Baking up tasty dishes like portobello lasagna, pecan-crusted chicken, cheesy flatbread pizza or a delectable chocolate lava cake takes the hard work and precision of a trusty commercial oven. Ovens are the backbone of most foodservice operations, and there’s a host of options to choose from. Whether single, double, conveyor, combi, rotisserie, microwave or steam oven, having the right oven helps your operation work toward more than just improved profit margins. Let’s take a look at some of the other ways the right oven can benefit your food service establishment.

Consistency
A commercial oven with the right technology is an important key to providing consistently cooked dishes. Precision heating is one technology that never disappoints. With controlled, quick blasts of heat, food is cooked quickly and perfectly every time. Programmable preset options are another smart tech that makes it easy for operations to create the same dish consistently again and again. It doesn’t matter who’s on the schedule. Preset recipes and the simple touch of a button trigger an intuitive oven to cook dishes exactly how the recipe states — no more overdone baked salmon or undercooked chicken breast. Customers want consistency in their eateries, and the right oven can bring it every time.

Employee safety
Having the correct equipment on hand is essential in minimizing hazards in the workplace and keeping employees safe (a top priority for every food service establishment). There are a lot of examples of this. For one, newer ovens often have more advanced ergonomics than older models. A better design creates a more efficient workspace, lowering employee exertion and increasing safety. For example, some conveyor ovens offer a front-facing control to eliminate the safety risk of reaching over the hot belt to change settings. In addition, automation components (such as conveyors and auto load/unload capabilities) limit repetitive movements that can cause injury over time. Updating equipment also keeps other safety aspects in check and can prevent unseen hazards such as faulty electrical wires. Any way you cut it, replacing an outdated oven is a safety win.

Reduced waste
We’ve already covered that dishes consistently cooked with automation and programmable settings increase customer satisfaction by providing fewer chances of over or undercooking food; it also affects the amount of food waste your establishment creates. Food is expensive, and the average cost makes up 28% to 35% of most restaurant budgets. Reducing waste by cooking it right the first time can save establishments significantly — but, there we go talking about profits again!

Efficiency
Ask any foodservice operator where they’d like to gain ground, and efficiency will be one of the top running answers. Automation capabilities that come with certain ovens are excellent ways to increase efficiency by allowing employees to safely up their multitasking abilities. So, while the braised pork chops finish cooking in the oven, employees can focus on other tickets that make their way to the kitchen.

Energy efficiency is another eco-friendly aspect of purchasing the right oven for your operation. In some cases, the energy you save, along with tax rebates and other benefits, pays for the cost of the equipment over its lifetime. Sustainability and a lower carbon footprint are huge in today’s world. One great option is choosing a ventless oven. These ovens don’t require the heavy energy load of a ventilation hooded system, saving precious energy from escaping through the roof.

Introducing an upgrade
Modernizing your commercial kitchen by introducing an upgraded oven will benefit your operation in multiple ways — for years to come. Whether it’s our enclosed-cavity Ovention MiLO® oven with linear impingement and infrared technology or one of our Matchbox conveyor ovens with customizable cook time and independent blower speeds, there’s an oven to meet your operation’s every need. Want to find the perfect oven? Take a look at our blog, “How to Determine the Best Oven To Create Fast Customizable Menus.”