Energy is one of the running costs every kitchen owner watches. The good news is that you don't need to overhaul your kitchen to use gas more efficiently. Many of the biggest gains come from everyday habits, regular maintenance and choosing the right equipment for the job.
Here are practical ways to cut wasted gas without compromising the food.
Understand where the gas goes
Every gas appliance has a rated gas consumption, shown on its data plate and spec sheet. Your biggest users are usually the appliances that run hottest and longest: wok burners, stock pot burners, fryers, char grills and griddles.
A simple exercise is to list your appliances and note how many hours each one is actually turned on during a typical day. You may be surprised how many burners run flat out while doing nothing. Compare that with your gas bills over a few months to get a feel for your usage.
Turn it down, or off, between orders
This is the single easiest habit to change. In many kitchens, burners, char grills and griddles are lit at the start of service and left on high all day.
- Turn burners down or off when they're not in use.
- Light equipment closer to when you need it, rather than first thing.
- Turn off equipment during quiet periods, where safe and practical.
- Use a pilot or low setting where your equipment has one and it suits the job.
Getting staff on board is key. A short chat at the start of each shift and a reminder sign near the line can go a long way.
Keep burners clean and well adjusted
A clean, correctly adjusted burner burns more efficiently than a dirty one. Blocked ports and grease build-up lead to poor flames and wasted gas.
- Clean burners and burner ports regularly.
- Watch for flames that are yellow, sooty, lifting or uneven, and get a licensed gasfitter to check them.
- Book regular servicing so pressures and adjustments are checked.
Match the burner to the pot
Using a large burner under a small pot sends heat straight up past the sides, and that heat is wasted. Flames licking up around a pot are heating the kitchen, not your food.
- Use the right size burner for the pot or pan.
- Adjust the flame so it stays under the base of the pot, unless you're cooking in a style, such as wok cooking, that is designed around flame wrapping the pan.
- Use lids on pots wherever possible. Covered pots come to the boil faster.
Use dedicated equipment for big jobs
A stock pot burner, such as our SPS series, is designed to support and heat large pots. Moving big stocks and soups off the main range keeps your range free and puts the job on equipment built for it. Similarly, a boiling burner like our BB series can handle sauce and simmering work.
Look after your fryers
Fryers are often one of the biggest gas users in takeaways and fish and chip shops.
- Keep oil at the correct level and temperature. Overheating wastes gas and breaks down oil faster.
- Filter oil regularly.
- Shake ice and water off frozen products before frying, which helps the oil recover faster.
- Turn fryers down during quiet periods if your workflow allows.
Choose the right size equipment
Bigger isn't always better. An oversized fryer or a griddle with far more plate area than you need may burn more gas than necessary. When buying, size equipment for your realistic peak demand. If your needs are unusual, custom-made equipment built to suit your space and menu can be a good option.
Look after your ventilation
Your exhaust canopy is essential for safety, but an oversized or poorly balanced system can pull a lot of conditioned air out of the building. Keep filters clean so the system works properly, and talk to your ventilation specialist about whether your system is set up appropriately for your cooking line.
Plan your prep and workflow
Smart scheduling saves energy:
- Batch-cook items that suit it, rather than heating equipment repeatedly for small amounts.
- Plan prep so equipment is used in blocks of time.
- Keep equipment layout logical, so cooks aren't leaving burners running while they walk across the kitchen.
Maintain everything regularly
Leaking taps on wok tables, worn seals and faulty controls all waste resources. A regular maintenance routine and professional servicing by a licensed gasfitter will keep your equipment running as it should.
Investing in better equipment
When it's time to replace old equipment, look for well-built, certified appliances that are easy to clean and maintain, with readily available parts. Equipment that stays in good condition is more likely to keep performing well over its life.
At Suha Industries (Complete Commercial Catering Equipment), we manufacture Australian-made commercial gas cooking equipment at our Sunshine North factory, including wok tables, stock pot units, boiling burners, char grills, deep fryers and griddles. We can help you choose equipment that suits the way your kitchen actually works.
Call Suha Industries on (03) 9334 5999 for free additional discounts on equipment and a free consultation.