Cooking Equipment

Pizza operations typically utilize deck or conveyor ovens. When producing Neapolitan pizza, though, operators turn to wood-fired ovens. All three ovens operate in vastly different ways.

Convection ovens are great for baking cookies, crusty breads and other baked goods, along with potatoes, casseroles and more. As relatively simple units, many of the tips for keeping convection ovens working well should be common sense to experienced operators.

For cook lines with limited space, combi ovens take the place of multiple pieces of equipment, including convection ovens and steamers. These units also can replace cook and hold cabinets, proofers or slow cookers when used at low-heat settings.

Foodservice operators can choose from a variety of fryer types and styles, from models geared for general use to multi-purpose and specialty units. Donut fryers offer a shallow cooking depth, while deep vat units can cook items like fries and chicken. Flat bottom fryers can accommodate floating products, like fish and seafood, while operators commonly use larger conveyor units for production line frying as in a doughnut shop. Operators can place their fryers in a battery configuration, where five or six fryers sit side by side, and employ a single, central filtration system.

Braising pans, also called tilting skillets, are one of the most versatile pieces of equipment on the cook line and, as such, very utilitarian. Although commonly lumped into the steamer category, these units do not cook with steam. Their format consists of a griddle on the bottom and sides raised 8 to 11 inches.