How Marrow Built a Commercial Kitchen from Scratch

Most chefs dream about their ideal kitchen. We built ours. By hand. Literally.

When Marrow started in 2018, we operated out of a shared commercial space. It worked, but it wasn't ours. We couldn't control the layout, the equipment, or the workflow. As we grew, the limitations became clear: if we wanted to serve more events without compromising quality, we needed a kitchen designed specifically for how we work.

So we built one. And by "built," we mean we designed the layout, poured concrete, installed equipment, constructed a chef's bar, and handled every detail ourselves. Here's what that process looked like, and why it matters.

Why Build Instead of Rent

Renting commercial kitchen space is the standard model for catering companies and private chefs. It's lower risk, less capital-intensive, and allows flexibility.

But it comes with trade-offs. Shared kitchens operate on schedules. You work around other tenants, store your equipment in limited space, and adapt your workflow to someone else's layout. For a while, that's manageable. Eventually, it becomes a constraint.

We reached a point where we knew exactly what we needed: more prep space, dedicated cold storage, a layout optimized for our specific service model, and the ability to work on our own timeline.

Building a kitchen from scratch meant upfront cost and risk, but it also meant control. We could design every detail around our workflow instead of adapting our workflow to someone else's space.

Designing the Layout

The first step was designing a layout that made sense for private chef and catering operations. Unlike restaurants, where the flow is built around a dining room and expediting station, our kitchen needed to support off-site events.

Key design priorities:

Prep efficiency: Most of our work happens in prep — breaking down proteins, making sauces from scratch, portioning ingredients for events. We needed abundant counter space and multiple prep stations so our team could work in parallel.

Cold and dry storage: Ingredients for multiple events need proper storage. We built out walk-in refrigeration and organized dry storage to handle high-volume inventory without clutter.

Equipment placement: Ranges, ovens, grills, and sous-vides were positioned based on workflow. Hot stations near cold stations, plating areas near packing areas. Every placement was intentional.

Chef's bar: We wanted a space where we could test new dishes, experiment with techniques, and work on high-detail plating without competing for space during prep. So we built a dedicated chef's bar with its own equipment and workspace.

The layout isn't flashy. It's functional. Every square foot serves a purpose.

The Build Process

This wasn't a contractor-led project. We did the work ourselves — partly to control costs, partly because we're builders by nature. The same hands that plate your dinner poured the concrete foundation for the kitchen.

Phase 1: Demo and foundation work

We gutted the existing space, removed old equipment, and prepped for the new layout. Concrete floors were cut to install drains and hand wash sinks.. Plumbing and electrical rough-ins were mapped based on where equipment would eventually sit.

Phase 2: Walls, HVAC, and infrastructure

Framing, drywall, and ventilation installation. Commercial kitchens require powerful ventilation systems to handle heat and steam. We installed a large commercial hood unit over the cooking stations and ensured proper airflow throughout.

Electrical capacity was upgraded to handle the load from multiple ovens, refrigeration units, and kitchen equipment running simultaneously.

Phase 3: Equipment installation

This is where the kitchen started to feel real. Ranges, convection ovens, griddles, charbroilers — each piece was selected for how we actually cook. We prioritized quality and durability over brand names.

Walk-in coolers and freezers were installed and tested. Stainless steel prep tables were positioned. Sinks, dishwashing stations, and hand-washing stations went in according to health code requirements.

Phase 4: The Chefs’ Bar

This is the showpiece of the space - a 22-foot, 12-seat counter that faces our kitchen where we host intimate wine dinners, long-format tasting menus, and invite couples planning their wedding meals to come and try our cuisine to determine what feels just right for them.

Phase 5: Final details

Shelving, organization systems, and finishing touches. Walls were covered with FRP for easy cleaning. Floors were sealed. Every surface met health department standards.

The final walkthrough with the health inspector confirmed what we already knew: the kitchen worked.

Why It Matters

Building our own kitchen wasn't about ego. It was about consistency and capacity.

Consistency: Every dish we serve — whether it's for a dinner party of six or a wedding reception of 150 — starts in this kitchen. Controlling that environment means controlling quality. We're not adapting to someone else's equipment or working around another team's schedule. We control every variable.

Capacity: With our own space, we can prep multiple events simultaneously without bottlenecks. A Saturday with three private dinners and a wedding reception? Manageable. That wouldn't have been possible in a shared kitchen.

Efficiency: The layout is built around how we actually work. No wasted motion, no unnecessary steps. Prep flows into cooking, cooking flows into plating, plating flows into packing. It's choreographed.

Creativity: The chefs’ bar allows us to test new techniques, refine dishes, and push our capabilities. It's where the signature Gulf oyster with lemon crystal foam was perfected. It's where we develop seasonal menus and experiment with modernist techniques.

The Philosophy Behind It

Building a kitchen by hand reflects a broader philosophy: we do the work required to deliver what we promise.

We don't cut corners. We don't rely on shortcuts or pre-made components. Scratch-made cuisine prepared in a scratch-built kitchen. The same care that went into constructing the space goes into every dish we plate.

Guests see the final product — the seared scallops, the perfectly timed service, the spotless cleanup. They don't see the years of planning, the months of construction, or the deliberate choices that made it all possible.

But that work matters. It's the foundation of everything we do.

What It Means for You

When you book Marrow for your vacation dinner, celebration, or wedding, you're not just hiring a chef. You're hiring a team that built their own infrastructure to ensure consistency and quality.

Every ingredient is prepped in our kitchen. Every sauce is made from scratch in our kitchen. Every dish is tested and refined in our kitchen before it reaches your table.

The kitchen isn't just where we cook. It's where we ensure that event #2,500 is as good as event #1.

Behind the Scenes

We don't often talk about the kitchen. It's not the kind of thing that belongs in marketing materials or social media posts. But it's central to how we operate.

Next time you see a perfectly plated dish arrive at your table, know that it started in a space we designed, built, and maintain ourselves. The same commitment to quality that shows up in your meal shows up in every aspect of how we work.

That's what building from scratch gets you: control, consistency, and the ability to deliver on promises without compromise.

Explore our menu offerings to see what we create in that kitchen, or learn more about our approach to private chef service on the Emerald Coast.

Reserve your experience and taste the difference a purpose-built kitchen makes.