Is Your Kitchen Equipment Ready for National Hamburger Month?
May 16, 2018Restaurants can always use a fun and playful way to bring in new customers.
Did you know that May is National Hamburger Month? Why not use that fact as an entertaining way to bring in new customers? You can offer a special promotion on a hamburger, or feature other dishes on your menu that will remind customers of hamburgers. Of course, you need to make sure your kitchen equipment is ready before you feature the promotion.
Flat Top Commercial Grills: The Key Kitchen Equipment for Burgers
The first step to making a great burger is having the right commercial grill for the job. If you’re like many restaurants, your flat-top gets a lot of use for a lot of different food. How do you keep yours in top shape?
First, of course, is a thorough cleaning routine. Have you noticed any of the following issues?
- Food sticks to the grill
- Your food isn’t cooking evenly
- There’s flavor transfer between foods
- You have grease buildup or flakes of oil on food
These aren’t the inevitable results of a well-used flat top. All of these problems can be prevented with a deep clean. Of course, be sure you know what your kitchen equipment is made of – don’t use abrasives on chrome!
For a traditional stainless steel grill, scrap the surface clean while the flat-top is hot. Use warm water to boil off grease buildup, and carefully scour the surface using a griddle screen and scrubbing pad. Rinse and wipe clean!
For chrome, follow the same steps except scrub with a palmetto brush instead of scouring. When you’re finished, polish and wipe clean.
Keeping your kitchen equipment sparkling clean will help you make the best burgers around – and National Hamburger Month is the perfect time to show that off!
Kitchen Fryers – What’s Burger Without Fries?
With your grill in tip-top shape, there’s one more piece of kitchen equipment that needs to be attended to. That’s your fryer!
Whether you choose to serve frites and seasoned aioli or good ‘ol fries and ketchup, you need to make sure your fryer is in excellent working order at all times. Again, that has a lot to do with regular cleaning.
Fry baskets should be cleaned daily, and the exterior of the fryer should be wiped down ever day as well. This helps prevent excess oil buildup, and keeps the oil from causing slick spots on the floor.
Any time you change and filter oil, the heating elements should be cleaned as well. Simply brush them clean, and get the food particles off the walls of the fryer also. This will help ensure you get even heating and don’t have any flavor transfer.
Every few months, a fryer should be boiled out with warm water and commercial degreaser. Scrub the fryer with a long-handled soft brush, and let simmer for an hour. Drain and rinse, then dry before refilling.
Getting the Maintenance You Need
Finally, be sure your grills, fryers, and other equipment get the maintenance they need to stay in top shape.
For your flat-top, make sure that the griddle is level. If the floor has settled or the grill has been moved, you may need to re-level the piece for proper use. Levelers are easy to use and are found on the legs or casters.
You should also inspect for cracks or separations in the grill plates. If you see hanging residue at the backsplash, you want to correct the separation. Usually welding can fix the problem. Finally, make sure ventilation is correct and drafts aren’t affecting operation, especially if the grill has been moved from its original location.
For fryers, check the entire machine at least once a year. Make sure fittings are tight and look for leaks. Notice if any parts are broken or worn, and make sure they get replaced. Your owner’s manual will give you additional information about annual inspections.
Get Your Grill Ready Today!
If your grill is old or worn out, it may be time for new kitchen equipment. We would love to help. We have a variety of new and high-quality used equipment available, and we can help you find exactly what you need. Contact us for pricing and availability today!
Common Mistakes Made in the Kitchen
We love watching the different food and cooking equipment on the Food Network. Everything looks delicious, and the chefs are cooking and talking at the same time, making it seem effortless. A close up of the moist, savory meal pans across the screen. That show sparked...
Repurposing Old Restaurant Supplies
Are you looking for ways to repurpose your old restaurant equipment and supplies? Well we have 4 DIY projects to give your old restaurant supplies new life. Your New Spice Rack For this you’ll need an old pizza pan or baking pan, double-sided magnets, shakers, and...
Restaurant Equipment In Your Home?
Are you someone who does research on everything you buy? You want to purchase items that are going to last a lifetime, and you don’t mind spending a little extra for it to last the long run. That isn’t being ridiculous, that’s being smart! So buying the best lifetime...
Did Food Service Equipment Affect Your Life?
As a child, we did many things that we look back on that just makes us cover our face and shake our head. Eating mud, sticking paper clips in power sockets, and so many other poor decisions. But those are some of the memories that made us who we are. We hope you would...
Cleaning Your Home Kitchen Equipment
Trying to find a more natural way of cleaning your kitchen equipment? This includes your oven, your stovetop, your refrigerator, and basically anything that either holds your food or cooks your food. You might even have self-cleaning appliances, but you’re not so...
6 Equipment Buying Tips Every Restaurant Owner Needs to Know
If you own a restaurant, knowing how to purchase the right equipment is one of the key ingredients to the success of your company. Here’s a bit of advice to help you become a purchasing pro: Our 6 Restaurant Equipment Buying Tips 1. Consider your current situation and...
Don’t Buy a Commercial Refrigerator Before Considering These 4 Things
A commercial refrigerator is an equipment staple of every restaurant. There are several things to consider when acquiring a commercial refrigerator for your kitchen. When searching for the correct type of unit, here are four things to consider to help you choose the...
5 Ways to Get the Most out of Your Dishwasher
Dishwashers are an incredibly helpful timesaver, and in the fast-paced restaurant industry, staff and managers are desperate for even a small amount of extra time. Although simply putting dishes into a machine seems simple, if your dishwasher is not well-maintained...
How to Keep Having Fun while Running your Restaurant
Restaurant owners typically have a passion for cuisine. Opening and running a restaurant is exciting, providing the opportunity to fully explore and develop your vision. However, if you have been in the restaurant business for any length of time, you know that it is...
3 Great Reasons to Maintain Your Restaurant Equipment
As the owner of a restaurant, you want a healthy and clean business. In the hustle of everyday restaurant management, it can be easy to forget to take care of issues that don’t seem as pressing as the customer complaining that they got the wrong order or that their...
Avoid Surprises During an Appraisal of Your Restaurant Equipment
When it comes to time for your restaurant equipment to be appraised, confusion can set in. For the purpose of the appraisal, personal goods are given value, but goods that are classified as ‘real goods’ are considered part of the real estate or the building structure...
Essentials of Cleaning and Preventative Maintenance for Your Restaurant Equipment
When it comes to your restaurant equipment, regular cleaning and maintenance is essential for making sure your equipment lasts for years to come. And it isn’t simply a matter of making your food processors and commercial mixers more efficient. There are considerable...
3 Tips for Maintaining Your Commercial Oven
As a restaurant owner, buying a commercial oven is an enormous investment. You will desperately want this oven to work properly and you need to make sure it does. You are responsible for your restaurant business. But what if your commercial oven stops working on the...
5 Steps to Cutting Food Waste from Your Kitchen
Food waste is a problem around the world. Taking steps to prevent food waste in your kitchen doesn’t just make your restaurant more morally strong; it can also help you save money on ingredients and attract more customers. Here are some steps you can take to reduce...
Planning Your Equipment Needs When Your Restaurant is Expanding
Your restaurant is doing great, guests are coming in, and they’re spreading the word about the culinary masterpieces your restaurant offers, as well as the exceptional service that is provided by the kitchen equipment and staff. But with all the new business, you’ve...