26 July 2010
Kitchen Range: Tips on Increasing Efficiency
Posted by Crystal under: Equipment Maintenance & Tips .
Commercial kitchen range is an important and expensive piece of restaurant equipment, and providing the proper care for it will ensure it lasts longer, is more energy-efficient and provide the best performance. Below are several tips on how to increase the efficiency of a commercial kitchen range:
Select the Right Cookware. To ensure optimum performance of your kitchen range, make sure your staff has the right type of cookware. The best cookware will be sturdy, without uneven bottoms. This will ensure the efficient heat transfer, and that the bottoms of the pans heat evenly. The pan size should correspond to the burner size to ensure the efficient heat transfer. If you use a smaller pan on a larger burner, a large amount of the heat energy produced by the burner will be wasted and will not transfer to the pan but instead will heat up the kitchen.
Clean It Thoroughly, Regularly, Use a Checklist. Train your staff to clean the kitchen range as they go. Throughout the day, there will be spills in the range area, on the open burners, griddle tops – it is important to take care of them right away so that they don’t build up. When cleaning, make sure to remove all the grease and any food remains. Also, be careful not to damage the electrical components with the cleaning solution or water. Detail cleaning of your kitchen range will result in improved heat transfer when cooking. Dirty burners have to exert a lot more energy to heat up the cookware, which is why keeping your stovetop clean-looking will also result in more efficiency and saved gas/electric bills. Make sure your kitchen range has casters. This allows kitchen staff to move it easily if they need to check a problem in the back of the range or clean the area behind it.
Monitor and Calibrate Gas Burners. The flame should be of the right color and shape. If your flame becomes other than a steady blue flame, examine your burners. Gas burners need periodic adjustment to produce the flame of the right color and shape. Unscrewing and repositioning the flame shutter will often help in properly calibrating your stove-top. Clean burner heads and burner ports regularly to prevent them from getting soiled and clogged. Use warm soapy water to clean the area and unclog any clogged ports with a damp cleaning cloth. Ensure that there is a proper air flow through the flame shutter. Also make sure the pilot port is not clogged – clean it regularly and unplug the range for safety reasons when cleaning.
Implement Energy Solutions. When it is time to buy a new kitchen range, consider spending your money on the equipment with energy-efficient features that will help you save money on electricity or gas. Some modern kitchen ranges have infrared elements, which can reach full power in a shorter time than a regular range, resulting in the elimination of the long preheat times. Other energy efficient solutions include ranges with higher energy outputs and shorter cooking times.
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