The blaze at the Rattray St food bar and restaurant started in an unattended deep-fryer on Monday night, and a fire extinguisher was used with little effect against the flames.
Fire safety officer Stuart Ide said the fire, which was accidental, served as a reminder for those with commercial kitchens to have the right type of extinguisher available.
''It would be nice if people understood if those sorts of fires develop they are very difficult to put out and you do have to have the correct sort of extinguisher for that type of fire, which is a wet chemical extinguisher.''
Those extinguishers were effective against fires involving cooking oils and fats, by employing an agent which formed a soapy foam blanket over the blaze - effectively cutting off the fire's air supply.
''We want that message out there,'' Mr Ide said.
The extinguisher used to fight the fire was not suitable, he said.
''By the time they decided they couldn't put the fire out - they managed to get away from the shop, which was great - but by that time it had a really good hold when the Fire Service arrived.''
The premises did not have fire alarms, which was not a requirement for that shop, he said.
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