Chefs, restaurateurs and commercial kitchen managers, they all have the same question: how can you increase efficiency in the kitchen and optimise costs? We at RATIONAL have looked into this and have thought about how a combi-steamer helps reduce energy costs and solve staffing problems without having to make any compromise in quality.
The greatest cost driver in the kitchen is electricity: it causes 70% of costs, of which 40% is for cooking alone. There is consensus in the industry that combi-steamers offer huge savings both in electricity and gas consumption: Low heat-up phase, effective cooking temperature and short cooking times are the outstanding characteristics of the appliance. As part of our testing, we have found that you need up to 70% less energy with a SelfCookingCenter® compared to conventional kitchen equipment without a combi-steamer. And thanks to the triple glazed door and LED lighting, we have even been able to save another 10% compared to previous models. This makes a difference in the cash register. And with the energy consumption display on the SelfCookingCenter®, the user can constantly monitor consumption and therefore actively incorporate this in their calculation.
Following a detailed comparative cook, we understand that precise regulation and technical equipment such as iCookingControl® saves an average of 20% in raw materials compared to standard cooking methods before. So there are savings to be made in terms of meat, fish and poultry with the SelfCookingCenter®. In a restaurant serving 200 meals, this can quickly amount to up to € 22,700 a year.
Another big cost driver is working time. The two most important approaches: Rolling loads with iLevelControl and the elimination of routine tasks such as checking and turning. Thanks to the SelfCookingCenter®'s intelligent cooking processes, working time can be reduced by up to 50%. This is valuable time that could be spent on other important tasks, but which rarely appears in profitability analyses.
The fourth cost drive we have taken into account is cleaning: Because all RATIONAL units work with a fresh steam generator, this eliminates costs for expensive water filters that are required in combi-steamers with an injection function. On the other hand, the SelfCookingCenter® descales itself automatically during cleaning. This easily saves up to €500 a year.
Anyone wanting to work out the above savings in absolute figures for their own business can do so usingCost-effectiveness calculator . You can either enter your own figures or use example calculations for hotel/restaurant, supermarket or casual dining businesses. So you can quickly figure out how much you could save. In any case, it shows what you need not skimp on with a SelfCookingCenter® in the hospitality industry on any account: customer satisfaction and quality.