Posted by Middleby May 10, 2023 3:30 PM

The Restaurant Kitchen of the Future Runs on Electric Foodservice Equipment

As environmental issues and changing regulations continue to gain importance, commercial kitchens are increasingly transitioning from gas to electricity to power their equipment. When governments and municipalities aren’t weighing in on these matters, consumers themselves are expressing a desire for sustainability in foodservice. The result is a drive toward electric-powered commercial kitchens, and it’s being driven from all directions. Consider the town of Irvine, California. It’s just the latest municipality on track to ban gas pipes and appliances in new buildings, joining 75 other California cities and counties that have already taken this step. So where does that leave commercial kitchens currently using gas? And how will electric foodservice equipment become the future of the restaurant kitchen?

A Closer Look at Gas Appliance Usage

There are several reasons why gas appliances are starting to be being phased out, and one of them is related to the health concerns posed by gas. A study from the American Journal of Managed Care found that gas stoves constantly leak disease-causing pollution, with ¾ of emissions occurring while stoves are off. The impacts of gas consumption are also felt on a global scale. Ultimately, a migration from gas to electricity signals a shift from fossil fuel consumption to other alternatives. This will play a direct role in reducing the negative impacts on our climate.

In many locations, gas-powered foodservice equipment is being regulated. Right now, some exceptions to the policies include gas in restaurants. For new construction, there’s an even higher probability that electric-powered foodservice equipment will be required.

Gas in Restaurants and Commercial Kitchens

Foodservice workers can potentially be exposed to undesirable conditions resulting from gas-powered foodservice equipment. In commercial kitchens, workers often endure unbearable heat in excess of 100ºF from inefficient gas stoves that operate without fans or sufficient ventilation. The Institute of Labor Economics found that hotter temperatures increase workplace injuries, causing 20,000 injuries per year in California, with significant implications for labor market inequality.

In addition, gas cooking wastes 50 to 80 percent of the energy used, heating the kitchen instead of cooking food. All-electric induction cooking generates almost no wasted heat, making the kitchen much cooler.

These major points are among the biggest reasons why a major push has taken place to transition restaurants from gas to electricity.

Is Gas Cheaper Than Electricity?

While many restaurants are concerned about making the switch to an electric range, electricity has become more efficient. As a result, the total cost of ownership for an electric restaurant range could actually be cheaper than a gas range or other gas equipment. For these reasons, restaurants that make the transition to an electric commercial range, or at least consider the current and future advantages, can get a leg up on the competition. Check your local utility costs to see just how much you could save by making the switch.

Advancements in Electric Equipment

With electric equipment emerging in never-before-seen product categories, chefs who want to switch are no longer limited in their equipment selection. Today, virtually every type of equipment category can be found in an electric-powered model.

Consider the Southbend Electric Broiler. This is one of the top-performing electric appliances on the market today, and when compared to the same gas-powered model, it provides the exact same cooking capabilities. One of the biggest myths of electric foodservice equipment is that it cannot match the power of gas. This myth has been dispelled as more electric equipment enters commercial and institutional kitchens.

The Evo VentCore is another game-changing unit that combines the ventless technology developed by Evo with the broiling technologies pioneered at Nieco. With a high-velocity ventilation fan that captures cooking vapors, VentCore adds an entirely different element to the overall concept of electric cooking. Ventless equipment is only available in electric models.