Kitchen illumination guidelines
As long as you can see what you are doing, everything is ok. Right or wrong? Well, you are right and wrong.
While you can see what you are doing, there is still a guideline to follow when designing and implementing lighting in a kitchen
Illumination is measured in a quantity known as candles, or foot-candles.
Definition of foot-candle
“a unit of illuminance or illumination, equivalent to the illuminationproduced by a source of one candle at a distance of one foot and equalto one lumen incident per square foot.”
IMPORTANT
Required illumination of preperation surfaces in restaurant kitchens: 50 candles.
Food display areas: 20 candles.
Requred illumination of walk in coolers: 10 candles.
Article by Gene Cox, Texas Food Manager Training