Many restaurants look to the summer season full of holidays, festivals, and community events as some of the biggest and busiest food days of the year. Taking full advantage of community activities during outdoor concerts, holiday celebrations, and cultural fairs means being prepared with food prep practices that are safe and provide ample labor savings.
Blast chillers preserve the quality of food products and allow restaurants to plan ahead, buy in bulk, batch cook, and prep items days before a major holiday. By having chill settings automate the process of keeping food safe by keeping it out of the danger zone, labor is saved and food is preserved.
Using a blast chiller to prep also helps prevent food from developing unpleasant odors, tastes, and textures. That's because the ice crystals that form when blast chilling are smaller than when sending food straight to a traditional freezer. Also, using a blast chiller can prevent cooked items from losing up to 8 percent of their yield, and with liquids, up to 15 percent of evaporation losses can be avoided. Helping reduce food costs and food waste. A win, win!
By preparing bakery items, salads, fruit dishes, and marinated proteins in advance and then blast chilling a few days prior, foodservice businesses can be ready for outdoor events and meals. It's also possible to blast chill drinks for those events where there will be plenty of adult drinks served.
Even the holiday of Father's Day, which is often overlooked by foodservice business owners, can be capitalized on. When it comes to the busiest restaurant-profitable holidays, Father's Day ranks third after Mother's Day and Valentine's Day. Yet, sometimes this holiday remains somewhat of a mystery to restaurateurs.
Steakhouses, eateries with breweries, and barbecue restaurants come to mind when many think of Dad's favorite dining experiences. But restaurants of all price ranges and varieties see meaningful profit gains on Father's Day.
According to Forbes Magazine, the 3 biggest challenges facing restaurateurs today are labor shortages, higher food prices, and non-local food supply chain delays. A blast chiller helps with labor challenges by using automation to quickly move food through the danger zone between 140°F and 40°F.
By prepping and chilling food safely and quickly, restaurants can cook and/or serve those foods later which comes in handy during the busy summer months. It also allows for those summer fruits and vegetables to be purchased in bulk and served at a later date. Buying seasonal and local food products offers the best flavor and recipe options for restaurant owners. But, without a blast chiller, many types of produce can spoil very quickly in the summer heat.
Having a blast chiller at your restaurant for summer events and holidays can help your commercial kitchen prep in advance, save on labor, serve meals quicker, and save money. All reasons to celebrate and help your guests enjoy their time in the sun.