Facilities management software for contract caterers
Fabric gives contract caterers one view of the kitchens they run inside clients' buildings: equipment, faults, planned maintenance, compliance and costs, across every contract site.
Running kitchens in buildings you do not own
Contract caterers work inside someone else's building. The kitchen is yours to run, but the extract, the water supply, the gas installation and the fire alarm may belong to the client, the landlord or their FM provider.
That shared responsibility is where things slip. A combi oven fails and the chef calls the catering equipment engineer, but the fault turns out to be the gas supply, which is the landlord's. The extract is due for cleaning, but nobody is sure whether it sits in your contract or the FM provider's. The client asks for proof that the kitchen is compliant, and the certificates are split across three companies.
Multiply that by every contract site, each with its own client, its own building and its own FM team, and it becomes hard to see the whole picture.
Client expectations add to the pressure. Clients want to know that the kitchen in their building is safe, well maintained and compliant, and they often want regular reporting to prove it. Pulling that together from emails, job sheets and certificates takes time your operations team would rather spend on service. Mobilising a new contract site, with its own inventory of equipment and inherited paperwork, adds another layer.
Facilities management for contract catering
Fabric was built by operators who service coffee equipment for caterers and workplaces, so it starts from the realities of a kitchen inside a client's building.
Every contract site
See all your kitchens in one portfolio. Filter by client, region or contract to see open jobs and compliance at a glance.
The landlord and FM interface
Record assets at each site and the contractor who looks after them, so faults go to the right party first time.
Faults raised by chefs
Kitchen managers raise jobs against the equipment with photos, then see when the engineer is booked and what they found.
Kitchen compliance
Store gas safety records, extract reports and pressure system examinations against the asset, with renewal reminders, whoever the contractor was.
Client reporting
Give each client visibility of their own site's jobs and compliance, rather than building monthly reports by hand.
Costs by contract
Match contractor invoices to jobs and see spend by site, client and contractor, which helps when costs are recharged.
When you take on a new contract, you can set up the site, record the equipment you inherit and file the certificates that come with it, so you know from day one what is in date and what needs attention. When a contract ends, the history for that site is complete and easy to hand over.
What contract catering teams get
- One list of kitchen equipment for every contract site
- Reactive faults and planned services side by side
- Mobile job cards for engineers, with photos, notes and sign-off
- Certificates filed as work completes, with a full audit trail
- A clear record of what was reported, when and to whom
- Live visibility for clients, without extra admin
Because Fabric's builders service coffee equipment in staff restaurants and workplace cafés, the way jobs and assets work reflects real kitchens: busy service windows, shared plant and equipment that has to be fixed before lunch.
Contract catering maintenance, with and without Fabric
Most catering operations teams have a way of handling each of these already. Fabric connects them, so the same information serves the chef, the operations manager and the client.
| Before | With Fabric | |
|---|---|---|
| Who fixes what | Worked out on the phone each time | Assets and contractors recorded per site |
| Kitchen faults | Calls and emails from chefs | Jobs raised against the equipment, with a timeline |
| Client questions | Reports compiled by hand | Clients see their own site |
| Certificates | Split across companies and inboxes | Stored against the asset, with due dates |
| Recharges | Invoices matched at month end | Costs linked to jobs, by site and client |
Kitchen compliance guides for caterers
Fabric is in early access ahead of launch in 2027. These guides cover the checks most contract kitchens need, and are a useful starting point when agreeing responsibilities with a client or landlord.
Common questions
Who is responsible for kitchen maintenance in contract catering?
It depends on the contract. Often the client or landlord owns the building and its fixed services, while the caterer is responsible for some or all of the catering equipment. The split should be written into the contract, and it is worth recording against each asset.
Can I share maintenance and compliance information with my client?
Yes. Fabric is built to give clients visibility of their own sites, jobs and compliance, so you can share a live view instead of compiling reports by hand.
How does Fabric handle multiple contract sites?
Each contract site is a site in Fabric, and you can filter your portfolio by client, region or contract to see open jobs, planned work and compliance for each one.
What compliance applies to a staff restaurant kitchen?
Typically gas safety for catering appliances, kitchen extract cleaning to BESA TR19 Grease, fire safety, electrical safety, water hygiene and, for espresso machines, pressure systems checks under PSSR 2000. Our commercial kitchen compliance checklist covers this in detail.
How much does Fabric cost for contract caterers?
Pricing will be announced at launch in 2027. Early access is open now, and we would be glad to talk through your contracts and sites.
Related
Commercial kitchen compliance checklist for UK cafés and restaurants
UK compliance checklist for commercial kitchens, cafés and restaurants: gas, TR19 extract, electrics, fire, legionella, PSSR and F-gas, with frequencies.
Espresso machines and the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations
Why commercial espresso machines with steam boilers fall under PSSR 2000, what a written scheme of examination covers, who examines them and how often.
Compliance management software for statutory building checks
Statutory compliance software that stores certificates against each asset, tracks due dates and keeps an audit trail across every site. Early access open.
Read moreRun your estate on Fabric.
Early access is open for multi-site operators, caterers and FM providers.