November/December 2020

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The ever-versatile combi-oven is once again stepping up to the plate as restaurateurs adapt to running operations during the pandemic. For several years, the combi-oven has been an integral part of many kitchen operations, thanks to its versatility, ease of use and efficiency. But, these days, chefs are discovering even more reasons to leverage the intelligence and capabilities of these all-around workhorses, from reduced staffing and space restrictions, to menu changes and kitchen formats. One major issue influencing today’s operations is the shortage of labour and skills in kitchens, many of which are running at skeleton-staff levels. “Combi-ovens really allow for the entire production to be plug and play. They take out the guesswork for chefs,” says Louis-Philippe Audette, president of RATIONAL Canada. Blodgett’s line of universal combi-ovens Many operators are pivoting to combi-ovens at a time when dining-rooms are closed and they’re converting to takeout, reducing their menus and consolidating functions where they can, he says. “Combi-ovens not only help reduce waste, they allow chefs to work handsfree while taking care of other business.” They can also be monitored and operated remotely, Audette adds. “It helps to have that fluidity. When you have staff pressed for time, you want to maximize how much you can get out of a cooking device. It helps streamline production, because you can cook several items together and set times for each.” “One-chef kitchens can run a larger operation with less staff and rely on the equipment to make everything more efficient and profitable,” says Steve Meehan, corporate chef, Food Service Solutions Inc. in Mississauga, Ont. April Shaw, VP of Blodgett Combi Sales and Marketing in Essex Junction, V.T., observes that many operators are streamlining their menus because they don’t have a lot of staff in the kitchen and are getting back to their core profitable products. “Combi-ovens are faster and don’t require micro-management, so chefs can do something else while the oven does the producing. That’s a huge portion of what’s going on today.” QUALITY AND QUANTITY IN ONE The cost savings can also add up when operations are running on shoestring budgets, says Mark McEwan, executive chef at Food Service Solutions. “With combi’s, not only can you produce high-quality food without a highly trained person to execute it, you can get up to a 20-per-cent higher yield on meat cuts versus convection.” Another key factor is consistency. By improving and creating systems around food, restaurateurs can cook with more consistency and less prep, he adds. “Someone can call in sick and you can still achieve the same quality on a regular basis.” With staffing at a minimum, an added bonus is that a combi-oven cabinet can accommodate multiple items at the same time, ensuring a consistent product every time with less skilled staff. “There’s so much programming you can do,” Meehan says. WHERE THE COMBI’S ARE As a result of the pandemic, the restaurant industry has experienced a rise in commissary/ghost kitchens. Owners of multiple restaurants are following the QSR trend of transitioning to remote kitchens to prepare food for transfer to the different locations. “Ghost kitchens are something we’re seeing a lot more of,” McEwan says. “Whereas it was typically takeout pizza or Chinese-food operations, now everyone is doing it to reduce the high overhead of brick and mortar so they don’t have to worry about location.” A combi-oven can do the work of a fryer, grill, convection oven and steamer in a smaller footprint. “Instead of six or seven pieces, now you might have one or two,” he says. “The icon-based screen is the same interface you find on a cellphone or tablet, so the learning Alto Shaam’s CTP 7-2 Combitherm® Oven FRANK STÖCKEL [TOP LEFT] 46 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY NOVEMBER/DECEMBER <strong>2020</strong> FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
facilities are really jumping on board. We see a lot of growth in that area because the one good thing about combi technology is it automatically logs all HACCP data. It knows the temperature of every minute in the cooking process and constantly monitors that it is in the safe zone. That’s a huge benefit.” A CASE IN POINT Stephen Clark, executive chef at Chop steakhouse in Calgary, has long been a fan of combi-ovens for its prep-hall operation. Now he’s bringing them to GRATE MACHINE FOR YOUR OPERATION 0 The Lainox Naboo line of combo-ovens curve is much easier and the training much faster. You could take high-school kids and a combi-oven and create a popup ghost kitchen to create an efficient takeout model.” Ventless systems have also come to the forefront in these scenarios. “Ghost kitchens are the biggest new market sector right now. You can put them anywhere and create a modular-style kitchen with ventless combi ovens,” Shaw says. An added benefit is that the modularity of a ventless system allows kitchens to separate production areas to address sanitation and physical-distancing challenges, she says. “Ventless plays a huge part in that.” Combi-ovens are also selling more into supermarkets, QSRs and other restaurants trying to optimize operations, Meehan says. “Healthcare RATIONALE’s iCombi line takes the guesswork out of producing consistent quality, regardless of experience level FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM This is not the time to be spending money we don’t need to. All of us really have to make sure we know what we’re doing first POUNDS OF CHEESE IN THREE MINUTES YOU CAN ALSO SLICE, DICE & JULIENNE Robot Coupe USA, Inc. 264 South Perkins Ridgeland, MS 39157 1-800-824-1646 www.robot-coupe.com
Page 1: HOSPITALITY HEROES CANADIAN PUBLICA
Page 4 and 5: FROM THE EDITOR THE ART OF GIVING U
Page 6 and 7: Thank you for stepping up to the pl
Page 8 and 9: GOING VIRTUAL Toronto-based restaur
Page 10 and 11: PIZZA PARTNERSHIP Mohamad Fakih, fo
Page 12 and 13: ¨ @welbiltcanada Garland Canada -
Page 14 and 15: FROM THE DESK OF NPD THRIVING TH AD
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Page 23 and 24: SEGMENT REPORT SEGMENT SPOTLIGHT EX
Page 25 and 26: SPONSORED CONTENT Canadian Egg Farm
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Page 32 and 33: Mohamad Fakih (left) is well-known
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Page 36 and 37: Branding and Buzzing used its resou
Page 38 and 39: Mark McEwan and his team stepped up
Page 40 and 41: When COVID-19 hit the foodservice i
Page 42 and 43: Garland-Welbilt Canada acts on COVI
Page 44 and 45: Jagger Gordon has expanded Feed it
Page 46 and 47: iCombi Pro. iVario Pro. All of a su
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November/December 2020

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