As a foodservice professional, you've likely heard about blast chillers. But you might wonder, "Why does my commercial kitchen need one?" It's a common question, and for good reason. Blast chillers aren't just another appliance – they're game-changers for commercial kitchens of all types.
Whether running a busy restaurant, managing a school cafeteria, or overseeing a hospital kitchen, a commercial blast chiller can revolutionize operations. Let's talk about seven compelling reasons why kitchens need this powerhouse appliance.
Every commercial kitchen has to be smart about labor. Can kitchen staff do everything needed, even if labor shortages occur? The answer is yes! Blast chillers can save on labor costs in multiple ways, including allowing food like soups to cool to a safe temperature without manual assistance.
As food cost increases, keeping budgets in line is essential in every commercial kitchen. One way to do that is to reduce food cost. Blast chillers allow restaurants and commissaries to cut back on extra food costs without impacting production. By keeping refrigerated food fresher longer, kitchens can use food that otherwise might have gone bad, saving money on having to replace those products.
A blast chiller allows commercial kitchens to prepare items before their busiest times and expands menu options through batch cooking. By creating dishes during downtimes, holding them at a safe temperature, and finishing them on demand another time, the blast chiller lets staff cook before busy holidays or events while also allowing them to serve seasonal items for a little longer.
Traditional freezing is great for some purposes, but a blast chiller can prevent cooked items from losing up to 8 percent of their yield when cooling down proteins and liquids. With liquids, up to 15 percent of evaporation losses can be avoided, helping to save on costs while increasing profits.
Blast chillers can safely preserve food for up to five additional days at temperatures between 37 and 39 degrees Fahrenheit, helping to increase the shelf life of foods and preventing food waste, a significant problem in the United States. By reducing food waste in commercial kitchens via a blast chiller, operators can also make money by producing new menu items with food that otherwise might have been thrown out.
Another plus to using a blast chiller is that it preserves flavor by preventing the loss of aroma and moisture. By retaining moisture levels, food doesn't dry out when reheated and retains its shape. By keeping the aroma of the food intact, the customer doesn't also smell other food that might have been stored near it. So, the overall customer experience of enjoying food with their senses isn't interrupted.
Cooling food down too slowly or at room temperature can result in the product entering the food danger zone. At the wrong temperature, bacteria can grow and multiply quickly at temperatures between 40 degrees and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one of the most common causes of foodborne illness is when cooked food isn't cooled down properly. By bringing cooked food down to a very low threshold quicker, the food danger zone can be avoided, and customers can be kept safer.
There's no need to struggle with finding the best blast chiller for your commercial kitchen. We help take the guesswork out with the Thermo-Kool Blast Chiller Selection Tool.
By answering a few simple questions, restaurant operators, school nutrition directors, caterers, and others in the foodservice industry can determine which Thermo-Kool blast chiller works best for their needs.
Blast chillers can help make batch cooking easier, helping with labor costs while also saving time in commercial kitchens.
Blast chillers are great for desserts but think about other items you can blast chill in your commercial kitchen to increase production and profits.
There are different ways to incorporate a blast chiller into an operation. In many cases, it depends on volume, space, layout, and other factors.