When setting up a restaurant, equipping the kitchen is a crucial step. You can decide what equipment and appliances you need for your kitchen based on what you plan to serve and what your menu is. In most cases, the kitchen setup is decided long after a restaurant opens. Adding new appliances and equipment, however, can allow restaurants to extend their menus. At the moment, your restaurant’s success depends on being diverse and offering a variety of menu items.
The Food Dehydrator UK is a new, smaller piece of equipment to consider adding to your kitchen. Although it may seem foolish at first glance, investing in a food dehydrator has several benefits for your kitchen and operation.
How Do Food Dehydrators Work?
Food dehydraters do exactly what they sound like, they dehydrate food. In other words, they absorb moisture and water from the food. You can dehydrate fruit slices, for example,placing them on a rack in the dehydrator and letting the air circulate slowly, removing the moisture from them. The majority of the time, this process takes a bit of time, since it’s a slow one.
Many food dehydrators have racks, such as the Waring CommercialTM 10 Tray Dehydrator. By drying different kinds of foods simultaneously, you can save time. You can dry apple slices or mango slices simultaneously. A dehydrator can also be used to make beef jerky.
A large capacity is also one of its features. More food can be dehydrated at the same time. Some foods, however, dehydrate at varying rates and temperatures. Make sure to monitor the temperature of food in the dehydrator and don’t pair foods that need to be heated at different times.
Dehydrators like these are specifically designed for commercial kitchens. In addition to being energy efficient, they are also small and compact. This allows you to use the oven for cooking other things.
Dehydrated Foods: Their Benefits
The restaurant guest and the restaurant owner both benefit from dehydrated foods. A broader menu is also possible with the presence of dehydrated food options.
U.S. restaurants generate between 22 and 33 billion pounds of food waste each year, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. This food is wasted without ever reaching the consumer. This waste can be reducedusing a food dehydrator.
Excess food can be dried and preservedrestaurants and used in a variety of ways. A good example would be to offer healthy snacks in small portions. Dried foods have a longer shelf life than fresh produce, so restaurants can buy in bulk and not have to worry about wasting food. This will also allow food establishments to save moneyutilizing everything that has been purchased.
The convenience of storing dried foods is another benefit. It is easier to store dried foods in a pantry or other closet since they take up much less space. When storing food, you should date it before storing it; however, it does not require much attention. The dried food takes up little space, so other fresh produce, meat, dairy, etc. can be stored there.
When dining at a restaurant, dried foods can be a healthy alternative to unhealthy side dishes. When the food is dehydrated, the natural nutrients are preserved and the flavor is not altered. This makes it easy to incorporate into any recipe, whether it be a snack or a stew. Even fruits can be made into fruit leather for goodies that consumers can take home. You may not have thought of drying food before, but now you should. This is especially advantageous since both restaurant-goers and restaurant owners can benefit.
Choosing the Right Dehydrator
A food dehydrator can be a useful piece of kitchen equipment for restaurants, so let’s take a closer look at what to look for. Many of the features and things to consider will depend on the size of the operation and the food offered.
The wattage of the dehydrator is also important to consider. The unit will heat up faster with a higher wattage, but it will use more power in the process. The lower the wattage, the more energy and power it consumes, but the longer it takes to heat up.
You should also consider capacity when choosing a dehydrator. When you run a large operation and have a lot of customers in one day, it is best to choose a dehydrator with a larger capacity. With a larger capacity, more food can be dried at once. The stackable units provide a lot of capacity without taking up too much space. For smaller kitchens with less floor and counter space, these are ideal because they can be stacked on top of each other.
Another important feature is the type of timer a dehydrator has. There are dehydrators that come with a traditional on and off switch. Some come with automatic timers that shut them off after a certain amount of time has passed. You can leave the dehydrator on and walk away, safe in the knowledge that it will shut off and not over dry the food.
Wrapping Up
A food dehydrator is a useful piece of equipment that most restaurants can make use of. It can help you expand your menu, save money and waste, and the food is still healthy!
Let us help you choose the best dehydrator for your food operation!
