FORWARD TECH IN FOODSERVICE Solutions for Operational Changes and Challenges
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pen, Open, Please Open… This past year has reminded me of the commercial where a woman stands pressed up outside of her favorite retail store window chanting, “Open, Open, Open….” As we all know, the Pandemic has effectively changed the restaurant and hospitality industry as we once knew it. We watched you, the operators, pivot, turn and re-invent yourselves to keep doors open and staff employed. We watched you add outdoor dining spaces, increase distance between tables, and add dividers in your dining room. We watched you figure out how to handle in-person dining, outdoor dining, takeout, curbside and delivery all at once, maintain a heightened level of cleanliness and deal with a labor shortage.
menu as needed, i.e., Combi Ovens, Speed Ovens, Conveyor Ovens. 3. Increase Throughput: Speaking of limited space, if you are struggling to meet customer demands but have little to no hood space available, countertop and ventless equipment allows you to add to your production and meet or even exceed customer expectations. Today there are many innovative pieces of countertop equipment that require little to no clearance, are quiet, perform great and are ventless.
7. Optimize Equipment Performance: One of the most important things you can do is to ensure that you are keeping your cooking equipment, refrigeration, and dish machines in tip-top shape with routine cleaning and maintenance. This allows you to get the most out of your equipment and to keep your investment paying off. Check with local service agents about a planned vs. preventative maintenance program. Planned maintenance programs can save you more money in the long run.
As things re-open, your operations have most likely undergone significant changes. Here are some technologies and resources that can support these operational changes and provide solutions to overcome the challenges. 1. Invest in Energy Efficient Equipment: Foodservice equipment is really the heart of the restaurant – while guests may not see the equipment, they are tasting the food cooked with the equipment – it is your profit center. Invest in ENERGY STAR® qualified foodservice equipment. Not only do you benefit from a rebate and reduced operating costs, but the equipment performs better as more of the energy is directed into cooking the food and you get improved recovery due to better insulation, heat exchangers and controls. Energy Trust of Oregon maintains a list of qualified equipment. https://bit.ly/3oPQIrB 2. Maximize Your Footprint: Flexible, versatile, functional equipment – as kitchen footprints become smaller and output increases. It is important to invest in equipment that serves multiple purposes and allows you to expand or change your
6. Reduce Food Waste and Food Costs: Food preservation equipment such as vacuum sealers offer the opportunity to seal up the left-over soup of the day to serve another day. Or should you have to close early or order extra product due to supply issues, food preservation equipment ensures that you can seal up your fresh proteins, veggies, herbs and more and freeze them for future use. Sous Vide equipment can be used to help bring these vacuum sealed items back to life and cook only what is needed.
4. Reduce Touch Points: There is a heightened awareness of contact and touch points. Look for equipment featuring antimicrobial handles, reduced touch point controls, foot petals, and hands-free or automatic operation. These features have been added to cooking equipment, sinks, refrigeration, etc. 5. Overcome Labor Shortages: Now is the time to invest in equipment with smart controls that allow you to program recipes and provide consistent cooking with a touch of a button, program start-up and shut-down schedules so the equipment is heated and ready to go when you arrive, and in some technologies provides handsfree cleaning. Another labor-saving solution is food prep equipment, i.e., processors, emulsifiers, cutters, slicers, etc., which provide efficiency, consistency, and reduced contact.
It Takes a Village. Last, but certainly not least and in fact a point that I feel is important to drive home, is that you are not alone. There is an entire network of local support when you are shopping for foodservice equipment. Local foodservice equipment dealers and reps are on-theground support that can assist you in identifying solutions, perform site visits to ensure that you have adequate utilities, provide you with the opportunity to ‘Try Before You Buy’, assist you in the sales process, provide delivery, install, hands-on training and offer on-going support after the sale. Tap into this network and you will find that you have more “phone-a-friends” available to assist you in keeping your doors open and remaining successful. JANEL RUPP, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, PERFORMANCE REPS NW
OregonRLA.ORG 37
