By Lianna Donovan and Julie Ruggirello
From fryers to cheesemelters, combi-ovens to conventional microwaves, outfitting a new kitchen or upgrading an older one with the right equipment can be a daunting task. Upstart manufacturers are pushing environmentally friendly products that boast energy efficiency and waste reduction, while veteran companies continue to tweak and reintroduce their most dependable models in attempt to remain viable in a highly competitive market.
Be it the neighborhood dive drawing the same familiar faces for a few cold ones and the standard cheesesticks and chicken tenders pub fare, or the swanky lounge featuring trendy cocktails and a refined menu of hors d’oeuvres, a well-designed, ergonomic kitchen will likely play an integral role in retaining customers and boosting profits.
“Food service keeps customers in bars longer,” says Chad Jeffries, spokesperson for AutoFry, a division of Motion Technology, Inc. “Serving food will keep customers sitting and socializing at the bar, as opposed to popping in for a quick drink or two before going to a full-on restaurant for dinner. And with food consumption comes more beverage consumption.”
Ventless, automated deep fryers manufactured by companies such as AutoFry have found their niche in the food service industry by eliminating cumbersome and costly hood and ventilation systems that traditional fryers require. The ventless fryers contain built-in fire suppression and filtration systems, giving bar and restaurant owners the ability to expand menus without completely rewiring or reconfiguring their kitchens.
Freestanding or countertop ventless fryers can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $14,000, according to various dealer listings—figures that can be considered a bit steep when compared to traditional fryers on the market of comparable size priced around $2,500. However, ventless fryer manufacturers say their products are cost-effective in the long run, saving space and eliminating pricey hood, ventilation, and fire suppressant system installment, which is mandatory in most states and can increase property and casualty insurance premiums.
Additionally, the automated fryers function with very little-man power, using digital touchpads that can be preset with cook times for various food items, consistently producing evenly-cooked food and allowing kitchen staff, servers, and bartenders to focus on other responsibilities or serve customers more attentively. Most models also feature fully enclosed designs that relieve concerns about user contact with hot, exposed oil.
“Everything is self-contained,” Jeffries explains while discussing AutoFry’s four available models. “All you have to do is open the hopper, put the food in, close it, set the timer, and the basket burns oil and dumps food automatically in the tray. It’s as simple as that. The food will come out immaculately every single time.”
“The AutoFry prepares 90% of my entire pub menu,” says Corrie Collins of Corina’s Pub in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. “I’ve had my AutoFry for over five years without a single problem. The machine is safe and easy for bartenders to use, and my patrons love the quality of the food it produces. We saved thousands by avoiding the build-out cost of hoods and vents. And the it generates strong revenue each and every month for my business.”
In smaller pubs and taverns without existing kitchens, ventless fryers may be a worthwhile investment for owners looking to substantially increase profits by capitalizing on the longstanding popularity and relative inexpensiveness of French fries and other fried food items that typically dominate casual bar menus. According to AutoFry profit projections, selling a five-piece serving of fried cheesesticks can yield a profit of $3.70 per order, assuming a production cost of $1.25 and a retail price of $4.95. In a year’s time, selling ten orders of cheesesticks a day can bring in over $13,000 in additional profit.
“We do a decent percentage of our sales in food,” says Brian Lambert, manager of Cornerstone Bar and Grill in College Park, Maryland. “We’re a good, old-fashioned sports bar that serves basic stuff—burgers and spinach artichoke dip—but it works for us.”
Another manufacturer, Perfect Fry Company, produces a PFA model that uses dual cooking technology, which allows employees to pre-load food into a drawer while another food batch is simultaneously frying in the cooking oil. The food is then dropped under a warming light and the second load of food begins cooking automatically upon the first cycle’s completion. Using two gallons of oil, the PFA model, which retails around $6,000, can produce 250 to 300 sides of fries per hour or three pounds of any frozen food at a time. Kevin Pedersen, marketing manager for Canada-based Perfect Fry Company, estimated savings between $10,000 and $20,000.
With the benefits of ventless fryers gaining increasing recognition in the industry, traditional fryers have also undergone transformations to keep up. Frymaster, a subsidiary of Manitowoc Foodservice based in Shreveport, Louisiana, offers its Protector Gas Fryers, which include three models. This line was recognized with a 2009 Kitchen Innovations Award from the National Restaurant Association for its ability to protect oil quality and extend oil life, featuring an internal oil supply, automatic oil replenishment sensor and built-in filtration system. The model earned an Energy Star energy efficiency rating of 56 percent, making its purchase eligible for energy-saving rebates. These features do come at a cost, though—Frymaster’s Protector Gas models FPGL230, 330 and 430 will set a buyer back about $17,000 to $30,000, according to prices quoted by Fryerworld.com.
For venues offering a menu with food items that are not battered, breaded, and wielding high artery-clogging potential, grills and ovens are an essential part of high- performing kitchen. Like fryers, oven and grill manufacturers are continuously revamping existing products and developing new ones in an effort to save operators space, time, energy and money in the hopes of gaining a leg-up over competitors. The Clay Oven Company, which produces wood- and gas-fired pizza ovens, griddles, and grills, burst onto the European scene about 30 years ago, but has only recently begun to see sales pick up in the United States. The London-based company uses an element of clay in each of their products, claiming it has a unique insulating property that ensures even heat distribution, and thereby improving the cooking quality of food.
“I see a huge potential [in the U.S. market],” says Sonia Gulian, The Clay Oven Company’s U.S. liaison. “We have such unique items, and we’re very competitive in our pricing and delivery of high-quality products. The benefits of clay oven cooking are enormous. With other ovens, you get hot spots and cold spots, which is why cooks need to constantly rotate the food to keep it cooking evenly. Not so with clay.
Many bars in Europe have added The Clay Oven Company’s Clayburn ovens to their kitchen equipment inventories, Gulian states. The ovens are available in two models: the gas- or wood-fired Clayburn Afterglow and the gas-fired Clayburn Fornette, both of which range in price from $6,000 to $15,000. These two models can be custom made to measure and can be wall-mounted for additional space-saving in compact kitchens.
“[The ovens] are great for toasted sandwiches, open face sandwiches, pizzas, flatbreads,” adds Gulian. “A lot of customers do toasted sandwiches in there because they cook on both sides and it’s a very efficient way of cooking both sides effectively.”
For more upscale bar/restaurants, which may place greater emphasis on aesthetics, these clay ovens can be custom finished for clients with exposed kitchens, adding a uniqueness and aura of ambiance that can increase an establishments’ recognition amongst patrons. “We can put a bar’s name on the oven or frame it in mosaic paneling,” Gulian points out. “We really like to make our products attractive as well. In-house architects help fit the look of the oven to the particular bar or restaurant.”
The Clay Oven Company also manufactures the Robata Flame Grill, a charcoal- and gas-fired best-seller which features a clay mix pit for optimal heat insulation, two cooking levels to increase productivity, a granite work surface, and removable stainless steel panels for easy cleaning. The Robata Flame Grill is designed with aesthetic appeal in mind and is meant to be visually enjoyable for customers. The grill ranges in price from $2,000 to $4,700, depending on size and customization.
Deciding which products to invest in ultimately comes down to each bar’s size, needs and concept. Sports bars and pubs with uncomplicated menus of fatty, crunchy, and salty comfort food items may spend more money on quality fryers, whereas fancier scenes boasting more extensive menus will likely be willing to throw down more cash for high-end equipment.
“Some people just go to bars to eat and drink, but others want ambiance, they want to have an experience,” Gulian says. “We cater to the open kitchen market. When customers can see their food being cooked, it creates an experience. I think bar owners need to think outside the box a bit and push the envelope, and we really facilitate that.”
