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Almost half of the total amount of energy required by a typical food service establishment is used to prepare and store food. Most of this energy is consumed by cooking equipment: ovens, broilers, fryers, griddles, ranges, steam cookers, and warmers. Water heating can be a major energy consumer as well.
Here are a few common-sense operating tips that save money with a fryer.
- Turn the fryer off or down to an idling temperature during slack periods when the unit is not in use.
- Operate the fryer at the proper temperature, 325° to 350°F. Excessive temperatures waste energy and often result in improperly cooked food.
- Do not load the fryer baskets beyond the manufacturer's recommended capacity. This is usually one-half to two-thirds full. Overloading results in poor food quality.
- Check fat levels frequently. Low fat levels can cause premature oil breakdown.
- Drain and strain the oil frequently. This saves oil and preserves food quality.
- Keep the units clean and properly maintained.
Here are simple tips on how to save money when using a griddle:
- Heat only the griddle sections necessary for a task.
- Pre-heat only until the griddle surface has achieved the correct cooking temperature.
- Set the temperature for each section no higher than that required to cook the food.
- Turn the griddle down or off during slow production times.
- Use pre-cooked foods and avoid frozen products where possible
- Use a cover while cooking where it will not adversely affect the cooking process.
- Scrape the cooking surface between production intervals. Cleaning some types of griddle surfaces requires special tools. Consult the manufacturer or owner's manual for details.
- Clean the griddle frequently, and always re-season the griddle afterwards.
- Inspect each section of the griddle periodically, searching for hot or cold spots.
- On gas units, make sure each gas flame burns blue and adjust the gas-to-air ratio when necessary.
Broiler energy consumptions may be optimized by following a few simple rules:
- Follow the manufacturer's recommended preheat instructions. Preheating a broiler at an excessively high temperature wastes energy and could alter the quality and taste of the product. Also, preheating for an extended period of time wastes energy.
- Load the broiler to maximum capacity to gain maximum efficiency. In addition, grates should be kept free of carbonized grease that hinders heat transfer, lowers cooking efficiency, and mars food quality.
- Do not increase temperature during "rush hours" to increase production. Energy consumption will increase and the excessive temperature could destroy the quality of the product.
While operating all broiler sections may make sense during peak cooking times, turn off all unneeded sections when less cooking capacity is required. In addition, it is not necessary to have the entire broiler on at full power even during peak periods. For example, turn one section to full heat for rare meats, and another section to a lower setting for well-done meats. This saves energy and money while also improving cooking consistency. Use infrared broilers whenever possible. Infrared broilers may be turned off when not in use and then quickly reheated when needed. If the broiler is gas-fired, keep burner parts clean and flames properly adjusted. A poorly adjusted flame will waste gas and may also deposit soot and carbon on food products. Preventative maintenance should be completed according to a routine schedule.
Oven energy efficiency can be improved as well:
The energy efficiency of ovens depends upon how well they are constructed and used. Insulation levels and quality are two of the most significant factors in oven design. Some inexpensive ovens have little-to-no insulation in the oven door. In addition, ovens consume considerable amounts of energy when they are left on, even when no food is being cooked. This is due to losses through the oven walls and air leakage around the door opening. These losses can be a significant component in the operating cost, so remember to turn all oven equipment off, or at least to a lower temperature, during non-operating intervals. This will save energy, reduce cost, and increase oven life. When a food service establishment production requirement does not call for a full sized oven, a half-size oven may operate at much better economies.
Here are some additional tips for steamers:
Steamers are relatively quick ovens to preheat because of the high heat transfer characteristics of steam. They are also usually well insulated by the manufacturers to reduce heat loss to the kitchen. Therefore, they require less energy to stay up to temperature during slow times. However, if you are using more than one steamer during peak times, turn one unit off after the peak cooking cycle. Also, try to keep the unit fully loaded when possible. The steamer operates at peak efficiency and productivity at full load.
One key ingredient to steamer operation is controlling water quality to the steamer. If the water in your area is "hard" or contains chemicals in any significant levels, these can coat and corrode the steaming components. This scale and possible chemical carryover can deteriorate steamer performance, food quality, and almost always results in premature steamer component failures. Always check with a professional water treatment company about proper water softening for this equipment.
Keep the unit properly maintained. Check to see that the door seals properly so that steam doesn't escape into the kitchen. Make sure that the boiler is clean, burners or heating elements function properly, and steam injectors are free of any debris. Remember, a clean and well maintained unit operates more efficiently and will reduce repair costs.
And, finally, here are some energy saving tips for dishwashing
The easiest way to save money with ware-washing equipment is to purchase insulated models with water saver units and then run the unit with full loads. Some machines do have efficiency management features, such as variable cycle controls for smaller loads, but most commercial dishwashing equipment is designed with volume in mind; it operates most efficiently under a full load. Frequent cycling with small wash loads wastes water, energy, and time. While the dishwashing equipment itself is obviously electric, most of the energy used in dish washing is in the form of hot water. Therefore, selecting the method of water heating, be it resistance, heat pump, heat recovery, or gas-fired, is an important related decision. Contact your local utility representatives to assess these options.
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