THE VOICE OF GFEN

reach a record high of $631.8 billion, a 3.5 percent increaseover 2011 and the second consecutive year that industrysales topped the $600 billion level.

The foodservice industry is a major energy consumer.On a square-foot basis, according to the EnergyAdministrative Association, foodservice establishments usemuch more energy than other commercial buildings,making this segment the most energy intensive in thecommercial building sector. So, not only are commercialkitchens big energy users, they are big natural gas energyusers. Primarily used for cooking, water heating, and spaceheating, natural gas claims more than 85% share of thatmarket.

In addition to surveys commissioned by the GasFoodservice Equipment Network, other independentsurveys over the years have shown that chefs prefer naturalgas because it offers greater control over temperature, fastercook times, immediate visual heat and lower operatingcosts. All great attributes, but growing industry awareness

Better KitchenSolutions withNatural GasAppliances

by Tom Stroozas - CFE, RCGC, CFSP

“Cooking with gas” is a common phrase that datesback to the early days of the natural gas industry and gasappliances. For many, a natural gas range was a true stepforward with technology and convenience. In today’scommercial foodservice industry, incorporating a “battery”of natural gas equipment provides operators better and moreefficient solutions for high volume and demanding cookingprocesses.

Natural gas is still the best value when it comes to themajority of cooking, water heating and space heatingapplications. With today’s very low natural gas productionprices consumers are experiencing the lowest natural gasrates since the 1990s. Many operators who switched toelectric appliances over the past couple of years may nowhave regrets for doing so as they are pretty much stuck withusing equipment that will generally cost more to operateand not offer the control and flexibility of gas cookingequipment. If you remember nothing more from readingthis article, it should be this: “Gas STILL gives you more…for LESS!”

Restaurant Market Hungry for Natural Gas

Driven by the continued national economic recoveryand consumers’ pent-up demand for the food, service andsocial outlet that restaurants provide, the U.S. restaurantindustry is projected to expand in 2012. According to theNational Restaurant Association’s 2012 Restaurant IndustryForecast, total restaurant industry sales are projected to

In response to operators’ growing needs for energy-,labor- and money-saving cooking technologies,manufacturers have developed new natural gasequipment solutions such as high-efficiency fryers thatcan produce a healthier fried product using less oil, andmaintain quality, consistency and food safety due tosuperior recovery capabilities.

Published by COOKING FOR PROFIT Magazine/ 15, 201 © 201 Gas Foodservice Equipment Network22March

regarding technically advanced appliances has resulted inproducts that provide improved safety and increasedproductivity as well – two very important “key ingredients”that help ensure a better bottom line in an industry whereevery penny counts.

Because natural gas consumption is dominated by thecook line, it is already a clear leader in several equipmentcategories, i.e. ranges, convection ovens, conveyor ovens,charbroilers, fryers, etc. In recent years, foodserviceequipment manufacturers have been developing newnatural gas products that offer greater energy efficiency,increased productivity, and even better reliability than theequipment found in most commercial kitchens a decadeago.

Operators’ Conservation Efforts Save Green and Gain Customers

Going green can help make green – both by savingmoney and by attracting more customers, according toNRA research. A majority of restaurant operators areplanning to invest in more energy-conserving equipmentin 2012 to attract the 41 percent of adults who say they arelikely to make a restaurant choice based on an operation’sconservation practices. As a result, a majority of operatorsare planning to invest in more energy-saving kitchenequipment in 2012, led by 72 percent of casual-diningoperators (see chart below). And natural gas equipmentwill play a major role in that movement.

What Foodservice Operators Want Today

Higher energy bills appear to really be driving the

demand for new and more efficient equipment. And withthe “green movement”, a lot of restaurant operators arelooking to see what they can do to improve theirperformance in that area. With high worker turnover andlabor costs, foodservice operators also want to seeinnovative designs that will simplify the use and cleaningof equipment, improve the work environment, boostproductivity, and speed up food delivery. Market changesare also driving demand for more new products. Theseinclude the movement away from trans-fat oils, which iscreating demand for low oil volume fryers. In some statesemission standards are also reasons for purchasing cookingequipment that can reduce particulate emissions.

When it comes to annual energy costs, natural gas is abetter energy value than electricity for cooking. And, insome markets, commercial foodservice establishments willpay more than double what they would pay to cook withnatural gas.

Improved Cooking Technologies

There has been a number of interesting productdevelopments employing gas technology over the past fewyears which have proven to be of significant advantage tothe end-user. Some of these improvements have been withtoday’s high-efficiency gas fryers, which can produce moreproduct at less cost than ever before, with fuel-useefficiencies better than 70%; something unheard of just afew years ago. Improvements have also occurred with gasgriddle technology that can provide surface areas that haveconsistent temperatures from edge to edge allowing theoperator to increase production with an uncompromisedproduct quality and consistency. A number of equipment

THE VOICE OF GFEN

Zapping Energy Costs With Conservation EffortsProportion of restaurant operators planning to take the following actions in 2012

Family Casual Fine QSR FastDining Dining Dining Casual

Purchase energy saving light fixtures 63% 68% 65% 76% 78%

Purchase energy saving kitchen equipment 61% 72% 58% 67% 73%

Purchase energy efficient refrigeration or HVAC 53% 53% 57% 65% 65%

Install water saving equipment or fixtures 42% 54% 52% 47% 48%

Within the walls of one of the iconic hotels in the world you’ll !nd Montague. During it’s recent multi-million dollar renovation, Wolfgang Puck at the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angles, included a chef-designed Montague Excalibur Cooking Suite as its primary cooking appliance. From world class hotels and casinos to country clubs and colleges, you’ll !nd Montague in kitchens wherever power, performance and perfection is required. "at’s why, when it comes to professional cooking… Chefs worldwide, choose Montague.

Photo Credit: Hotel Bel-Air

Manufacturing the Finest in Commercial Cooking Equipment Since 1857Published by COOKING FOR PROFIT Magazine/March 15, 2012 © 2012 Gas Foodservice Equipment Network

THE VOICE OF GFEN

test sites around the country have recently proven thesefindings.

The introduction of combi-oven technology nearly adecade ago clearly made a case for the electric industry ashaving a product that was cheaper, higher in foodproduction and required less maintenance. This howeverhas changed significantly, as the gas industry can now boast“boilerless” combi oven technology that is not available inany other fuel source. This development has virtuallyeliminated the most costly maintenance problem withcombi oven technology and provides the gas combi ovenuser with a more maintenance-free piece of equipment.

Food products cooked with gas appliances can have asuperior quality. A series of cook tests conducted by aprominent national chain, showed that not only did gasfryers produce a better finished product, food safety wasnot compromised due to the superiority of gas fryerrecovery, affording batch after batch during heavy loadcycles to be cooked to required internal temperatures.

When it comes to the baking ability of gas ovens, theyare unequalled for producing a moister product that willhold up better and longer under warming lamps used byquick serve operations. This longer hold time can addsignificantly to an operator’s bottom line by reducing foodwaste.

The case for incorporating gas-fired equipment in anyfoodservice operation is strong. With high tech productimprovements now available, a predictable long termsupply of North American natural gas resources and pricesthat are now stable (and are predicted to remain the mosteconomical energy source), it’s easy to understand how“Gas gives you more…for LESS” and why “GAS isSTILL America’s Favorite Cook”.

To learn more about how natural gas can benefit yourrestaurant, visit the Gas Foodservice Equipment Networkat www.gfen.com.

the walls of one of the iconic hotels in the world you’ll !nd Montague. During it’s recent renovation, Wolfgang Puck at the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angles, included a chef-designed

Cooking Suite as its primary cooking appliance. world class hotels and casinos to country clubs and colleges, you’ll !nd Montague in kitchens

performance and perfection is required. "at’s why, when it comes to professional cooking… choose Montague.

Manufacturing the Finest in Commercial Cooking Equipment Since 1857 Published by COOKING FOR PROFIT Magazine/ 15, 201 © 201 Gas Foodservice Equipment Network2 2 March