Any source of energy can pose a fire risk

Is your restaurant at risk for fire?  If you aren’t certain how safe your establishment is, keep in mind that, according to Claims Journal, as recently as 2011 “an estimated 5,900 restaurant building fires occur annually in the United States, resulting in an estimated average of 75 injuries and $172 million in property loss.”  Investing both time and money to make certain your risk is minimized as much as possible is a worthwhile business venture.

Preventive maintenance is the number one method of reducing the risk of fire hazard.  Automatic fire-suppression systems, portable fire extinguishers, and routine inspections of kitchen equipment, including all electrical appliances and exhaust systems, will go a long way toward ensuring your restaurant’s risk is minimized.

Fire-suppression systems are crucial especially since the leading cause of restaurant fires is attributed to cooking.  Most systems automatically dispense chemicals to suppress flames, but they also have a manual switch that shuts down the fuel or electric supply to nearby cooking equipment.  After purchase, your fire-suppression system should be inspected semi-annually to ensure it is working to its optimal potential.

Keep extinguishers close at hand

As a back-up, portable fire extinguishers should be kept close at hand.  Class K extinguishers are recommended for kitchen use, as they are able to put out fires that involve cooking oils in fryers that are often found in commercial kitchens, as well as fires from other cooking hazards.  Front-of-the-house extinguishers should also be strategically placed and easily accessed.

It is imperative that electrical equipment is regularly inspected for such faults as frayed cords or wires, and cracked or broken switch plates.  This includes any and all electrics, from coffee burners in the front of the house to blenders in the bar to slicers in the kitchen prep area.  A professional inspector will also look for combustible items that are a fire risk because they have been placed too closely to power sources.

Lastly, it is important to have your exhaust system routinely inspected for grease buildup.  Exhausts should be checked out as often as quarterly in operations with high volume, semi-annually for those with a more moderate patronage.

Nearly as important as preventive maintenance is to ensure your entire staff is properly trained to not only put out fires, but also to avoid them in the first place.  All employees should know how to use a fire extinguisher, and they should all be instructed to never throw water on to a grease fire.  Training employees to clean as they go, to properly use chemicals used for cleaning and other purposes, and to make sure their cigarettes are properly extinguished in the smoking area will go far in mitigating fire risk in your establishment.

Following these simple preventive measures can drastically reduce the risk of fire, and therefore ensure the safety of your building, your employees, and your guests.  How can you better prepare your restaurant?

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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.

Immersion Blender. Photo courtesy of Hamilton Beach.

For blending soups, sauces, smoothies, whipped cream, salad dressings…the list of uses for an immersion blender is practically endless! So what is an immersion blender, then, and why is it such a great tool for back-of-the-house food prep?

An immersion blender is a kitchen appliance that allows the user to blend or puree food in the container in which it is being prepared. Wand-shaped with a blade at the bottom, simply place the end of the contraption into the liquid and hold the switch on the handle to blend. Easy! Immersion blenders are especially helpful when blending large amounts of pureed soup or other product—any time you have more than a blender jar full—which would require blending in batches and pouring back and forth between containers (unblended mixture container to the blender to the blended mixture container). No waiting for your soups to cool down before transferring, no sloppy mess when pouring between containers. This one-step method saves on time, effort, and cleanup. The blender itself is easy to clean, too. While there are models which allow you to dismantle and put the parts into the dishwasher, you can also simply rinse and put away—into a drawer to save counter space!

If you are hesitant about an immersion blender being able to get the job done, try it out. Make the recipe below—twice! And see how they compare. I’m betting the immersion blender method will win you over…

Creamy Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 6 slices thin bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 whole medium onion, diced
• 3 whole carrots, scrubbed clean and diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 6 whole small russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 8 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• black pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 cup grated cheese of your choice (for garnish-optional)
• Green onion, chopped (for garnish-optional)
• Sour cream (for garnish-optional

Instructions:

1. In a stock pot, cook bacon until crisp and fat is rendered. Remove the bacon from the pot and set aside. Pour off most of the grease, but do not clean the pot.
2. Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes then add the diced potatoes. Add the seasoning and cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Pour in the broth and bring it to a gentle boil. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes are starting to get tender. Whisk together the flour and the milk, then pour into the soup and allow the soup to cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Remove half to 2/3 the soup and blend in a blender/food process until completely smooth. Pour it back into the soup pot and stir to combine. **Or, alternately, use your immersion blender to blend the soup—immerse the blade into the ingredients and, while the blender is on, swirl it around the pot to blend to your desired consistency.** Adjust seasonings and stir in cream and parsley.
5. Serve in bowls garnished with bacon and optional green onion, grated cheese, and sour cream.

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