Understanding the Shift: Exploring the Growing Trend of Gas Cooking Bans
If there’s one core component of the modern kitchen, it’s the natural gas stove. For decades, gas stoves have become the default appliance for cooking, heating, and preparing food, essentially becoming the core component of a commercial kitchen. As a result, other types of foodservice equipment have also traditionally relied on gas, but that could soon change.
Many cities across the United States are now starting to ban natural gas in new construction buildings. The move is to help both combat climate change and make kitchens safer, as some studies have shown that natural gas stoves can lead to various health problems including headaches, nausea, and asthma.
While it’s unclear how widespread these bans may be (or if they’ll become the default), many commercial kitchens are bracing for the change. Fortunately, electric restaurant equipment has come a long way in recent years and may be a viable solution.
Reshaping the Kitchen: How Gas Cooking Bans are Transforming Culinary Spaces
Considering that three-quarters of restaurants (76 percent) use natural gas, bans can have a massive impact on the industry. However, given that climate change requires drastic action and that gas stoves can emit tons of airborne pollutants, such bans may be inevitable.
Restaurants and foodservice operations can also lean into the sustainability argument by switching to electric commercial kitchen equipment voluntarily. This way, they can promote their commitment to “going green” and attract new customers concerned about how natural gas contributes to climate change.
That said, making the switch will be challenging and take some creativity. As many as 90 percent of restaurateurs say that the inability to cook over an open flame will negatively impact their menu. Plus, natural gas is generally less expensive and easier to use. Still, electric stovetops, ovens, and fryers can help mitigate these concerns.
In some cases, a hybrid kitchen with electric and natural gas equipment may become the norm. For example, having a natural gas stove and then switching to electric for ovens, griddles, and fryers.
Exploring the Different Types of Electric Fryers: Which Pitco Fryer is Right for You?
Electric fryers can often be much more energy efficient than gas-operated ones, especially when they’re full of smart technology. Pitco has two series of electric fryers to help chefs and operators make their businesses leaner while maximizing productivity.
First, the Solstice series is a basic electric fryer with a modular design and intuitive control options. The internal components are designed to turn as much electricity into heat as possible. SE fryers are suitable for most kitchens that still want to minimize their upfront costs.
Second, Pitco offers reduced oil volume (ROV) fryers. These fryers have automated settings to filter and top off the oil so workers don’t have to. When working with such efficiency, operators can reduce their overall energy usage and do more with fewer employees in the kitchen. ROV fryers cost a little more upfront but can lead to more cost savings in the long run.
Learn more about electric fryers. Download the Electric Equipment Guide today.
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