Refrigeration – Serious about being cool

Counter Refrigerator & Pan Holder

Commercial refrigeration used to mean ugly square metal boxes, but no more. These days foodservice fridges are seriously cool – on the outside as well as in.

Put it down to the rise of front of house ‘theatre’ kitchens, style-conscious brasseries and the simple aspiration to work with attractive-looking catering equipment. Manufacturers are working hard to make their cabinets beautiful, with designer lines and stylish curves.

Take the humble door handle. Sure, it needs to be ergonomic and easy to live with, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t look good, too. It’s often the only visual feature on the front of the cabinet, so designers are spending time coming up with a catwalk of alternatives.

The good news for the buyer is that while all this style is going to enhance the kitchen, restaurant and bar, it isn’t going to add to the cost of ownership.

Indeed, since staff are likely to treat an attractive fridge with more respect than an ugly one, you should find these good lookers remain wrinkle-free for longer than the old boxes they are replacing.

Energy Bar

Refrigeration is currently the only foodservice equipment category on the Energy Technology List (ETL). Buyers selecting products on the ETL qualify for various financial benefits, such as tax relief and interest-free loans, so it’s well worth checking what’s available before you buy.

Buying an ETL-approved product should save in running costs, too, since it will be more energy efficient.

CESA is working with the Carbon Trust, which runs the ETL, to put even more foodservice equipment categories on the all-important List.

Energy features to look out for on your refrigeration include:

Smart controls – these are designed to cut running costs, for example by minimising energy use in quiet periods (such as overnight).

Insulation – make sure it’s high performance, to keep items cold in and warm out.

Self-closing doors – they’ll ensure you don’t leave the fridge or freezer open.

Drawers – these are usually more expensive than doors but can save energy, since less cold air is lost when a drawer is opened compared to a door.

Are you getting the best from your refrigeration?

Position: make sure the cabinet is well ventilated and if possible, don’t site it immediately besides heat-generating equipment such as ovens.

Loading: don’t block the cabinets internal airflow by overfilling it – and you should never put hot food in it.

Doors: always close doors and train staff to avoid opening them unnecessarily.

The above is exraction from the CESA equipment buying guide 2009. See the December issue of Eat Out magazine for more details.