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Everidge Announces America’s First Ever R290 “Green” 4/5 Pan Commercial Blast Chiller

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Everidge, a leading innovator of commercial cold storage solutions, walk-in coolers and freezers, and cook-chill specialty solutions, announced a technological advancement in blast chilling with the introduction of America’s most environmentally responsible commercial blast chiller.

A first in the American foodservice industry, the patented and patent-pending, eco-friendly PBF 4.0. Blast Chiller and Shock Freezer is the only 4/5 pan undercounter commercial blast chiller in the U.S. to be “green” with no ozone depleting properties.

Powerful Performance in a Compact Design — At a Great Price.

This ground-breaking innovation utilizes an advanced environmentally friendly R290 propane refrigeration system. Packed with game-changing features and a revolutionary design, the PBF 4.0 has a patented modular self-contained, air-cooled refrigeration system, and is constructed entirely of 304 stainless steel.

Go Green. Save Green.

Choosing a blast chiller for your commercial kitchen operation can be a challenge. Different brands, sizes, and each offers a unique functionality. But now there is another factor to consider – what type of refrigerant is being used?

Most blast chillers on the market use R404, a refrigerant with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 4,200. Used across the world in the past few decades, R290, a highly efficient form of propane, is now available in a blast chiller, exclusively through PrepRite by Everidge. But what really is the difference between R290 and other refrigerants, and what is the best choice for your business?

“We are incredibly proud to play our part in creating a more sustainable future and to be the first company in the country to offer such an innovative and eco-friendly product to our customers. We take deliberate, strategic steps to improve our product offering and believe this is a great innovation when our customers are seeking ways to lessen their impact on the environment.”

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Chris Kahler

Chief Executive Officer, Everidge

Powerful performance in a compact design, the PBF 4.0 blast chills up to 40 lbs. of product from 1600F to 380F within two hours and shock freezes up to 20 lbs. of product from 1600F to 00F within four hours. PBF 4.0 performance exceeds HACCP/FDA Food Code guidelines and NSF 7. For more details about the PBF 4.0 Commercial Blast Chiller or product demonstration click here. To learn more about R290, click here.

“This is the industry’s most environmentally friendly blast chiller and will help companies deliver on their corporate sustainability goals […] R290 is the refrigerant of the future, with a GWP or Global Warming Potential of just three versus all other blast chillers that utilize R404A refrigerant with a GWP of 3922. The tradeoff of R290 is it is rated for just 150grams in the U.S. and it can be challenging to field service. The PBF 4.0 overcomes these challenges, as 150grams is ideal for the popular undercounter 4/5 pan blast chiller category, and with its unique serviceability design, a user can drop in a replacement refrigeration cartridge in less than one hour.”

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Eric Wickberg

Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Everidge

What is R290?

R290 is a propane refrigerant used in a wide variety of commercial refrigeration and air conditioning units. This non-toxic propane has a low GWP rating of 3 and no Ozone Depleting Properties (ODP). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has named R290 as its preferred hydrocarbon alternative.

In addition to its low GWP and ODP, R290 is also highly efficient, which can lead to additional savings in energy costs.

Preprite by Everidge is constantly evolving with its continuous improvement philosophy by offering cold storage solutions uniquely designed to help customers stay successful and profitable during an unprecedented global health crisis while they face the challenges of today’s volatile business environment. Everidge has a rich history of innovation, making premier walk-in coolers and freezers since 1939, and has been a family-owned business for more than 30 years.

Introducuing-R290-Blast-ChillerDownload

3 Tips To Keep Your Customers Coming Back For More!

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With every ringing in of the new year, I’m asked to look into my crystal ball and make predictions about the restaurant industry and menu trends.  Most of the questions I’m asked relate to the most consumed animal protein in the world: chicken. In fact, it’s forecast that in 2022, Americans will consume more than 97 billion pounds of chicken. Not surprisingly, most of the questions that restaurant operators ask relate to how they can keep their customers coming back, clamoring for more chicken.  Three of the most common questions I’m asked about chicken are: “What should I add to my menu and why, and how will it impact my bottom line?”

Well, as with all predictions, there are no guarantees, but here’s what I believe is coming down the poultry pike in 2022.  Let’s start with the first question: “What should I add to my menu?”

Serve Up: Versatility

From tasty tenders and boneless nuggets to fried chicken sandwiches and crispy wings, chicken is perhaps the most versatile protein on menus today.  That versatility will play an even greater role in 2022 due to supply chain-generated shortages and spiking poultry prices. To help foodservice operators navigate through these challenging times, we’ve put together a series of free chicken guides filled with insights on how to serve up consistently legendary chicken every time, tips on raking in poultry profits, and much more.  Click here to download the first guide.

Embrace the Whole Bird

Surging restaurant demand and labor shortages mean operators are going to continue to pay more for premium cuts of chicken. In 2021, the price for chicken breasts more than doubled, and while the price for bone-in chicken wings saw more modest increases, in at least one quarter of 2021, bone-in chicken wing prices surged by more than 80 percent.  All of this translates into higher menu prices.  One way restaurant operators can hedge their bets, as it were, is to consider a whole-bird strategy.

What’s that? It’s buying more of the bird, including the thighs. So, instead of paying top dollar for just chicken breasts or wing pieces, operators who buy more parts of the chicken may realize a savings by negotiating with their suppliers.  It’s a cost-saving strategy that’s working for 10-location chain, Wing It On, which did just that and introduced “thigh wings” to its menu in 2021.

The Thighs Have It!

This less expensive, dark-meat cut of chicken is juicy, flavorful, and in my estimation, will be 2022’s chicken star.  Traditionally available at chicken-only chains, like KFCs and Church’s Chicken, as well as many independent, family-style restaurants, chicken thighs are now finding a prominent place on more quick-service restaurant (QSR) and fast casual menus.

Of course, seasoning, sauces and cooking method are all critical to whatever thigh item you add to your menu.  It’s a recipe that Wingstop, which owns more than 1,400 restaurants worldwide, believes is working.  In mid-2021, Wingstop launched its virtual restaurant brand, Thighstop, which features bone-in thighs and boneless thigh bites coated in one of its 11 flavored sauces.

In the coming months, I believe we’ll see even more restaurants adding chicken thighs to their menus and recent news headlines would seem to support that trend.  Are chicken thighs destined to become the new wings? Well, maybe (that’s a big maybe); click here for my take on it.

Serve Up: Innovation

“Why Innovation?’ ties into the second question restaurant operators often ask me.  2022 will present both challenges and opportunities for restaurant operators.  We’ve already discussed many of the challenges, but for those willing to embrace innovation, 2022 could be a game changer.  Let’s start with chicken on the menu.

Beginning in 2019 and continuing on through 2020 and 2021, we saw the escalation of the chicken sandwich wars.  It seemed there was no end in sight to the number of new chicken sandwiches and chicken biscuits appearing on breakfast, lunch and dinner menus at QSRs, fast casuals and casual-dining chains all vying to gain more market share. In the final analysis, while supply and demand contributed to higher prices for chicken breasts, the “war” has been a good thing in some respects. Restaurants, eager to cash in on this opportunity, upped their game in an effort to create the tastiest, most tantalizing chicken sandwich, and consumers rewarded their favorites at restaurants by eating them up, literally.

While I don’t see our love affair with chicken sandwiches and wings cooling anytime soon, the “war” may be over, or, at the very least, enjoying a temporary cease fire.

Plant-based Chicken Wars?

In addition to chicken sandwiches, many restaurant operators are adding less-expensive chicken-like, plant-based sandwiches, nuggets and buckets of fried “chicken” to their menus.

That’s right, buckets of fried faux chicken. In early January, Yum Brands, the parent company of KFC, announced that it will start selling buckets of plant-based fried “chicken” nuggets from Beyond Meat across the United States. Even though the company says it’s for a “limited time,” the Beyond Fried Chicken rollout speaks to the trend gaining increasing traction with consumers.

Other QSRs which have either added plant-based chicken to their menus or are testing it include Burger King, which is serving vegan chicken nuggets in the United Kingdom and testing its 8-piece Impossible nuggets at select restaurants in the U.S., Domino’s UK, which is selling vegan-chicken pizza, and Panda Express, which is selling Beyond the Original Organic Chicken for a limited time only at select locations.  To find out more about other brands focused on offering the “chicken” without the bird, click here.

Is plant-based chicken right for your restaurant? My answer depends on your existing menu, customer feedback, and your vision. As always, at Henny Penny, we offer complimentary customized needs analyses to our customers, as well as our prospective customers. Any one of our 90+ global distributors would welcome hearing from you and learning more about your food service dreams. Just click here to locate your nearest Henny Penny distributor partner.

Faux Chicken:  To Fry, or Not to Fry

Most of the plant-based chicken products on menus today are fried. Just like with animal protein, vegan chicken must be fried to crispy perfection, but without burning, which can happen. For plant-based chicken, I recommend the Evolution Elite open fryer. It comes in electric or gas models and features 1 to 4 wells, which can “protect” plant-based chicken from cross contamination with oil used to fry animal protein in other vats. What’s more, the Evolution Elite uses 40% less oil than other comparable vats.

Test it; Try it out!

Thanks to the proliferation of ghost kitchens, restaurant operators can test new, innovative menu items and explore new markets without the hefty price tag typically associated with trialing new products.  If you think you’ve got a winning new product but aren’t sure whether it will be a hit with customers, simply add it to your ghost kitchen menu.  If sales go through the roof, you’ll know you’ve got a winner. If sales fall flat, just take it off the menu. That’s the great thing about ghost kitchens. They’re an ideal testing platform.

Elevate Your Flavors

Great food has always been synonymous with great-tasting flavors. In 2022, “different” is going to play a role in flavor experiences. Don’t be afraid to incorporate new flavors into your menu, whether that’s via a brine, an injectable sauce or marinade or new dipping sauce to help create an innovative culinary experience.  In terms of unique flavors for 2022, there are several international flavors making headlines, including Asian, Caribbean, Polynesian, Mediterranean-inspired flavors and more.

Lab-grown Meat

In 2022, alternative sources of protein will continue to gain momentum and interest among restaurant operators and consumers alike.  Although the USDA hasn’t approved the sale of lab-grown meat—also referred to as cultured meat—in the U.S., the regulatory agency appears to be heading in that direction as it’s considering how best to label meat and poultry cultivated from animal cells.  Cultured meat is already gaining traction with environmental groups who like the idea of slaughter-free meat cultivated from animal cells. What does the future hold for cultured meat? Well, it’s hard to say, but at the very least, it’s important that restaurant operators know it’s on the horizon.

Serve Up: Consistency

Finally, remember that no matter what you’re serving, consistency is king with customers. It’s also the answer to how everything we’ve already discussed will benefit your bottom line. Customers will keep coming back for more if you consistently keep delivering the same quality product every time.

The fry has got to be just right every time to ensure the chicken’s juicy inside, crispy outside, hot, and fresh. Here are my top picks for frying chicken consistently.

If you’re a smaller operation with a single restaurant or a few, I have two recommendations:

4-Head Pressure Fryer.

Although it’s a pressure fryer, it’s engineered to be versatile. That means you can open fry using the same unit. Just leave the lid open and select a different program.  It also comes with built-in Automatic Pressure Assist, which is exclusive to Henny Penny alone. Pressure Assist uses an external means of developing pressure for small product loads that otherwise would not build optimum pressure levels on their own.  So, if you just need to pressure fry one order of chicken for one customer, Pressure Assist allows you to do that instead of letting a full load of product go to waste. To learn more about all of the 4-head pressure fryer’s features, click here.

FlexFusion Platinum Series Combi Oven.

This versatile combination convection oven, steamer and grill has it all and does it all. It fits the bill no matter if you need to bake, braise, steam, sous vide or grill your chicken. The Combi Oven truly does offer the flexibility small restaurant operators need without taking up valuable kitchen space. Click here to find out more and check out various models.

If you’re a high-volume restaurant chain, my two recommendations would be the Velocity Series Pressure Fryer and our SmartHold Humidified Holding Cabinet.

Velocity Series Pressure Fryer.

This powerful machine can cook 8-heads of chicken in 25% less oil than other high-volume fryers, plus it replenishes oil automatically from an onboard reservoir, which means there’s no manual add-backs and fewer disposals. Best of all, because it filters automatically after every cook cycle, it extends the life of oil by nearly 4 times compared to other high-volume fryers. If that weren’t’ enough, because Henny Penny’s products are “engineered to last,” this fryer’s heavy-duty stainless steel fry pot comes with a 7-year warranty. Click here for more info and available models.

SmartHold Humidified Holding Cabinet.

SmartHold distinguishes itself by creating the perfect conditions for holding almost any food up to 200% longer than most holding cabinets. Its automatic humidity control maintains any humidity level between 10% and 90%, ensuring your chicken stays crispy, juicy, and fresh for hours at a time. Click here for all the features and available models. With today’s labor shortages, cooking in large batches and holding to serve can be a game changer for high-volume restaurants. You need a lot less people in the kitchen.

As I wrap up my predictions for chicken in 2022, I’d just like to add that the fact that poultry has now eclipsed pork as the number one protein consumed worldwide is proof positive that the future for chicken, in all its forms, is bright.

To help you on your way, be sure to sign up to receive the first in a series of three free chicken guides, filled with helpful tips from our chicken experts.

Finally, my hope for you, as restaurant operators, is to continue to utilize this versatile bird to consistently serve up innovative, unforgettably delicious chicken sandwiches, wings, nuggets, thighs, tenders and more every time!

Download Free Chicken Guide Here

Originally Posted By Chef Gregg, Corporate Executive Chef for Henny Penny

3 Ways Our Henny Penny Fryers Maintain Food Quality

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It’s no surprise that many operators struggle with how to maintain food quality in a restaurant. A lot of it comes down to your fryer oil!

In the restaurant industry, we call a 35 lb. container of bulk cooking oil a “jug-in-box” or “JIB” for short. Not surprisingly, just like everything else restaurants are paying more for these days, JIBs have increased in price too. How much? Depending on what type of cooking oil you purchase, a JIB will now run you as much as four times what you paid in 2019. So, today you’ll pay between $40 and $100 for a JIB of cooking oil and that’s wholesale pricing.

Increasing costs associated with fry oil and inflation in general are important reasons to make sure you’re prioritizing keeping your commercial fryer in tiptop condition.  Doing so will not only ensure you continue to dish up quality menu items that delight your customers, but it will also help manage costs and prioritize profits.

To help, I’ve identified three tips that will keep your commercial deep fryer operating in peak condition.

1. Resist the Temptation to Cut Corners

With cooking oil prices spiking, some operators may be tempted to keep their fry oil longer than they should. They may rationalize, asking themselves, “What’s another day or two, or even a week going to hurt?” Well, that’s a bad idea and for a few reasons.

Not only will your food not taste as good, oftentimes taking on a burnt flavor and smell, reusing old oil can open the door to bacterial buildup and well, that’s not good for your customers’ health or your restaurant’s reputation. But, there’s a solution.

Filter, Filter, Filter

Routine filtering of your vats is the single most important thing you can do to ensure the quality, taste, and consistency of your food. That means the first person that you serve gets the same great tasting meal as the last person you serve.

Some commercial fryers are equipped with built-in oil filtration systems, like Henny Penny’s, which come standard on every open and pressure fryer. Not only does the automatic system reduce the manual effort associated with filtering, but it extends oil life, translating into thousands of dollars in annual savings.

How often you should be filtering is dependent on what you’re frying, how much you’re frying, and how old your oil is. This free Filter Frequency Calculator will help you determine the ideal filtration frequency for your restaurant.

Because time is money in the restaurant business, when you’re filtering your vats, you’re not frying product in them. Luckily, some fryers on the market like the Evolution Elite allow for filtering by individual vats, so you can filter one vat while frying in others.  And, because it’s a low-volume oil fryer, it filters completely in less than 4 minutes, so you’re able to get back to frying even faster.

2. Clean Up Your Act (or, at least your fryer’s)

I don’t need to list all the reasons and benefits associated with routinely cleaning your commercial fryer, but I can tell you what could happen if you don’t. I read a news article recently about a restaurant fire and the investigation determined the fire started in a deep fryer-vent due to lack of cleaning of the commercial cooking equipment.

No operator expects this will happen at their restaurant and it likely won’t if they adhere to a daily cleaning regimen and a deep cleaning schedule every few weeks.

Commercial Fryer Cleaners – Choose Wisely

When it comes to choosing a commercial fryer cleaner, it’s important to remember they’re not all equal. No one knows that better than Bill Sparks, VP of Operations and Franchise Sales for Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken who agreed to ask his franchise owners to test Henny Penny’s Prime Cleaner against their current product.

The side-by-side tests were planned for one month, but within a week, Bill said he started getting feedback from owners, commenting that the difference was like night and day.  Sparks said the following:

“Our owners have 21-year-old fry pots looking like they’re brand new. Plus, they’re saving time on each clean-out, since you don’t need to neutralize with a vinegar solution.”

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Bill Sparks

VP of Operations and Franchise Sales

You can learn more about the franchise’s experience and plans to equip every new store with Henny Penny fryers by clicking here.

3. Work Smarter. Not Harder

Another way your commercial fryer can help maintain food quality is by ensuring recipe consistency.  The digital age we live in comes with advantages and one of those is some commercial fryers are now equipped with advanced controls that allow operators to choose from a selection of preprogrammed recipes or simply program in their own recipes.

In my job, I spend a lot of time working with restaurant brands, getting their programs just right for their proprietary processes. With Henny Penny fryers, we have the ability to change cooking perimeters.

For example, a restaurant might have a recipe program that starts at 330 degrees and for the second stage, the temperature goes down to 320 degrees, and then, up to 340 degrees. What they’re doing is creating a product that you can only get from them. They’re creating a texture and taste at the end of the cooking cycle that nobody else can copy or repeat.

Want some tips on how to refine your frying program? This free download includes the top five frying mistakes and what you can do about them.

Your Fryer’s Best Friend – A Heated Holding Cabinet

Finally, want to know the “secret” to keeping your food fry-fresh for hours after it leaves the fryer?  Using a heated holding cabinet in conjunction with your fryer can extend food life without sacrificing quality. Think about it.

Whenever you’re using your fryer by itself, you have to wait 10 to 12 minutes before you can place more chicken in there. But if you’re taking that same chicken and cooking it ahead of time for 6 minutes and then putting it in the heated holding cabinet at 185 degrees with 15 percent humidity, you’re able to hold that product for 2 hours!

Then all you have to do is flash it inside the fryer for a minute or minute and a half, and you’ll have a product that’s crispy on the inside yet juicier on the inside because it wasn’t cooked in the fryer for 10-12 minutes.

Originally posted by Chef Gregg from www.HennyPenny.com

Why Your Commercial Kitchen Needs A Pressure Fryer And Heated Holding Cabinet

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If you’re serving a chicken-heavy menu featuring items like bone-in wings or juicy tenders, you’ll love having a pressure fryer and a heated holding cabinet in your kitchen. (And if you’re not serving chicken, we’ve got four reasons you should be!)

Combining a fryer and a full-size holding cabinet allows operators to implement batch cooking. This means the product is fried in large batches before the rush and served fresh out of a holding cabinet.

Together, pressure fryers and heated holding cabinets create an ideal ‘system’ for commercial kitchens, specifically fried chicken concepts. Here’s why:

#1: Fried Chicken Holds Well

Pressure fryers are arguably the best commercial fryers for fried chicken. Why? Pressure frying maintains the chicken’s moisture and flavor while sealing out excess cooking oil. Retaining that moisture helps maintain quality when the chicken is transferred to a holding cabinet.

Holding cabinets allow food life to be increased without sacrificing food quality. Fans that circulate hot moist air evenly throughout the cabinet help maintain safe temperatures and a quality product.

Premium holding cabinets with precise humidity control can keep chicken fresh and ready-to-serve for anywhere from 90 minutes to two hours.

#2: Less Staff in the Kitchen

With batch cooking, there are significantly less staff members needed in the kitchen. Today’s labor shortages make this is a huge win for operators.

Our own Corporate Executive Chef, Gregg Brickman, says that holding cabinets offer extensive relief for restaurants. “Henny Penny holding cabinets allow restaurants to serve consistent, quality items while also easing pressure on the kitchen. And, when you don’t have as many staff members in the kitchen due to staffing levels or pandemic restrictions, the cabinets can actually relieve as much pressure as adding another employee or sous chef.”

Read more about how kitchens can handle peak order volume without adding staff: click here.

#3: Increase Throughput Significantly

Batch cooking allows for increased throughput by prepping orders in advance, meaning no stress during peak order volumes.

Dedicate the hour before rush time to filling the holding cabinet. After that, simply manage the cabinet instead of the fryer. Establish a point that the cabinet should be refilled once a certain amount of product has been depleted. You’ll never run out of chicken this way, and your ticket times will be quicker than ever!

Increased throughput capabilities mean that kitchens can balance dine-in, carryout, and delivery orders with ease. With the increase in off-premise demand, many restaurants have struggled to keep up – some have had to restrict delivery hours on 3rd party apps or decline carryout orders altogether. Batch cooking can eliminate this issue!

When implementing batch cooking, it’s also important to consider your fryer’s total load capacity. Our Velocity Series is perfect for this application because it can cook an entire 8-head of chicken in just one load.

#4: Decrease Food Waste

A lot less food gets thrown away when you’re cooking in large batches and have a holding cabinet on hand. For high volume kitchens, batch cooking is a proven way to decrease food waste.

The concept of batch cooking isn’t new – in 2016, Foodservice Director Magazine published an article about how Franklin College was able to significantly reduce food waste in it’s dining halls. After implementing batch cooking, their food waste costs plummeted from over $250 a month to around $30.

Frying under pressure at lower temperatures also reduces wasted frying oil and helps extend its useful life. This added benefit of pressure frying is especially important given today’s inflated oil prices.

#5: Built to Work Together

As mentioned earlier, fried foods like chicken retain more moisture when cooked under pressure. A humidified holding cabinet is the perfect companion for a pressure fryer because it can keep the product moist and juicy for an extended period.

At Henny Penny, our pressure fryers and holding cabinets are built to work together as a system. When transferring product from our 8-head fryers to our holding cabinets, there is no re-racking required. Crew members simply slip a sheet pan under a lip on the fryer that allows for a seamless transition into the holding cabinet.

No re-racking means more consistent food quality, increased food safety, and a less time-consuming process for the back-of-house crew.

Our global network of exclusive distributors can work with you to develop set points for everything from your fryer’s cook cycle to your holding cabinet’s ideal temperature, humidity level, and maximum hold time. Click here to request more information from your local distributor.

The popularity, versatility, and profitability of chicken make it a no-brainer for any menu. Download this free ebook from our experts and start serving chicken like the pros.

Keep Reading

Check out our Fried Chicken Restaurant Equipment Guide to read more about the equipment you’ll need to start dishing out golden-fried goodness.

Originally posted on HennyPenny.com

How Kitchens Can Handle Peak Order Volume Without Adding Staff

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Amid pandemic-related difficulties, new technology offers relief to labor- and time-strapped restaurants.

Though the restaurant industry has faced many major changes amid the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the biggest shifts has been in guest traffic patterns. Not only have diners embraced off-premises channels at an unprecedented rate, but changing commutes among the move toward remote work and the rise of flexible work hours have caused peak order times and volumes to fluctuate. Yet while restaurants have attempted to continue offering the same speed of service and consistency and quality of product they are known for in the midst of these challenges, smaller crews and staffing shortages have exacerbated the issue.

“In the past, restaurants were more focused on the in-house dining experience than they were on delivery and quick service” says Gregg Brickman, corporate executive chef at Henny Penny, “but, unfortunately, because of the pandemic, the way consumers and restaurants must operate has changed.”

Before the pandemic, Brickman says, restaurants knew when they could prepare for a rush and plan to staff five cooks to execute the orders. However, now, surviving a peak service time often involves more planning ahead. Rather than cooking to order, he says restaurants can more aggressively set pars and prep orders in advance than they might have prior to COVID-19, and thanks to advanced holding cabinet technology, those meals can still be served as fresh as if they were going straight from fryer to plate.

“Henny Penny holding cabinets allow restaurants to serve consistent, quality items while also easing pressure on the kitchen,” Brickman says. “And, when you don’t have as many staff members in the kitchen due to staffing levels or pandemic restrictions, the cabinets can actually relieve as much pressure as adding another employee or sous chef.”

While he notes older style holding cabinets might have previously dried out or hardened food, Brickman says the secret to holding food successfully, is Henny Penny’s newer technology, which offers precise temperature and moisture controls that extend the life of food without any discernible difference in quality.

Additionally, the Henny Penny team will work with each brand to test the appropriate temperature and humidity levels for their products in the Henny Penny test kitchen or inside the restaurant’s facilities. Then, Brickman and the Henny Penny team precisely program each cabinet’s settings to ensure quick-service brands will serve high-quality meals to customers regardless of the hold time.

“A lot of people we’ve worked with from major brands have been shocked to see the results that can be achieved with our holding cabinets,” Brickman says. “They don’t expect the product to be as consistent and flavorful as it is even after batch cooking and holding, but the quality is so good, they know customers will still think their orders are being served right out of the fryer.”

Best of all, Henny Penny offers a wide range of cooking and holding equipment, so restaurants can find the best equipment for their staffing, layout, and cooking needs, and the company prides itself on helping each brand tailor its approach to these challenging volume situations.

“Not every piece of equipment is built for every customer,” Brickman says. “When we work with a new customer or concept, my culinary team and food scientists help analyze their situation and narrow down the specs so each restaurant can get the most out of each warming cabinet, fryer, or combi oven. Then we not only customize that equipment for the brand or store, but we also follow up over time to make sure it’s still working for them. We want to build long-term relationships so we can help each restaurant achieve the results they are looking for no matter what challenges they face.”

To learn how holding cabinets can help your restaurant, visit the click here.

This article was originally featured in QSR Magazine.

Why Holding Equipment is Vital to the “New Normal” in Foodservice

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While we’ve seen a decrease in traditional dining out, the demand for takeout and delivery has increased significantly these past few years.

The increased demand for takeout and delivery options isn’t projected to die down soon. The timeline for how long COVID-19 will continue to be a concern is still uncertain. Additionally, customers have become accustomed to this new way of eating, preferring the convenience of takeout and delivery options. But if there’s one thing the foodservice industry does well, it’s roll with the punches. Holding equipment is one tool that can help restaurants adjust to this “new normal.”

Food Safety

Food safety is a concern that’s becoming increasingly important to both restaurant operators and consumers, and not just during this climate. In fact, 50% of consumers say sanitation will be their primary consideration when selecting a restaurant to visit after the time of coronavirus, according to Datassential. Holding cabinets can play a significant role in helping maintain food safety levels.

Holding cabinets enclose food in controlled environments with tightly sealed doors, keeping cooked food safe from airborne pathogens. Because food can be removed from ovens or fryer baskets and placed directly into holding cabinets, these units can also play a key role in reducing product handling.

Demand Uncertainty

In this ever-changing environment, it can be tough to predict volume or demand. You’re not alone. Datassential reports 55% of restaurant operators don’t know how many orders will come in and when, making it tough to prep for the day. And 54% say it’s hard to figure out how much staff they need to keep up with demand. Holding cabinets can help mitigate this uncertainty, allowing food to be cooked before anticipated peak periods. This advantage is particularly useful if you’re working with a limited staff.

Utilizing holding cabinets can make the entire cooking sequence more economical. Holding a variety of foods for different lengths of time can help kitchen staff plan their cooking sequence for efficiency rather than necessity. Many holding cabinet models offer countdown timers, which display how much time food can continue to be held while maintaining food quality, helping make monitoring simple. Using holding cabinets can help streamline complicated kitchen processes during this time of demand uncertainty.

Operating Costs

Holding cabinets can also help restaurants save on operating costs by keeping food at safe temperatures for longer and reducing food waste. Fans that circulate hot moist air evenly throughout the cabinet help maintain both safe temperatures and food quality, ensuring your restaurant retains its reputation for consistency.

Holding cabinets are better for preserving cooked food safely for long periods than other options, such as heated display cases or even warming lights. With extended food life, your restaurant can sell more and throw away less over the course of the day, helping save money on food and operating costs.

Henny Penny’s holding cabinets offer precise humidity control to provide longer hold times and are designed to help your restaurant thrive. Take a look at our holding solutions for your company.

Originally published on www.HennyPenny.com