Do You Know Your Plastics?

There are three main types of plastic commonly used in the food service industry: polycarbonate, polypropylene and polyethylene. Do you know the difference between each type? It can be confusing to remember the properties of each, so read on to learn more about the differences of each.

Polycarbonate
Polycarbonate is best identified by its crystal clear composition. It is virtually unbreakable, making this durable plastic ideal for glassware and dinnerware used in outdoor applications. Polycarbonate is also chemical and stain-resistant, making it very easy to clean and maintain. The one downside to polycarbonate is that it can be susceptible to steam and very high temperatures (safe temperature range: -40 – 210 degrees Fahrenheit).

Polypropylene
Polypropylene can be identified for its translucent composition. Some of the major advantages of polypropylene are that it is chemical-resistant (making it safe for chemical wash dishwashers); it is flexible and is typically slightly cheaper that other types of plastic. The major disadvantage of polypropylene is that it does not withstand high heat, and may not be safe for high heat dishwashers (safe temperature range: -40 – 160 degrees Fahrenheit).  

Polyethylene
Polyethylene can be identified for its white-colored composition. Polyethylene is both chemical and stain-resistant, making it safe for chemical dishwashers. Its largest disadvantage is that, much like polypropylene, it does not withstand high heat and may not be safe for high heat dishwashers (safe temperature range: -40 – 160 degrees Fahrenheit). Also, its white color does not allow you to see through the material, so when food is stored in polyethylene containers the container must be opened to view its contents.  

Save Energy with Induction Cooktops

Countertop induction cooktops offer many benefits over other types of restaurant equipment. Countertop induction cooktops can handle essentially every task normally assigned to gas and electric ranges. They can be used to pan fry, sauté, boil water, cook eggs and more. The technology behind these units allows for extremely fast heating, that is even faster than cooking with gas.

Induction cooktops operate by running electricity through an induction coil that produces a high-frequency magnetic field that extends just a few inches above the cooktop. When cookware made of ferrous material (material that reacts to magnetism such as steel, iron, nickel and various alloys), is placed on the cooktop, this magnetic field causes the molecules in the cookware to vibrate, thereby heating the pan.

Since induction cooktops heat cookware through a magnetic field, they produces less heat overall than gas or electric ranges. This helps to lower the ambient temperature of the kitchen, as well as greatly reduce air conditioning costs. This type of cooking technology is also more energy efficient than gas or electric, as up to 90 percent of energy consumed by an induction cooktop goes into heating the cookware.

Countertop induction cooktops can be used in place of gas or electric ranges and burners. Since they can easily be plugged into almost any electrical outlet, they are especially ideal for front-of-the-house applications and such as omelet bars, stir-fry stations, and for catering and buffet services. Also, since induction cooktops don’t utilize open flame or heated ceramic cooking elements, countertop induction cookers greatly reduce the risk of accidental burns to kitchen staff and to customers in a display cooking situation.

Bar Equipment that Boosts Sales – Portable Beverage Merchandisers

Increase your profit with impulse sales of beer, bottled water and soda. A portable piece of bar equipment such as a portable beer icer is perfect for tempting thirsty customers at your bar, hotel, concession stand or outdoor event. Simply wheel a portable beer merchandiser into a high traffic area and watch your beverage sales skyrocket.

Portable beer merchandisers are a terrific addition to your bar equipment inventory as they are typically constructed of durable molded plastic. These fully insulated mobile beer coolers will keep their contents cool, thus saving you time and money with minimal ice refills. Most portable beer merchandisers will feature a built-in bottom mounted drain, thus making them an easy piece of bar equipment to empty and clean.

Mobilize your Bar Equipment with a Portable Bar

A portable bar is an innovative and cost effective piece of bar equipment for any banquet facility or outdoor venue. The sleek design of a portable bar will blend with nearly any décor and this cleverly constructed piece of bar equipment offers numerous features that will make your job easier. With plenty of storage for bar equipment items such as glassware, condiment caddies and bus tubs, a portable bar has everything you need.

Optimal features to look for when choosing a portable bar include an ice bin with or without a cold plate, a prep area with a cutting board or stainless steel surface for preparing garnishes and drinks, speed rail storage for wine, liquor and mixer bottles and storage space for bottled or canned beverages as well as glassware and miscellaneous bar equipment tools.

Looking for an easy and cost efficient way to add a bar to your home, without having to purchase multiple pieces of bar equipment? A portable bar is a great way to liven up a social gathering in your home’s family room, game room or outdoor patio. Plus, a portable bar allows you to take your bar equipment to the area in which you wish to entertain.

In the heat of summer, who doesn’t want an ice cold glass of lemonade, sangria, iced tea or punch? Serving these icy drinks during outdoor parties, buffets or banquets is best done in an iced beverage dispenser. Commercial iced beverage dispensers are the finest way to serve drinks to a large number of people within a short time span, and transport icy beverages to different locations safely and conveniently. On top of these benefits, iced drink dispensers are often equipped with advanced features.

Glass beverage dispensers provide your guests with a beautiful and functional display. If you are interested in a variety of shapes and capacities, check out Cal-Mil’s selection of iced beverage dispensers. Some are equipped with black wrought iron bases for elegant display and drip trays for cleanliness. All dispensers have removable ice chambers, allowing ice to cool your beverage without diluting the flavor of the product as it melts.

For the most durability, consider iced beverage dispensers with high impact plastic construction. Tablecraft iced beverage dispensers are resistant to scratching and denting, making them ideal for transport in a catering operation. Carlisle clear iced beverage dispensers feature tight fitting hinge-less lids to prevent spills. Some models have deluxe spring-action faucets and removable drip trays. Choosing the best construction saves you the labor of cleaning up spills and the expense of a pile of napkins.

Juices, punches and sangrias need optimal temperature settings, but iced tea has an additional requirement—optimum brewing. Stainless steel iced tea urns will give you the best brew for your buck. People will appreciate tea that has been carefully brewed and sits at the ideal icy temperature.

When the weather gets chilly, there is no doubt that coffee brewers, urns and percolators will become the most popular beverage dispensers on buffet tables and banquet spreads. Serv-U also carries quality warm beverage dispensers to use when the heat wave passes!

You are probably aware that stainless steel restaurant equipment is high quality, but do you know why?

Stainless steel is an iron-carbon alloy with at least 10.5% chromium content. Stainless steel does not stain, corrode or rust as easily as ordinary steel because of its chromium content. Oxygen reacts with the chromium to form a tough, invisible layer of film on the steel surface that gives the metal durability. If you care for your stainless steel restaurant equipment properly, it can last for many years, making it a great investment for operators.

Another key to the value of stainless steel is the ease of sanitizing this metal. Cleanliness is essential to every foodservice operation so investing in metal that does not have pores or cracks that can hold bacteria, grime and dirt makes sense. Serv-U sells special stainless steel wipes for optimum polish and protection.

Now you are clear on the benefits, but do you know what the terms 18/10 and 18/8 mean?

Understanding is key to buying the right grade of stainless! These grades specify the amount of chrome and nickel in a stainless steel alloy. Chrome is an important ingredient for resistance to corrosion, while nickel gives stainless the soft, silver-like luster for which it is known. 18/10 means the metal is 18% chrome and 10% nickel. 18/8 has approximately 18% chrome and 8% nickel. Weight is judged by the gauge or thickness of the metal. For example, 18/10 and 18/8 stainless are the highest quality premium flatware lines.

With this knowledge you can shop with confidence for kitchen appliances, cooking equipment and table top items, knowing that stainless steel is a high quality investment.

Most cooking activities in a restaurant begin and end with a knife, so having proper kitchen cutlery is essential to the success of your operation. Cutting is quicker and easier when you use the correct knife for the job, ultimately you cut the time required for food preparation by stocking your kitchen with a quality kitchen equipment. Use this guide to help you navigate Serv-U’s wide selection of knives.

 “The Chef’s Knife”– Also known as Cook’s Knife or French Knife is the work-horse of the kitchen. It has a very broad blade and a range in length from six to twelve inches. The eight inch size remains the most popular. Used for all kinds of heavy-duty cutting, as well as chopping, dicing and shredding, the Chef’s Knife is essential for vegetable prep and the flat side is perfect for crushing garlic.

“The Slicer” – With a very narrow, thin blade, the slicing knife is perfect for cutting thin slices, ideally ham and large cuts of meat. The more flexible the knife is, the easier it will be to get a thin slice of roasted meats, chicken and turkey.  Some slicers have a curving tip to assist in tight spots, like between wing and breast of chicken. The fork is the perfect compliment to the slicing knife, providing a secure hold.

“The Bread Knife” – Serrated edges enable the bread knife to pierce a hard crust or skin without bruising or crushing the delicate insides. Sharp blades unsure uniform slicing and aid in portion control. For operations with an extensive sandwich selection, offset blade knives are helpful.  

 “The Parer” – Sporting a short blade and available in a variety of shapes and curves, the paring knife is very useful for small, precision cutting. Often it’s used to peel, carve and prepare vegetables, fruit and other foodstuffs that can be held in the hand. The paring knife is best for close-up work like eyeing potatoes, and boning chicken.

“The Cleaver” - The broad, thick blade of this knife and its heavy weight make easy work of cutting bone, splitting ribs and getting through gristle. Its thick edge will not chip easily, and the heavier in weight, the easier it is to use.

Serv-U also offers high quality knife racks for storing the most precious cutlery in your kitchen. Knife cases are also essential for storage, especially in catering operations. A good knife and cutlery set can make a big difference can make a big difference in your commercial kitchen.

 Running an efficient kitchen is key to achieving high profits for your foodservice operation. Figuring out the equation for peak efficiency saves you considerable amounts of money by producing less waste and providing your customers with consistent results. Certain kitchen equipment can make all of your profit goals add up. One of the simplest ways to create a more efficient kitchen is investing in quality slicers and prep machines.

Portion control tools are crucial to efficiency, and the function of a commercial slicer. Ordering from Serv-U guarantees a wide variety of models to choose from including manual and automatic varieties. When using a manual model, the operator must move the food carriage back and forth to slice the product. Some incorporate a gravity feed design for convenience. Automatic slicers move the carriage with an electric motor, saving the operator time and labor. You also have the option of turning off the automatic function and slicing manually, making the slicer one of the most versatile pieces of food preparation equipment on the market.

Slashing the labor costs involved in food preparation is another part of the equation for efficiency. Certain food preparation machines are designed to target the tasks that take the most time and energy such as fry cutting, onion slicing, lettuce chopping, tomato dicing and citrus wedging. These machines guarantee consistent results. Using a meat or cheese cutting machine in a deli or sandwich shop cuts down on waste and saves time.

Finally, completing the equation for efficiency has implicit safety benefits. When machines are properly cleaned and sanitized you ensure a pure product. Employee morale is boosted by decreasing prep work and safety concerns. Contact the knowledgeable sales representatives at Serv-U for more tips on creating an efficient kitchen.

Durability is one of the biggest issues in the food service industry. Whether catering, bartending or serving, the goal is an attractive presentation for your customer that can’t be broken in transport or storage. The solution to your durability dilemma? Stock up on plastic restaurant supplies.

The foodservice industry has made huge advances in plastic serveware—specifically Melamine, SAN and Polycarbonate. All three materials have unique pros and cons, but the most distinct is cost. Both SAN and Polycarbonate have a petrochemical base, Melamine does not. All three varieties are completely dishwasher safe, but won’t stand up to liquid chlorine bleach or abrasive scouring pads. Regular commercial dishwashing detergent or sanitizer easily cleans your plastic restaurant supplies.

The trend towards plastic drinkware is popular in pool, lake and beach settings, but equally appealing for your average bar or nightclub. Plastic is less of a liability than glass. Plastic pitchers, for instance, are just as attractive as their glass counterpart, but more durable. When your customers are pouring from plastic pitchers, you increase your profits by cutting your overhead equipment costs.

When it comes to storage of your plastic restaurant supplies, plastic tumblers can be stacked without worrying about chips or cracks. A rack of plastic plates won’t weigh you down the way that china, ceramic or glass will.

Plastic restaurant supplies aren’t limited to dinner and drinkware. Crocks and larger serving pieces are also available in Polycarbonate and Melamine. Plastic is a natural insulator for cold foods and also has excellent thermal properties. Though no plastic material can withstand an oven, most varieties are safe for the microwave.

When you need something completely unbreakable, cost effective and attractive, plastic restaurant supplies are the perfect option.

Super Bowl Sunday is a huge day for football fans and, according to USA Today, pizzerias. Sales of pizza on game day are some of the biggest of the year, jumping by up to 50 percent. Stocking up on pizza equipment and pizza prep supplies can help you suit-up for Super Bowl sales.

If your pizza operation is concerned with value and efficiency when cooking pies, it is important to invest in a conveyor oven. This piece of kitchen equipment is engineered to produce consistent results for your customers, with some models baking up to 19 fresh pizzas per hour. Impingement conveyor ovens are available in both full size and countertop models. When speed is important to your profits you can be confident that your impingement oven heats two to four times faster than a conventional oven.

Serv-U also sells pizza pans to slide through the oven, suited for pies of many sizes, including deep dish varieties. In order to give customers the most ideal crust, consider adding a pizza screen to your stock of kitchen equipment. A screen will create a crispy crust by cooking the bottom surface of the dough with convection and radiation.

The biggest sales on Super Bowl Sunday come from deliveries. Therefore, after you cook your pizza, it’s important to have the equipment to deliver hot and fresh pies. Serv-U offers specially constructed delivery bags, designed to help breathe moisture and steam out while keeping the heat inside. The Oven Hot brand bags come with a 100% satisfaction guaranteed return policy. For longer trips, models are available equipped with a heating element. To cater to the most ravenous crowds, we offer pizza carriers with multiple racks that can carry up to 10 of your jumbo 18” pizzas. 

Stocking up on your equipment needs is a good step as you prep for the big day. Don’t forget to knead the dough for your dough boxes, top off your containers of toppings, and sharpen the wheels of your pizza cutters so you are ready for the demands of Super Bowl Sunday!