Restaurant Supply

Restaurant Equipment and Restaurant Supply information

Proper Care of Your Restaurant Supplies

Sep 3

Posted by true-restaurant-equipment in Equipment Maintenance, Restaurant Supply | No Comments

If you take care of your restaurant equipment, then your restaurant equipment will take care of you. The chopping block, one of the center pieces of any chef’s arsnel of tools. When one talks about cleaning a chopping block instantly most people think about the cleaning it receives after use to kill off any bacteria that may be on the surface from the raw foods that have been on it.

However, chopping blocks need care and attention all their own to keep them in top shape for the task at hand. If you take just a tiny amount of care and maintenance with your chopping block you can greatly extend the life of this valuable piece of restaurant equipment.

DO: Once ever couple weeks give your block a heavy coat of mineral oil. Frequence will depend on your environment and the amount of use.
DO NOT: Your chopping block is not a multipurpose work area, so using the block for other tasks should be avoided. Your block is not an area to wash utensils.

When cleaning your chopping block there is a simple five step method that will help ensure that you get your block clean and prevent any damage to the wood

  1. Remove any loose matter that may be stuck to the board with a plastic spatula or other object that will not gouge the wood
  2. Wipe all loose particles from the board
  3. With a clean dishcloth, wash the top of block off just as you would any other wood surface. It is recommended that you use warm soapy water or some other mild detergent.
  4. Rinse your dishcloth thoroughly then wipe down the block again to remove any left over soapy water
  5. Using a fresh dry cloth finish drying off your chopping block

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Green Restaurant Equipment is the New Black

Sep 2

Posted by true-restaurant-equipment in Energy Star, Restaurant Equipment, Restaurant Supply | No Comments

The trend is undeniable, consumers are going green and looking for their favorite eateries to follow suit. Why should your restaurant go green? Besides the obvious marketing benefit and the equally important task of saving the environment, there is also the cost benefit. While it is true that most energy star rated restaurant equipment and restaurant equipment that uses green manufacturing techniques may cost a little more in the short term the long term pay off can be a huge savings for your business.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, an entire kitchen that uses energy star rated restaurant equipment can save operators roughly $2500 per year in electricity alone. This saving isn’t just limited to electricity costs as an energy star steam cooker. So just buy purchasing energy star rated restaurant equipment, you’re instantly seeing a reduced cost of doing business. Who can’t get on board with that?

The upfront cost of energy star rated restaurant equipment can also be reduced as there are many government programs and energy provider rebates taking place that either offer a tax credit or cash back. Often times these programs can reduce the cost of a piece of equipment to almost the same cost as the non-energy star equivalent

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Food Safety Starts by Avoiding Personal Hygiene “Don’ts”

Sep 1

Posted by true-restaurant-equipment in Food Safety, Restaurant Supply | Comments off

Food safety is the responsibility of every employee and starts with some very simple personal hygiene “dos” and “don’ts”.

  1. Employees should keep their finger nails trimmed neat and left unpolished – nail polish can hide dirt underneath the finger nails or flake off in to food.  Long or jagged nails are difficult to clean and can trap harmful illness-causing microorganisms
  2. Cuts or burns should be covered by a secure bandage – Cuts on the hand are a potential source of harmful contaminants and need to be covered by a bandage and then covered with a single use glove to prevent the bandage from falling off into food
  3. Single use gloves are for single use – Single use gloves are designed to be used for one food prep task and then discarded. Hands should be thoroughly washed before putting on a new pair gloves
  4. Don’t eat or smoke while handling food – Not only is this unsightly to patrons that may glance into the food prep area, it is also unsanitary. Chewing tobacco and gum can contaminate food as well. So food handlers need to limit these activities to their break.
  5. Aprons should be removed when cleaning the working area or taking out the trash
  6. Food handlers should not be allowed to work when they are sick

Controlling bad food handler habits and keeping your restaurant equipment clean, will go a long way toward having a healthy operation. By having your staff follow these simple dos and don’ts, they can make proper choices instead of falling into bad habits that will have the potential to make your patrons ill and generate bad publicity.

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Smoking Pots Can Kill

Aug 31

Posted by true-restaurant-equipment in Restaurant Equipment, Restaurant Supply, Stainless Steel | Comments off

Non-stick pots and pans may seem like a good idea when first looking to purchase a new pot or pan, but there is anecdotal evidence showing that when non-stick surfaces are heated to higher temperatures that they can produce a toxins in the form of smoke. However, as with most things in life, if they are used properly and in good condition these pots and pans are safe for humans.

 

There are several metals on the market that are toxic and should be kept out of contact with food, this is even more of a concern for those foods that are acidic in nature like fruit and tomato products as these types of food can cause the metal toxins to leach into food. Pewter and lead based toxins can cause nerve damage in humans with young children being more at risk than adults.

 

While copper may be an excellent conductor for heat but can also cause symptoms that closely resemble arsenic poisoning. In fact, most copper cooking pans are lined with a stainless steel or a tin to prevent copper toxin from leaching into food. Galvanized metals are another type of metal that should be avoided. To prevent rusting, galvanized metals contain a high amount of zinc which can cause hemolytic anemia.

 

When choosing restaurant supplies for your kitchen it is best to stay with food grade pans made from proven materials like stainless steel, Pyrex, plastic, and aluminum.

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Maintaining Your Stainless Steel Restaurant Equipment

Aug 30

Posted by true-restaurant-equipment in Restaurant Equipment, Stainless Steel | Comments off

Stainless steel, it’s used in practically every piece of restaurant equipment on the market today. Unlike other materials that may leech contaminants into food, stainless steel is held up as the shining example of purity in food quality in restaurant equipment. However, while this modern wonder boasts a relatively maintenance free care guide there are still dos and don’ts when it comes to upkeep on your stainless steel restaurant equipment.

 

Despite what you may have heard, or think you know, about stainless steel it IS susceptible to rusting. It just isn’t as susceptible to rusting as other metals. Just like any metal, rusting is caused by the standard culprits: mechanical abrasion, deposits & water, and chlorides.

 

By following a simple set of cleaning instructions you can ensure that your restaurant equipment will have every chance of lasting for a very long time.

 

1. Never use a steel wool to clean stainless steel, you’ll actually do more harm than good (go back and read the first cause of corrosion – mechanical abrasion). Use only plastic pads or pads approved for stainless steel.

2. When you must use chlorinated detergents be sure to read the equipment manufactures directions for using chlorides and be sure to thoroughly rinse off any cleaning agents once you are finished cleaning. Use a fresh rag when wiping down the equipment after cleaning, if you use the towel that you were using with the chlorinated detergent all you’ll end up doing is spreading around the chlorinated residue instead of removing it.

3. Never leave dirty rags or other foreign matter in a stainless steel sink bowl or other piece of restaurant equipment. A damp rag or worse a chlorinated one, will cause rust to form on your equipment.

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