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The key to achieving success inthe restaurant service industry rests largely on your potential and ability to consistentlydeliver a truly satisfying guest experience all day, every day. In order tosustain the quality of this experience, you as a restaurateur, have to ensurethat your operations and processes function smoothly at all levels. Theacquisition of the right commercial restaurant equipment is a critical factorin determining how quickly you grow as a desired destination in yourmarketplace. Now that we are done with aformal introduction, let us look at the three most important things to considerwhen buying commercial restaurant equipment for your new venture.
A Few Assumptions before Buying Restaurant Equipment and Supplies
But, you aren't done yet. Youneed to zero in on a viable and realistic marketing strategy based on youroriginal business plan. And then there is restaurant furniture, restaurantsupplies and restaurant accessories to finalize. Fortunately, you can accomplish these taskssimultaneously. Finally, you need tofocus on acquiring commercial restaurant equipment. This requires that you dedicate a reasonableamount of time for planning and research, ensuring that you pay careful attentionto detail. Here are the factors to consider:
Arriving at a Realistic Budget
Most first time restaurant ownersexperience sticker shock when they begin the process of buying commercialkitchen equipment. Remember, this isn't equipment for your home kitchen. Theseare commercial quality products that are designed to hold up for long hours ofuninterrupted use. Therefore, it is going to be significantly more expensive.We recommend that you do some internet research at sites like Cooks Direct or consultwith a reputable restaurant equipment dealer before you finalize your equipmentand supplies budget.
Knowing What You Need
Setting up a restaurant andbuying commercial restaurant equipment to get it up and running isn't somethingeasily accomplished unless you've spent some time in the back-of-the-house andbecome familiar with restaurant operations or you have input from someone withthis experience. In order to arrive at a precise idea of your equipment needsyou should consider conducting some quality independent research. Your locallibrary can help you locate many of the trade journals which regularly carryarticles and research reports, product reviews as well as buying tips. Theworldwide web is replete with information on buying commercial food serviceequipment for all budgets. You can also attend various trade shows includingthe large national shows such as the NRA (National Restaurant Association) showand the NAFEM (North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers)show, or there are a variety of state and local shows. The benefit of attending a trade show is thatyou can see several different types of equipment at one time before making apurchasing decision.
Read the Fine Print
There are a few other relatedconsiderations. When researching suitable product lines, check the warranty andensure in advance that the manufacturer has either a company service center oran authorized service center in your area. Be sure to compare warrantiesbetween manufacturers as well as other features. The cost of service is an importantconsideration in the lifetime expense of the equipment. If you are consideringimported product lines, speak with the manufacturer directly and ask aboutwarranty coverage, service center locations and the availability of parts.Finally, before you sign the check, find out if the restaurant equipment youare planning to purchase is code compliant. Speak with your fire department andthe city food inspector to ascertain compliance levels.
If you are proactive and expertlyplan your food service equipment purchases, you will not only be able toprovide your customers with the finest dining experience they have encountered,you will be able to rest assured that you don't have to worry about faulty andunreliable equipment that might spell trouble in the future.
You can not only save money by implementing energy saving methods in your commercial kitchen but also help the environment. Work smarter, save money and do you bit for the environment by following our energy saving tips.
1. Use programmable controls and timers to automate procedures. Do not let out all that expensive heat by opening and closing the doors to check on the progress. Monitor how long regularly cooked foods take and use a timer.
2.Find out how long your ovens take to get to the correct temperature on start up and use that to schedule times to start and shut down. Do not turn up the temperature to make the oven heat up faster. It won't work!
3.Most commercial premises have slow times during the working hours. Find out when they are and switch off the oven during these times. It is a waste of energy and money to leave it on constantly.
4.Cooking foods at a lower temperature uses less energy and also keeps more nutrients in the food. However always make sure that food is cooked thoroughly by checking recipes and manufacturers guides.
5.When cooking in a convection oven you can cook multiple items at the same time .A large load can be cooked at once as convection ovens have excellent air circulation. If you have a combination oven it is more energy efficient to use it in convection mode.
6.Use a combination oven in convection mode if possible as the combi mode is much less efficient in terms of energy and can also consume large amounts of water.
7.All ovens are more energy efficient when cooking full loads. Plan properly to cook a large batch then turn off the oven.
8.Perform regular maintenance and cleaning according to your manufacturers manual. This will ensure that it works efficiently at all times.
Commercial Kitchen Equipment Maintenance Tips
Maintaining your commercial kitchen equipment to keep it in the very best condition and working efficiently.
Follow out maintenance tips below.
1.Clean daily to prevent build up of dirt and grease that will wear down the equipment and stop it from working efficiently.
2.Make a plant to calibrate ovens and other equipment. Plan times to check the temperature of refrigerators and freezers regularly, post it where everyone can see it and make sure you stick to it.
3.Always read the labels on cleaning solutions and follow instructions as some can be corrosive and cause damage to your equipment if not used properly.
4.Read the maintenance instructions for all equipment carefully. If there is no manual, especially if you bought used equipment, contact the manufacturer and request one.
5.Set up service contracts with the manufacturer or with a local dealer. Although it will be expensive it is more expensive in the long run to neglect proper servicing.
6.When buying equipment check that it is easily taken apart and reassembled for easy cleaning and maintenance.
7.Store small portable equipment in cupboards away from any busy parts of the kitchen in order to avoid accidental damage or accumulating dirt.
8.Plan proper training for staff to ensure they carry out maintenance and cleaning properly.