In the food service industry, there are many types of essential equipment which use a lot of energy and can be costly to run. Learning ways to cut down the energy that your equipment is using will save money. Preheating Cooking Equipment Don’t preheat your electric or gas equipment for more than a few minutes. Although chefs are not likely to appreciate your telling them how to run their kitchens, it’s worth a try. Microwave Ovens Use the microwave or gas stove in place of electric resistance cooking when possible. Both cost less.

Efficient Equipment
Buy the efficient version. Many fryers, broilers, soup kettles, and other equipment have optional controls and features that minimize their energy use. Often they are worth the additional cost.

When it is time to replace older broilers, instant heat electric char-broilers are an attractive option. They put more taste, aroma, and appeal into foods such as frozen steaks, burgers, chicken, and fish. An electric char-broiler is superior to an open flame broiler, in that it requires less energy during cooking and creates less wasted heat, which means less air conditioning. In addition, this creates a cooler environment near the cooling equipment, which can ultimately result in greater employee comfort and lower turnover.

When you are ready to replace your older electric oven, you should consider a convection oven. Convection cooking is a process whereby hot air is circulated throughout the cooking chamber. Food is cooked more quickly, at a lower temperature, and with a shorter pre-heating time than in a conventional oven. New combination convection ovens combine cooking with microwave or steaming capabilities, depending upon your needs. Prices range from $4,000 to $30,000. When installing a convection oven, do not place it between two pieces of equipment or directly against the wall; doing so will impede air circulation. For optimum efficiency, allow the oven to preheat for 20 minutes.

When it is time to replace your range, consider some of the new cooktop technologies, such as solid element, ceramic glass, halogen element, convertible, and induction cook tops. Electric induction cook tops use an electromagnetic field to transfer energy directly to the pots, which allows them to cook faster than conventional ranges. Electricity savings of 40% have been reported, compared to resistive heating elements. Induction cook tops use no flame or hot coils and require no preheating, significantly reducing radiant heat gain. For best results, use iron or steel pans when cooking on induction cook tops.

When it is time to replace your fryers, consider the new 80 MBtu infrared power burner fryers, which can do the same job that previously required 145 MBtu fryers. New infrared counter fryers are also available.

Kitchen Ventilation
Improve kitchen ventilation. Turn off your makeup air unit whenever you are not cooking and especially at night. These units, together with the exhaust hoods, demand tremendous amounts of energy. You need to provide a safe and comfortable environment without odors and smoke, but turn both systems off when they are not needed.