Whether you run a tea restaurant, coffee shop, snack shop or restaurant chain, the stainless steel astrolabe (star basin/astrolabe) is one of the most basic and easy to “choose” equipment in the kitchen.

The astrolabe is not just used for washing vegetables and dishes, it also involves:

• Hong Kong’s “Food Hygiene Code” requires the size and material of star basins
• grease trap and drainage design
• Kitchen circulation and staff safety
• Future maintenance, cleaning, and operating costs

As kitchen design consultants who have long worked on restaurant engineering and maintenance, we often see two situations:

• Before opening the store, “just buy an astrolabe and hold it up first”, but as a result, you have to change the water and drain in a hurry before opening;
• Just look at the price, buy an astrolabe that is too thin, too small, or not meet the specifications, and regret it after a few months.

This article will take the perspective of professional kitchen design, with Fidelity’s commonly used stainless steel astrolabe products (single star basin, double star basin, three-star basin, star basin table, large single astrolabe table, grease trap), step by step: how to choose the right astrolabe, how to place it, how to maintain it, is really helpful to your shop.

Before choosing an astrolabe: Figure out the menu, product volume, and service model

Many bosses asked at first: “Should I buy a single star, a double star or a three-star?”

But in professional kitchen design, the astrolabe is actually part of the warewashing system , not a single piece of equipment.

Before choosing, you should ask yourself three questions:

1. How many types of tableware/utensils does the menu have?
   Do you have claypot rice, iron plates, baking plates, and stir-fry pots? Do you have a large number of GN basins, plastic baskets, and dessert cups?
2. What is the production volume at the peak?
   How many seats? What is the turnover rate? During a lunch/dinner rush, how many sets of dishes do you wash per hour?
3. What is the service model?
   Mainly tea restaurants, fast food, buffets, takeaways? Is there a dishwasher? Are the dishes collected by the staff, or are they self-service recycling slots for customers?

Once you have an idea of these points, think about “how many basins do you want”, “use single, double, or three”, and “do you want a large single astrolabe”, so that it can really match your business model, rather than just “placing it when you have a place” on a floor plan.

Hong Kong Laws and Licensing: What are the basic requirements for astrolabes?

When opening a restaurant in Hong Kong, the astrolabe must not only be “easy to use”, but also “compliant”. Here are a few key points to remember:

• Kitchens must provide a dedicated sink for washing dishes/appliances, not a sink.
• The length of the star basin is not less than 450mm: measured by the inner edge of the basin top, the material must be smooth, durable, non-absorbent, and easy to clean (in practice, stainless steel is basically used).
• Separate washbasins: Employees should use special washbasins for washing their hands, and should not be mixed with dishwashing astrolabe to avoid cross-contamination.
• Wastewater must pass through grease traps: Astrolabe, dishwasher, floor drain and other wastewater must be connected to grease traps to treat grease before it can be discharged into public sewers.

If the size of the astrolabe is too small, the materials are not compliant, and the drainage does not pass through the grease trap, it may be required to be improved during the licensing inspection or inspection, and even affect the licensing time.

Single, double, three, and large astrological charts: how to choose?

The simplest way to choose how many basins to choose is to start with the “washing process” . Generally, washing dishes/dishes will go through:

1. Slag scraping/pre-flushing
2. Washing (with detergent)
3. Water/disinfect/drain

1. Single-star basin: Thin or combined with a dishwasher

Suitable for:

• • Small coffee shops, light food shops, takeout shops
  • Wash cups, wash lightweight tableware, and handle ingredients simply
  • It is already equipped with a dishwasher, and the star basin is mainly used for pre-washing or soaking

If the kitchen area is limited, you can use a stainless steel single-star basin or single-star basin, and then use a dishwasher, which can also be compliant and practical.

2. Double star basin: The most common configuration in restaurants

Suitable for:

• • Tea restaurants and small restaurants with about 40–80 seats
  • One compartment is used as the main wash (hot water + detergent), and the other compartment is used as rinsing or soaking in clean water
  • You can also wash dishes in one compartment and food in one compartment (depending on the operation arrangement)

The double star basin can clearly separate the “washing process”, reduce cross-contamination, and make the division of labor clearer for employees.

3. Samsung basin: Use it for large production and hygiene processes

Suitable for:

• • Medium and large restaurants, restaurants, central kitchens
  • It is necessary to achieve a three-step slot processing of “soaking→ washing→ watering/disinfection”
  • The daily amount of dishes is large and there are many types of utensils

Samsung basins can be combined with the HACCP concept to clearly divide labor:

• • The first grid: scraping slag + soaking
  • The second compartment: hot water + detergent for main washing
  • The third compartment: clean water or rinse with disinfectant

If your shop has a central kitchen/mass production, a three-star basin is a more reliable choice.

4. Large single astrolabe: Specializes in dealing with “big pot big pot”

Large single astrolabescope (large) is suitable for:

• • Chinese stir-fry rooms, restaurants, and hotel kitchens should be cleaned frequently
  • The central kitchen requires large utensils such as washing pans, refrigerator shelves, and plastic baskets

This type of large-capacity astrolabe is usually deeper and wider, which is convenient for complete immersion in the vessel, and there will be no situation where “the disk is too big, no matter how much water splashes out”. Most of them are equipped with separate drainage and grease traps to cope with large amounts of grease and sewage.

Do you want to bring a table? Left basin right platform or right basin left platform?

There is a workbench next to the star basin, which has several advantages:

• It can be used as scraping, unwashed dishes, and plastic baskets
• During pre-treatment, you can wash vegetables + cut them on the spot
• Save space for a separate work desk

1. When should I choose the “Liantai” style?

• • There is a dishwasher: I hope to achieve a line of “collecting dishes → star basin slag/pre-washing → dishwasher → drain rack”.
  • The kitchen is not big: I want to use a set of equipment to complete “washing + meal preparation/draining”.
  • There are many pre-treatment processes: washing vegetables, picking vegetables, removing the head and tail, dividing plates, etc., which can all be completed on the countertop next to the star basin.

2. Left basin right table VS right basin left table

The principle is simple: follow the “dirt → purity” direction.

• • If most of the dirty dishes are collected from the left side into the kitchen: it is suitable to use the left basin and the right counter, the left side to collect/scrape the slag → the star basin → the right counter to drain/load the basket.
  • If the process is just the opposite: switching to the right basin and left table will be much easier.

If there are columns, corners, equipment blocks, or if you want to line them up with a dishwasher/refrigerator, you can usually use a custom-made star basin to adjust the length of the countertop and the position of the star basin, and you can also add shelves, casters, etc.

Material, thickness, structure: Why is 304/1.2mm recommended?

On the market, you will see:

• 201 stainless steel, 0.8–1.0mm thick plate
• 304 stainless steel, 1.0–1.2mm thick plate
• There are even thinner styles that are only suitable for home use

Based on practical experience, restaurants will see a big difference when used:

• 304 food-grade stainless steel: corrosion resistance and rust resistance are higher than 201, long-term contact with detergents, salt water, and grease is more stable, and better customers and consultants will specifically ask what kind of steel to use during acceptance.
• 1.2mm thick countertop: can support a large number of tableware, pots, rice bags, and plastic baskets, and can be flushed with a high-pressure shower for a long time, without easy deformation or “drumming”.
• All-in-one stretch molded star basin: no welds, the inner corners can be rounded, stains are not easy to accumulate, cleaning, disinfection and long-term maintenance will be much easier.

The astrolabe products launched by Fidelity (single star basin, double star basin, three-star basin, star basin platform, large single astrolabe disk) are all made of 304 food-grade stainless steel + 1.2mm thick tabletop, and the star basin part is also based on an integrated stretch design to take care of durability and hygiene requirements.

Design the position of the astrolabe with “dirty logistics” and “human flow”

In kitchen design, there are two important concepts:

• Dirty Flow: The flow of dirty dishes, wastewater, and garbage
• Traffic Flow: The route for employees to walk, push carts, and deliver food

The astrolabe is usually the starting point of dirty logistics, and if the arrangement is misaligned, it is easy to appear a picture of “people are crowded and plates are jammed”.

1. Dirty Logistics: How do dirty dishes get back to clean?

Take the dishwashing area as an example:

1. 1. Dirty dishes are collected at the passenger seats/recycling counters
   2. Put it on the star basin or in the receiving position (scraping the slag)
   3. Pre-wash/soak in star basin
   4. Place in the dishwasher or second/third star basin for washing
   5. Put it on a drain rack and let it dry
   6. Return to the cutlery storage area

If astrolabes, dishwashers, and drain racks can be lined up in the same direction, employees will be easier to use and reduce “cross-walking”.

2. Flow of people: How many seats should be left in front of the chart?

• • In front of the astrolabe passage, it is best to anticipate that two people + a trolley can pass at the same time.
  • Avoid the astrolabe facing the food outlet or the main corridor, so as not to collide with the dish receiving line and the food delivery line.
  • The position of the large single astrological disk should be close to the most commonly used cooking area (e.g. large frying pan/oven), but it should not obstruct the main aisle.

Ergonomics: height, depth, and employee fatigue

If the basin is too high and deep, employees will quickly experience lower back pain and shoulder pain. When designing, you can pay attention to:

• Table height: generally about 800–850mm, can be fine-tuned according to the height of the main operating staff.
• Star basin depth: The deeper the basin, the greater the capacity, but if it is too deep + the countertop is too high, the hands must be stretched out all day long, which will be more tiring, so you can use “deep basin with lower countertop” to balance.
• Space under the feet: Leave enough space from the bottom of the basin to the ground to facilitate standing and future maintenance and water removal.
• Anti-slip floor: It is recommended to use non-slip floor tiles near the astrolabe, and set up appropriate drainage to reduce the risk of water accumulation and slipping.

How to maintain stainless steel astrolabes and grease traps?

If you buy the astrolabe well, you must keep up with the maintenance so that it can last a long time and be decent.

• Simple cleaning at the end of the day: Wash the star basin and countertop with neutral dish soap + warm water, then rinse with clean water, and wipe dry with a soft cloth to reduce water stains.
• Avoid using wire brushes, strong acids and alkalis: Wire brushes will scratch the surface of stainless steel, making it easier to accumulate dirt and spots afterwards; If you want to use strong acid or strong bleach, you should dilute it according to the instructions and do not soak the countertop for a long time.
• Check the water level regularly: Pay attention to whether there is leakage, burping odor, and if the S-trap/P-trap is loose, it should be dealt with by a qualified technician as soon as possible.
• Grease trap maintenance: Depending on the business volume, it is generally inspected at least once a week; When the grease scale height is close to about 30% of the liquid in the grease trap, cleaning should be arranged to prevent grease from flowing into the drain pipe and causing blockage.

10 questions you must ask yourself before and after choosing an astrolabe (Check-list)

• How many types and sizes of cutlery and utensils will my menu produce?
• How many sets of dishes do you wash per hour during peak hours? Can single, double, and three stars be supported?
• Is the length of the star basin at least 450mm to meet the legal requirements?
• Is there a separate sink to prevent employees from washing their hands with the astrolabe?
• Do astrolabes, dishwashers, and drain racks follow the “dirt → clean things”?
• Is there enough space in the front passage of the astrolabe? Two people passing by at the same time with a trolley?
• Is the astrolabe made of 304 food grade stainless steel? Is the thickness of the countertop at least 1.2mm?
• Is the star basin one-piece stretched or welded? Are there any dead spots that are difficult to clean?
• Is the astrolabe drain connected to the right size grease trap? Is it convenient to clean up in the future?
• If you want to add a dishwasher, change the menu, or expand the product in the future, will this astrolabe position still be used?

Contact us: Get a free consultation and quote

The stainless steel astrolabe looks like a basin, but it actually has an impact:

• FEHD licensing and inspection
• Employees wash dishes, vegetables, and clean efficiently and safely every day
• grease traps, drainage and future maintenance costs

In addition to providing various 304/1.2mm stainless steel star basins (single, double, and three-star), star basin tables, large single star plates, and stainless steel grease traps, Fidelity kitchenware can also be used according to your:

• Floor plans and engineering drawings
• menu, production volume and service model
• FEHD and licensing requirements

Provide custom made design solutions, including:

• Design and customize the appropriate size astrolabe/star basin platform
• Adjust the position of the star basin, left and right directions, and add shelves/garbage holes/casters
• Matches grease trap capacity and drainage design
• On-site installation and welding repair services are provided

If you are planning to open a new store, renovate your kitchen, or are not sure that your current astrolabe design does not meet the requirements, you can contact Fidelity Kitchenware through the website or WhatsApp, and we will work with you from the perspective of a kitchen design consultant to create an efficient, compliant, and easy-to-do commercial kitchen from the astrological chart.

 

 

 

Source: Food Hygiene Code, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, Hong Kong