Restaurant Supply & Restaurant Equipment Blog » Equipment & Supplies

Central Restaurant Products Teams Up With Vulcan Equipment for Exclusive Promotion

Tracey Rector — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 04:01:58 +0000

Central Restaurant Products will release our latest 384 page master catalog on Tuesday Jan. 17. Click here to request your copy.

This catalog will feature over 900 new products and will also direct customers to more than 2,000 web-exclusive products.

Central has teamed up with one of the world’s largest commercial cooking equipment manufacturers, Vulcan, to provide the lowest price and free shipping on all Vulcan products available at Central. The promotion will be available through March 31, 2012.

In addition to the Vulcan promotion, Central has enhanced their shopping experience by adding QR codes and website links throughout the catalog to 30 online buying guides and over 3,000 specification (“spec”) sheets.

Spec sheets can be found upon opening a product on our website. If a spec sheet is available, there will be a “Download Spec Sheet” icon under the product’s image. Click here for an example of a product that includes a spec sheet.

Central gives customers an advantage in the foodservice industry by being their direct source for hundreds of industry-leading manufacturers. They also have their own premier line of products—the Central Exclusive, Central Edge and Value Series. These products give customers access to exclusive products, bundles and deals that can’t be found anywhere else.

Vulcan visited Central on Jan. 5

Another way Central has enhanced their shopping experience is with their Combo Deals. These are products packaged together into one easy model number to give customers the comfort and knowledge they have everything they need.

With Central’s free expert consultation, customers can order with confidence. Thousands of items are available for same-day shipping and over 1,000 products ship for free. Other benefits include convenient methods of payment, free online chat for questions and concerns and a bilingual hotline to assist Spanish-speaking customers.

Central Products opened in 1981 near downtown Indianapolis and has grown to become one of the nation’s leading distributors of quality commercial restaurant equipment and supplies. Central’s knowledgeable Product Consultants with industry experience are available during convenient hours—phone lines are open for business Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. EST. They can be reached at 800-222-5107. Shop online, request a catalog or sign up for email promotions at CentralRestaurant.com.

Be Safe in 2012, Avoid These Common Foodservice Accidents

Tracey Rector — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 22:03:24 +0000

A foodservice establishment is very fast paced. Without taking precautions, accidents are bound to happen. Here is a list of some of the most common foodservice accidents (both injury and food) to become more aware of and avoid.

Broken Dishes

To avoid breaking dishes, don’t over fill dish racks or put glasses on a non-glass rack. Also, do not store bar glasses above ice bins, etc. In case of emergencies, keep a broken glass bucket readily available because broken glass should not be put into the trash.

Burns

Especially common when using fryers and oil filtering.

Cuts

Knives should be kept sharpened as dull knives cut more people. Also, don’t grab falling knives. Looking to another aspect, some cooking equipment requires guards or locks. Make sure that machinery has the proper safety equipment and is used.

Food Contamination

Employees should wear gloves, practice proper hand washing techniques, use colored coded boards and have a separate area for raw meat prep. And on another note, employees should understand the importance of heating/cooling food properly.

Improper lifting techniques

Especially common with garbage cans, dollies, lifting in the dish area, etc.

Slips, Trips and Falls

Employees should always wear proper non-slip footwear. Also, employees should not mop floors without drying afterward.

Slicer Equipment Injuries

If you have a meat slicer on the premise, do not allow employees to use it until they have been directly trained to use, breakdown, clean, sanitize and reassemble it safely and completely

Products to Enhance Safety

Safety Resources

Thanks to Central Product Consultant Michael Williams for contributing to this blog. Williams submitted additional information for each accident topic.

Foodservice Industry Resources

Tracey Rector — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:06:43 +0000

From schools to restaurants, it’s always great to have some resources to find the latest foodservice industry information. Here are a few resources, along with their Facebook or Twitter accounts.

Please comment below and share your favorites!

Nation’s Restaurant News

Foodservice.com

School Nutrition Association

Website

Facebook

Fed Up With Lunch

Mobile Food News

Energy Star

Smart Blog on Restaurants

QSR

Benefits of Owning a Slicer

Tracey Rector — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 04:01:05 +0000

When it comes to important kitchen equipment, the slicer ranks pretty high on the list. From salad bar to pizza toppings, the slicer really takes on a lot when it comes to back of the house duties. By having a slicer at your restaurant, it can extremely reduce labor costs while providing uniform results.

One of the great slicers out there is the Nemco Easy Slicer. (And just to give you a heads up, we currently have a promotion running until the end of October. With every purchase of a Nemco Easy Slicer comes a free replacement blade kit.)

The Nemco Easy Slicer has twin, razor sharp 5¹/₂” curved stainless steel blades, an exclusive visual thickness gauge and comes in your choice of an adjustable (¹/₁₆” to ¹/₂”) or fixed blade set (¹/₈”, ³/₁₆” or ¹/₄”).

The slicer easily takes on onions, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, and more. And best of all, it cuts uniform slices in seconds, so you and your customers can count on consistency.

Image from Nemco website

What sets this slicer aside from others is the fact that anyone can use it. According to OSHA regulations, no one under the age of 18 can use a power slicer. As this slicer isn’t a powered prep item, it is great for restaurants that employ high school students. Also, minimal training is required making it easy to use.

There are always tough aspects to owning restaurant equipment and cleaning is one of the tougher tasks for slicers. Nemco was sure to keep that in mind when they built the Easy Slicer and specifically designed it to disassemble easily. This makes the cleaning process much, much easier.

So when it comes down to some of the perks, here’s what you can count on with Nemco’s Easy Slicer:

Labor savings
Consistent cut size
Portion control
Versatility and simplicity
Quick, operator-adjustable thickness
Perfect for all employees as it’s a non-powered piece of equipment
Cleans easily

Nemco has put together this information-packed video (click here) which goes into further detail and provides tutorials for slicing, cleaning and more. And if you’re thinking about purchasing this slicer, you can click here for the information on Central’s website.

National Peach Month

Amber Coleman — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 11:30:39 +0000

Photo from profruit.com

August is National Peach Month, but how did this come to be? Back in 1982, the United States Congress and Ronald Reagan approved this as Proclamation 4947. According to the Atlanta Examiner, “Reagan called upon US citizens to ‘incorporate this nutritious fruit into their diets.’” In honor of this declaration and to encourage you to celebrate with and educate your patrons, Central is providing 10 peach related facts, tips, recipes and tools to get National Peach Month off to a great start.

1) FACT - Peaches are Nutritious

Peaches contain 3 grams of fiber* and no fat***. They are also a good source of vitamins A, B and C** and provide fewer than 70 calories*.

Photo from supplementsdigest.com

2) RECIPE & TOOLS
Summer Peach Pie with Vanilla Cardamom from Epicurious can be made using
Pie Pans, Pie Servers and Mixing Bowls from Central.

Photo from epicurious.com

3) FACT – Don’t eat Peach Pits
The peach pit contains hydrocyanic acid** which is highly toxic to humans.

Photo from ehowcdn.com

4) TIP – When are peaches in season?
Peaches are in season in the U.S. from June to the end of August* and in China
from July to August ****.

Photo from rubbahslippahsinitaly.blogspot.com

5) RECIPE & TOOLS
Peach Salsa from Simply Recipes can be made and served using Cutting Boards,
Paring Knives, Hamilton Beach Food Blender and Salsa Dishes from Central.

Photo from Tasteofhome.com

6) TIP – Ripening Tricks
Ripen the fruit by placing it in a brown paper bag for two to three days**. To
prevent peaches from ripening, place it in the refrigerator*** and to keep it from browning sprinkle the flesh with lemon or lime juice***.

Photo from earth911.com

7) RECIPE & TOOLS
Georgia Peach Barbecue Sauce from Fine Cooking can be used with Basting Brushes from Central.

Photo from kitchenconfidante.com

8) FACT – Where is the origin of the peach?
Originated in China where they symbolized immortality and longevity***. They are still the world’s largest producers of the fruit***.

Photo from zcache.com

9) RECIPE & TOOLS
Fresh Peach-Pecan Muffins from Ingredients Inc. can be made with Muffin Pans from Central.

Photo from ingredientsinc.net

10) FACT – World’s Largest Peach Items
The World Largest Peach Cobbler was made in Georgia and measured 11 feet by 5 feet*. The World’s Largest (individual) Peach was grown in South Carolina and weighed 10,000 pounds*****.

Photo from dashrecipes.com

With all of this information, we hope you’ll take advantage of this great fresh fruit and maybe even try out a new recipe or two. If you do try one of our recipes or if you have a recipe you’d like to share with our other readers, please leave a comment below.

All facts and tips were found on the following sites:
*WebMD **The Nibble ***Peach-Facts
**** Wall Street Journal *****Fill Your Plate

5 Ways to Keep Customers Cool

Amber Coleman — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 11:30:23 +0000

Photo from quickblogcast.com

Temperatures have been holding at record-breaking heights this summer in the United States. In fact, according to The Weather Channel, it’s actually been as hot as 117 degrees, recorded in Childress, Texas on June 26. That’s not even counting the humidity which can make the heat index rise even higher. With all of these thermometer busting days, it’s tough to find ways to keep customers cool. To quell the complaints until snow begins falling again, Central’s got just what you need. We’ve compiled a list of tips, tricks and recipes to keep patrons chilly and maybe even allow them to enjoy outdoor dining without the fear of melting!

Hydrate Through Water

Photo from mylot.com

We all know that it’s important to get enough water into your system even when it’s scorching outside. Thankfully, this is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to keep your guests (and staff) healthy and happy.

Product Tip: Water Coolers can be a great investment to keep staff from overheating while a pretty glass can help make water a bit more appealing to guests.

Try this twist to add a little flavor: Lemon & Cucumber Water from Food.com

Hydrate Through Food

Photo from Tasteofhome.com

If filling guests up on water sounds like an opportunity for money loss, rest assured there are also other ways to keep them hydrated. Foods like watermelon and cucumbers are also full of H2O and are in prime season during these hot months.

Try these tasty recipes: Watermelon and Cucumber Gazpacho from Epicurious
Minty-Watermelon Cucumber Salad from Taste of Home

Don’t Forget the Ice

Photo from Centralrestaurant.com

It may not be a great idea to encourage customers to fill up on frozen margaritas while they’re out in the 100°+ heat. In fact, alcohol actually speeds up dehydration according to the U.S. Army Medical Department. Instead, you can cool them down by offering a slushy, non-alcoholic alternative (if they’re tasty enough diners may not even miss the alcohol).

Product Tip: Instead of crushing the ice yourself or burning out the motor on your food blender, try using an ice shaving machine like the Hamilton Beach Revolution Ice Shaver.

Try this sweet addition: Pear Green Apple Raspberry Granita also from Hamilton Beach

Beat the Heat with Spice

Photo from About.com

It may sound crazy, but spicy food actually helps cool you off. Think of the weather in places like India and Mexico, then think of the different types of food they eat. Items like curry and chili pepper are so popular in these places because they increase sweat. According to The New York Times, “If you are living in a hot climate, the increase in body temperature (when eating spicy foods) can make you feel cooler by diminishing the difference between you and the surrounding air and by inducing sweating, which cools the body when the perspiration evaporates.” So why not use the heat as an opportunity to try out a few new spicy recipes for patrons, while educating them on the benefits of using heat to cool off?

Product Tip: Don’t forget to have anyone preparing these spicy items wear gloves, especially while cutting up and handling peppers. Cut Resistant are good to prevent chopping accidents while non-latex and vinyl gloves are great options to help ensure excess seeds and/or juices don’t end up getting rubbed in worker’s eyes.

Try these spicy recipes: Spicy Chicken Coconut Curry from Food Network
Thai Stuffed Chili Peppers from About.com

Eat your Greens

Photo from foodnetwork.com

While eating a salad may sound like just the trick due to the cold veggies (or even just the thought of iceberg lettuce), there is actually more to their cooling effect. FoodRepublic.com suggests, “Green, leafy vegetables—like spinach, kale and broccoli—are packed with calcium, which is crucial to your body’s thermoregulatory abilities.” In plain English this means that the calcium helps keep your brain in contact with the rest of your body to make sure you don’t overheat. Salads are also a great idea for restaurants in the summer months because so many different fruits and vegetables are in season, making them a bit cheaper, yet fresher tasting.

Product Tip: After washing your lettuce and any other vegetables, throw them in a Salad Spinner or Dryer to make sure they’re dry and will grab hold of any dressing you might use.

Check out veggie versions or opt to add fruit: Roman Summer Salad from Food Network
Strawberry Summer Salad from All Recipes

Photo from centralrestaurant.com

If these five tips still have guests sweating (remember that’s supposed to happen with the Curry), there’s always the hope that Fall is just around the corner (September 23) and hopefully with it will come cooler weather. In the meantime, kick back, relax and let the fan be your guest’s best friend.

Have a fail-proof recipe or idea for staying cool in during the sweltering summer months? Share your thoughts with us below.

10 Ways to Make an Extraordinary and Memorable Table Setting

Tracey Rector — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 04:01:53 +0000

One of the most important yet undervalued components of the dining experience is the table. At this point, you know table setting basics from silverware placement to having the classic white linen neatly draped over. But from restaurants to catered events, there is always a way to take it a step further to enhance your customer’s experience. After all, taking some extra time to liven up the setting could bring in more money somewhere along the line.

This week we came up with a few ideas along with Michael Williams (Product Consultant, Central Restaurant Products), Laura Bedilion (Category Manager, Central Restaurant Products) and Stacy Blanton (Director of Marketing and Communications, IUPUI Food Service) to create 10 ways to make your table setting go above and beyond your guest’s expectations.

Color: It’s scary, but if you know your guests and your atmosphere, which you do, you can play with color to find one that best represents your establishment or catered event. This applies to more than the table cloth; it applies to napkins as well. During Williams’ catering days, he used multiple colors for napkins to liven his setting. For example, in the fall he used a burnt orange and a rich brown.
Upgrade your Tableware: If you have fairly new dinnerware, skip this number. But if your plates are scratched, your glasses are murky or your knives are dull, Bedilion recommends updating. Today there are a variety of shapes, colors and styles of plates—including those that don’t scratch or break easily. Also, when upgrading, you can look at your current dinnerware set to decide if you need more durability. Same thing goes with drinkware and flatware.
Napkins: Sure, you can roll your silverware in a napkin—but why not take some extra time to enhance the experience by folding the napkin in a way your guests have never seen? Find one and try it. It could become a signature part of your establishment.
Go Natural: Everyone has seen gemstones in centerpieces; why not use something natural instead? Blanton recommends using natural items for centerpieces and details such as leafy greens instead of greenery, pine cones and rocks instead of clear gems.
Candle Lamps: For low-lighted settings, a large or bright lamp can be distracting or in your customers way—especially if they can’t cover or move the light. Bedilion suggests candle lamps, which create just the right amount of light and are available in a variety of styles. They are also available in LED that simulates traditional candlelight if you’re staying away from fire.
Make it Personal: If you run a busy establishment and are constantly turning tables, your server will make the experience personal. But for a catered event, many times the most interaction between the wait staff and guests is filling drinks and clearing plates. Blanton suggests taking a few extra minutes to create individual menu cards for a plated meal. It can make a difference.
Fruit: Fresh fruit can be used in many ways other than for consumption. Williams would slice fresh fruit into water pitchers to liven the setting which would also infuse the water with flavor. Some of his most commonly used fruits were blueberries, honeydew and cucumbers.
Height: This is one of the very simple yet excellent ways to make a food presentation pop. Instead of laying everything flat, Blanton says to use a variety of heights (especially on a buffet, but it’s possible with a table too). There are many different ways to display food with height from risers to tiered displays. Williams adds that height can even be added with cardboard boxes and linen.
Condiment Display: Instead of throwing the ketchup and mustard on the far end of the table with the sugar and sweetener packets crammed into a small square container, find a condiment holder or organizer to conveniently hold all items for your guests. There are even holders that include a coil for table numbers or menu items, such as daily specials.
Ice sculptures: Okay, so this one may be taking it a bit further than just creatively folding a napkin or using bold red linens. However; you may find them to be the wow factor you’ve been searching for to make an event extremely memorable. Check out these ice sculpture molds.

Let us know ways you have changed your table setting to enhance the experience for your guests in our comment section!

What Do They Mean: NSF, UL and Energy Star Rated

Tracey Rector — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 04:01:34 +0000

While shopping for restaurant equipment (and many other products), you will find NSF listed, UL certified and Energy Star rated items. In many cases, people do not always know what these mean. We’ve compiled this list based from the CFSP (Certified Foodservice Professional) guide and each of their websites to explain everything.

Image from NSF Website

NSF

What it stands for: National Sanitation Foundation

Who they are: A non-profit, non-governmental organization, also known as the Public Health and Safety Company™, who describe themselves as the “world leader in standards development, product certification and risk-management for public health and safety.”

Why they are important: The CFSP guide says NSF has the following three purposes for equipment in the foodservice industry:

Assure all equipment meets health standards and passes critical inspection at the facility
Allows manufacturers to apply uniform construction methods to all NSF listed equipment
Provide health authorities throughout the country a “united front or voice” to require basic elements of equipment sanitation

What NSF listed means: In order to obtain the NSF listing, the equipment is reviewed and tested before approval. As there several types of equipment, NSF says on their website they have developed “over 50 voluntary American National Standards under the scope of health and safety” for foodservice equipment. They look closely at these standards before granting the NSF listing.

Below is a very brief and general overview from the CFSP guide of some of the things NSF looks into (keep in mind there are different standards more specific to different kinds of equipment):

Physical design and construction evaluation for ease of cleaning
Materials (look for corrosion or heat resistance, durability, nontoxic)
Performance
Sanitation effectiveness
Accuracy of control systems

Image from UL Website

UL

What it stands for: Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.

Who they are: UL is an independent, non-for-profit and non-governmental organization who describes themselves as “a global independent safety science company offering expertise across five key strategic businesses: Product Safety, Environment, Life and Health, University and Verification Services.”

Why they are important: With over 75 years of experience, the CFSP guide says the UL listing evaluates gas, electrical and sanitation safety on cooking, refrigeration, food processing and food prep equipment. They look at the most current standards and follow up after approval to ensure standards are maintained. A very brief overview of their mission on their website is below, view their full list here. They:

Promote safe working environments
Support the production and use of physically and environmentally safe products to prevent or reduce loss of life and property
Advance safety science

What UL listed means: To receive the UL listing, companies will have received the proper testing for a specific product based on their over 20 safety standards. UL has worked with many organizations such as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), National Electrical Code (NEC) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to determine and maintain current standards. The CFSP guide also adds the UL listing can also be reviewed for custom built equipment as well. To read how the entire process to make a product UL listed works, click here.

Image from Energy Star Website

Energy Star®

Who they are: Energy Star® is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency. They have created a partnership with the EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) and the U.S. Department of Energy that uses methods to protect the environment with energy efficient products and practices.

Why they are important: Energy Star® rated products are able to give a solution to some of the high energy costs and environmental issues. “Energy Star® provides a trustworthy label on over 60 product categories (and thousands of models) for home and office,” their website says. They also deliver technical information and tools to help make decisions for energy efficiency and play a key role in the latest technological advances. They have also put together a guide titled “Putting Energy into Profit” specifically for restaurants.

The Energy Star® website says their label was created to:

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants caused by the inefficient use of energy
Make it easy for consumers to identify and purchase energy efficient products that offer savings on energy bills without sacrificing performance, features and comfort

What Energy Star means: Energy Star® says “products can earn the Energy Star® label by meeting the energy efficiency requirements set forth in Energy Star® product specifications.” These specifications have been/are established by the EPA, based on key guiding principles on this website. According to the CSFP guide, if a product is Energy Star® rated, a manufacturer must be able to show they meet the minimum energy efficiency criteria for that particular product category.

**Note: Certain Energy Star® products qualify for Federal tax credits, for more information click here.

We hope you have found these helpful. While browsing through Central’s catalog and online store, you will find the NSF and UL listing in our copy or the Energy Star® logo if it applies.