Restaurant equipment

We at Jean's Restaurant Supply want you to succeed with your business venture and rising energy costs are on the forefront of everyone's minds. Inefficient, or inefficient use of, food preparation equipment is the second-largest energy drain on your restaurant's profits. So we have compiled some energy-saving tips for your commercial cook/stove tops. In doing so, we hope that with the implementation of some of these energy-saving tips, your energy bill leaves you with some profits still on your plate.

Energy-Saving Tips for Commercial Cook/Stove Tops

• What pan are you using on your cook top? In commercial applications, choosing the right size and type of pot or pan for the burner on your stovetop is crucial in maximizing your restaurant's energy-savings. Pots & pans should be larger in diameter by one inch than the burner they are resting on. Making sure your pot is the right size for your commercial stovetop burner will reduce your energy bill because more of the burner's heat is absorbed by the cookware. Choosing the best commercial cookware (flat-bottom cookware is generally more efficient than warped-bottom cookware) will get you on your way to lower energy bills.
• Keep it in Check. When using a gas cook top, prevent flames from licking up the sides and keep them down underneath the pot, where they belong. When preparing food with an electric cook top, turn off the burner before you're finished cooking and let the residual heat finish up the cooking for you.
• Cooking is one thing that's good under pressure. Your restaurant keeps you under pressure, but are you keeping pressure on your cooking? Pressure cookers use the pressure they create to raise boiling points and reduce cook time. Utilizing a commercial pressure cooker can reduce your energy usage by two-thirds.
• Keep a lid on it! Lids keep heat in commercial cooking equipment, reduce energy and achieve faster cooking times. So for no added cost, putting lids on your pots can put more profits in your pockets.
• Maintenance is key. Here at Jean's Restaurant Supply, we recommend the following maintenance guidelines for your commercial stove/cook top: Keep an eye out for accumulated food spills, which can cause corrosion, uneven cooking, and unnecessary fuel consumption – which ends up costing you. Have all of your burners, jets and controls serviced regularly. You can also have your local utility company come and check all your burner adjustments and electrical/gas connections.
• An eye to the future. Keeping in mind that you will have to pay energy bills for the life of the stovetop, research what type of stovetop would be best suited for your needs. Therefore, your energy-saving efforts can continue to result in lower energy bills and higher profit margins.

Using these tips will help you save on your restaurant's energy bill, but always remember to take a step back and look at the big picture. Investigate your commercial cooking equipment options before making a final decision. Saving money up front on an inferior quality piece of equipment will probably end up costing your more in energy overhead, while investing in a piece of higher quality equipment will permit you to use your energy efficiently throughout the life of the equipment. Using energy efficiently can also produce other benefits to your restaurant, such as: improved, more consistent food quality; less waste resulting from reduced food spoilage; and, finally, you can enjoy more comfortable working conditions in the kitchen because wasted heat is reduced. Cleanliness and consistent attention to operational details can make or break your energy-saving efforts, but that is not all. It does no good to become knowledgeable about all these great cost-cutting ideas, if you don't pass the information along. Educate your staff on the proper operation and maintenance of your equipment to help ensure the extended life of your valuable investment.

If you found theese hints helpful, please check out our restaurant equipment energy-saving tips for your commercial ovens, fryers and broilers. We are here to answer any of your energy-saving questions and hope that these tips will help you see some improvement on your energy-savings menu.

Patty Gardiner is a member of the website development team at Jean's Restaurant Supply, a restaurant and food service supply company offering restaurant equipment such as refrigeration, bar and beverage supplies, dinnerware, concessions and more. She can be reached at 800-840-3610 Monday through Friday from 8 am to 6 pm, Central Standard Time and on Saturday from 9 am to 3 pm Central Standard Time. Or check us out on the web at http://www.jeansrestaurantsupply.com/