Restaurant kitchen equipment: what you need to get started
To open a restaurant kitchen you need seven basic types of equipment: machines, pots and pans, knives, cutting boards and tools, containers for storing food, items for the dishwashing area and work clothes. How many and which ones you buy depends on your menu, the size of your kitchen and how many customers you expect.
Below you will find them in the order a kitchen is set up. For each one you will see what to look out for and roughly what it costs at e-costos.gr. If you want to see all products for restaurants together, they are on the restaurant equipment page.
Before you buy
Finalise your menu first, then buy. For example, a kitchen that serves grilled and fried food needs different equipment from a kitchen that serves stews and oven dishes. This way you will not buy equipment you never use.
Then measure your kitchen. Check how much counter space you have, where the sockets, water and gas supply are, and where the extraction hood will go. If you buy a machine that does not fit, or needs a supply you do not have, you will pay twice.
Think about the dishwashing area as well. If plates and pans take a long time to wash, you will need more pieces so that you do not run out when it gets busy.
The kitchen list
Machines
The basic machines are the cooker, the oven, the fridges and freezers, the dishwasher and the extraction hood. They are also the most expensive items in the kitchen. So before you buy them, make sure there is space and the right supply for each one: electricity, water or gas. In a small kitchen a counter fridge is very practical: it is a fridge underneath and a work surface on top.
At e-costos.gr you will find counter fridges and kitchen machines, such as scales, vacuum machines and food preparation appliances.
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Fridges & kitchen machines
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Pots and pans
Pots, stock pots, casseroles and frying pans. In restaurant kitchens most of them are stainless steel (inox), because it does not rust, handles high heat and goes in the dishwasher. Aluminium frying pans are lighter and heat up faster, which is why many cooks prefer them for sautéing. If you have induction hobs, the ones that heat only the pan, make sure the base of the pan has the induction symbol Induction.
Pots and stock pots start at €6.80 for the small ones and go up to €67.00 + VAT for the large ones. Frying pans cost from €6.80 to €31.30 + VAT, depending on size and material.
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Pots, stock pots & frying pans
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Knives
The knives you need depend on your menu. At e-costos.gr you will find professional knives for every job: chef’s knives, boning, filleting, fish, steak, cleavers, bread and paring knives. Whichever you choose, also check the handle: it should grip well with wet hands and be easy to clean.
You will find them from Victorinox (from €3.94 to €42.70 + VAT), Temno and Pirge, as well as more expensive Japanese knives from Global and KAI.
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Victorinox knives
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Cutting boards and preparation tools
Plastic cutting boards come in different colours and each colour is for a different type of food. This way you do not cut raw meat where you will later cut the salad, and germs do not pass from one food to another. Health inspectors check this too. The colours most kitchens use:
| Colour | Food |
|---|---|
| Red | Raw meat |
| Yellow | Raw chicken and poultry |
| Blue | Raw fish and seafood |
| Green | Vegetables and fruit |
| Brown | Cooked meat |
| White | Cheese, dairy and bread |
In the same area you will need stainless steel bowls in different sizes, ladles, tongs and whisks, strainers and a scale, so that portions are the same every day. Cutting boards cost from €2.20 to €14.90 and scales from €5.70 to €40.70 + VAT.
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Cutting boards, bowls & scales
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Food storage
In restaurant kitchens ingredients are kept in stainless steel GN pans. They are like trays in standard sizes: the large one (GN 1/1) is 53 × 32.5 cm and the smaller ones are a half, a third, a quarter and so on of the large one, so they sit side by side. The same stainless steel pan goes in the fridge, the oven and the bain-marie, without changing container. Before you buy them, measure which ones fit in your fridge and oven.
Stainless steel GN pans cost from €1.60 for the small ones to €10.00 + VAT for the large ones. There are also clear plastic containers, from €1.06 to €5.90 + VAT, so you can see what is inside without opening them (these are for the fridge, not the oven), and containers with lids for ingredients you prepare in advance.
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GN pans
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Dishwashing and cleaning
In the dishwashing area you will need dishwasher racks for plates, glasses and cutlery. 50 × 50 cm racks cost €11.30–€12.60 + VAT.
For cleaning there are professional cleaning products: the basic liquids in 4-litre containers cost €1.70–€2.60 + VAT. Also get bins with a pedal, so nobody has to touch the lid with their hands.
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Dishwashing & cleaning
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Work clothes and safety
Aprons, caps or bandanas, oven gloves and non-slip shoes. In the dishwashing area you need an apron that keeps water out, and at the cooker gloves that can handle hot trays and handles. Work clothes cost from €2.99 for a bandana to €22.90 + VAT, and oven gloves from €6 to €22 + VAT.
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Work clothes & gloves
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What each area of the kitchen needs
A list for each area of the kitchen, so that nothing is missing on day one:
| Area | What it needs |
|---|---|
 Cooking (hob, oven) |
Pots and frying pans in different sizes, ladles, tongs, spatulas, oven gloves, GN pans for prepared ingredients |
 Cold kitchen and salads |
Knives, colour-coded cutting boards, mixing bowls, a counter fridge with GN pans |
 Preparation |
Scale, strainers, graters, containers with lids for the day’s ingredients |
 Dishwashing |
Dishwasher racks, cleaning products, waterproof apron, gloves, pedal bins |
 Storeroom |
Food containers, shelving, trolleys for moving things |
Indicative prices
Prices are from e-costos.gr (October 2026) and exclude VAT. Within each category, the bigger the item or the better the material, the higher the price. That is why we show where prices start and how high they go.
| Category | Price per item, from – to (+ VAT) |
|---|---|
| Stainless steel pots, stock pots and casseroles |
€6.80–€67.00 |
 Professional frying pans |
€6.80–€31.30 |
| Victorinox knives | €3.94–€42.70 |
| Plastic cutting boards |
€2.20–€14.90 |
| Stainless steel mixing bowls |
€1.26–€6.50 |
 Kitchen scales |
€5.70–€40.70 |
 Stainless steel GN pans |
€1.60–€10.00 |
| Dishwasher racks 50 × 50 cm |
€11.30–€12.60 |
 Work clothes |
€2.99–€22.90 |
Costly mistakes
- Buying machines before measuring. An oven that does not fit through the door, or needs a supply you do not have, will delay your opening.
- GN pans that do not fit. Every fridge and bain-marie takes specific sizes. Measure before you buy.
- One cutting board for everything. It is a risk to your customers’ health and one of the first things a health inspector checks.
- Pans that do not work on your hob. On an induction hob, a pot without the right base does not heat at all.
- Too few pots and pans. When it is busy and everything is in the sink, the kitchen stops. Buy a little more than you would need on a quiet day.
Frequently asked questions
What kitchen equipment does a restaurant need?
Machines (hob, oven, fridges, dishwasher, extraction hood), pots and pans, knives, cutting boards and tools, GN pans for storing ingredients, dishwashing items and work clothes. Exactly what you need depends on your menu.
Which knives does a cook need?
It depends on the menu. There are chef’s knives, boning, filleting, fish, steak, cleavers, bread and paring knives. The Costos advisor can tell you which ones suit your kitchen.
What do the colours on cutting boards mean?
Each colour is for a different type of food: red for raw meat, yellow for raw chicken, blue for fish, green for vegetables, brown for cooked meat and white for cheese and bread. This way germs do not pass from one food to another.
What are GN pans?
Stainless steel trays in standard sizes for professional kitchens. The large one (GN 1/1) is 53 × 32.5 cm and the smaller ones are a half, a third and so on of the large one. This way the same pan goes in the fridge, the oven and the bain-marie.
Stainless steel or aluminium for kitchen pans?
Stainless steel lasts longer, goes in the dishwasher and does not take on flavours, which is why it is used for pots and stock pots. Aluminium is lighter and heats up faster, which is why it is preferred for frying pans. If you have induction hobs, check that the base is suitable.
Where can I see the equipment in person in Thessaloniki?
At the Costos store on the 9th km of the Thessaloniki–Moudania road. It is 4,500 m² and you can see pots, knives and kitchen equipment in person before you buy.
See everything for restaurants on one page: restaurant equipment at e-costos.gr.
Free equipment advisor at Costos
If you are opening a restaurant or setting up your kitchen from scratch, the Costos equipment advisor can help you put the list together, free of charge. Based on your menu and your space, they will suggest what you need.
STORE AND EQUIPMENT ADVISOR
Costos Cash & Carry
Saturday 09:00–17:00
Colorful Glasses
Bormioli
Vicrila
Luigi Bormioli
Pasabahce
Nude
Rona
Crystal Bohemia
Onis
Yuk
Waf
Cups/Mugs
Cast Iron Cookware
Stainless Steel Serving Utensils
Cooling/Heating Solutions
Knives/Tools TEMNO
Global Knives
Victorinox Knives/Tools
Pots/Pans Household
Sirman Italy Appliances
Housekeeping Trolleys
Hotel Amenities/Slippers
Floor Cleaning