Catering Kitchen Exhaust Solutions: What Every Food Business Needs to Know

What Makes Catering Kitchen Exhaust Different?

Catering kitchens operate at a fundamentally different tempo to standard restaurant kitchens. Whether it’s a cloud kitchen running multiple virtual brands from one space, a food truck cranking through a weekend market, or an events caterer preparing 500 covers in a single sitting, the ventilation demands are significantly higher — and the consequences of getting it wrong are more severe.

Higher Output, Greater Heat Load

A standard commercial kitchen typically runs a predictable menu with a fixed equipment line-up. Catering environments, by contrast, are built for throughput. Multiple cooking stations fire simultaneously, heavy-duty equipment like tilting skillets and combi ovens run at full capacity, and production windows can stretch well beyond normal service hours.

This creates a unique set of challenges for the exhaust system:

• Higher thermal loads concentrated in a smaller footprint
• Greater volumes of grease-laden air produced per hour
• More frequent shifts between cooking methods — frying, steaming, grilling, and baking in rapid succession
• Equipment layouts that may change with each job, event, or tenant rotation

The exhaust system has to handle all of these variables without compromising air quality, staff comfort, or fire safety. A system designed for a standard restaurant kitchen simply won’t cope.

Canopy Sizing for High-Volume Catering Setups

Getting the Dimensions Right

Canopy sizing isn’t a one-size-fits-all exercise. For catering operations, the starting point is understanding the total cooking surface area and the type of equipment being used. AS 1668.2 requires that canopies extend beyond the cooking surface on all open sides — typically by a minimum of 150 mm per side for wall-mounted canopies and 300 mm for island configurations.

In high-volume catering environments, undersized canopies are one of the most common and costly mistakes. When the canopy can’t capture the full plume of heat and grease-laden air, the excess migrates into the workspace. This leads to:

• Uncomfortable and potentially unsafe working conditions for kitchen staff
• Grease build-up on walls, ceilings, and adjacent equipment
• A significantly higher fire risk in the exhaust pathway
• Potential non-compliance with local council requirements and building certifier sign-off

Overhang and Capture Velocity

Capture velocity — the speed at which air is drawn into the canopy — is equally critical. For heavy-duty catering equipment, a capture velocity of 0.5 m/s at the canopy face is generally the minimum target. King Fabrication designs canopy systems that account for cross-draughts, equipment placement, and ceiling height to maintain effective capture across the entire cooking line.

Getting this right at the design stage eliminates expensive retrofitting later. It’s far cheaper to fabricate the correct canopy once than to modify an undersized system after installation.

Make-Up Air Requirements for Catering Ventilation

Balancing Exhaust and Supply

Every cubic metre of air pulled out by the exhaust system needs to be replaced. This is where make-up air comes in — and it’s one of the most frequently overlooked components of catering kitchen ventilation design.

Without adequate make-up air supply, a catering kitchen will experience:

• Doors that become difficult to open or slam shut due to negative pressure
• Pilot lights on gas appliances being extinguished — a serious safety hazard
• Reduced exhaust fan efficiency as the system struggles against the pressure imbalance
• Kitchen temperatures that become almost impossible to control

Designing for Comfort and Performance

For catering kitchens, make-up air should ideally be tempered — meaning it’s heated or cooled before entering the space. Dumping unconditioned outdoor air into a kitchen during a Sydney summer creates uncomfortable conditions and can disrupt sensitive cooking processes. Even a cold Smeaton Grange winter morning can throw temperatures off if the supply air isn’t treated.

King Fabrication works alongside HVAC consultants and mechanical engineers to integrate make-up air supply into the exhaust canopy design, ensuring the two systems work in concert rather than fighting each other. This coordinated approach is especially important in catering environments where airflow demands fluctuate throughout the production cycle.

Grease Filtration Options for Catering Environments

Baffle Filters

Baffle filters are the workhorse of commercial kitchen exhaust filtration. Made from stainless steel, they force grease-laden air through a series of channels that cause grease particles to separate and drain into a collection trough. They’re durable, straightforward to clean, and effective for most cooking types.

For catering kitchens, King Fabrication recommends stainless steel baffle filters rated to handle the higher grease loads typical of multi-station setups. Standard mesh filters clog faster under heavy production loads and require more frequent replacement — adding ongoing cost and maintenance burden.

UV-C and Electrostatic Options

For operations that produce exceptionally high volumes of grease — such as commercial deep fryers or charcoal grills — additional filtration stages may be warranted:

• UV-C systems break down grease particles using ultraviolet light, reducing build-up in ductwork and lowering fire risk
• Electrostatic precipitators use an electrical charge to capture fine grease particles that baffle filters alone may miss
• Combination systems layer multiple technologies for maximum capture efficiency across a range of cooking methods

The right filtration strategy depends on the cooking methods in use, production volume, and the realistic maintenance schedule of the catering operation. King Fabrication can advise on the best configuration for each project.

In catering environments, the exhaust system isn’t just about air quality — it’s the backbone of a safe, compliant, and productive kitchen that can sustain high output day after day.

Compliance with AS 1668.2 for Catering Operations

Key Requirements

AS 1668.2 — The Use of Ventilation and Airconditioning in Buildings — is the governing Australian Standard for mechanical ventilation in commercial kitchens. For catering operations, compliance covers several critical areas:

1. Minimum exhaust airflow rates based on cooking equipment type and canopy configuration
2. Canopy dimensions and overhang requirements relative to the cooking surface
3. Ductwork materials, construction standards, and fire-rated enclosures
4. Make-up air supply volumes to maintain balanced pressure
5. Access points for cleaning and ongoing maintenance of exhaust ductwork

What Non-Compliance Looks Like

Failing to meet AS 1668.2 can have serious consequences for a catering business:

• Council rejecting a development application or withholding an occupancy certificate
• Insurance claims being denied following a kitchen fire
• Costly retrospective modifications to ductwork, canopies, and fan equipment
• Ongoing health and safety risks for kitchen staff and adjacent tenants

King Fabrication fabricates all exhaust components to meet or exceed AS 1668.2 requirements, providing documentation and compliance support throughout the project. This means builders and project managers can move forward with confidence that the ventilation package will pass inspection.

Cloud Kitchens, Food Trucks, and Mobile Catering Fit-Outs

Adapting Exhaust Design to Non-Traditional Spaces

The growth of cloud kitchens and mobile catering has introduced new challenges for exhaust system design. These aren’t standard commercial kitchen shells — they demand creative engineering and precision fabrication:

• Cloud kitchens often share a building with multiple tenants, requiring careful ductwork routing, acoustic treatment, and odour management to avoid cross-contamination between units
• Food trucks and mobile catering trailers have severe space and weight constraints that demand compact, lightweight canopy and duct solutions without sacrificing airflow performance
• Pop-up catering venues may need modular exhaust systems that can be installed and removed efficiently for short-term events

King Fabrication has experience fabricating exhaust components for all of these configurations. From compact canopies for food truck fit-outs to multi-run ductwork for cloud kitchen facilities, every system is custom-built to suit the space and the cooking operation it supports.

Ductwork Considerations for Shared Spaces

In multi-tenant environments like cloud kitchens, ductwork routing is a critical planning exercise. Each tenant’s exhaust must be isolated to prevent odour and grease transfer between kitchens, and the system must comply with fire separation requirements under the Building Code of Australia.

Poorly planned ductwork in shared spaces leads to tenant complaints, compliance failures, and expensive rework. King Fabrication coordinates with builders and mechanical engineers early in the design phase to map duct routes, identify penetration points, and fabricate components that fit the building’s structural constraints.

Why Specialist Fabrication Matters for Catering Exhaust

Custom Sheet Metal Solutions from Smeaton Grange

Off-the-shelf exhaust components rarely fit catering environments properly. Ceiling heights vary, equipment layouts shift between projects, and building structures impose constraints that generic products simply cannot accommodate.

King Fabrication manufactures exhaust canopies, ductwork, plenums, and access panels from its Smeaton Grange workshop using high-grade stainless steel and galvanised sheet metal. Every component is:

• Fabricated to project-specific dimensions — not trimmed from a standard size
• Welded and finished to meet hygiene and fire safety standards
• Designed for efficient installation on-site, reducing labour time and cost
• Built to integrate with the broader HVAC and fire protection systems on the project

Working with a specialist fabricator means the exhaust system is designed as a complete, integrated solution — not a collection of off-the-shelf parts bolted together on site and hoped for the best. For builders and project managers managing tight fit-out timelines, this level of precision saves time and eliminates costly rework.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size exhaust canopy do I need for a catering kitchen?

Canopy sizing depends on the total cooking surface area, the type and number of appliances, and whether the canopy is wall-mounted or island-style. AS 1668.2 sets minimum overhang requirements — typically 150 mm per side for wall-mounted and 300 mm for island canopies. King Fabrication can assess your equipment layout and fabricate a canopy sized to meet both the standard and your production demands.

Is make-up air mandatory for catering kitchens in NSW?

Yes. AS 1668.2 requires that exhausted air be replaced with an adequate supply of outdoor air. Without proper make-up air, the kitchen operates under negative pressure, which reduces exhaust efficiency and can extinguish gas pilot lights. The make-up air volume must be balanced against the exhaust rate — this is calculated during the mechanical design phase.

How often should grease filters in a catering kitchen be cleaned?

Stainless steel baffle filters in high-volume catering kitchens should be cleaned at least weekly — and more frequently if the kitchen operates heavy frying or charcoal cooking. Regular cleaning maintains airflow, reduces fire risk, and extends the life of the exhaust fan. King Fabrication fabricates filters that are designed for easy removal and dishwasher-safe cleaning.

Can King Fabrication build exhaust systems for food trucks?

Absolutely. King Fabrication fabricates compact canopies and lightweight ductwork specifically designed for food trucks and mobile catering trailers. These systems are engineered to maximise airflow within tight space and weight constraints, and are built from materials that withstand the vibration and movement typical of mobile setups.

What documentation does King Fabrication provide for council compliance?

King Fabrication provides fabrication drawings, material specifications, and compliance documentation that confirm all exhaust components meet AS 1668.2 requirements. This documentation supports development applications, building certifier inspections, and occupancy certificate sign-off — giving builders and project managers a clear paper trail from fabrication through to handover.