equipment trends
Foodservice of the Future: TOP EQUIPMENT TRENDS
While the pandemic up ended the foodservice industry last year, it also prompted the innovation and evolution of restaurant and foodservice equipment and technology. Necessity if the mother of invention after all. Here are the top equipment trends that have come into the forefront in recent years, boosted by COVID-19 and a renewed focus on health, hygiene, and both economic and environmental sustainability.
VISUALLY APPEALING AND MULTI-FUNCTIONAL COOKING EQUIPMENT
Kitchens are adopting open concepts and front-of-house prep, especially as the trend toward natural ingredients and clean menus continue. Customers want to see where their food comes from, they want to feel like they are part of the experience and be assured that the cooking facilities are squeaky clean. Visually appealing cooking equipment includes ovens and fryers in bright colours. The new equipment also features sleek touchscreens instead of bulky buttons and knobs. Restauranteurs are also trying to make the most of their kitchen space. Many restaurants and cafes are downsizing for takeaway only options as pandemic directed consumer trends change the way they eat out.
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Some of the hottest kitchen equipment includes combination and rapid cook ovens that feature several cooking methods for preparing a variety of foods. For example, Alto-Shaam’s Vector Multi-Cook Ovens, available through Burns & Ferrall. Vector is the only oven that allows simultaneous, highquality preparation of a wide variety of food. The secret to Vector MultiCook Ovens lies in the Structured Air Technology®. This innovation offers up to four ovens in one each chamber with independent temperature, fan speed and cook time control. This oven can cook up to four different food items simultaneously with no flavour transfer.
EQUIPMENT THAT REDUCES LABOUR
Any foodservice equipment that reduces labour and improves efficiency is a must-have because today’s restaurant kitchens are getting smaller, not to mention the reduction of staff caused by COVID-19. Equipment that saves on labour and makes trainer easier, along with technology that is simple, is the trend. Introducing Il Uno’s Artisan Pizza Kitchen Solution, the ultimate solution for the foodservice industry to create their very own gourmet, authentic Italian pizzas for their customers,
without the need for expensive labour, equipment, wastage costs or space. The Il Uno oven can be operated by virtually anyone, it is a turn-key solution that requires no cooking skills whatsoever. This means, that businesses can save money by using lower-cost unskilled staff to operate the solution, at times when a chef may be too expensive such as afterhours, in out-of-the-kitchen locations such as the hotel pool or for corporate catering events.
ON-SITE COMPOSTING AND RECYCLING BINS
In line with top sustainability and eco-friendly trends, food waste is a hot topic in the foodservice industry. It is something the food industry needs to address because 4-10% of food purchased by foodservice operations is discarded before it reaches guests. There are many companies that provide on-site compost and recycling bins and waste pick-up, such as Auckland’s We Compost. We Compost is Auckland’s leading
commercial compostable waste collection service. Each week they collect over 50,000kg of organic waste.
AUTOMATED TECHNOLOGY Even before the pandemic, customers expected fast service, personalisation, and convenience, including a more convenient and customised dining experience, COVID-19 set this expectation into overdrive. The foodservice industry responded with contactless ordering and payment, digital menus, and atthe-table technology. Restaurants stand to benefit from this adoption of technology, not only as it streamlines operation, but as it also enables operators to learn more about guests through the data the technology collects. For example, the ServeMe App. The ServeMe App helps take customer orders safely and efficiently. The App is an affordable solution for some of the challenges the hospitality industry is facing from, receiving takeaway orders through to dine-in orders and paperless menus, ServeMe makes ordering safer, faster and easier for you and your customers.
