Commercial Range Cleaning Tips

The commercial range is the most versatile piece of equipment in your kitchen. They come in various widths and various top configurations. They come with open burners, griddle tops, hot top, French tops and charbroiler tops. Each aspect of the range requires special care, and if they care if given, your range will last longer.

Commercial Range Cleaning Tips

During the day, spills happen. Do your best to safely wipe up excess liquids from the range area. At the end of each shift, have your kitchen staff perform a more thorough cleaning process, but implementing some of the procedures below. Before thoroughly cleaning, be sure that the range is off and the top is cool.

Let everything cool down first.

Before you begin any cleaning or maintenance procedures, be sure to turn off your commercial range and allow everything to cool down, first.

• Clean as you go
  Whenever a spill occurs, be sure to wipe it up immediately. This will prevent the food from becoming baked on to the range top. If a spill extinguishes the pilot light on a gas range, you will need to clean the burner heads and pilot orifice before relighting it.
• Clean the grates
  Whether your commercial range is gas or electric, the burners can be removed for cleaning. Cast iron grates, common additions to gas ranges, can be cleaned by simply wiping down with a wet cloth. If they are in need of a deeper cleaning, these grates can be soaked in warm soapy water to break down the grease. Calrod heating elements, that are prominent on electric commercial ranges, can be wiped down the same way. If you choose to soak these elements, be sure to let them dry before plugging them back in!
• Clean under the grates or burners
  When your grates and burners are out for cleaning is a great time to clean under them. If your stove has drip trays, remove them and wipe them down. If they are wiped down daily, they will not be as difficult to clean. These can be soaked in warm soapy water if necessary. For gas ranges, wipe down the area underneath the grates.
• Empty scrap trays
  After cooking on a griddle, use a scraper to scrape off excess food products. Be sure to do this throughout the day. Not only will these keep your griddle surface clean, but it will also prevent taste contamination between foods. At the end of the shift, or the end of the day, pour water on your griddle and heat it to 150ºF or 175ºF and wipe down the area with a thick clean cloth.
• Clean the oven interior
  If the range comes with an oven base, that oven needs to be cleaned at least once a month; more frequently if there is a spillover. If it is a porcelain enamel interior, use a standard oven cleaner. For metal interiors, use a mild detergent and soft cloth.

Commercial Kitchen Storage Tips

Unless you are a multimillionaire owner of a seven star hotel chain, you are likely to be troubled by lack of storage-space in your commercial kitchen. Commercial kitchens, small or big, are high traffic areas where the staff is constantly moving, sometimes along with equipment, food and utensils in their hands. In order to ensure safety, comfort and efficiency, sufficient availability of space is extremely important in commercial kitchens.
Unfortunately, large spaces just don’t fit under every restaurant owner’s budget. Fortunately, however, you can overcome your space issue by optimizing your commercial kitchen storage. Here are a few useful tips to help you efficiently manage your kitchen storage and utilize the available space.

• Walls Must Not Be Wasted – No matter how small your kitchen is, it is very likely to have at least three walls. Take a look at one of the walls and tell us what you see? Well, you see a 12 feet high storage space. While half of that wall might be hiding behind preparation counters and appliances, there is plenty of area above them to place wall shelves, hooks and hangers. If there is enough free space on the lower side of the wall, you can use it by a dunnage rack to store heavy sacks and gallons.
• Avoid the Wired Mess – Restaurant staff are often troubled by electrical leads and cables trailing across the kitchen. Make sure you have installed enough sockets and switch boards to reduce this mess. Electrical appliances must be placed closer to sockets and use proper hooks or equipment to hide cords. This is not only aesthetically pleasing but also extremely safe for a place where fire and water are constantly on.
• Go Underground – While FDA prohibits storage of food items below a certain level, not all the items you need to store in the kitchen are used as, or for, food. There are a number of well planned restaurants that make wise usage of underground storage units to keep items that are not frequently required. This may include extra table clothes or cleaning products.
• Create an Illusion – If your commercial kitchen is not as spacious as you want it to be, you can at least make it appear as if it is. Only a few aesthetical changes in your kitchen can give it an impression of being larger than it actually is. The best part is, that doesn’t even require a professional interior designer. For starters, lighting and a color theme that properly reflect light can create a miraculous illusion.

While these tips will help you overcome your space issue, make sure you don’t overstuff your commercial kitchen with more than it is designed to bear. It can ultimately trash all your efforts and can pose a serious safety threat to your staff and customers.

Do you have a sustainable commercial kitchen?

Do you realize that a commercial kitchen that serves a number of people with food everyday can have an appetite of a huge monster that eats up a lot of energy itself? That’s right, a study shows that the kitchen amounts for more than 50 percent of a restaurants energy and utility bill. However, nearly 40 percent of the usage can be reduced by proper measures.
That is the reason people are now turning towards sustainable ways to make their kitchen greener and cleaner. Yet, when we talk about a green and sustainable kitchen, we are not just speaking of equipment and appliances that run on electricity. There is a lot you can do to make a kitchen sustainable in its true sense. It will not only help you cut cost but also reduce your carbon footprint.
The more responsible you are towards your environment, the more you will try. For starters, however, we have jotted down a few basic ways you can start a sustainable revolution in your commercial kitchen.

• Switch to Energy Efficient Equipment – You cannot restrict or limit the use of appliances and equipment in a commercial kitchen. While commercial equipments are designed to save time, they are huge power guzzlers. That is why the very first step towards a commercial kitchen involves replacing your normal equipment with Energy Star certified equipment and appliances. It is a onetime investment that can offer long term benefits and a clear conscience.
• Reduce Water Usage – Like electricity, water is essentially required in commercial kitchens and that too in large quantity. The best way to save on water usage is to regularly check for leakages and faults in connection. Secondly, use equipment designed to function efficiently with less amounts of water. Use pre-rinse spray valves and dishwashers that are certified by organizations such as PACE. These valves can save more than 150 gallons of water per day.
• Reduce Food Wastage – A recent study showed that nearly half a kilo of food is wasted for every meal served in a restaurant. The food is wasted not just as leftovers, but also during the washing, preparation and cooking process. It is the responsibility of a restaurant to reduce the wastage and amount of leftovers in commercial kitchens. Many restaurants are now focusing on recipes that require minimum food wastage. However, the next step is also necessary to ensure your staff is making the best of those recipes.
• Train Your Staff – No commercial kitchen equipment is green enough unless it is operated by a well trained and environmentally conscious staff. Training your staff in this aspect should top  your list. Small changes in the way things are handled in the kitchen are capable of introducing big changes. However, it is important to convey to them the reason these changes are required. Use interactive ways to teach and train them. Put charts and reminders where possible. Last but not least, encourage their efforts.

Of course, there is a lot more that is required to be done. However, the aforementioned tips will give you a push start and you will eventually find your commercial kitchen into an environmentally friendly place that isn’t too harsh on the environment or your budget.

Safety in Commercial Kitchen

Blades, fire, oil and water spills and plenty of other things that we deem dangerous are present in kitchens. When it comes to commercial kitchens, the risk is even bigger as more heavy duty and professional equipment and tools are used. By professional, we mean sharper blades and high power electronics and numerous stoves operating at extremely high temperatures.
Due to all these factors, commercial kitchen safety has become extremely crucial. If proper safety standards are not followed, it can lead to disastrous accidents that can ultimately cost lives as well. Commercial kitchen safety is not just limited to installment of fire alarms and extinguishers everywhere. There may be plenty of other things that can cause damage under inappropriate circumstances.
To give you a basic idea of a safe and secure commercial kitchen, here are five easy tips to help you get started.

• Plan Your Kitchen Space Properly – A congested commercial kitchen has more space for accidents. Make sure each of the stations has enough to facilitate effective and efficient movement of the staff. Lack of space increases the chances of accidental spills, cuts and burns caused by disturbance created by traffic in the area.
• Store Your Utensils and Blades Properly – Commercial kitchen chefs are well trained in the usage of sharp blades and knives. Still, blades are often the main culprit behind commercial kitchen accidents. This is largely due to improper storage methods. It is best to store knives in wooden blocks made for the purpose. Using drawers for knife storage is equally dangerous.
• Ensure Natural Ventilation and Proper Exhaust – Exhaust system is necessary to ensure a fire safe commercial kitchen. However, natural ventilation is also equally important. You can use windows, vents and skylights for this purpose. While it maintains proper airflow and keeps the kitchen air fresher, natural ventilation also increases the efficiency of fire suppression system during emergencies.
• Use Proper Signage Wherever Required – Your staff must be aware of all the emergency exits, stairs and hallways in the kitchen and building. Yet, even if they know all the emergency exits by heart, it is important to place emergency signage wherever necessary. This will help them find their way even in extreme state of panic and confusion.
• Impose Safer Uniform and Apparel – Always ensure the safety of your commercial kitchen staff by making uniforms mandatory. The uniform must be made of the standard fire retardant cotton fabric. Also, ensure the use of proper apparel including an apron, hat and mitts during handling of hot utensils and heating equipment.

Restaurant Equipment Repair Metro East, IL (Belleville, Granite City, O’Fallon, Alton, Collinsville, Edwardsville, O'Fallon, Fairview Heights)

When your kitchen's commercial restaurant equipment needs maintenance or repair in Metro East, IL (Belleville, Granite City, O’Fallon, Alton, Collinsville, Edwardsville, O'Fallon, Fairview Heights) Illinois area Eichenauer Services can help.

For over 65 years they have been offering affordable, courteous and professional commercial kitchen equipment repair for their commercial customers throughout the state of Illinois.

Regardless of how small or big the repair is, you can count on Eichenauer Services to get the repair done properly, professionally and promptly, as it is understood a restaurant should not have a long down time, which can cause them to lose many customers.  Eichenauer services has multiple CFESA (Commercial Food Equipment Association) and equipment manufacturer trained technicians in the Metro East Illinois area.  As well as offering repair of restaurant equipment Eichenauer Services also suggest planned maintenance.  Planned maintenance on heavily used commercial kitchen equipment will save you money and help you prevent downtime.  Our Metro East Illinois area branch provides repair service on a wide variety of equipment for numerous equipment manufactures including:

• Cooking Equipment
  • Deep Fryers
  • Bakery Equipment
  • Pizza Ovens
  • Grills
  • Steamers
• Refrigeration Equipment
  • Ice Machines
  • Coolers
  • Freezers
  • Prep Tables
  • HVAC
• Beverage Equipment
• Sanitation Equipment
  • Ware-washing
• Holding Equipment
  • Cold
  • Hot

..........and many many more!!

Call us today at 800-252-5892 to learn about the services we can provide for your Metro East and surrounding area locations!

IIllinois Branches:

Eichenauer Services

2465 N 22nd St Decatur, IL 62526 US

Phone: 800-252-5892 Website: http://www.esiquality.com/

Eichenauer Services

106 E McClure Peoria, IL 61603 US

Phone: 800-252-5892 Website: http://www.esiquality.com/

Eichenauer Services

405 S Neil St Champaign, IL 61820 US

Phone: 800-252-5892 Website: http://www.esiquality.com/

IIllinois Satellites:
Springfield, IL | Bloomington, IL | Effingham, IL | LaSalle/Peru, IL | Mount Vernon, IL | Joliet, IL |
Quad Cities, IL (Moline, East Moline, Rock Island) | Marion, IL |
Metro East, IL (Belleville, Collinsville, Edwardsville, O'Fallon, Fairview Heights)

Why Water Filtration is Good For Your Restaurant

Water filtration systems provide two key benefits for your commercial kitchen or restaurant:

• Restaurant equipment maintenance and breakdown is reduced by as much as 75%
• Beverages and ice taste and smell better to your customer

Restaurant equipment that use water like ice machines, coffee and espresso makers, steamers, and dishwashers can all benefit from a water filtration system. Mineral deposits (also known as "scale") build up in these machines, causing maintenance problems and breakdowns. Water filters with scale inhibitors are particularly beneficial for ice machines, as ice will appear clearer and break up easier than non-filtered ice, not to mention taste better to the customer.
Water filtration removes:

• Chemicals
• Sediment
• Minerals
• Organic matter

The presence of these elements in your commercial kitchen or restaurant's water affects water taste and odor and increase the likelihood of maintenance problems or equipment breakdown. Water Filtration Options
There are multiple water filtration solutions for your commercial kitchen:

• Separate filters for different restaurant equipment like ice machines, coffee makers, steamers and beverage dispensers
• One central water filter for all the water you use

Ice machine, coffee maker, and steamer filters have a scale inhibitor that reduces mineral buildup in the equipment. Scale inhibitors affect the taste of soda, so if you are looking for a water filter for a soda dispenser, make sure you purchase a special beverage dispenser water filter that does not have a scale inhibiting filter. Beverage dispensing filters come in different sizes depending on the number of dispensers you have.
Different ice machines also require different capacity water filters. Make sure you purchase the correct capacity water filtration system for your ice machine.

• Ice machines producing up to 750 lbs. of cubes or 1,200 lbs. of flakes per day
• Ice machines producing up to 1,000 lbs. of cubes or 1,800 lbs. of flakes per day
• Ice machines producing up to 1,450 lbs. of cubes or 2,400 lbs. of flakes per day

A central water filter is easier to maintain and install and takes up less space than several separate water filters. When considering installing a central filter, keep in mind that the taste of soda is affected by scale inhibitor filters, and it's important to purchase a unit that has a special scale inhibitor bypass for soda dispensing. Tundra stocks a [water filter designed to service multiple machines] with a soda bypass.
Espresso machine filters are specially designed for espresso machines and work like a water softener as well as inhibiting scale buildup.
Please remember that most water filters are designed to filter cold water only! For hot water filtration, like the feed to your commercial dishwasher, use a scale inhibitor only rather than the water filters with scale inhibitor commonly used for most restaurant equipment. A scale inhibitor on the hot water line to your dish washing equipment will help reduce spotting and mineral buildup on dishes.

Types of Water Filters
Not all water filters and water filtration systems are the same. Some water filtration systems feature a drop-in replacement cartridge whereas others are screwed into the filter head.
Some water filters need to be activated by cycling water through them for a period of time before use. Other types allow you to simply drop in the cartridge and put it to work right away. Some systems require multiple filter cartridges, especially for higher volume applications whereas others, most notably Cuno, have one cartridge systems for all capacities, saving space and money since you only have to purchase one replacement cartridge at a time.
When To Replace Your Water Filter
It's probably time to replace your water filter cartridge if:

• Water pressure drops significantly. Many water filtration systems have a PSI (pounds per square inch) indicator needle. If that needle is in the red or below 30 PSI, replace your filter
• The water in your restaurant or commercial kitchen tastes or smells funny
• Mineral deposits or "scale" start building up in your restaurant equipment
• More than six months have passed since the last time you replaced the filter

The best way to avoid problems with your water filtration system is to replace filters every six months. If your water filter cartridge is clogging or going bad in less than six months, you may need a pre filter for your water filtration system. A pre filter removes larger organic matter and sediment before it reaches your main filter, improving the main filter's lifespan and effectiveness. Different geographic areas have different water qualities, but in general if your area has especially "hard" water (it contains lots of minerals), has a lot of sediment or debris, or algae or other organic matter problems, installing a pre filter is a good idea.

How to keep from buying the wrong restaurant equipment for your commerical kitchen

Did you know that “shopping” for your kitchen should start in your kitchen? If you want to avoid making bad decisions about the expensive equipment you need to buy, remember these important factors about your kitchen and the products you are buying:

1. The Gas Requirements: One of the first things you should check in your commercial kitchen space is what your requirements are  (propane (LP) or natural gas). Identify the specific gas requirements of your kitchen and stick to them. This will save you money, time, and frustration when you find out that your commercial oven isn’t compatible with your kitchen.
2. Plumbing Needs: Certain items may or may not require plumbing (such as a braising pan or kettle) while others (like a steamer/broiler combos) must have a filtered water source. This will need more maintenance, but will increase the production rate of your steaming because you will not have to manually fill it. Assessing your plumbing needs before you buy will help you not only organize your commercial kitchen around the existing plumbing, but avoid buying a piece of equipment with features you cannot use.
3. External Factors: Did you know that elevation also comes into account when considering your industrial equipment? That’s right. If your building is over 2000 feet above sea level some commercial appliances will work improperly. There are various components and adjustments which can be made to make your equipment work, but many owners forget to look into it.

(Note: If you do buy the wrong type of gas fitting, attachments that can be purchased, but they will cost you. They are made for those who have existing equipment and move to a different location. If sending back the appliance won’t allow you to open on time, it might be worth the cost.)

1. Ventilation System Requirements: There are two types of hood which all commercial kitchen equipment requires. The difference is grease. Your fryer and most other cooking surfaces need ventilation hoods made to handle grease. If there is grease involved a “fire-suppression system” is also required. These are subject to inspection so be sure to contact a professional about your ventilation needs. Hood size, type, and height all matter when it comes to ensuring the safety of your staff and the perfection of your food.
2. The Other Side of Your Kitchen: Avoid buying equipment that won’t get the job done by properly assessing the volume you can expect from your clients. Whether you own a small deli, operate a pub, or service an entire hospital, your commercial kitchen equipment has to be able to handle the busiest times of your business well.

(Tip: When you make this assessment, don’t be stingy. Project your flow rates generously if you want to avoid having to re-buy inferior or overused commercial equipment because it did not handle the workload.)

1. Size Matters: Understandably, most of us consider our kitchen floor plan and equipment sized needs well before we head out to purchase, right… Right? This means taking measurements and sticking to them. If you head to the store, bring your tape. There is nothing that drives fear into the eyes of a commercial retailer like an entrepreneur with a notebook, a pen, and a tape measure. They already know what they want and they know you won’t be “settling” for anything, but exactly what you need.

Ready When You Are
The only thing you have left to do is head out and find the commercial equipment your kitchen needs at the price you want. You can start today by reading up on the latest products, booking yourself into the next trade fair and even browse some of the best products and reviews online. If you’ve done your homework you already know what you want, you just have to put a name on it. Bon Appetite!

Water-Cooled Ice Machines

In some places around the world, water cooled ice machines are more than norm than the exception. They can be advertised as more energy efficient that air cooled models and are also known to produce less heat than ice machines cooled by air. This can make water cooled ice machines the preferred choice for people who want to keep their restaurant or commercial kitchen as cool as possible in the summer months. Water cooled ice machines also have some drawbacks. Read on to find out the truth about water cooling in the commercial kitchen.
Water Cooling and the Environment

There are two types of water cooling. One of them, known as single use water cooling, is terrible for the environment. The reason is because it wastes so much water. Instead of recycling the water it uses to cool the unit, it flushes it out and replaces it. For this reason water cooled ice machines cannot gain the Energy Star rating.
In several places in North America single use water cooled ice machines are even being banned. The reason is because many of these areas are hot in the summer and suffer from water shortages. A few places, however, like Seattle and Denver have banned single use water cooled ice machines simply because of their negative impact on the environment.
Closed-Loop Water Cooling
There is another type of water cooled ice machines that use a closed-loop system and recycle the water they use. They are better for the environment by a margin and do have the advantage of running much cooler than an air cooled model, but many manufacturers have been phasing them out. Many cities have begun offering discounts to owners who use air cooling instead which gives them a distinct advantage over any water cooling system.
Innovations in Air Cooling
It’s clear that the commercial ice machine industry is moving towards air cooling. One of the other reasons for this is that remote condensing is not difficult to do.  Instead of having the air cooling system or condenser on the side or on top of your ice machine, vent lines are run into the machine and that box is placed on the outside of the building. By doing this to keep all the advantages of having an air cooled ice machine and remove any of the potential disadvantages. The biggest drawback is the higher initial cost of having a remote condenser installed.
Deciding on an Air Cooled or Water Cooled Ice Machine
If at all possible, I recommend buying an air cooled ice machine. Ice machines cooled with water just don’t have thesustainability I want in my commercial kitchen appliances. Of course, that’s just my opinion. Now that you have the facts about water cooling, this decision is yours to make.

Looking for energy efficiency in your ice machine?

In the war to lower the bottom line of your restaurant or food service business, I’m sure you’ve considered how much you spend on your energy bill each month. It is because of this desire by owners to keep costs down and thereby improve profits that has made energy efficient ice making and refrigeration units some of the best sellers on the market today. In fact, many companies have begun separating out their top performers in energy efficiency into a special section of their store. They know that owners want these products and are making great attempts to showcase energy efficient ice makers, fridges and freezers. Today, we are going to try and answer one question about energy efficiency in ice making: who makes the best one for commercial use?
The Candidates
Most of the top brands make a self-contained energy efficient ice machine that produces around 80-100 pounds of ice per hour. This includes models by Scotsman, Ice-O-Matic, Manitowoc and Hoshizaki. The price ranges of all of these models are all within about $500 retail of each other as well. This means we are going to be able to look at the two most important aspects of energy efficiency: performance and energy use. Let’s see how our big four stack up.
Performance and Energy Use
First, let’s talk performance. When it comes to ice production, Manitowoc and Ice-O-Matic take the cake. Their comparable models are at the top of the 100 pounds of ice per hour range we talked about earlier for the same price of similar units made by Hoshizaki or Scotsman. This means that you are getting about 10% more ice on average by going with an Ice-O-Matic or Manitowoc self-contained, energy efficient ice machine.
It’s clear that there are a couple models that stand out in performance, but is there a winner when it comes to energy use over time? The truth is that none of the units have a real edge in energy use over time. All energy efficient models ran about 8% more efficient on average than a traditional model. This means significant savings as opposed to a non-energy efficient unit, but between the four models no clear winner could be found on this front.
Little Extras
There are also some intangibles to consider when buying any piece of commercial kitchen equipment. These are things like warranty, company reputation and unique design. In energy efficient ice-machines for commercial use, there isn’t a lot of bells and whistles to be found. Two companies, however that stand out among the rest, are Manitowoc and Scotsman. Both have a good history of producing longer lasting units and provide exceptional customer service for their products.

Commercial Ice Machines: Do’s and Don’ts

Ice machines are probably the most-abused equipment in a commercial kitchen. This is twice as true for hotels, night clubs, and restaurants with more than 50 seats. In most of these cases, the overworked machines are actually costing the business a lot more than they need to. Read on to find out how to save money with your ice machine:

Do: Adjust your Ice Production when needed
One of the easiest ways to save money and increase the life span of your ice machine is to monitor and adjust ice production. Different seasons need more ice production than others so keep a log of when you make changes. After a couple seasons patterns will develop and you will be able to accurately predict how much ice you need.

• Quick Tip: Another easy way to reduce energy consumption of your ice machine is to have it produce ice only in the daytime when power is less expensive.

Don’t: Keep Your Ice where it’s Warm and Stuffy
Of course I mean your entire machine, not just the cubes themselves. The truth is that either way, whether the room is hot or cold, your ice machine (if working properly) will keep your ice cold for the duration. The question is how hard it will have to work to do it. The higher the room temperature the more energy your ice box will consume to keep your ice iced. This will cost you. Put your ice machine somewhere that has good air movement and doesn’t heat up over 90 degrees.

Do: Regular Maintenance
In order to keep your ice machine safe and reliable you’ve got to give you machine a check up every few months. This means sanitizing the box, d- liming the water hose, and adding antimicrobial products. Keep up with these regular needs of your machine and you will find that it last its full lifetime or longer.

Don’t: Forget to Change the Filter
The last thing you need to check up on (and many owners don’t) is the water filter. Have you noticed that ice always looks pretty clean? Unfortunately looks can be deceiving. The filter on your ice maker should be changed every 6 months.

Do: Go Air Cooled
All ice makers are cooled by either air or water. Air cooled machines use much less energy. The best part is that there is little to no price difference between air and water cooled ice machines.

• Quick Tip: When purchasing a new ice machine, look for the Energy Star logo if you want to ensure that your machine is the most energy efficient. A machine that is 10-15% more efficient in water and energy use can save you a lot of money over an average life of 8 years.

Commerical Kitchen Energy conservation tips

Running a restaurant means working off a bottom line. This is the amount of money you will spend to run your business. Earning more that this bottom line is the key to success. One of the ways to increase your chances of doing this is by getting that line as low as possible. The easiest way to lower your bottom line is by cutting down on the cost of production. Here are a few tips that will keep your bottom line lower and profits higher.
Tip 1: Monitor Air Flow

Though you can’t see it, your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning costs are likely about a quarter of your daily overhead. By monitoring these systems to ensure they aren’t working overtime for no reason, you can cut over a thousand dollars from the energy bill of almost any restaurant.
Tip 2: Shut off Idle Equipment
When you aren’t using an appliance, shut it off. Making and sticking to a schedule for these machines will help you manage this process and provide staff with clear direction on when to turn off the big energy eaters. The result is a longer life for your equipment and lower energy costs once again.
Tip 3: Space out Cold and Hot Equipment
One of the easiest ways to organize a commercial kitchen for efficiency is to have the cold and hot equipment separated. If you have a freezer and fridge system, ensure they aren’t beside the grill. By separating these units you are able to better manage how hard they have to work. If it’s too cold your oven will be working overtime to get up to max temp. The same applies to your fridge and freezer. Make sure they don’t get overworked simply by having other hot equipment within a few feet.
Tip 4: Hot Water Can Cost You
If you want to run a more efficient commercial kitchen, you have to manage the hot water it uses. This means educating staff on which tasks require hot water and which don’t. It can also mean insulating hot water pipes to ensure that you aren’t loosing excess energy to get that hot water to the tap.
Tip 5: Maintain your Equipment Regularly
The last tip for keeping costs down in your commercial kitchen is to ensure you maintain your equipment. As commercial kitchen equipment ages, it becomes less efficient. Avoid this trend by keeping a tight schedule for equipment maintenance. Not only will you spend less on replacements, you will ensure that your equipment doesn’t suck energy while it’s in use.

Not cooling......No problem

Another commercial kitchen equipment problem solved by one of our trained technicians at a restaurant in Springfield, IL on a Perlick P5063 cooler.

What is the best kind of ice for your restaurant?

As any restaurant or hotel owner knows, ice is a big part of serving great beverages and keeping patrons happy. This means having the right type of ice to do the job. If you don’t have the right ice machine to suit your needs however, you will find that you waste time, energy and ultimately money. No one wants to crush cubed ice down so that it can be used to cool a bucket of beer and customers won’t appreciate it if the ice is so large that it doesn’t cool the beer in the first place. This is only one example of how using the wrong type of ice can impact your business.
So, which type of ice machine do you need? Perhaps the truth is that you need more than one. Understanding what each type of ice is best will tell you whether you need to change the type of ice machine you have or even add another type of ice to your arsenal.

Cubes are best for Drinks

If cold drinks are the primary reason you use ice, a cubed machine is going to offer the best option. Cubed ice melts the slowest and won’t water down a drink in a hurry. They also take up more room in the glass per piece which means that you need fewer cubes per glass. This makes it easier for a bartender or drink maker to prepare. Rather than working off methods like half full with ice, you can define how many actual cubes you need. This means a higher level of drink consistency.

Flakes keep things Coolest

If you are putting anything on ice from beverages to a salad bar, flakes offer the best base. Unlike cubes, flakes are smaller and easier to work through with cans or bottles. They also offer a better surface area on which to place bowls or platters. Flaked ice machines can also produce more ice because the require cooling time for a flake is less than a cube. If you have a cold food display or want to serve beverages out of a bucket, it makes sense to have a flaking ice machine on site.

Nuggets are a two way Street

The last type of ice machine you can buy is a nugget ice machine. Nuggets offer a best of both worlds scenario, but aren’t the best for either operation. Because nuggets are just smaller cubes they can be used for drinks and cold food tables alike. In fact, they are actually better for carbonated beverages than either flakes or cubes. These versatile ice chunks are great for businesses that offer both adult and child drink choices.
It’s clear that the type of ice machine you choose should be based on what you want to do with it. You may decide that you need a second ice machine to fulfill all the needs of your business. On the other hand, you may realize that you’ve simply been using the wrong type of ice. Whatever the case, using the right type of ice is going to have a positive impact on your business.
  
Other great articles on restaurant equipment such as this one can be found at the following link http://www.pricemykitchen.com