Most fit-out contractors can lay tiles and install partition walls. Far fewer can engineer the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems that a central kitchen — or dark kitchen, ghost kitchen, or cloud kitchen — actually requires. Daranan’s MEP contracting scope covers all of these disciplines — and understanding what the SFDA and municipality require before the first pipe is installed is what separates a compliant facility from an expensive remediation job.
Ventilation and Extraction
Ventilation is the most technically demanding element of a central kitchen, dark kitchen, or cloud kitchen fit-out, and the most common cause of SFDA inspection failure. The municipality mandates a minimum of 25 air changes per hour in cooking rooms. Key components of a compliant system:
- Extraction canopies — positioned directly above all cooking equipment, sized to capture the full thermal plume
- Grease filters — easily removable for cleaning, required for fire safety compliance
- Ductwork — galvanised steel, routed to atmosphere with no shared ducts between kitchen and non-kitchen zones
- Extraction fans — sized to achieve the required air change rate; external placement preferred
- Make-up air system — replacement air introduced at the correct volume to prevent negative pressure
- Wet chemical fire suppression within canopy — required by Civil Defence above all cooking equipment
Electrical Infrastructure
A central kitchen places a very high electrical demand on a building — a mid-scale facility can have a connected load of 150kW to 400kW or more. Daranan’s electrical and plumbing services cover the full scope required to meet Saudi standards:
- Wiring of the correct type, colour, and diameter — fully piped and insulated throughout
- Building foundations and all circuitry earthed to Saudi standards
- Circuit breakers with earth leakage protection (RCD) in all wet areas
- All electrical equipment certified to international specifications
- Heating devices above 1,000kW require non-flammable enclosures
- Fixed, sealed, non-explosive lighting throughout production areas
Before finalising a site, available electrical supply capacity must be confirmed with the Saudi Electricity Company. If the equipment load exceeds the standard supply, a new supply application adds 4 to 8 weeks to the programme.
Gas Supply and LPG Safety
Many central kitchens in Riyadh operate on LPG. Civil Defence requirements include:
- Cylinders stored externally in a ventilated, dedicated enclosure away from ignition sources
- Minimum distance requirements from windows, doors, and drains
- Certified stainless steel or copper pipework — no flexible connections in concealed spaces
- Gas isolation valves accessible and clearly marked
- Gas leak detection installed in the production kitchen
Plumbing, Drainage, and Grease Management
Plumbing and drainage in a central kitchen is significantly more demanding than a standard restaurant fit-out due to higher production volumes and the municipality’s specific grease management requirements:
- Floor drainage channels across all production zones — accessible for cleaning and rodding
- Grease trap — sized for the kitchen’s daily output, regularly maintained and emptied
- Separate drainage for cold rooms to prevent blockage from condensate
- Handwashing sinks at all production zone entrances — an SFDA requirement
- Hot and cold water supply to all preparation, cooking, and cleaning areas
Cold Room and Refrigeration MEP
Cold room refrigeration circuits require dedicated electrical circuits with stable voltage supply, drainage for condenser units, and adequate fresh air supply for compressor rooms. Walk-in cold rooms above a certain size require a structural assessment to confirm floor load capacity.
Why MEP Coordination Drawings Matter
The MEP disciplines in a central kitchen do not operate in isolation. Ductwork competes for ceiling void space with drainage and electrical conduit. Gas pipework must be routed away from electrical panels. Drainage channels must be coordinated with equipment placement before floor finishes are laid.
Daranan’s MEP contracting service includes full coordination drawings, reducing on-site conflicts and producing a facility that passes inspection first time. Contact us to discuss the MEP scope for your central kitchen.
MEP for Dark Kitchens and Cloud Kitchens
The MEP requirements described in this guide apply in full to dark kitchens and cloud kitchens operating in Riyadh. Because these facilities have no dine-in component, the HVAC scope is sometimes smaller — no comfort cooling for a dining area — but the extraction, make-up air, and grease management requirements for the production zone are identical to any licensed food facility and cannot be reduced.
Multi-brand cloud kitchens with high equipment density — multiple cooking lines operating simultaneously — should model their electrical load carefully. A cloud kitchen running six virtual brands at peak delivery hours may draw significantly more power than a single-brand operation of equivalent square footage, and the electrical supply design must account for this from the outset. Undersized electrical infrastructure is one of the most common and costly remediation issues on cloud kitchen fit-outs in Saudi Arabia.