Comments from Michael Joslin, director of kitchen design house Marlin Catering Solutions Ltd.
Should caterers be making continual efforts to reduce their energy use?
The cost of green technologies has come down significantly in the past five years, while energy costs are rising, and more and more people are making the switch. Even so, a lot of people in the catering industry still don’t really fully understand why it’s important to their business to use sustainable, energy-saving equipment. Take induction vs. gas. Gas is inefficient: up 90% of the money a caterer spends on keeping a gas flame alight under the pan is wasted – it disappears up the extraction. Switching to a more energy efficient system, such as induction, not only helps the environment but reduces your outgoings, too.
After initial behavioural changes such as switching lights off, what can hotels do to step up their energy saving actions?
We all know that during service no chef lights a gas ring each time he needs to use it, it’s already on, even when nothing is cooking. Hotels can save energy, and make the kitchen work more efficiently, by simply putting a countertop one-pan induction plate on the starter section, or garde manger. This means that the chef running that section is able to heat soup and sauce without keeping a gas ring on, having to run around to the main cookline, or troubling staff on the sauce section. It’s a flexible solution, too, since the induction plate can be moved anywhere where there is a small counter top and a plug socket. What’s more, it won’t require its own extractor.
If chefs are not able to influence energy saving at the design stage of a kitchen, what can they do to cut carbon and costs during the running of a kitchen?
There are obvious changes, such as don’t leave equipment like hobs on if they’re not being used. It pays to take a holistic approach to the kitchen – look at every area of operation. Ideally, call in experts and get their advice. The way equipment is operated has a huge impact on energy consumption. Minor operational changes in how fryers, fridges, combis, warewashers and ovens are used can make significant savings, not only in energy but also other consumables such as oil. Slow cooking overnight not only makes use of lower cost electricity, it also frees up equipment in the morning.
Chefs thinking about a change of equipment should always consider the capital outlay versus money saving and impact on the environment. They may find it’s more appropriate to upgrade existing equipment or, by taking into account the other resources in the kitchen, simply change an existing operating practice. By thinking about the kitchen as a whole, they may find they already have the solution to their problem.
Should chefs be closely monitoring their energy use and if so, how often?
Hotels that who are serious about energy saving need to be aware not only of how much energy they are using but also which equipment is more or less energy efficient. Once they have that information they can look at making changes to their menu and practices to reduce energy costs.
How can the right catering equipment help hotels cut electricity, gas and water use?
If equipment needs replacing, upgrade to energy-saving models. For example, if the dishwasher breaks down and is not economically viable to repair, replace it with a machine fitted with an energy-saving device such as a heat exchanger. These reuse the steam given off from the cleaning cycle to reheat the fresh, cold water going into the machine, significantly reducing energy bills. They are slightly more expensive, but they more than pay this additional cost back in savings on the electricity bill. It’s all about cost versus reward.
Please include any other comments that you feel our readers will be interested in.
Every kitchen will need an extraction system and they use a lot of power. It’s generally the first thing turned on and the last thing turned off, every day. With the laws on having extraction and interlock safety systems getting tighter, they have become even more expensive. There’s now the option to make extraction systems greener and less costly by using heat exchangers. During cooler months these use the heat contained in the extracted fumes, which is normally pumped outside, to warm the air that is drawn into the kitchen. This helps maintain and regulate kitchen temperatures and avoids the need for expensive, inefficient heater batteries.
Please include a definitive website address where readers can go for more info on your company.
www.marlin-cs.com
Marlin Catering Solutions delivers a complete kitchen design service, from consultation and advice to supply and installation. The company also offers maintenance contracts, training, demonstrations and deep cleaning. For more information check out the Marlin website, marlin-cs.com.