February 24, 2014 | No Comments »
Closing down a commercial kitchen at the end of a long night should follow a routine. After putting out exquisite food through two or three meal rushes, the kitchen’s closing ceremony is vitally important to ending the night right and putting the kitchen in a great position to start the next day.
Below is our Kitchen Closing Check List.
Restaurant Kitchen items to clean after each cooking shift (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Clean the fryers
- Brush the grill
- Empty sanitizing buckets
- Put all cleaning rags in dirty laundry
- Put all aprons and chefs’ coats in laundry (not with cleaning rags)
- Wash and sanitize all surfaces (cutting boards, reach-in, line, prep tables)
- Empty steam table and clean
- Wash meat and cheese slicer after each use
- Cover all bins in reach-in cooler with plastic wrap
- Wash floor mats
- Sweep and mop the kitchen floor
- Sweep walk-in refrigerator
Daily Restaurant Kitchen Cleaning List
- Clean out grease traps
- Change foil linings of grill, range and flattops
- Wash the can opener
- Run hood filters through the dishwasher
Weekly Restaurant Kitchen Cleaning List – these duties can be rotated throughout the week
- Empty reach-in coolers and wash and sanitize them
- Delime sinks and faucets
- Clean coffee machine
- Clean the ovens. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instruction on this particular job.
- Sharpen knives (okay, not cleaning, per se, but needs to be done)
- Oil cast iron cookware
- Use drain cleaners on floor drains
This list is not an exhaustive list, but it should provide a good start. Each operation, depending on its kitchen and food offerings, will differ slightly.
February 20, 2014 | No Comments »
Walk-in refrigerators and freezers are generally simple. There are four walls, one of which has a door, a ceiling, a condenser unit and a floor. Inside it’s filled with shelves, and on the shelves can be any variety of food products.
The floor is an exceptionally important part of any walk-in set-up. After the door, the floor takes the most abuse on a day-to-day basis. Factoring in foot traffic, cart traffic and weight limits, it’s vital to the performance of the walk-in to select the right type of floor. Below, courtesy of Master-Bilt, is a review of walk-in floor options.
Standard Floor
Master-Bilt’s standard floor supports 700 pounds per square foot in an evenly distributed stationary load. This floor is good in most cases except where pallet jacks and other heavy carts will be used. It also features a textured .080-inch thick aluminum surface that helps reduce slip-and-fall traffic. This standard floor is also NSF approved.
Floors With Overlays
When the load exceeds the standard floor limit, an aluminum or steel diamond treadplate overlay is an option. These plates, available in thicknesses of 1/8″, 3/16″ or 1/4″, are installed with self-tapping screws over the existing floor. Keep in mind that treadplate overlays are subject to acceptance by local codes.
Heavy-Duty Floors
For added rigidity and support, pick a heavy-duty floor with a layer of foamed-in-place 3/4″ thick plywood to help distribute the weight of wheeled traffic.
Structural Floors
These floors offer the most reinforcement and are designed to withstand a pallet jack (or equivalent transporter) with an evenly distributed load of 5000 lbs. over all four wheels. Construction consists of a combination of marine plywood, structural underlayment and a 1/8″ thick diamond tread finish for maximum strength.
For more visit Master-Bilt.com.
February 18, 2014 | No Comments »
Toasters may not make the top of the list when looking at equipment purchases for most operations. But to maintain the level of quality and service that every other area of the operation has established, the toaster needs to fit in and keep up.
Commercial toasters are going to keep up with a high-demand operation. They are built to deliver consistent results at a higher speed than residential toasters. Residential toasters will try to keep up; but after prolonged use, they will slow down and eventually burn out.
Residential pop-up toasters run from 600 to 1200 watts and usually take 1 to 3 minutes to toast each piece of bread. The performance of residential toasters will be compromised by different variables. If it is cold, the first pieces of toast will be darker. If the toaster is being used continuously, the heater will run hot and the toast will actually come out too light. In certain self-service applications like continental breakfasts, the result of a toaster that can’t keep up is a crowd of diners either standing around popping their toast back down for better results or diners settling for toast that really doesn’t meet their expectations.
Commercial toasters range from 1440 watts to 2600 watts and will toast from 300 to 1800 pieces of toast per hour. They are specifically designed to evenly toast a variety of bread products consistently and at faster speeds. The durable housing is built for years of service in a high-demand, high-volume atmosphere.
The type of toaster a commercial kitchen requires depends on the amount of bread toasted per day. Commercial pop-up toasters consistently toast up to 300 slices per hour. They are perfect for self-serve buffet areas and as an addition to a kitchen conveyor toaster for on the spot toast. Commercial conveyor toasters will toast up to 1800 slices of bread per hour, depending on the unit.
In addition to production demands, commercial toasters come with either UL approval or NSF certification. These are vitally important in the complying with local and international fire codes, and insurance. In worst case scenarios where property damage or loss of life occurs due to a fire started because of a malfunction or misuse of a toaster, an operator runs a much higher risk of being held liable in instances where a residential toaster was used. Using a commercial toaster with the necessary credentials significantly reduces any risk for the operator.
Hatco, Waring, Hamilton Beach, Star and Cadco are all recommended manufacturers of commercial toasters. It’s important to find the right toaster for each application so that neither the bread nor the operator gets burned.
February 13, 2014 | No Comments »
Steamers are a versatile part of most professional kitchens. They’re versatile in a couple of different ways. The first is that operators can cook a variety of product in a variety of ways in one steamer. The second is that there are a variety of steamers on the market.
Before an operator chooses his or her steamer, it’s important to identify the type of cooking the steamer will be used for and then which steamer is appropriate. Fortunately, Groen offers a unit for the different steamer applications.
Cooking in steamers can be categorized into four different ways. The first is batch or production cooking. In batch cooking the operator fills the steam cavity with product and allows the cook cycle to run its course without the introduction of new product in the cavity. This sort of cooking is popular in grade schools and other similar applications where large volumes of rethermed food are produced on a short timeline and served in bulk. Groen’s Intek, Smartsteam100 or Hypersteam steamers all excel at batch cooking.
February 11, 2014 | No Comments »
The Blodgett Hydrovection saves you time and money on both cleaning and maintenance.
- The 316 stainless steel liner with coved corners, large 2″ diameter center cavity drain and retractable hand shower make it easy to clean your Hydrovection, even after a day of continuous cooking.
- Dual pane thermal glass window swings open for cleaning between the panes
- Easy to remove baffle for blower wheel cleaning.
- Slide out front service panel, so there’s no need to move the oven, your technician can service it in place. Over 90% of the components on the Hydrovection can by serviced from the front including enough wire to pull the motor through to the oven cavity.
February 5, 2014 | No Comments »
The Waring WSC160 features a stainless steel base and a 16″ cooking surface that is made of heavy-duty cast iron for heat retention and even distribution. The adjustable thermostat allows you to reach temperatures of up to 570° F. Once the cooking surface is seasoned it becomes completely non-stick and easy to clean.
Countertop units allow crepe production to be moved off the primary cooking line and assigned to someone other than the line cook. That allows the line cook to concentrate on preparing the fillings and keeps his range from getting cluttered with frypans devoted to the production of crepes. A countertop crepe maker can also serve as a great front-of-the-house feature in a buffet line or café bar where customers can watch the wonderful delicacies being made.
For more on Waring WSC160, visit WaringCommercial.com.
February 3, 2014 | No Comments »
Gone are the days when a simple glazed donut is enough of a treat to satisfy the collective sweet tooth of so many. Upscale donuts and upscale donut shops are strong trends. Now frying the donut just right can be tricky, unless you have the right donut-specific fryer.
Pitco’s 24R-UFM donut fryer features a 3-inch deep oil pool with a 34-inch cooking area. This helps to maximize oil efficiency and output, and makes it the perfect donut-making machine.
The 24R-UFM features an advanced solid-state thermostat for precise temperature control and melt cycle capability, a labor-saving integrated filter for longer oil life and a 3″ frying depth for better utilization of cooking area, especially for floating bakery products. Large cool zone for better frying. Traps particles and crumbs, prevents a major cause of fat breakdown and eliminates taste transfer.
Easily adjustable drainboard cover for desired drainage angle. Folds over as a cover when fryer is not in use. Pitco’s donut fryers have a welded tank with a super smooth machine-peened finish to ensure easy cleaning. Long lasting, high temperature alloy stainless steel heat baffles are mounted in the heat exchanger tubes to provide maximum heating and combustion efficiency.
Pitco Donut fryers are available in both natural/LP gas and electric. 24″ and 34″ fry area.
January 30, 2014 | No Comments »
Thawing frozen meat in a refrigerator is an important “best practice” for anyone, but especially foodservice operators. Frozen meat left out on a counter runs the risk of entering the “temperature danger zone,” a range between 41 ̊F to 135 ̊F (5 ̊C to 57 ̊C) where bacteria grow particularly well. But merely putting frozen meat in the refrigerator is not enough.
What you need is a Cambro Safe Thawing Kit, or at least that’s what Patricia Guerrero, Food Safety Expert for Cambro, calls it. She explains that a Safe Thawing Kit consists of a Cambro Camwear Food Storage Box, a like-sized Cambro Camwear Colander Pan and a Camwear Sliding Lid™. Guerrero went on to explain just how simple the kit is to use. All you have to do is drop the colander in the food box, place the frozen meat into the colander, and cover it all with the sliding lid. Then place it on the bottom shelf of the walk-in. Thawing juices drain down through the colander and spills are virtually impossible, unless the food box is turned over or damaged. The meat doesn’t sit in its own juices and everything is safely covered and contained. The sliding top allows easy access without moving the box from the shelf.
All the components are available from Cambro together or separately. They all come in 18″ x 26″ or 12″ x 18″ sizes and have many uses. For more on food safety best practices with Cambro, visit www.cambro.com.
January 28, 2014 | No Comments »
Stainless steel or aluminum? There are a few other materials commonly used to manufacture frying pans, such as carbon steel, cast iron, copper and even enamel, but the vast majority of what you see being used in professional commercial kitchens is manufactured with aluminum, stainless steel or both. Here is some information to help you shop.
- Aluminum: Conducts heat well, is durable, lightweight and affordable. Unfortunately, it is reactive with acidic foods, like wine or tomatoes, and can alter the color (and maybe even the taste) of lightfoods and sauces. It can also warp.
- Stainless Steel: Is very durable and resistant to scratches, dents and corrosion. It is also non reactive with food. However, stainless steel doesn’t conduct heat as well or as evenly as aluminum. It takes longer to heat up, and the heating is often uneven. Stainless steel pans are notorious for hotspots that can scorch food.
Manufacturers have developed a number of improved frying pans to overcome the limitations of all aluminum and all stainless steel pans.
- Stainless Steel/Aluminum: Manufacturers fuse a layer of stainless steel and a layer of aluminum together. The result is a frying pan with an aluminum body that
conducts heat faster and more evenly to eliminate hot spots and scorching, coupled with a stainless steel cooking surface that is durable, corrosion resistant and non-reactive with foods.
- Aluminum Clad Stainless Steel: Taking it a step further, “clad” frying pans feature a layer of aluminum (or an aluminum disk) sandwiched in between two layers of stainless steel. The completely stainless steel exterior makes the pan durable, corrosion resistant, and non-reactive with foods. The aluminum layer in between helps conduct heat faster and more evenly to eliminate hot spots and scorching.
- Anodized Aluminum or “Hard Coat”: The pan is specially treated to make the surface non-porous and more resistant to corrosion. The anodized layer is non-reactive with food, several hundred times harder than untreated aluminum and stick-resistant. Anodized pans take a bit longer to heat up than regular aluminum and are generally not dishwasher safe. The outer anodized layer is very thin and will wear over time.
- If your kitchen uses an induction range, you’ll want induction ready pans. Most say that stainless steel pans are induction ready, but look for pans that are specifically labeled as induction ready.
Choose stainless steel handles. Stainless steel handles are strong and will remain cooler than aluminum handles. Riveted handles are the sturdiest.
January 22, 2014 | No Comments »
Channel Manufacturing’s new cutting board drying and storage rack system is built on the same basic heavy duty aluminum frame as a pan rack. The vertical rods give you a place to insert cutting boards where they will get plenty of air flow for proper drying. They are also separated from each other so there is less risk of cross contamination, and the correct cutting board can easily be selected and removed without toppling a whole pile. The unit is on casters so it’s simple to transport to whatever area of the kitchen you like.
This is a practical solution to a problem that many operators may not have even thought about. In the past cutting boards were white and used for all applications. Recently it has become popular to use specific color-coding, the number of boards per kitchen has multiplied significantly. Some countertop units allow you to separate and store smaller cutting boards in a rack that resembles what you’d use to separate file folders on your desk, but larger boards used for serious prep work really need a storage solution that is safe, convenient and portable.
The next time you’re in a professional kitchen, look around for the stack of cutting boards. They’re probably in the prep area, or in the dishwashing area. Once you’ve found them, think about the Channel Manufacturing Cutting Board Drying Rack and say: “don’t stack ‘em up, rack ‘em up.”
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