Weather the Storm: When Winter Weather Labor Is on Ice

Winter months and storms can pose significant challenges to the foodservice industry, especially in terms of winter weather labor. The inability of employees to make it to work due to inclement weather can disrupt operations. To mitigate these challenges, it’s crucial to leverage advanced foodservice equipment that enhances efficiency and reduces the dependency on a fully staffed kitchen. By placing more emphasis on automation, planning and processes, and ease of use, foodservice operators can better maximize winter weather labor.

Cook and Hold Freshness with Carter-Hoffmann

A Carter-Hoffmann Cook and Hold Cabinet can be a simple way to cook center-of-the-plate ingredients and hold them for extended periods of time without sacrificing quality. These units allow operators to use convection technology at low temperatures, developing a roasting process that produces tender yet perfectly browned meats. The beauty lies in simplicity—minimal seasoning is required, saving both time and labor. Add in higher yields and the possibility for ventless installation, and the ROI is easy to see.

Carter-Hoffmann also offers PUC cabinets, automated lockers to keep completed orders secure until they’re ready for customers to pick up. They come in both heated and ambient versions, depending on the operator’s preference and the type of food they are putting in the cabinets. While the guest-facing Pick-Up Cabinet holds foods at desired temperatures, it is also a touchless system. As an ideal labor saver, staff members only need to load the food into the unit. An automated and mobile-based interface allows customers to order, pay, and pick up their temperature-controlled food without any interaction with staff.

Get Smart Kitchen Technology with Open Kitchen

Open Kitchen, an innovative IoT solution from Powerhouse Dynamics, is a tech-driven solution for optimizing labor efficiency. By seamlessly connecting and monitoring foodservice equipment, from HVAC to cooking appliances, Open Kitchen provides real-time insights that empower foodservice operators to streamline operations and minimize the need for extensive on-site supervision. This enhanced visibility over equipment and processes not only ensures a smoother workflow but also translates to substantial labor savings, particularly crucial during times of limited staffing or unforeseen challenges like when winter weather labor is hard to come by.

A key labor-saving feature of Open Kitchen lies in its predictive capabilities, utilizing alarm codes and patented analytics to detect potential equipment issues proactively. This not only prevents downtime but also reduces the reliance on constant manual checks. Additionally, the system’s capabilities, such as refrigeration temperature tracking and alerting, contribute further to labor efficiency by automating tasks that would traditionally demand significant human intervention.

Rapid Cook Efficiency with TurboChef

TurboChef Rapid Cook ovens are the ultimate in cooking efficiency. They provide operators with the ability to cook complex menu items at a fraction of the time of conventional ovens. Even more important, they can help staff members execute those menus without draining time and resources. When paired with a user-friendly design, including automated smart menu systems capable of storing hundreds of recipes, foodservice staff can deliver with minimal training and the press of a button. This efficiency allows employees in smaller venues to redirect their focus from complex cooking processes to enhanced customer service.

In addition to saving labor, TurboChef’s Rapid Cook ovens can also maximize profits by eliminating the need for overhead hoods, as units operate in a ventless capacity. Their smaller footprints are ideal for operations that are underutilizing counter space. Ventless Rapid Cook ovens, available in various sizes, including the compact TurboChef Bullet and the versatile Plexor, empower establishments to create profit centers in unconventional spaces. No matter which TurboChef oven you select, though, labor savings and efficiency are always two of the benefits.

OneTouch Controllers Streamline Operations

Middleby’s OneTouch, an innovative solution incorporated by brands like Southbend, is designed to enhance operational efficiency and quality using the OneTouch user interface. Can simple foodservice controls maximize labor and increase efficiency? OneTouch is proof that the answer is ‘yes.’

Addressing the need for uniformity in controls across a diverse range of foodservice equipment, OneTouch provides operators and kitchen staff with a standardized set of controls, promoting consistency and saving valuable time. This innovative interface encompasses recipe management, cooking types, settings, and a progress circle, ensuring a seamless and uniform user experience across various Middleby brands such as Southbend.

The new touchscreen control on Southbend convection ovens gives complete control and consistency to any operation no matter the user. By simplifying the cooking process, they make operation more intuitive and reduce the skill level required for operation. During winter months, when staffing levels might be challenging, this technology can empower less experienced staff to maintain the high standards of your kitchen no matter who makes it into work.

Automate Frying with Computer Controls

Pitco’s 12-Button Computer Controls for commercial fryers stand out as a labor-saving innovation that allows staff to focus on more manual tasks like food prep and clean up. Because frying can be so exact, an automated feature that takes the guesswork out of determining food doneness or oil temperature can save time — and reduce the potential for wasted product or send-backs — ensuring a busy kitchen experiences fewer errors due to undertrained or overwhelmed staff. With smart timers and automated alerts, employees are notified when the product is fully cooked, regardless of what’s in the fryer.

Beyond labor savings, Pitco’s computer controls contribute to significant cost savings. The precise regulation of oil temperatures prolongs the life and quality of cooking oil, reducing the need for frequent changes (a labor-intensive task). The accurate temperature and timing features prevent overcooking, minimizing food waste and lowering overall operational costs. Pitco’s commitment to user-friendly controls ensures a short learning curve for staff, allowing them to effortlessly regulate frying time and temperatures for up to 12 stored recipes with a simple press of a button.

Who needs snow tires when you have Middleby? Maximize winter weather labor by taking a test drive near you.

Middleby is here to help you weather the storm and manage winter weather labor. We encourage you to take a test drive on one of our labor-saving foodservice equipment solutions at a location convenient for you.