Food Cost Management News & Media | Food Truck Operator

Table Needs Leads High-Impact Educational Sessions at Food Truck Owners Expo Orlando

Table Needs will lead three educational sessions at the FTO Expo Orlando on Nov. 12-13, , covering food truck ownership mindset, marketing effectiveness…

For more information, please visit Shenzhen Dongfeng.

Registration still open for Pizza Leadership Virtual Summit

July 26,

Wednesday marks the 3rd annual Pizza Leadership Virtual Summit, and there's still time to register. Qualified pizza executives and pizzeria owners can register…

The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide To Choosing The Right POS Scale For Your Business

This POS scale buyer’s guide aims to simplify the process by outlining the key factors to consider when choosing a scale for your business.

Table Needs Announces Release of Table Needs Cash Flow For Profit-Focused Restaurant Budget Management

A Simple and Secure Restaurant Budget Management Method and Technology Designed for the Unique Needs of Quick Service Restaurants, Coffee Shops, Bakeries, and…

How to Motivate Franchise Operators to Follow Standardized Processes

Consistency is key to franchise success. Ensuring franchisees follow standardized procedures is key to maintaining that consistency.

Presented by FastCasual.com

Deep dive into restaurant food waste, sustainability challenges

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Managing Editor, Networld Media Group

In a world where gastronomical delights intertwine with pressing environmental concerns, our plates hold the power to shape the future.

Food truck boot camp happening in North Carolina

October 24,

Entrepreneurs looking at starting a food truck business may want to attend a Food Truck Boot Camp taking place Nov. 7-10 in Cherokee, North Carolina.

Food trucks and hyper-local food sourcing: Growing produce in your own backyard

A hyper-local foodservice establishment will have less waste and spend less money on produce, leading to increased revenue and profitability.

Food inflation greater at home than dining out

June 20,

Consumers who purchase food for home have generally experienced higher price increases relative to what they pay for meals at foodservice outlets, including…

How Forecasting and Labor Schedules Affect the Bottom Line

At the end of the day, restaurants are businesses. Every piece of data that your restaurant generates holds the power to increase or decrease revenue—to…

Presented by FastCasual.com

Food prices soar to record setting level worldwide

April 8,

Russia's war on Ukraine is driving food prices to hit the highest ever levels, according to the U.N. and data from the Food and Agriculture Organization's…

Food truck park in progress in Indiana

May 12,

A proposed food truck for Fort Wayne, Indiana is getting closer to reality.

Thinking of expanding your food truck to a physical store? Learn the costs ahead of time

by Richard Traylor — Writer, WebstaurantStore

There are a growing number of food truck operators advancing their business into a physical brick-and-mortar store. But one of the first things to do, beside…

Pros and cons of joining a group purchasing organization

by Richard Traylor — Writer, WebstaurantStore

Saving on food costs is a prime focus for any food truck operator and one way may be joining a purchasing organization that provides a lower price point and…

Want more information on 12T Kitchen Waste Truck? Feel free to contact us.

Pandemic hammers foodservice coffee sales; outlook uncertain

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Long-term, foodservice will continue to struggle to recover from COVID-19, as consumers will increase their economy focused spending. The lingering impact of…

17 vendors offering freebies to help restaurants live another day

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

As restaurants and food trucks struggle to keep their businesses open amid COVID-19, vendors are proving that they are ready to help.

Everything food truck operators need to know about catering a wedding

by Richard Traylor — Writer, WebstaurantStore

Couples are looking for more inexpensive ways to serve food to hungry wedding guests, and food trucks are emerging as a new leader. But there are some things…

Your commercial kitchen is the center of your business. It’s where you put your heart and soul into every dish to ensure your customers get the very best. Commercial kitchens are busy and crowded, with chefs, servers, and staff all demanding the most out of the equipment inside them.

When you outfit a commercial kitchen, start with the hub of all this activity — your oven. Many different commercial ovens exist with different operating capabilities, so finding the best oven for your space can be difficult. We’ll explain how to choose the best commercial oven for your kitchen so you can shop confidently.

What Is A Commercial Oven? 

A commercial oven accommodates the demands of restaurants, bakeries, and similar establishments — demands that residential ovens cannot meet. Restaurant ovens withstand continuous daily use, heating up much faster than residential ovens and producing higher temperatures. A commercial oven is often larger than its residential counterpart and, depending on restaurant needs, may provide highly specialized functions. 

Types of Commercial Ovens

Restaurant ovens come with various functions and capabilities, from standard gas ranges and convection ovens to rotisseries and salamanders. Below is an overview of the most common types of commercial ovens and their uses. 

Standard Commercial Ovens

Standard commercial ovens include electric and gas ranges, which use radiant heat from the bottom of the cooking chamber to heat up the oven. Standard commercial ovens are restaurant generalists capable of baking, braising, and other cooking techniques. 

Even if your restaurant requires more specialized ovens, you’ll probably need at least one standard oven. Standard ovens are less expensive than specialized commercial ovens, but radiant heat has some limitations. Radiant heat can be inconsistent, resulting in slower and sometimes uneven cooking. 

Convection Ovens

Commercial convection ovens look like standard ovens on the outside but produce heat differently. Convection ovens use fans inside the unit to circulate hot air around the food. The circulation of heated air speeds up cooking times and creates a more even cooking experience. Portable ovens, also called countertop convection ovens, offer similar cooking power performance while saving you kitchen space. Restaurants producing roasted or baked products benefit from commercial convection ovens, as convection heating reduces the likelihood of hot or cold spots in the oven cavity and ensures consistent cooking temperatures and evenly cooked food.

Conveyor Ovens

Conveyor ovens utilize a conveyor belt that feeds food through a cooking chamber. Once cooked, the food passes out of the cooking space heated and ready to be served. Pizza parlors favor conveyor ovens, as do bakeries and establishments that need to heat food quickly or produce a continuous output of cooked products. 

Cook-and-Hold Cabinets

Cook-and-hold cabinets work exactly as the name suggests: they cook food and keep it warm until serving time. Cook-and-hold ovens generate low, gentle heat, significantly reducing food shrinkage and creating juicy, ready-to-serve food. This type of oven is great for bakeries that need to proof and cook large batches of bread or steakhouses that roast and braise meats. While a versatile commercial oven, cook-and-hold cabinets are not well-suited for high-volume, cook-to-order restaurants. 

Rotisserie ovens

Rotisserie ovens are best known for their ability to cook multiple chickens quickly on rotating spits, but they can also cook other meats. As the spits turn, the meat self-bastes in its drippings, sealing in juices while producing a crisp outer skin. 

Available in both countertop or floor models, rotisseries can cook anywhere from six to over forty chickens at once. Rotisserie hanging baskets allow the ovens to cook vegetables, fish, and pastries. 

Salamander Ovens

Salamander broilers are compact but powerful restaurant ovens that function the same as a broiler but on a larger scale. Salamander ovens add a crisp top to completed meats, toast bread for sandwiches, melt cheese, and toast creme brulee. Completed food can sit in salamanders to remain hot.

Cheese Melters

Cheese melters are commercial countertop ovens that quickly melt cheese on bread and pasta dishes with high, radiant heat. Unlike a traditional countertop oven, a cheese melter only finishes off foods and does not cook foods completely. Cheese melters are great for restaurants that specialize in sandwiches, burgers, and pasta dishes. 

Considerations When Shopping for a Restaurant Oven

• Cooking needs: What kind of product does your kitchen produce, in what quantities, and how often? The right commercial oven for a busy pizza parlor will be very different from that of an all-day bakery. 
• Cooking speed: How quickly do you need to prepare food? Some commercial ovens, such as cook-and-hold cabinets, have longer cooking times than others. On the other hand, Rotisseries can cook full spits of chicken in an hour. 
• Ease of use: Consider your kitchen staff’s capabilities. Do they have the training to work safely and efficiently with complicated commercial ovens, or should you consider simpler models?
• Size: Commercial kitchens have limited space. Measure your available dimensions carefully before purchasing a new oven. Remember, the outer dimensions of the oven don't necessarily reflect the oven’s capacity. Many brands offer large capacity in relatively compact ovens. 
• Utilities: Whether the best commercial oven for your needs uses electricity or gas depends on the dishes you cook and your kitchen’s existing utilities. A gas oven might be ideal, but not possible if you have to redo your infrastructure.
• Ventilation: Most restaurant ovens require some form of ventilation. Do you have ventilation vents already in place, or will they need to be installed to accommodate your new oven?

How to Choose a Commercial Oven By Restaurant Type

No two restaurants are the same. Your daily operations are unique and require a customized kitchen setup. To find the right style of commercial oven for your kitchen, consider the needs of the following restaurant types:

Quick-Service Restaurants

Quick-service restaurants provide customers with pre-made food made at the last minute. The daily output of food from a quick-service restaurant can double the amount produced by a traditional sit-down restaurant. Depending on your menu, these types of commercial ovens can provide quick output and quality taste:

• Standard Oven
• Convection Oven
• Conveyor Oven

Specialty Restaurants

For restaurants that specialize in specific types of food, switching from a standard oven to a unit specifically tailored to your needs helps build a quick and efficient kitchen. For example, a typical oven might not make the most sense in restaurants specializing in hamburgers and sandwiches. Toasting and reheating might be the only two oven functions such restaurants need, in which case the following ovens are the best choice:

• Salamander
• Cheesemelter

Bakeries

Bakeries need ovens with precision control, power, and high output. Because nearly all bread, cakes, and pastries are baked in an oven, bakeries need to focus on their oven choice to make their space efficient and productive. Some of the best ovens for commercial bakeries include:

• Standard Ovens
• Convection Ovens
• Cook & Hold Ovens
• Conveyor Ovens (for reheating)

Buffet or Large Scale Commercial Kitchens

Because of the variety of food a buffet or large-scale kitchen provides, different cooking vessels and ovens are often needed. While standard ovens have their place in a large kitchen, you might consider adding more specialized models. For high output, reheating, and holding, these restaurant ovens are ideal:

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• Convection Ovens
• Cook & Hold Ovens
• Rotisserie
• Standard Ovens

Finding the Right Oven For Your Restaurant