Regardless of whether you find it shocking, the concept of the all-electric commercial kitchen continues to gain amperage in all corners of the foodservice industry. And this topic will only increase its voltage in the coming months and years. 

Joe CarbonaraWhy? The foodservice industry needs to step up its decarbonization efforts for a myriad of reasons, including those related to the environment and health. 

Many foodservice equipment manufacturers regularly take steps to enhance the energy efficiency of their products. Heck, some range manufacturers — who made a name for themselves by producing gas-fired equipment — realized this years ago and began developing electric options. Want proof? Look at the foodservice equipment manufacturers who regularly earn Energy Star ratings for their wares. 

But the industry has known it needs to do these things for years. So, does there seem to be more steam behind the movement to implement energy-efficient products and lower foodservice’s carbon footprint?

For starters, the industry faces pressure both from various forms of government and their operator customers. As of early August, 102 local governments and 5 states had instituted de-carbonization laws and those include total electrification of all new buildings, according to Richard Young of Frontier Energy. Naturally, California is a leader in this movement, but it’s grown beyond just one state. In fact, the electrification of commercial kitchens has become something of a bicoastal movement with
New York City getting in the conversation. And even those of us in flyover country, also known as the Midwest, are getting in the act via regulations in places like Cook County in Illinois.

Various chain restaurants continue to explore all electric kitchens, too. Most notable among them is Chipotle, which in April rolled out a new all-electric prototype in two cities that the fast-casual chain claims uses 100% renewable energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Chipotle may be the first to go all-electric, but it certainly will not be the last.

It’s not just chains that are wired toward all-electric kitchens, though. Various foodservice design consultants have shared with me their customers in such operator segments as corporate feeding, college and university, and healthcare continue to show greater interest in all-electric kitchens. This all comes as these organizations continue to focus on their ESG (environmental, social and governance) initiatives and the reporting around them. Implementing an all-electric kitchen can check a lot of boxes in those areas.

So, what are your next steps? Start by educating yourself about the features and firepower of electric equipment. Tap into as many resources as possible, including factory websites and CAEnergywise.com, which can serve as a treasure trove of information when it comes to energy efficient equipment. And don’t hesitate to enlist the services of a foodservice designer. They see lots of projects and can help make sense of it all. For smaller-scale projects, like replacing an existing piece of equipment, don’t hesitate to get a service agent involved. They know how your operation uses its equipment and can help determine whether the existing infrastructure can handle the additional load.