The kitchen area is for food preparation and cooking, and may also be used for plating and serving. Pantries are support areas used for plating (clean pantry) and washing dishes and utensils (dirty pantry).
Preferably, the kitchen and pantry should be separate and compartmentalized spaces. In most situations, due to the small size of the kitchen, this is not possible, in which case a functional separation between the different areas should be maintained, for example, by means of a low wall.
Kitchens and pantries must be equipped with sinks and non-manual taps for hand hygiene.
In kitchens with integrated or contiguous pantries, there may only be one tap with a non-manual activation system in the washing sink of the dirty pantry.
Usually, in kitchens with integrated pantries, it is suggested that there is a sink exclusively for hand washing, with a non-manual control, a liquid soap dispenser, and paper towels (or an electric hand dryer), located at the kitchen entrance, while keeping the sinks for washing food and pre-washing dishes and utensils.
Shelves, cabinets, and preparation counters in kitchens must be made of smooth, resistant, washable, and impermeable material, and cutlery and all utensils for food preparation must be easy to wash and kept in good hygienic condition.
When the kitchen and dining room are on different floors, a vertical access should be created through a dumbwaiter, and service via stairs is not allowed. Please note the need for a division in the dumbwaiter for dirty and clean items.