Trends
With staffing, energy, and cost pressures continuing to squeeze foodservice operators, improving product and process efficiency has become key to survival. Here, Elly Earls explores the key trends, operational changes, and technologies that are moving the needle for businesses
energy efficiency regulations, and persistently high costs, foodservice operators in 2024 are focusing on maximizing efficiencies in every aspect of operations – from menu design to food preparation and, of course, the main service itself. On the cooking front, the
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biggest news is the accelerating shift from gas to electric- powered stoves. “We can’t say gas is being phased out yet, but we are seeing a notable drop in adoption amongst our customers,” says Roberto Ragazzoni, senior vice president EMEA & APAC at Ali Group. “All over the world, operators are focusing more on reducing their carbon footprints, which is leading to greater investment in more efficient
ith staff shortages still a major concern, tightening
electrical appliances such as induction hobs.” Christine Guyott FCSI is
executive principal at foodservice design and consulting firm Rippe Associates and chair of FCSI Te Americas Division. She says that because induction options are currently more limited in the U.S., adoption is progressing more slowly there than in Europe. Eric Norman FCSI, the current president of FCSI Worldwide and principal and vice president of Clevenger Associates, which has offices across the U.S., sees different adoption rates and drivers in different areas of the U.S. For example, operators on the East and West coasts are requesting all-electric kitchens more frequently than their counterparts in the Midwest. Additionally, businesses in the Pacific Northwest are often motivated by sustainability mandates from local governments rather than just
internal ESG (environmental, social and governance) goals. Even in Asia, the home of
wok-fired cooking, an increasing number of restaurant operations are shifting to all-electric kitchens, including induction, according to Ben Gregoire FCSI, principal at Malaysia-based hospitality agency Levels Studio and chair of FCSI Asia Pacific Division. However, gas remains non-negotiable for some chefs specializing in Asian cuisine. “Overall, induction is a greater
capital investment up front, but if you look at the energy efficiency over the lifetime of the equipment, this brings significant savings to operators,” Ragazzoni says. Since upgrading his entire
kitchen operation to electric around six months ago, Dev Biswal, owner of the award- winning Indian restaurant Te Cook’s Tale in Canterbury, UK, hasn’t looked back. Te equipment is easier to clean, and his energy bills have notably decreased. “Before we made the upgrade, we were paying £8,000 per month. Last month it was down to £3,100, which we achieved through micro-
managing energy consumption on a daily basis and trying to negotiate with our supplier to give us better prices,” he says. Although he anticipated some
challenges in convincing his team to make the shift from gas to induction hobs, they quickly adapted to the new system. “Initially, there was a little bit of resistance to change, as there always is. Chefs like to cook with fire. But once they saw how much time the new system saved them, they forgot about gas.” In the months and years ahead, Biswal plans to continue to upgrade to more energy-efficient equipment across the board, including an induction fryer, which will only need to be turned on when it’s in use.
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