As with any equipment, it’s important to consider a range of factors
IT’S vital to have the right equipment in place ahead of the busy festive season, and nowhere is this truer than in the kitchen.
With staff parties and groups of friends looking to eat in licensed premises demand for food could be high in the coming weeks.
And it will be important that any equipment in the kitchen is able to keep up with what’s required of it.
When it comes to choosing a microwave it will all come down to selecting the right tool for the job, according to Ray Hall, managing director of RH Hall.
Hall said that, prior to choosing a unit, licensees should consider their festive menu and which tasks they want their microwave to perform.
“If the microwave is to be used mainly for simple reheating and defrosting of foods then a straightforward commercial microwave will suffice,” said Hall.
“However, if you wish to reheat and cook food products then a combination microwave oven is well advised.
“Items such as pastry will become soggy if reheated in an ordinary microwave, whereas using a combination microwave the crisp, golden brown and conventional finished result will be achieved in microwave time.”
Wattage is another important factor to consider, according to Hall.
Again, the usage will help to dictate which type of machine is best for your purposes.
While it is essential to choose a microwave that is sufficiently powerful, it’s equally important that the unit isn’t too powerful.
Too high a wattage and there’s a chance the unit could damage the food while it’s being heated.
“Whilst it is common for caterers to choose speed (the higher the output the faster reheat times), it is also very important to understand that for some food products too much speed will destroy smaller portions of food or the delicate and sugary types of products,” said Hall.
Finally, licensees should ensure they stick to commercial models, as domestic microwaves are not designed to stand up to the rigours of a commercial kitchen, according to Hall.
