This change has had strong effects on the foodservice industry, as operators are burdened with the task of keeping up with the wants and needs of their consumers in order to maintain their business and thus put money in their banks and keep their restaurants operational.  Below are just a few of the things operations need to keep in mind when exploring different options within the industry.

Healthier Foods Equal Changes in Equipment

As society demands healthier food that tastes better, gone are the days of fryers and steam lines, especially in hospitals and schools.  This is good news for students and hospital-stayers as, following this equipment out the door are the mushy foods we usually associate with our school days.  Be prepared to see heated shelves in the kitchens, and with them, roasted and grilled foods that are much more appealing to the consumer.  Also expect to find more intense flavors as kitchens are utilizing more marinating equipment or smokers as a means to add flavor without taking away from the value of the food.

Locally Grown and Raised

Fresh vs frozen.  Local vs imported.  Whole vs processed.  More and more often, consumers are insisting on fresh, whole, local foods and this demand requires changes to how food is handled in the back-of-the-house.  Larger cooler spaces but less freezer space for storing the onslaught of fresh produce while cutting back on the need to store frozen commodities.  Labor costs may change as operators need to wash and trim produce before cutting and chopping, since locally grown food will generally come as-cut from the farm.  Chefs will need to be creative and flexible when designing their menus, accommodating what is in season or a food item that may not be considered “mainstream,” such as root vegetables.

Catering to the Diners’ Desires

If you’ve been following Technomic’s trends for 2015, you already know that consumers, especially younger consumers, “desire to have what they want when they want it.”  While this movement is manageable in the fast-food and fast-casual industry (add this, please, or take away that please), formal and casual dining has had to conform to a more focused menu if the operation opts for locally sourced foods.  This is contradictory to the trending attitudes towards variety and flexibility, but what seems to be happening is that restaurants are specializing in their culinary selections and diners can choose their restaurant based on the type of culinary experience they are looking for on any given day.  Going to eat at an establishment with few menu items, knowing that the food will be authentic and fresh, is trumping the larger-menu operations whose huge variety causes one to wonder about the origin and freshness of the dish they order.

Educational Marketing

The increase of allergies in children and adults has changed the way food is approached, prepared, and processed.  Responsibly operating a restaurant requires that chefs separate allergen ingredients and ensure the proper equipment is used to manage their dietary needs.  For example, for someone with a life-threatening nut allergy, it is imperative that different pans, utensils, grills, or other kitchen implements are used in preparing food for this particular guest, as any residue of nuts could cause a reaction.

Additionally, there has been a shift in food preparation that relates to food origins—and how to avoid the less-than-stellar practices of some of the larger animal farming companies, where overcrowding  affects the quality of animals, and the subsequent slaughter of such ill animals is at issue.  FDA menu labeling requirements that mandate restaurants show the calorie counts of their menu items have done wonders to educate consumers about their calorie intake.  Further requirements about the food—such as where the beef you are about to eat comes from, and whether or not the cows were grass fed—can also help to educate the consumer and give them reason to trust your operation and therefore want to return.

What’s Next?

Operators will need to remain vigilant in their research into customer trends and how these trends will affect their establishment, and if so, how should they adapt in order to accommodate them?  Technomic sees “more focused and local menus in the future…[and] a decline in the traditional chain segment that doesn’t adapt to the consumer evolution.”  Because while there is still a segment of the dining industry that eats fast, fried, and processed food, and wants them for cheap, these numbers will continue to dwindle over time as more and more customers are seeking out the healthier alternatives.

How will your restaurant manage these changes, if they haven’t already begun the process of change?  And how will you continue to adapt to the ever-changing foodservice industry?

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Don’t be fooled by labels.  Yes, your new Energy Star fryer could be top of the line, with rave reviews over its capabilities and efficiency alike.  But is that small fryer enough to manage the high volume of your restaurant?  If you find yourself needing a second fryer in your kitchen, it may be time to rethink the effectiveness of your equipment.  Conversely, if you buy the largest fryer on the market and think you are doing the environment a great service because you purchased that high quality equipment with the Energy Star stamp of approval but you only need equipment just a fraction of the size to meet your operation’s needs, how much energy are you really cutting back on?  Be smart, do your homework, know the needs of your kitchen, and purchase your equipment accordingly.

Know if gas or electric is the best choice for your restaurant’s kitchen.  There are pros and cons to each method of cooking and the goal is to match your needs as closely as possible.  Sure, it may be easier and cheaper to install an electric stove in the back-of-the-house but it takes longer to heat the electric element when compared to having complete control over the temperature from the moment you turn on the flame on your gas stove.  Not having to wait for the element to heat could mean energy savings.  And the spreading flame of a gas burner heats both the bottom and sides of a pan, which could mean that it works faster and is, therefore, more efficient.  On the other hand, there is a school of thought in the restaurant world that electric burners allow less heat to escape, thus keeping the kitchen cooler and cutting down (maybe even drastically) on your HVAC costs.  Again, the trick is to understand the needs of your restaurant and to work within these guidelines when researching equipment.

High-performance equipment is certainly a step in the right direction when working toward a green restaurant, and it is commendable when restaurant owners and managers look toward the future when designing or overhauling their kitchens.  But just because a manufacturer deems their product “energy efficient”, “green”, or some other environmentally protective label, does that mean that it will be the most valuable for your establishment?  When it is time to replace your commercial dishwasher are you brand-loyal without researching other options?  Trusting your manufacturer based on prior purchases can be an easy way to buy equipment but doing the research to ensure your choices are in line with your commitment to saving energy is the only sure way to get you the best merchandise for your organization.  More importantly, if you have the best equipment available to your restaurant but use it incorrectly, how far is that taking you in your efforts?  For example, did you know that LED bulbs, while considered the best “green” option available, do not hold up well in hot and humid conditions?  This means that the best lighting available to you has just been wasted if you put it in your commercial kitchen—because they lose their seal and burn out more quickly than other bulb options.

Do you know the difference between biodegradable and compostable?  If you are confused about the two methods of recycling, don’t be alarmed.  Most foodservice operators are unclear about the difference between the two and which serves what need in different areas of their restaurants.  By definition, biodegradable product “will completely break down and return to nature within a reasonably short period of time after customary disposal.”  Compostable, on the other hand, requires there is “scientific evidence that the materials in the item break down, or become part of, usable compost in a safe and timely manner.”  Still confused?  Basically, biodegradable product simply returns to nature but compostable product breaks down and cannot release any toxins into the resulting “humus.”  The notions are a bit unclear, but deeper understanding garnered through research can help you to know which option may be most beneficial for your restaurant.  Many restaurants opt to simply recycle product, which is a concept more readily understood by the public.  In essence, a product is recyclable if it can be “collected, separated, or otherwise recovered from the waste stream…for reuse or use in manufacturing or assembling another item.”  Most plastics, glass, cardboard, and metals are recyclable and there are many recycling station options available to restaurant owners who are committed to helping the environment.

Finally, understanding sustainably-produced food is a beneficial step toward operating a green restaurant.  Simply buying local, or smaller, or less industrialized, does not ensure sustainability.  Assuming all small farms are green is a “gross oversimplification of a complex system,” according to Charlie Arnot, CEO of the Center for Food Integrity, a nonprofit educational organization representing all segments of the food chain, from the fields to processing plants and restaurants.  The environmental impact of a farm is not determined by size but rather by the quality of the operation and its commitment to minimize environmental impact.  Buying local, while a great option for the economy, does not always equate to sustainable, and again, the key is to gather as much information about the sources you buy from in order to know if they will best benefit your pledge to do your part to preserve the earth.

While a commitment to running a green restaurant is a noble intention, the process is a complex one that requires a dedication to learning, researching, and understanding the manner in which each individual operation can achieve their green goals.  But if each restaurant in operation today could just take one or two steps toward preserving the environment, imagine the impact the collective attempt could have.  What steps have you taken, or will you take in the near future, to do your part in conserving energy?

The post Things to Know Before you Go Green appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Foodservice Equipment and Supplies magazine mentions, in their NAFEM guide, that the trends for purchasing equipment for your restaurant’s kitchen are changing.  Where in the past the relics of the kitchen were kept hidden from customer view, now “exhibition cooking” is becoming part of the front-of-the-house show.  That said, there is also “less tolerance…for having people work in crappy kitchen environments,” according to Certified Master Chef Brad Barnes of the Culinary Institute of America in New York.  The atmosphere of the kitchen can also set the tone for the whole of the restaurant, and creativity is sparked when the working conditions are optimal.  While equipment is getting “sexier” though, so too is it getting smaller.  With a focus on maximizing the front-of-the-house seating area, where the money is made, the back-of-the-house is downsizing by purchasing items that serve multiple purposes, or by acquiring such machinery as smaller ovens, which do the job equally as well as their larger counterpart but actually wind up with the double benefit of being more energy efficient.

Whether you are in the market for new equipment for a grand opening or are interested in replacing what you already have, the most important part of purchasing is to do your homework first.   If you are purchasing cooking equipment, determine how the unit will be used.  How much space do you need in order to accommodate the amount of traffic coming through your restaurant?  How many burners will you need on your induction cooktop?  How many chickens will you need to cook at a single time on your rotisserie?  For food prep equipment, food types will help you to determine what you will need to buy to meet your needs.  If you are purchasing a food processor, necessary horsepower is based on the type of food you will be processing, but bowl size is ultimately decided by the volume of customers you will serve in a day.  Slicer blade sizes are dependent on the dimensions of the foods you will be cutting, and the material of the slicer rests on the type of foods to be cut.  Stainless steel is the best bet for cutting tomatoes, for example, because the acids don’t react with the metal as they would with aluminum wares.  And always take into consideration the cost for replacement parts when shopping for your food prep equipment.

Tabletop and smallwares are other purchases to consider and while their cost is imminently smaller than that of large equipment, the “turnover” rate is greater.  Cooking utensils should be NSF listed, since this assures the piece is easy to clean and safe for contact with food.  Beyond that, what will the utensil be used for?  Is it compatible with the equipment it will be used with?  A $10 tool is no great deal if it ruins your $75 saute pan…  When choosing glassware, durability is key!  With so many choices available to restaurant owners, style is rarely compromised.  You do, however, need to remember that glassware does break, and that breakage needs to be taken into account when determining final numbers for purchase.

No purchase is too big or too small to study up on before taking the leap.  And NAFEM is a great place to learn about industry trends and products that are available.  For your brand new kitchen or as replacement pieces for your existing operation, make sure you do your homework and then choose what will work best for you.

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