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Gas or Electric for a Catering Trailer, and Do Worktops Have to Be Stainless Steel?

Stainless steel worktops and prep area inside a UK mobile catering trailer

Stainless steel worktops and prep area inside a UK mobile catering trailer

First of all i love this site!..very useful indeed.. i need some advice if possible.

Ive got an empty catering trailer and i am going to turn it into a jacket potato van with a griddle etc.

I want to know should i go electric or gas or even both?? Trying to keep the cost down as much as possible..i know il need a generator regardless so getting a bigger kva one isn't an issue.

Regarding the electrics im a qualified electrician and can sign off all installs and appliances.

Whats best?

Im stuggling to find someone to refit the whole van so ive got a joiner who will do it and found a gas safe engineer to do the gas.

I need to know what regulations there is like do the worktops have to be stainless steel?

Is there any rules i have to follow?

I know that i need 2 sinks etc

All help would be greatly appreciated


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Jun 09, 2026
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by: MobCater

Thanks for the kind words about the site, and good on you for taking the fit-out on properly rather than cutting corners.

On the gas or electric question, most jacket potato setups end up running a bit of both, and there's a good reason for that. A griddle wants instant, controllable heat, and gas (propane) gives you that cheaply, which is why nearly every burger and griddle van I've come across runs on LPG. The catch with going all-electric is the generator. Jacket potato ovens are hungry, and once you add a fridge, lights and a kettle on top, you can be drawing more than a modest generator will happily give you. You said a bigger kVA unit isn't a problem, and being a qualified electrician who can sign off your own installs is a real advantage, so electric is more viable for you than for most. Even so, I'd weigh up the running costs, because a generator working hard all day burns a fair bit of fuel, whereas a propane griddle sips gas by comparison. A common, sensible split is a gas griddle for the cooking line and electric for the potato ovens and holding.

On the worktops, there's no rule anywhere in law that says the words "stainless steel". What the regulations actually require is that food-contact surfaces are smooth, durable, non-absorbent and easy to clean and disinfect. Stainless steel just happens to tick every one of those boxes, which is why it's the trade standard and what your EHO will expect to see. A sealed food-grade surface can pass too, but honestly stainless is the path of least resistance.

A few other rules worth knowing. All your cooking equipment needs a visible CE mark, or it won't pass the LPG gas safety test, and I learned that one the hard way with a second-hand potato oven that cost me £300 for nothing. You're right about the sinks: you'll want a dedicated wash-hand basin plus a separate sink for washing equipment, both with hot and cold running water. And you'll need to register as a food business with your local council at least 28 days before you start trading.

You've clearly got the right people lined up with a joiner and a Gas Safe engineer, so you're in good shape.

Keep going

David

Disclaimer: Gas installation and maintenance must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Never attempt gas work yourself. Check gassaferegister.co.uk for qualified engineers in your area.

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