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Buy Commercial Kitchen Equipment in Canada: Buying Guide
If you want to buy commercial kitchen equipment in Canada, start with your menu, then work through each cooking station, your utilities and your local approvals. Professional kitchen appliances range from ranges, fryers and griddles to combi ovens, steamers and ventilation, and the right mix depends on how you cook, how many covers you serve and what your building can support. This guide walks through the major categories, the points that matter when you buy, and the BC steps to know before you install.
Babak Food Equipment is a full-service commercial kitchen supplier based in Burnaby, BC, serving restaurants, cafes, bakeries, hotels and institutions across Canada. Our commercial cooking equipment range covers every station in the kitchen.
Plan the kitchen around the menu
Before you compare models, write down what you cook and how much of it you cook at peak. A pizzeria, a burger bar and a hotel banquet kitchen need very different lines. Ask:
- What are the five dishes that sell most, and what equipment cooks them?
- How many covers will you serve at the busiest hour?
- Do you need to hold food hot for service, or cook to order?
- Do you have a gas supply, three-phase power, or only single-phase electric?
- How much floor space, ventilation and drainage can the room support?
The answers decide whether you need a full range, a pair of fryers, a combi oven, or something in between.
Core professional kitchen appliances
Ranges, hot plates and griddles
The range is the heart of a lot of kitchens. Open burners handle sauteing and stock pots, ovens below bake and roast, and a griddle section takes on eggs, burgers and sandwiches. See our commercial ranges, including gas ranges, and griddles for flat-top work. Atosa gas ranges, for example, are offered with open burners and griddle combinations in several widths.
Fryers
Fryers are sized by oil capacity and recovery rate. Gas models recover heat quickly, while electric models are easy to site where gas is not available. Giles builds fryers with filtration and banked configurations. Browse commercial fryers and plan oil handling and filtration at the same time.
Ovens: combi, convection and deck
A combi oven steams, roasts and bakes in one cabinet, and it can replace several pieces of equipment in a tight kitchen. RATIONAL and UNOX are the two combi brands we work with most. Convection ovens suit baking and roasting at volume, and deck ovens suit pizza and bread. Start with commercial ovens, then narrow down to combi ovens. Our guide to what you can cook in a combi oven shows how far one machine can go.
Charbroilers, steamers and kettles
For grilled flavour, a charbroiler is the standard. For vegetables, rice, seafood and batch cooking, steam equipment saves time. Both are part of our cooking equipment range.
Gas or electric
This choice affects installation, operating cost and what you can install in leased space.
- Gas: fast, responsive heat, popular for ranges, fryers and charbroilers. Needs a gas supply, correct venting and licensed installation.
- Electric: simpler to site, often easier to clean, and the only option in buildings with no gas service. Check amperage and phase, because larger units may need three-phase power.
- Mixed kitchens: many kitchens combine gas on the line with electric ovens, steamers and countertop equipment.
Ventilation and hoods
Cooking equipment makes heat, grease and smoke, and ventilation is one of the biggest line items on a new kitchen. Plan the hood and make-up air with your contractor before you order. Some electric appliances and ventless hoods are designed for locations where a conventional hood is hard to install. Browse exhaust and hood equipment and confirm what your municipality and health authority require.
What to know in BC before you install
Rules differ by province, so confirm details with the authorities that apply to your location. For British Columbia, the main points are:
- Health authority plan approval. New, altered or converted food premises generally need plans reviewed and approved by the local health authority (for example Vancouver Coastal Health or Fraser Health) before construction, and a permit before opening.
- Gas equipment. Gas appliances must carry an accepted certification mark. Regulated gas work needs a gas fitter licensed through Technical Safety BC, working under a permit. Larger commercial appliances need a commissioning approval from a gas safety officer before use, so ask your gas contractor to book it.
- Electrical equipment. Equipment must carry a mark from a certification agency accredited by the Standards Council of Canada.
- Food safety training. Operators need FOODSAFE Level 1 or equivalent training under the Food Premises Regulation.
Always follow your health authority’s requirements. Our team can supply specification sheets for your plan submission.
Brands and how to compare them
Customers ask which brands offer the best support in Canada. Compare brands by what matters after the sale: parts, manuals, service network and certification. Brands we work with include:
- RATIONAL and UNOX: combi ovens and speed ovens. We are an authorized dealer for both.
- Giles: fryers, breading tables and rethermalizers. We are an authorized Giles dealer.
- Thunderbird: mixers, slicers, grinders, dough rollers and peelers. We are an authorized dealer.
- Atosa: ranges, refrigeration and beverage equipment. We are an authorized Atosa dealer.
- Eurodib and its brands: Dito Sama, Lamber, Krampouz, Gemm, Brema, Nemox and others. We are an authorized dealer for these.
Buying checklist
- List your menu, covers and peak hours.
- Confirm gas, electrical, water and drain capacity.
- Plan the line: cooking, prep, holding, washing and storage.
- Choose certified equipment and confirm certification marks.
- Plan ventilation and clearances.
- Ask for specification sheets and installation requirements.
- Request a quote and compare complete packages, not single items.
Our guides to commercial cooking equipment in Canada and how much kitchen equipment costs can help with planning and budgeting. For tight budgets, certified pre-owned units are listed under used restaurant equipment.
Cooking equipment summary
| Equipment | Best for | Power | Consider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Range | Sauteing, stock pots, baking | Gas or electric | Width, burner count, oven size |
| Griddle | Eggs, burgers, sandwiches | Gas or electric | Plate thickness, width |
| Fryer | Fries, chicken, fish | Gas or electric | Oil capacity, filtration |
| Combi oven | Roasting, steaming, baking | Gas or electric | Pan capacity, water quality |
| Convection oven | Baking, roasting | Gas or electric | Pan size, number of racks |
| Charbroiler | Steaks, burgers, kebabs | Usually gas | Ventilation, cleanup |
| Steamer | Vegetables, rice, seafood | Gas or electric | Connected or boiler type |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy commercial kitchen equipment in Canada?
Babak Food Equipment sells commercial kitchen equipment from a showroom at 7190 Randolph Ave in Burnaby, BC, and works with restaurants, cafes, bakeries and institutions across Canada. Browse the categories online, then request a quote.
What are the best commercial kitchen equipment brands for customer support and service in Canada?
Rather than a single ranking, check four things for any brand: whether a Canadian distributor or service network supports it, whether parts are easy to source, whether the manufacturer publishes clear manuals and spec sheets, and whether the unit carries a certification mark accepted in your province. We are an authorized dealer for UNOX, RATIONAL, Thunderbird, Giles, Atosa and Eurodib, among other lines.
Do gas appliances in BC need a licensed installer?
Yes. Regulated gas work in British Columbia needs a gas fitter licensed through Technical Safety BC, working under a permit, and commercial gas appliances need to carry an accepted certification mark. Ask your installer to confirm the permit steps for your municipality.
Should I buy gas or electric cooking equipment?
Gas gives fast heat and good control for ranges, fryers and charbroilers, while electric is easier to install where no gas line exists and is often easier to clean. Check your building’s gas supply and electrical capacity before you choose.
Do I need a hood over all cooking equipment?
Heat- and grease-producing equipment generally needs proper ventilation, and some electric and ventless units are designed to work without a traditional hood. Confirm requirements with your health authority, your municipality and your ventilation contractor before buying.
Can I buy used cooking equipment?
Yes. Used equipment can be a smart way to stage a startup. Look at certified pre-owned units and check them for condition, certification marks and service history. Browse our used restaurant equipment category.
Browse the cooking equipment category, visit the Burnaby showroom at 7190 Randolph Ave, or request a quote and our team will help you build a complete kitchen line. Pricing, availability, delivery and installation are confirmed at the time of purchase.