compliant kitchen design package in the UAE typically starts from AED 5,000 for a basic 2D and 3D layout with MEP drawings, rising to AED 15,000-30,000 for full turnkey design, authority submissions, and site supervision. Costs vary by kitchen size, complexity, and the number of authority approvals required across different emirates.

Yes. Dubai Municipality requires all commercial kitchens to route cooking drainage through a DM-approved grease trap before it enters the main sewer. For most restaurants, a 500-1,500 litre interceptor is standard; large hotel or catering kitchens may need 3,000 litres or more. Make My Restaurant sizes and coordinates grease trap installation as part of the full kitchen design package.

Dubai Municipality and HACCP guidelines specify SS 304 stainless steel as the minimum grade for work surfaces, prep benches, shelving, and fabricated hoods in commercial kitchens. SS 316 is recommended for wash-down areas and brine contact. Make My Restaurant fabricates all custom steelwork in-house to the correct grade, with mill certificates available on request.

Yes. Cloud kitchens follow the same DM unidirectional workflow and zoning rules as full-service restaurants, but space optimisation is critical -- most shells are 28-60 sqm. We specialise in high-density cloud-kitchen layouts that maximise cooking stations, cold storage, and delivery dispatch flow within compact footprints while meeting all DM and HACCP requirements.

Rejections almost always stem from minor plan amendments or missing documentation rather than fundamental design failures. Make My Restaurant handles all resubmissions at no additional charge within the original project scope. Our pre-submission authority check -- conducted before drawings are formally lodged -- significantly reduces first-submission rejections for kitchens across Dubai, Sharjah, and the northern emirates.

We produce full MEP coordination drawings -- plumbing, drainage, LV electrical, gas risers, and mechanical ventilation -- as part of the kitchen design package. We can work with your existing MEP contractor or introduce one from our UAE fit-out network. Either way, our design team acts as the single technical reference point to prevent scope conflicts on site.

A unidirectional workflow means food moves in one direction only -- from raw goods receipt through cold storage, prep, cooking, and plating to dispatch -- without backtracking through contaminated zones. Dubai Municipality mandates this layout to prevent cross-contamination between raw and cooked food. Our designs physically separate each zone with dedicated handwash points and zoned entry and exit doors.

Yes. Renovation or expansion projects require a new or amended DM submission, and we handle the full re-approval process. We start with an as-built survey, identify compliance gaps in the existing layout, and redesign around your new menu requirements. Partial kitchen upgrades -- such as adding a prep zone or upgrading ventilation -- are common scopes we manage across all seven emirates.