Galley Planning, Part 5 The Working Environment

Now that you’ve decide on what to put in your galley, it’s time to place it in the most useful and convenient location. Not every item can be on the countertop or at arm’s reach. Some items may even be behind others or stored elsewhere in the aircraft.

The typical galley has three levels, upper, middle and lower. The upper are usually consists of storage areas for glassware and smaller items. They are usually enclosed with sliding doors because there is little head room for hinged doors that swing inboard. It is popular to enclose decorative glassware with acrylic doors and back lights that give a nice visual presentation.

The mid-galley area is typically at counter height and sets slightly outboard. This offset creates the working preparation area. This area becomes more critical than one may think. The reason being is that when meals are being plated, you may need this flat surface to place several plates when getting organized prior to serving. The mid area is also a very good spot for the coffee maker, liquor and snacks. It is best to enclose these areas in rolling tambour or sliding doors. A hinged doors swing means items on the counter will get in the way when you try to access these areas.

If there is a sink on the counter be sure it has a cover when it’s not being used an automated drain valve. It is also best not to plate the sink in gold as it will wear quickly, try to keep it in a stainless steel finish as the cover will be in place when passengers board.  

The lower galley is where the larger, deeper items will be housed. Such as ovens, microwaves, ice drawers, china, utilities, trash, food and beverage storage. In larger aircraft it is chillers, refrigerators, trash compactors and drawer style dishwashers will be placed. Each of these areas will have its own requirements for doors and lings. To minimize weight it is best to use as little laminate as possible, galley cavities should be painted. It is also very useful to implement pull-out work surfaces just below the counter to give additional space when needed.       

In your galley planning, remember the basics step in planning, consult you passengers, gain in-put form you cabin crew and work with you completion center. Keep quantities to the basic minimum and carry spear and rarely used items in a closet or baggage area. Select tasteful yet durable service ware that can be replaced and stacks and stores easy. You will be surprised how much can be packed into a small area that can create culinary perfection!

Galley Planning, Part 2 Storage

To simplify galley planning we break it down into five basic areas. Three of these areas revolve around storage, they include food, beverage and service items. These three areas all work in concert with one another to make preparation and service flow seamlessly.

Storing food on a business jet can be as simple as an insulated area that can bleed cold air from a gasper or placing items inside the ice drawer. It can also be as complicated as using a chilling device, refrigerator or freezer. Several companies’ manufacture these components in different sizes to work on aircraft power. When utilizing a cold air chiller, give thought to the access of the filters which require maintenance from time to time. Chillers offer greater flexibility than refrigerators, because these units can be ducted into multiple compartments. Refrigerators and freezers typically have small storage capacity and their weight must be considered. Dry ice is a last resort based on availability and handing.

In addition to cold areas, you must plan for dry food storage as well. These will include boxed and packaged foods, condiments and snacks. Drawers work best for these small items and should include adjustable dividers for flexibility. They should also be lined in plastic laminate for ease of cleaning. In the planning stage, take sample items to the completion center and have them measure specific packages for dedicated storage.

If you have discussed your galley with your caterer, be sure to get sizes of their standard trays and packaging for the center to measure. Many utilize trays that are very wide for use in typical galleys; you may need to ask them to special order smaller trays to fit. Otherwise you will find yourself re-packing food every time you fly to fit your galley. In our next installment, we will discuss beverage storage and service.