Inside Foodservice: The Future of the Commercial Kitchen
Back in the 1950s, America was fascinated by the home of the future. Publications like Look and Life magazines would regularly profile the yet-to-be designed and built kitchens of the 1990s and 2000s. Fully automated kitchens had push-button controls and appliances that made cooking and baking so easy you could set it, forget it and go off and enjoy yourself. Some of these kitchens even had equipment that could cook a meal in a matter of minutes.
Most of these designs look like they’re from the set of the old "Star Trek" show. But for all the gadgets, gimmicks and seemingly impossible features of the future, by today's standards the wonders of tomorrow are rather outdated.
Well into the second decade of the 21st century, people no longer spend much time wondering what the future household or kitchen will be like. It's not because we aren't as imaginative as we were in the past, it’s because the future is all around us. It’s happening today, tomorrow and the next day.Innovation is moving that fast.
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Facility Design and Decor
Every sector of the food industry has its own unique set of challenges. From the outside, many people tend to think these revolve around food; after all, that’s the business we’re in. But we all know restaurant owners need to do far more than maintain an exciting menu or source the right ingredients. Finances, marketing, permits and managing multiple relationships with vendors, customers and employees are the realities of this business.
Many of the challenge’s restaurants deal with are multiplied in a cafeteria setting. Anyone who’s worked in a school cafeteria — or gone through the line, for that matter — knows there is always the possibility of a food fight or some reckless kid breaking down and causing a scene. At the same time, you’re working under strict nutritional guidelines and budget constraints.
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Eco-Friendly Tips
The Environment Benefits When You Use Bamboo Tableware
The Environment Benefits When You Use Bamboo Tableware
Environmental responsibility has swept the nation. From large-scale corporations planning their next convention or board meeting to the individual small-scale client, people are searching for new ways to incorporate earth-friendly products and services into their venues. For caterers, this means finding the most cost-effective way to meet the public’s ever-growing “going green” demands.
Superior has an ecologically sound line of disposable bamboo plates, bamboo serving boats, bamboo skewers and catering supplies that are as practical as they are beautiful. Bamboo, the fastest growing plant on earth at a rate of 24-36” every twenty-four hours, is 16% harder than maple and is naturally ECO-friendly and biodegradable…and because bamboo is sustainable and can be grown without any pesticides of chemicals, it decomposes completely without any pollutants. Bamboo is also naturally anti-microbial. Its natural resistance to mildew and mold can be helpful in environments where there is a lot of moisture. Because bamboo also happens to be an effective insulator, items made of bamboo–such as Superior’s bamboo serving canoes, bamboo cone, bamboo skewers and bamboo bowls–will keep your hot foods hot and your cold foods cold.
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Product Spotlights
New machine turns food waste into compost! The new Compostapack food waste composting system.Food packaging appliance specialist Enterpack has made its first foray into catering equipment with the launch of the Compostapack food waste composting system.
The system processes food scraps, meat products, peelings, fish waste, soft bones, and most other left-over foods, as well as compostable cardboard and food packaging, turning everything into nutrient-rich compost in an estimated 24 hours.
If the packaging and cardboard content is high it may be necessary to add moisture, as the microbes need a balanced diet.
The unit is installed at the food waste source, which should eliminate the need for transportation and help reduce the carbon footprint.
The system comprises a main composting unit, where the chamber has internal rotating arms that mix the compost, with airflow being introduced via a ventilation fan.
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Culinary Essentials:The Right Tools for the Trade
Buffet Chafer Set Up
Whether just starting out or a veteran in the catering industry, buying large goods can be a daunting task. We have assembled a list of supplies and cost-saving insights to gather the elements needed to get a new venture running or an old refreshed.
Equipment
The basic equipment components include oven, stove, refrigerator, freezer. What type will be right for you depends on the size of your kitchen and your business goals.
Countertop cooking and undercounter cooling devices work well for small ventures, as they allow for the use of all available space.
Combination equipment, such as an oven/range or refrigerator/freezer, fulfill the need to save room, but also allot further storage.
For larger endeavors, standalone options give you the most operational area, allowing more can be completed at once.
Countertop appliances are great for on-the-go and often come in a variety of configurations.
Smallwares
There are two main types of necessary smallwares - Kitchen Supplies and Guest Service. Getting these from a one-stop-shop retailer will save both time and money.
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Serve Success: Food Trends
All About Tacos: What Fuels America's Love for Tacos?And why are they all the rage on social media? Beluga caviar, pâté de foie gras, white truffles, oysters — these are the hallmarks of luxury in the culinary world. But if forced to choose between a delicate plate that combines any of these ingredients and a well-made taco, most Americans would rightly choose the taco.
The origins of this king of handheld street foods are shrouded in mystery. Writing for the Smithsonian Magazine, Katy June Friesen speculates the taco first appeared in Mexican silver mines in the 18th century. It was a food that workers could easily carry from their homes to the mines. The tacos these laborers ate several hundred years ago, however, had only a passing resemblance to what we eat today. Likely they were little more than corn tortillas and beans. But just as the beans Jack planted in the fairy tale grew into something enormous, the beans in those first mythic tacos were the beginning of what would become an international sensation.
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