The evolution of technology is one of the most transformative trends in the foodservice industry. Innovations in cooking equipment continue to revolutionize the way food is prepared, making processes faster, more efficient, more adaptable, and more consistent. Combi ovens are a prime example, but new ideas are shaping the design of ventilation systems, pizza ovens, and everything else on the hot side.
The key question is whether new concepts are helping operators to address the big challenges they face – labor shortages, the growing importance of sustainability, rising costs, and the need to do more in less space. Many believe the answer is yes.
The evolution of technology is one of the most transformative trends in the foodservice industry. Innovations in cooking equipment continue to revolutionize the way food is prepared, making processes faster, more efficient, more adaptable, and more consistent. Combi ovens are a prime example, but new ideas are shaping the design of ventilation systems, pizza ovens, and everything else on the hot side.
The key question is whether new concepts are helping operators to address the big challenges they face – labor shortages, the growing importance of sustainability, rising costs, and the need to do more in less space. Many believe the answer is yes.
“High-speed ovens, ventless technology, and induction cooking – these innovations have empowered even the smallest establishments to achieve their culinary goals with remarkable precision and quality,” says FCSI Associate Paula Derda, CEO of food and beverage facility design and consulting company PD Concepts based in Ontario, Canada. “One of the most significant impacts is the automation of cooking equipment,” she adds. “Automation has not only enhanced the speed of service but also simplified staff training and operations. The integration of technologically advanced equipment has streamlined kitchen workflows, enabling staff to operate sophisticated machinery with ease and confidence,” says Derda.
A question of priorities
Automation, energy savings, quality control, product consistency, waste reduction, and a reduced need for skilled manpower – all of these have become important to today’s foodservice operators, be they large chains, small restaurants, conference centres, schools, casinos, or any other kind of establishment.
“The needs of each project dictate the type of equipment we recommend, with efficiency and cost-effectiveness always being top priorities,” continues Derda.
“For smaller projects such as bakeries, cafés, and kiosks, clients seek compact, efficient equipment that maximizes output in a limited space. Larger projects focus on streamlining processes and automating tasks through advanced technology to enhance production and preparation.”
Shaun Sterland FCSI, the owner of UK-based Catering Support Services says hot-side equipment should be the reliable workhorse for operators. “It needs to last a long time with minimal maintenance, and possibly prioritize features that get food out quickly and consistently, especially during peak times,” he says. “This could be faster preheating, easy-to-use controls, and make most effective workflows. Cost is always a consideration but I believe reliable performance and efficiency are the elements that truly help to run a smooth kitchen and deliver exceptional food.”
Sustainability has become more prominent in the minds of consumers, but for operators its importance is understandably related more to cost control than saving the planet. This is not surprising in a low-margin business. Consultants are charged with helping clients reduce energy usage, minimize food waste, and conserve water, among other things, so designing each space to integrate sustainability into the flow of the kitchen is crucial.
The approach to sustainability does, however, depend on the region. Ahmed Subactogin FCSI of CKP Hospitality Consultants, which has offices across Asia, notes that “only economic sustainability is at the top of the agenda, and other types such as ecological and human sustainability are somewhere way down in their list.”
In other parts it is more prominent. “Sustainability is not a new trend, but we are seeing it gain traction in foodservice due to technologies including induction,” says Kristine Holtz, CEO of Spring USA, pointing to ventless as another major trend. “We’re seeing a trend toward ventless cooking equipment that helps operators overcome these issues by providing a solution that offers clean, efficient cooking and finishing without traditional HVAC.”
For FCSI Associate Spencer Ressa, designer and project manager at JME Design in Columbus, Ohio, hot-side equipment may not be the first place to look at sustainability.
“It is about reducing cost and resource use to boost profitability,” he says. “Sustainability is a great goal and we should strive for it, and you need to look ahead because you may not be able to buy gas equipment in ten years, but for cost savings there are better places in a building to spend money. Changing the windows to reduce your lighting bill or reducing ceiling height in the kitchen to reduce the tonnage of air needed for cooling might do more than induction cooking or high-efficiency broilers.”
Where new hot-side technology can make a huge difference, however, is in addressing the shortage of labor, which is a global problem. Technological improvements have sped up service, allowed for better product preparation, and streamlined kitchen operations, enabling staff to perform tasks more effectively. The real key to improvement, however, is found in automation, programmable displays, and faster cooking speeds.
“There is still a labor shortage in Asia as well as in the US, so consultants must look at the whole ecosystem to rely less on labor,” says Michael Lau FCSI, kitchen designer with Pro-Kit Design & Project Management, who is based in Singapore.
“Automation helps with this, but it also improves consistency in cooking processes. Foodservice means long hours, and the role of the chef has become a routine job unless you work at the high end. Automated equipment may depreciate in value every month, but people need to be paid more every year, and rising salaries are a big cost,” he continues.
“The automation of cooking processes is how some restaurants will survive, particularly if they are competing on price.” John Pennington, the vice president of sales and marketing with AccuTemp agrees that current trends focus around equipment that can decrease the amount pf labor needed in the kitchen.
“Labor saving seems to be the catch phrase right now,” he says. However, he cautions against relying too much on robots. “If you have ever seen a fryer or griddle robot cook, you’ll know that a human is way faster. So currently, until we can find a way to speed up the cooking style robots, equipment that cooks faster and has some automation features will become more sought after.”
“Until we can find a way to speed up the cooking style robots, equipment that cooks faster and has some automation features will be more sought after”
On the cusp of great change
The need to control labor costs or to produce more food with fewer cooks – is not the only challenge that technology must address. Often the need to produce more in a smaller space is just as important, so multi-function equipment that takes up less real estate – and can increase flexibility and speed – is attracting great interest. A machine that can do the work of kettle, steamer, fryer, dehydrator, and smoker, all at the same time, has obvious appeal.
“Flexibility and multifunctional hot-side equipment are always in high demand,” confirms Derda. “Flexibility is essential for banqueting services, for example, and depending on whether clients prefer a cook-serve or cook-chillserve model, we recommend equipment from manufacturers that can simulate those specific operations. This helps clients visualize how the setup can enhance preparation, cooking, chilling, holding, retherming, and serving processes, ultimately doubling productivity, speeding up service, and improving efficiency,” she adds.
In smaller, family-style restaurants, multi-functional equipment is not just recommended but essential, as it enables the cooking of multiple dishes simultaneously without compromising quality. Derda also believes that ventless technology, especially highefficiency ovens, has improved to the point where it will soon become commonplace.
“These ovens are versatile – smaller ones elevate appetizer preparation, while larger units cook various items with programmable controls and no odor transfer. This has been a game-changer for businesses previously limited by ventilation capabilities, allowing them to offer hot food options,” she says.
“As we move forward, the ventless side of cooking, as well as speed ovens, are big turning points,” adds Ressa. “These ovens will be big, but need no hoods. It takes only a few minutes to go from frozen to cooked. That changes the game in terms of how we value ventless equipment, which is a huge step forward in technology. It means we can put equipment in places we could not before because we don’t have to worry about running HVAC ducts.”
Ventless cooking is just one symptom of a huge shift that is under way in foodservice. Subactogin, who has long experience in the mass production and distribution of food, and frequently advises on the automation of food production processes, believes that fully automated cooking – without any direct human presence or intervention – could become the new norm. He foresees nothing short of a paradigm shift in the next 10 years.
“The silent revolution has already begun,” he remarks. “Bulk cooking automated equipment for hot processes is already on the market, and it is getting better, smarter and more efficient. Robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) are driving this revolution.”
China has taken the lead in the development of affordable automation in food processing, especially on the hot side, and manufacturers are competing in the market for this range of multifunction equipment. “These multifunction machines are equipped with advanced features such as touchscreen interfaces, integrated timers, precision process control and connectivity options, allowing one chef to simultaneously control and monitor several cooking processes with ease,” Subactogin explains. “Some smart appliances even come with built-in sensors that can detect the doneness of food and adjust cooking settings accordingly.”
Several companies are now developing smart countertop and stand-alone automated cooking equipment for commercial and domestic usage that use artificial intelligence to deliver fully autonomous programmable operation. They can run hundreds of preprogramed recipes with the single push of a button. They can also handle many cooking techniques – stir-frying, roasting, braising, grilling, sautéing, boiling, and baking – and can often be remotely programmed and monitored in real time.
Fit for the future
The connected kitchen concept is not new, but it is increasingly important, and can deliver much greater flexibility and efficiency when coupled with the level of automation that Subactogin describes, not only for large chains with a high number of assets to manage across a large footprint, but also for much smaller operations.
“That is now a must-have for large venues, rather than a nice-to-have,” says Ressa. “We have switches at every cookline so that when equipment is upgraded to connected versions it is ready to go. Data is everything – the more data, the better the decisions you make.”
“Remote access is highly recommended and beneficial for operators managing fluctuating staff or analyzing equipment data,” adds Derda. “Furthermore, robotics can ensure systematic and rapid production, enhance consistency, reduce product waste, and increase efficiency. Now, many robotic systems incorporate AI capabilities, which will revolutionize the foodservice industry.”
Bob Dellert, vice president, sales & marketing for Garland Commercial Ranges points to a future where commercial kitchens are smarter, more efficient, and increasingly adaptable to changing consumer demands as well as environmental considerations.
“We can expect to see more robotic kitchen assistants and fully automated cooking systems, reducing the need for manual labor,” he says. “IoT-enabled kitchens with interconnected devices will provide seamless operation and real-time monitoring. AI systems will optimize cooking processes, adapt to specific cooking styles and preferences, predict maintenance needs, and enhance kitchen management.”
Ultimately, the combination of AI and robotics could change the hot-side beyond all recognition. The future could see smaller, more space-efficient kitchens with multi-purpose equipment ensuring high quality from autonomous modular systems that can be mixed and integrated into various applications, introducing faster and more advanced ovens.
For some, this is a welcome vision, one in which operators have the simplicity they seek without having to compromise on quality or hire experienced chefs at great cost. Controllers will become smarter and, in some cases, autonomous, and will have a smaller footprint that suits even the most compact kitchen. The world’s first AI-powered combi oven for optical cooking – ConvoSense from Convotherm – provides a peek into the future.
“Taking up AI to make controllers smarter will result in systems where you can just drop food in and the AI will decide the best temperature, time and all other parameters,” says Ressa. “There will be fewer classically trained chefs and more line cooks. You’ll need less oversight in each venue because the equipment is smart enough to not need such a talented workforce to cook the meals”
For some, it is important to know that a person is making their meal when they go out to eat, but the march of technology is inevitable. The future of hot-side innovation will be determined by finding the right balance between humans and the machines they design.
Jim Banks
