Prince Castle, now available at JES
J.E.S. Restaurant Equipment is always supplying an array of equipment for various foodservice restaurants, which also includes the fast food industry. One of our primary manufacturers, Prince Castle, was founded in 1955 and has been a pioneer and innovator in introducing new technologies to thousands of restaurants. Over the years, Prince Castle has worked globally with many foodservice leaders to help improve their kitchens. They are dedicated to making the foodservice industry fast and efficient with innovative products that make employee productivity easier.
Here are a few examples of just how innovative Prince Castle is with developing their own products:
A bagel consultant was searching for a way to help bagel shops increase their sales by selling sandwiches. Most bagel shops have trouble keeping their sandwiches fresh for extended periods of time without wasting unused bagels. This same consultant discovered the Prince Castle Holding Bins, which allowed him to extend the hold times of eggs, sausage, and bacon to 60 minutes. The consultant discovered that he was able to reduce the service time from three minutes to one minute. Now all of the bagel shops he consulted are able to keep both freshly made bagels as well as other food products without letting any food go to waste.
Most gas stations and convenience store chains find that premium brewed coffee is a great commodity for their customers. The only drawback is that clerks usually have a difficult time monitoring the coffee bar to ensure that the best coffee is always served. These convenience store chains and gas stations decided to install Prince Castle timers to monitor the coffee’s hold time. Not only did this alert the clerk when the coffee was finished brewing, but it also reassured customers of how much pride the store took in their coffee.
A chicken restaurant chain wanted to introduce its new char-grilled chicken sandwich to the public and was very finicky about the flavor of the chicken. They had to find a toaster that would fit into their tiny kitchens and not increase service time. The solution to all this was the Prince Castle contact bun toaster. This toaster was slim enough to fit into their kitchens and was able to keep up with a national chain store that required hundreds of chicken sandwiches to be made in each store on a daily basis. By contact toasting the bun, it prevented the condiments from soaking into the bun and making the sandwich fall apart. Now, the customer could focus on enjoying the new sandwiches, which is still one of the top products for the chain.
Another chicken restaurant chain wanted to improve the holding and merchandising of their fried chicken and finger foods. They were using calrods and heat lamps to keep their food warm but found that this reduced the moisture levels in their chicken. They also found a solution in using Prince Castle products. Prince Castle had a holding bin that used infrared energy and were able to hold biscuits and mashed potatoes longer while maintaining the desired product quality. They wanted to find a way to hold their entire menu longer with better results.
Their technology involved calrods and heat lamps that helped generate heat which blankets only the product’s surface. This prevents the heat from reaching the entire product and can lead to product’s easily drying out. Infrared heat is not initially heat, but it turns into heat when energy is absorbed into the product. This allows for not only more thorough heat throughout the entire product but also better moisture retention. This technology was put to the test and after a thorough evaluation, it was decided that Prince Castle was able to develop a multitude of solutions to accommodate all of their restaurants. They ultimately developed holding solutions to maximize merchandising and holding capabilities and thus developed technology that would work perfectly in this configuration. They discovered they could make fried foods that were longer lasting at more consistently safe temperatures. All products tasted crispy on the outside yet the inside retained moisture and juices. Regardless of what they bought, restaurant owners could always guarantee their foods were moist and juicy regardless of what kind of equipment they had.
Introducing the ECO-4000 Energy Saving Toaster
Designed and manufactured from the ground up with simplicity of operation, and longevity in mind.
The ECO-4000 is an answer to the call from companies worldwide who are feeling the pressure from consumers, regulators, and investors, to be more eco-friendly in the business operations. But that isn't the only problem the ECO-4000 Radiant Conveyor Taster solves - now you can ave energy, while saving money and delivering superior products to your customers.
Saving energy is not only socially responsible, but one of the smartest business decisions you can make. The smart design and custom technology from APW Wyott offers energy savings of up to 75% of normal run mode, and saves 36% more energy than energy-hogging competitive toasters.
So how does it work? The Electronic model includes exclusive Toast Now Technology. This allows immediate toasting with the costly warming-up times, or the wait. Not only do you save energy you'll improve customer service, all in one step. Each model also includes an Energy Saving Mode in the programmed time cycle, on the Analog and Electronic models.
Just “Set it and forget it”.
HOW TO MAINTAIN THE LIFEBLOOD OF YOUR FRYER BY USING OIL PURIFIERS AND FILTERS
If motor oil is the lifeblood of your car, fryer oil is the lifeblood of your fryer. Fryers must have oil to operate and that’s why oil must be managed to increase the longevity of your fryer. Oil degradation often occurs from essentially three things: hydrolysis, oxidation, and polymerization. Hydrolysis is caused by moisture getting into your oil and the effect is the breakdown of your oil and poor coloring. Oxidation is the cause of air or oxygen accelerated by light, trace metals. This causes harmful compounds such as peroxides, volatile compounds/ toxins like aldhydes, ketones, alcholos, hydrocarbons, etc. Polymerization results in solid build-up, greasy food, bad tasting food, and foaming and smoking of the oil. Polymerization of your oil happens when other triglycerides and improper oil keeps from flowing evenly.
Another problem fryer oil has is TPM. Total Polar Materials are soluble contaminants in oil that cannot be removed by filter aids, paper or screens. TPM are by-products of frying and degradation factors interacting with oil. This diminishes oil and food quality over time. Soaps, free fatty acids, and trace metals are commonly considered TPMs.
When owning a deep fryer, a customer wants to extend the life of the oil, maintain the food quality, and have the end user overall save money by maintaining the life of the oil.
The disco filter paper introduced by Continental manufacturing will help your oil’s longevity by filtering out harmful particles that contribute to such degradation. The disco filter paper comes in essentially three forms: Cellulose, Non-woven and Powder filled pads. The paper is for Manual or Automatic processes. This disco paper is made of 100% virgin fibers with no
fillers, whiteners, or bleaching agents.
The cellulose filter paper comes with natural wood and cotton fibers. It has a crepe-like texture that increases the filtration surface area. It has various grades to fit the OEM specs-flow rate, strength, capacity.
The automatic filter paper has cellulose, non-woven and powder filled pads. This paper is used in automated filter equipment. It comes in various sizes, shapes, and grades depending on the need. The overall performance improves when used with powders.
Both a Filter Aid and Oil Purifier are used with the filter paper. Common powder forms on the filter aids. The filter aids can remove solid particles but do not remove soluble contaminants that can seep through such particles. The Filter Brite is a trademarked powder oil purifier. This purifier removes solid particles and also more microscopic particles. They also remove TPMs that are soluble in oil. The filter paper can’t remove such particles. The advantages of such oil purifiers are the portion control, less of a mess, lower training and labor cost, and it comes in multiple sizes and shapes.
How Refrigeration Works: The Sequence of Operation
Since the beginning of time people have searched for ways to preserve the shelf life of food. Today we may take for granted that our refrigeration units offer a cold haven for food that would otherwise quickly spoil, but it wasn't to long ago that we were seeking out caves, or drying out food to keep it stored.
Today 98% of US homes own a refrigerator, and 21% own two or more. But many people don't know how these appliances work. (And many of us are not even sure if the light stays on when you close the door.) No matter if it's commercial or residential the basics are the same, and during a recent meeting of our service department one of our helpful technicians showed the staff the sequence of operation for refrigeration.
Source: Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers
STAINLESS STEEL IS THE REAL DEAL
If you are browsing on our website, you will notice the majority of equipment we have is made of stainless steel. When it comes to commercial restaurant equipment, this durable metal is the defining difference between economy and quality brand items. If you have noticed, some of our descriptions go into great detail about the types of stainless steel grades we offer.
What is meant by 304 and 316 stainless steel?
304 stainless steel contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel. 316 stainless steel contains 16% chromium and 10% nickel and 2% molybdenum. The molybdenum is added to help resist corrosion to chlorides. Stainless steel must contain at least 10.5% chromium. This element reacts with the oxygen in the air to form a complex chrome-oxide surface layer that is invisible but strong enough to prevent further oxygen from “staining” or rusting the surface. Therefore, the 304 is a higher grade than the 316 as far as rusting is concerned.
What are AISI Specifications for stainless steel?
The AISI (American Iron and Steel Institute) was the originator of the 300 and 400 series
numbering system. The AISI also published a stainless steel products manual that listed these designations and the chemical analysis as well as most mechanical and physical properties of each individual grade.
What does the term CRES mean?
CRES is used in describing stainless steel. It stands for corrosion resistant steel. It doesn't mean that the steel is in fact stainless steel as there are other materials that are corrosion resistant but not stainless steel.
There are many advantages to stainless steel cookware, one being durability. The physical properties of stainless steel makes it resistant to scratches, dings, and dents. This means that your cookware will last for many years to come. Stainless steel cookware does not react with acids or alkaline foods, meaning it can be used for all
sorts of cooking without fear that the metal will pit or corrode. Another advantage of stainless steel cookware is easy maintenance. Stainless steel can be washed with soap or water, or even run through a dishwasher, making it easy to clean and to maintain.
We have several stainless steel products on our website. Polar Ware is one of our leading manufacturers in stainless steel small wares. Many of our worktables are also made of stainless steel from Cannonware. One of our larger manufacturers for stainless steel faucets is T & S Brass.
ICE-O-MATIC INTRODUCES THE SMALLEST UNDER COUNTER ICE MACHINE
Ice-O-Matic GEMU090
Ice-O-Matic, a leading manufacturer in ice machines, just stepped up their game by offering a sleek, new under counter ice maker. What separates this unit from any other under counter ice machine? It makes this machine the first affordable under counter ice maker to go in your home. It is also one of the few under counter units to provide the highly regarded Pearl Ice® for residential use. This soft, nugget-style ice crunches easily and doesn't hurt your teeth, making it an ideal ice to complement a refreshing beverage.
This ice machine has a capacity of making 85lbs of ice production per day and holds a capacity of 22lbs of bin storage, which makes this unit great for residential use.
The GEMU090 is compact and operates quietly making it inconspicuous enough to be placed in any home, kiosk, office building or other public places. Not only does it have a compact size and a quiet operation, but it also has a 115 Volt Plug-In that can be virtually installed anywhere.
These units come 30” high with a space-saving design. These air-cooled units are energy-efficient units. They come with an optional drain pump and a scale remover accessory. These units also come with a two years parts and labor warranty.
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The blog is brought to you by JES Restaurant Equipment. We're a great place to shop if you're looking for restaurant supplies like a commercial sink or a Hoshizaki ice machine. If you're looking for great recipes, check out our other blog, the Chef Phil Blog.
TIPS ON STARTING YOUR OWN COFFEE HOUSE
Opening a Coffee Shop - Get the right equipment
Regardless of where you are in America, one thing is for certain: Americans love coffee! Coffee is always a necessity no matter where you go. The average coffee shop sells $550,000 worth of coffee in a year. 52% of Americans drink coffee daily. 15% of Americans buy at least one cup of coffee at a coffee shop every day. This number is increasing 3-4% per year.
If you want to open up your own coffee shop, there are a few things you should take into consideration first. One thing is to go look around at other coffee houses and see what they are doing. Ask them questions such as what brands of coffee they are using to see if you can improve upon their selection. Your customer base is everything and determining it will also determine whether you will make money.
Advertising is another advantage. You’ll be required to make a substantial financial investment in the start up. If you choose to start up a chain coffee shop, the advertising will probably be easier but you have to pay for an annual licensing for a name or logo. You’ll pay 6-11% of your revenues for advertising and royalty fees each year.
Equipment is always a necessity for any restaurant or business. The espresso machine is the life blood of the coffee house. There are essentially three types of espresso machines: Semi-Automatic, Automatic, and Super Automatic. The semi-automatic espresso machine requires a manual shut off by the operator. These machines are used for a slower flow of traffic in coffeehouses. The user has more control over how the espresso is made.
The automatic espresso machine has the programmability to cut off a shot at 23 seconds. These machines still give you manual control while have certain aspects of the machine programmed.
The super automatic espresso machine will grind the beans, tamp, pull the shot, shut it off and even discard of the used grounds. In some ways, having an espresso machine this automated loses the “art” of making a great cup of coffee. If you are running a fast-paced coffee house, then this is the machine for you.
Coffee brewers, such as satellite coffee brewers, are designed to make and store the large amounts of coffee that your customers will buy. These are mostly used for generic cups of coffee but are the fundamental necessities for all coffee houses.
Give your shop an extra touch of class with good coffee mugs for customers who want to drink coffee in your shop. All good coffee shops need well-made coffee mugs.
Grinders are designed to grind large amounts of coffee that will allow you to grind your coffee quickly, as well as sell it to customers who do not have a grinder at home. Coffee grinders are made with precision burrs for a consistent, commercial-quality grind. The grinders usually come with either one or two hoppers and are made with regular, decaf, or specialty coffee beans.
Furniture is always a necessity for any restaurant or coffee shop. In a coffee shop, you will want comfortable chairs that people can sit down, relax, and enjoy coffee. Outdoor seating is also very popular at coffee shops, so having outdoor furniture can be as important as having indoor furniture.
Espresso machines must be connected to a water source to fulfill their water needs. Drainage is also required. Water softeners in the water line will prevent mineral build up in the machines.
A French press grinder is commonly used for home use but can also be seen in commercial coffee shops as well. The French press is a coffee brewer without a filter. Not using a filter is a great way to conserve paper and be environmentally friendly. This is something to consider as an alternative in your coffee house, although you would certainly want to have your coffee brewers handy.
Condiment organizers are always good to have in any coffee shop. The more condiment organizers you have, the happier your customers will be. Coffee sleeve dispensers are also great to have, and it makes it a lot easier for your customers to pull each sleeve out.
Finally, coffee decanters are ideal for pouring coffee in and are a necessity for any coffee shop.
The coffee mix, milk, sugar, etc. are really the only other products you will need at least to get started. Of course this isn’t the only thing you will need to help you start your own coffee house but it is a good start.
Once you have started your business, it’s now up to you to increase your growth. Do your research and run specials. Make sure the music in your coffee shop is conducive to the atmosphere. One more thing before you ever get started, work in a coffee house and gain experience and understanding of how most baristas work.
TIPS TO REMEMBER FOR STARTING YOUR OWN PIZZA RESTAURANT
One of the most beloved foods around the world, hands down, is pizza. The entire world craves this famous dish that originated from Italy. There is no denying that people love going out to eat. Nowadays with as many people that don't have time to cook, more and more are starting to eat out. This have left a big avenue open for the pizza industry. This great dish can feed sometimes 6-8 people at one time and leaves an outlet for those wanting to get creative with their culinary expertise.
There are at least three types of pizza restaurants that can be broken down into either quick service, mid-scale, or upscale. The quick service type pizza place or by the slice type shops cuts down considerably on the customer's waiting time. Quick service pizza shops have pre-cooked pizza on display so the customers won't have to wait for the pizza to cook. This is the least expensive among all pizza shops since it requires the least space.
Mid-scale pizza shops offer the casual dining experience at an affordable price. This type of pizza parlor bridges the gap between quick service pizza shops and a fine dining pizzeria. The dining patrons can choose from a more versatile menu as compared to the quick service pizza shop. Customers place their pizza order at the counter and get their food at their table. The service is usually a lot longer and the pizza ingredients is always considered fresh and cooked to perfection.
No matter which type of pizza restaurant you choose to start, each restaurant has their advantages: speed, family-oriented, or fine dining. Chances are that each customer has probably gone out to each type in their lifetime. Now that you know what your options are, it's time that you learned what types of restaurant equipment you need to get started.
Pizza ovens are a necessity in any pizza establishment. Counter top pizza ovens and conveyor pizza ovens are usually the fastest means of cooking your pizza. Conveyor pizza ovens cook the pizza evenly and usually in six minutes or less. This is the type you will generally see at most quick service type pizza restaurants. With these ovens, the uncooked pizza will travel on a conveyor belt and pass through the oven. This oven is usually heated by either electric coils or by gas fueled flames and will come out the other end of the conveyor as a freshly made pizza pie.
The counter top pizza ovens get the incredible bake of an authentic deck oven. These ovens are equipped with a baking stone for that great pizza taste. This type of oven is great for
cooking smaller, more compact pizzas. These size pizzas usually range anywhere from 10”-12” in diameter.
Another great asset to have in a pizza restaurant is a pizza baking stone. These stones help evenly distribute oven heat to pizzas or other baked goods. They have more thermal mass than metal or glass pans. An alternative to pizza stones are Pizza Pleezers. These pleezers are a nice alternative to a pizza stone if you are wanting to give that crisp taste you would come to expect from a pizza stone when baked in a pizza oven.
Other small wares that are a necessity for any pizza restaurant are pizza cutters, pizza peels, pizza knives, rolling pins, dough dockers (these are used to roll over the dough and increase the overall fluffiness of the pizza dough), and pizza pans to serve your pizzas on.
If you plan on making deliveries with your pizza establishment, delivery bags and pizza box dispensers are always a good choice to have. The pizza box dispensers give you a good opportunity for holding your pizza boxes and keeping them organized.
A few tips to remember when running a pizza business is to only get the freshest and highest quality ingredients. Another good tip to remember is to always remember to have a passion for the cuisine and enjoy dealing with your customers. One of your main responsibilities is to act as a host to your patrons.
You will be tasked to manage the full operation of your shop. Among your many duties are bookkeeping and administrative tasks, complying with local and state government regulations, developing menus, managing your employees, marketing and promoting your pizza shop, purchasing supplies and food stock, etc.
Above all else, remember that your end goal is to serve great food and service. These two aspects are essential to your success. If your customers are pleased with your food and service, they will surely return to your pizza shop for more.
This is just a few good tips to remember when starting your own pizza business. We here at J.E.S. Restaurant Equipment have everything you need to get your pizza restaurant up and running.
TIPS TO REMEMBER WHEN STARTING YOUR OWN ICE CREAM STORE
Regardless of what type of restaurant you decide to open, one thing is for certain: Everyone loves ice cream! Ice cream shops are a great idea for marketing to all age groups from toddlers to senior citizens. The average American eats 6 gallons of ice cream a year, therefore an ice cream shop can be a great investment for you as an entrepreneur.
The first thing you should do is research other ice cream or mobile businesses in your area. If you are trying to appeal to all demographics, then having low-fat ice cream or yogurt may be a good idea for appealing to a more health conscious consumer.
Contact your city's health department to learn of the requirements and cost associated with obtaining a permit or mobile permit if you intend to operate an ice cream cart. This of course is a necessity for opening any business and is the basic stuff you need to get out of the way before proceeding.
Choosing the right location to start your ice cream shop is also imperative to your success. Some hot spots for most ice cream shops include parks (especially those near baseball fields where younger kids would be), plazas, shopping malls, near beaches, etc. Warmer climates tend to do better with ice cream shops for obvious reasons. Be aware of your surroundings because as with any business it's all about location, location, location!
Equipment is the next and most crucial step in starting an ice cream shop. Ice cream is a profitable business and thus there are numerous products to choose from that will help make your ice cream creations unique and fun. Of course not all of these products are necessary; some of them are just accessories to add to an already established ice cream shop.
Dipping cabinets are without a doubt a necessity to your ice cream shop. Without dipping cabinets there would really be no way to sell your product. Ice cream dipping cabinets are where all or at least most of your ice cream will be stored. These frozen storage spaces will keep your ice cream at an ideal temperature all day long. When choosing a dipping cabinet (and you will probably want to buy several), you want to look at those that have a display for your customers. If food is based largely on visual appeal, then your customers will expect to see what you have to offer before they choose to eat it. Horizontal dipping cabinets are good for storing extra cartons of ice cream that aren't on display.
Cone dispensers and cone holders are both ideal products to have. The ice cream cone holders are great for displaying the variety of cones that you have in your store. This is just another way to draw in your customers with visual appeal.
Soft-serve ice cream machines and a batch freezer are ideal for having as a nice alternative to regular ice cream. For those of you who don't know, a batch freezer is a machine that produces ice cream on a commercial scale; this can range from soft-served ice cream to gelato or sorbet. Not all of your customers are going to want regular ice cream and will be looking for variety when stepping foot in your store. To avoid any disappointment, make sure you have a soft-serve ice cream machine or batch freezer to give them more options.
Ice cream scoops are an obvious necessity. Your scoop should be sturdy (metal is always better for commercial ice cream use) and it should make dropping ice cream into a cone or cup a breeze. Be sure to have plenty on hand.
Restaurant furniture is another great thing to have in any restaurant business. This includes booths, chairs, tables, stools, trash receptacles, and even youth seating (because we mustn't forget about the children).
Above all else, the most important thing to have in any ice cream shop are napkin dispensers and napkins. Ice cream can be messy when it's melting faster than a customer can eat it (this might be due to how well your dipping cabinet is working for you to start with). Make sure your customers have plenty and plenty of napkins or they will be upset.
Freezer and refrigerator merchandisers are also ideal for any ice cream parlor. Make sure you have both for any products that may require various temperatures.
Above all else, make sure you have a back room that acts similar to a kitchen for storage space for all of your products. This room is where you would put your walk-in freezer. Walk-in freezers are great for ice cream shops because they really give you a place to store a large part of your supplies in one area without having to buy numerous dipping cabinets. It's something to consider for any serious ice cream shop owner.
Now that you have a general idea of what type of equipment you need to buy to get started it's time for you to develop a business plan for your ice cream shop. Start doing your market research to find out where the best places to sell ice cream are and what types of ice cream flavors are good to have in your store. Designing ideas for your shop, using advertising techniques, understand who your competition is and watch how they sell their ice cream if they are well-established, and above all else understand your finances so you won't go into debt.