How do I inspect a cooking school’s teaching kitchen equipment before buying?
Tour the kitchen while it is in use and run each major appliance yourself. Check every station for wear, cleanliness and working safety features. Ask for the equipment list, the service records and who owns each item, and write down anything that fails.
Visit during a class if you can. A kitchen in motion shows its weak points: a burner that will not hold a flame, a ventilation hood that struggles, a fridge that runs warm. Test items one at a time and ask the instructor what they complain about most.
Compare the equipment list to the room. Each large item should have a record of when it was bought, how it has been serviced and whether it is owned or leased. Leased or borrowed equipment will not come with the school. Ask about small tools too, since a full class set is expensive to replace. Ask which items are scheduled for replacement soon and what the seller expects the new owner to spend. A kitchen full of old but working equipment may be fine today and expensive tomorrow.
Look at safety and hygiene. Check that fire suppression, first aid supplies and handwashing stations are in place and look maintained. Ask whether inspections were ever flagged and how the school responded. Then ask an independent technician to look at the major items. Your accountant can help you plan for replacement costs.
Key takeaways
- Run each appliance yourself, ideally during a live class.
- Match the equipment list to the room and note what is leased.
- Bring in a technician to assess the largest items.
- Ask which items are due for replacement and what they might cost.
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentEquipment valuation: How to do it
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 03Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat are the steps to buying a business?
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