Cloud kitchens or Ghost Kitchen are going to be a $2 billion industry in India by 2025,according to a report by RedSeer Management Consulting. Given the restaurant industry trend, an increasing number of successful restaurateurs have made the decision to switch to a cloud kitchen. The low overhead cost, simplified technology, less kitchen equipment and positive cost-benefit analysis have given them a reason to switch or expand into the cloud kitchen business.
Are you also planning to open a Cloud Kitchen soon?
Well, before we get into the required kitchen equipment let’s first understand what a cloud kitchen is exactly.
Why Technology is Key for Modern Cloud Kitchens
Beyond essential kitchen equipment, successful cloud kitchens in India rely on robust digital solutions to manage orders, staff, stock, invoices, and daily operations. Petpooja’s all-in-one suite, covering POS, Payroll, Invoice, Purchase, and Task modules, has become the backbone for cloud kitchens aiming for efficiency, error reduction, and scale.
What is a Cloud Kitchen?
Cloud Kitchens a.k.a ghost kitchens are basically a delivery-only restaurant business model. They don’t offer an option of dine-in and they cater to their customers solely through online delivery. Cloud Kitchens infrastructure basically includes a kitchen set-up and tie-up with various food delivery applications.
With growing food delivery platforms like Swiggy and Zomato, cloud kitchens are going to be a next-gen thing. But among the rising competition and chaos, it’s important to keep your kitchen preparation and processes efficient.
Let’s See The List Of All The Kitchen Equipment That Your Cloud Kitchen May Require In India:
Oven
Depending on the menu and volume of orders you can choose a standard or convection oven. You can also install a combination of standard and convection just in case you require it in future. It might be a little more expensive than getting a standard or convection oven but it will save space in your kitchen as 2 units will be combined and also give you the opportunity to scale the volume of your order.
Cooking range
There are mainly two types of cooking ranges:
- Gas range:
The gas range is the most type of cooking range used in India. It is super-efficient and takes lesser time to heat the pan and cook the food. However, you run a risk of a gas leak or fire hazard. It is also harder to clean this kind of cooking range.
- Electric range:
The electric range enables greater energy efficiency and is easier to clean than the gas range. However, this cooking range takes a much longer time to cook food and a certain type of cooking is just impossible using the electric range. In that case, a gas range is required.
Exhaust hood
Depending on the kind of menu items you produce you can choose an exhaust hood. If you require a lot of smoke and grease in cooking chores such as frying, broiling, or grilling you should go for an exhaust hood with fire prevention. If not, you can go with a standard exhaust hood for just baking or steaming, which produces only heat and moisture.
Counters
Depending on the size of your operation and future goals make sure you create sufficient counter space. Stainless steel counters are more reliable and safe than any other material. Make sure counters are kept separate for the cooking process and preparing process so that there’s no crowd gathering in one place making the process inefficient.
Sinks
Installation of sinks is very crucial to ensure safety and efficiency in the food preparation process. You can install one or multiple sinks in separate areas depending on the size of your cloud kitchen. Make sure the lack of sinks or the placement of the sinks in the kitchen doesn’t hamper the efficiency of the process and staff.
Commercial freezers
Doesn’t matter if you have a dine-in or a cloud kitchen there is always raw materials that need to be carefully stored to avoid being spoilt or damaged. Therefore, commercial fridges and freezers are a must-have. Their temperature can go higher than a normal refrigerator or freezer which is important and make sure you invest in the fridge that matches your capacity levels.
Cutting surfaces
Use proper surfaces for slicing, chopping and cutting your raw materials. Avoid cutting your raw materials directly on the countertops as that could lead to scratches and compromises the durability of the countertops. You can invest in either plastic or wooden cutting surfaces depending on your choice.
Safety and hygiene kitchen equipment
You need to invest in safety and hygiene equipment like a hairnet, gloves, fire extinguishers, rubber floor mats, first aid box, security camera and more to make sure your cloud kitchen meets all the set rules and regulations and is a safe place for people to work at.
Shelves
Installation of shelves for storage of raw materials and other reasons is also very important for your cloud kitchen business. Installing mobile shelving units so that you can move those shelves whenever necessary. You can invest in the shelves depending on your business needs.
Mixers
Commercial mixers can ease your food preparation process. There are multiple kinds of mixers available in the market such as hand mixers, countertop mixers and floor mixers. You can choose any mixer depending on your business requirements.
Fryer
If your menu items require a lot of frying make sure to invest in a commercial fryer. This will help you to save a lot of time and effort in preparing the food. You can buy multiple fryers depending on your cloud kitchen requirements.
Ventilation
Ventilation in your cloud kitchen is the most crucial investment that you should be made on priority. Generally, cloud kitchens have a very limited space given that there’s no dine-in area. All that baking, grilling, frying of food and use of heavy commercial equipment can cause a lot of heat and smoke in your kitchen. A proper ventilation system can help you manage the airflow and control the temperature in your cloud kitchen. While investing in a ventilation system make sure they are not noisy, has a good airflow rate and is sufficient for your cloud kitchen size.
Don’t Forget Digital Staff Management
Managing shift schedules, overtime, and payroll is as important as the culinary process. Petpooja’s Payroll module automatically calculates staff wages, overtime, and regulatory deductions based on live attendance data. This not only prevents errors but also saves time during audits or salary payout.
Streamline Purchases, Invoices, and Operational Tasks
Stock-outs or supply mismatches are a nightmare for any kitchen. With Petpooja’s Purchase module, you can order from trusted suppliers, monitor inventories, and sync deliveries with billing. The Invoice module manages digital invoicing and reconciles accounts in one dashboard, no manual entry needed.
Assign and monitor daily responsibilities, from cleaning to prep and closing checks—using Petpooja’s Task module. It’s your digital checklist to ensure every shift runs smoothly
While opening a cloud kitchen in India, you may also invest in basic necessities like a POS system, Kitchen Display System and wifi connection for smooth running of operations and managing orders. If you are someone who is new to the restaurant industry and wondering if you need a POS system for your cloud kitchen here’s your guide- Do I Need A Restaurant POS System For My Cloud Kitchen?
Hope this helps you in understanding the kitchen equipments required for your cloud kitchen business.
Conclusion
Starting a cloud kitchen in India requires a strategic blend of core kitchen equipment and modern digital solutions. The essentials: ovens, cooking ranges, commercial freezers, exhausts, counters, sinks, mixers, fryers, and safety tools, form the operational backbone. Equally vital is the adoption of technology like POS and KDS to unify order flow, procurement, inventory, and staff management. By focusing on regulatory compliance, efficient workflow, and robust digital infrastructure, aspiring restaurateurs can build a scalable and future-ready cloud kitchen business in India’s booming online food service industry.
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FAQs
At a minimum, you need an oven (standard, convection, or combination), a cooking range (gas or electric), an exhaust hood, stainless steel counters, one or more sinks, commercial freezers or refrigerators, cutting surfaces, shelves for storage, and basic safety and hygiene equipment such as gloves, hairnets, and fire extinguishers.
Stainless steel counters are preferred due to their durability, hygiene, and ease of cleaning. Separate counters for cooking and prep help avoid cross-contamination and increase workflow efficiency.
A commercial freezer is highly recommended because it can maintain lower temperatures and store larger quantities of perishable goods, which is crucial for handling bulk raw materials and ensuring food safety in a high-volume kitchen environment.
For regulatory and staff safety, essentials include hairnets, disposable gloves, rubber floor mats, fire extinguishers, a first aid kit, and security cameras. These help meet FSSAI and local municipal requirements and protect staff.
Proper ventilation is critical to control smoke, heat, and odor—especially in compact cloud kitchens with limited space. Choose systems with low noise, high airflow rates, and sufficient capacity to match kitchen size and workload.
Modern cloud kitchens rely on integrated digital tools: a point-of-sale (POS) system for order and inventory management, Kitchen Display Systems (KDS) to streamline food prep, payroll and scheduling modules, purchase and invoice automation, and strong wifi connectivity for seamless online order management.
