Caterers are becoming increasingly aware of how introducing a Cook-Chill element to their catering operation can help them extend their business.
Principally, Blast Chillers are used to rapidly cool down food, reducing it to a safe temperature so it can be stored for later regeneration. Therefore, it makes it much easier for caterers to adhere to Food Safety and Temperature Control Legislation. Some kitchens use blast chilling solely for this purpose, making sure that their food passes quickly through the bacterial ‘danger zone’ before storing.
However, the potential for Cook-Chill to actually make a financial difference to your business is becoming less overlooked. By investing in blast chilling equipment your business will be able to immediately recover a portion of your labour costs, reduce waste, maximise efficiency and increase turnover, which accelerate your ability to recover your investment.
Effective time management
Like most businesses, you’ll have a mixture of busier and quieter periods and you will naturally want to maximise any spare time to your business’ advantage. By utilising blast chilling, you can get ahead during those quieter periods by cooking and storing dishes. Rest assured that there will be no loss to appearance, flavour or texture once the food is regenerated. Even the lightest and most delicate of foods can be cooled in a Blast Chiller. During service you will be able to spend more time attending to your customers or improving on presentation.
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By serving meals that are suitable for blast chilling you can prepare the bulk of the work in advance meaning your capacity for service increases. This can include anything from lasagnes, poached fish in sauces, desserts or fried foods. By using Cook-Chill you will be able to cope with larger numbers of customers and at a shorter notice. This will result in increased turnover and profitability within your business.
Menu extension
The flexibility of the system allows you to prepare a greater selection of dishes, offering your customers more choice whilst still maintaining quality. In addition, because meals are being prepared in advance you can afford to really take your time on your dishes, something most chefs are very grateful for!
Potential expansion
If the meal turnover of your business is limited by the number of meals you are presently able to cook and serve with your existing kitchen, Cook-Chill is a fast way to increase your capacity without necessarily expanding your kitchen or employing extra staff.
Using a Blast Chiller can help your kitchen become more profitable in many ways, at the very least it will help you to achieve more in advance. This leaves you in a freer position to explore a larger menu and focus on your customers.