Connected kitchen appliances are the future of professional cooking. As household kitchens enjoy smart appliances and connected cooking workflows, a commercial kitchen should be at the forefront of connectivity. While at home we focus on remote control and programmability for kitchen appliances, as professionals we are attracted by “talking” devices: separate machines that can communicate with each other, streamlining kitchen operations and giving better results. Here are some examples of how connected devices can improve workflows and quality in professional kitchens, and some hints on how to choose them.
5 things connected kitchen appliances can do for your commercial kitchen
One of the first things that connected kitchen appliances can do to improve a commercial kitchen is to save time. Imagine an Oven and a Blast Chiller that interact with each other without you having to intervene.
They communicate with one another about ongoing operations, preparing each other for the next steps: i.e. when the Oven is about to finish the cooking process, it informs the Blast Chiller, that automatically starts the setup phase to be ready to welcome the food. In-between times are radically cut, so the whole process requires less time and stress.
Connected kitchen appliances also help achieve a better workflow: two connected appliances optimize human-machine interaction, simplifying the procedure for better results and cost savings.
Reducing errors is another positive outcome of connected kitchen appliances: less human intervention means that you can focus on other phases of your food preparation process. In addition, these devices often come with built-in control routines to analyze and prevent problems.
When appliances self-regulate, you can spend less time training your staff in how to use the device, and more in understanding the fundamentals of your cooking approach.
Last but not least, cost-cutting. Connected kitchen appliances ensure better control over energy and water consumption throughout the entire cooking process.
Connected Kitchen appliances: how to choose them
When choosing your connected kitchen appliance, you should consider 4 features.
Smooth connection between the appliances: make sure their connection is strong. How do they communicate? Do they share a common design approach and “mindset”? Despite general programming languages and common interfaces, two communicating appliances built by the same manufacturer are still a plus.
Simple usability: even if the kitchen workflow is largely influenced by communication between the appliances, there must be a human-machine interaction at least once in the workflow. If that interaction in not easy and intuitive, almost all the good that comes from connection gets lost.
Integrated intelligent approach: sensors and artificial intelligence are key features in running a streamlined process.
Do not trade connectivity for features: being connected is important but being state-of-the-art is too – so make sure that connectivity is bound to the highest possible technology.