MORE POWER, MORE POWER

In our “supersize me” culture, the natural inclination to more-is-better ill-serves us in commercial kitchen equipment purchasing choices. When it comes to gas cooking appliances, btu’s and recovery figures are akin to the horsepower and torque numbers in automobile selection. You need both, and more of each is generally more better, if your volume requirements dictate it.

Years ago, I was asked to cost justify food service equipment’s value based on a cost per pound of the appliance. This was as invalid a measure of its worth as is a simple measure of the btu load is.

The rest of the story is that with modern equipment, engineers have been able of late to squeeze more efficiencies out of every btu input. This is important because it requires less fuel to cook the same the amount of food, and where’s there’s greater fuel efficiency, there’s also lower flue temperatures and the resultant lower air handling (hood and HVAC) requirements. These combined, of course, will contribute to a greener footprint and lower overall costs, and greater throughput in the kitchen with less real estate and asset usage.

Many of the latest technological advances rely on simple recirculation of the products of combustion, re-firing them and/or using heat exchangers to maximize the potential energy contained within. This is something that Ben Franklin was attempting to popularize with his famous Franklin Stove. Other innovations contributing to productivity gains in commercial appliances center on technology. Better and more accurate controls with narrower differentials (the band of temperature between cycle on and cycle off) keep the equipment closer to the cooking temperature setting. In addition, the latest models will have lower “burner on” times, even at lower btu’s! Having the appliance at-the-ready equates to faster recoveries and more production capacity for fuel (and fuel dollars) spent.

Energy Star designations can be a good place to begin understanding the efficiency of commercial food service equipment. In many instances, rebate dollars from local utilities are available to more than offset the slightly higher initial cost of energy efficient units.

Like most areas in life, this is a pay me now or pay me later scenario. The total cost of ownership should always be considered, and right now the equation is happily slanted towards better-producing equipment and away from commodity (read “cheap”) purchases. Don’t let btu input be your only judge of appliance capacity.

As Founding Father and stove engineer Ben Franklin said: “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten”.

Disconnections

Have you ever noticed that technology can sometimes impede progress?  I recall back in the 80’s, when banks were first implementing their electronic marvels, that the queues seemed to be getting longer and moving slower. 

In foodservice we’ve computerized our equipment, added e-commerce, reservations on-line, IPad wine lists,  installed turbo-cookers, combi’s, and blast chillers, POS, and dupe printers, and we are still having the same old problems of getting the food out, at temperature, in a timely fashion.  What gives?

There’s a disconnect between the kitchen and the front of the house.  There’s a disconnect between the E&S specialist and the chef.  With all of the sundry modern means of communications available, we do little real communicating.

Good business (AKA “selling”) is simply finding out what somebody wants and helping them to get it.  Whether you’re a waitron or a DSR it’s all the same process, and it is noble.  In foodservice, and in the greater sphere of the hospitality industry, we are all engaged in satisfying our client’s needs.  That is why there’s no such term as “standard” in what we do.  We can no more shoe-horn a flight-type dishmachine into a luncheonette than can you expect to get chateaubriand at a bowling alley. 

Listening to our patrons is only the beginning; hearing what the other person is actually saying is the often neglected critical component.  Countless hours spent networking will be wasted if we haven’t fostered relationships with the folks that we’ve met.  People buy from people, as the sales adage goes.  We must embrace technology, but not for technology’s sake. 

Who among us hasn’t worked a tradeshow with attendees and vendors avoiding eye-contact?  Have you noticed any service staff hiding from and ignoring dining patrons?  Are you aware of any suppliers that assume that they know what you need before asking any questions and listening to the answers?  We can’t afford to hide behind our computer terminals, emailing and texting all day long.

Connecting with our clients, co-workers and suppliers is paramount.  Technology can greatly assist in (or hinder) the effort.  SocMed sites keep us in touch with those that are important to us.  POS systems can quickly communicate patron’s desires. Smart phones can rolodex everyone you’ve ever encountered.  The real challenge then is to create a meaningful dialogue with the folks that matter most in our lives. 

The restaurentrepreneur who reconnects the various players will reap the rewards.  The supplier who constantly learns from his clients will have his efforts pay dividends.

Connecting with people is what good hospitality is all about. Occasionally disconnecting from our electronic devices might be a good place to start.