From the Editor: Fan Mail

It was this phrase—adults continue to prioritize dining out, takeout and delivery, even when budgets tighten—that stopped me while reading our industry report recap in this month’s issue. Because even with all its challenges, the foodservice industry continues to play such an important role in so many lives, including mine. And it couldn’t happen without the right equipment and solid kitchen design, so consider me your fan.

Take a couple of recent events as examples. After celebrating my in-laws’ 50th wedding anniversary at a local brewery, my family couldn’t stop talking about the perfectly prepared steak, baked potatoes and vegetables. Even the bread tasted like they baked it that day. At a Super Bowl party, it was the wings from Buffalo Wild Wings that disappeared first from our mostly homemade spread. And on Valentine’s Day, my high school senior took his date to Cooper’s Hawk for a fancy dinner. These occasions would have played out differently without these amazing restaurants.

Keep up the good work and please reach out to me or anyone else at FER if there’s anything we can do to help support you in your role. In this issue, The Report section features tips on how to specify pizza prep tables (which has me thinking of one of my favorite foods) and heavy-duty mixers, while our Kitchen Design feature serves up inspiration through the story of a Japanese doughnut brand. Don’t miss the part about how the team situated a roughly 12,000-pound boulder as a communal standing table in the front-of-house. (A faux version wasn’t an option.) Even the Design section has a short report on the latest trends in catering equipment. Plus, our website, fermag.com, offers complimentary access to our archives, along with top industry news.

For spring break, the family and I will be lucky enough to visit Florida to watch my high school senior play baseball. I volunteered to pick out the restaurant the team will dine at on one of their few nights out. It serves everything from fish tacos and Cuban sandwiches to cheeseburgers right on the water. I just know it’ll be memorable, and it wouldn’t be possible if the restaurant didn’t have a team like yours.

ALLISON REZENDES
Editor-in-Chief
arezendes@fermag.com

3 THINGS

Few equipment pieces go better with pizza prep tables and heavy-duty mixers than hearth ovens. For specifying these beauties, consider the following tips, courtesy of the FER archives:

Look and Feel

If you’re drawn to hearth ovens, you’re likely looking to create a particular guest experience, something more dramatic than a regular, everyday oven allows. Specifying a model starts with deciding what look and feel you’re hoping to create. Think about fuel type too. Manufacturers offer wood, gas or coal (or a combination of these fuels) and electric options.

Menu Notes

If you’re focused on producing pizza, test your dough in the models you’re researching. Typical hearth ovens excel at Neapolitan pizzas but may not do well with thick, pan-style pizzas with lots of toppings. Keep in mind their dry high heat also enables them to prepare other menu items, such as proteins, seafood and vegetables.

Size, Shape and Labor

Figuring out your volume and space requirements will help you choose the right oven size and shape, whether it’s round, rectangular or square. As far as labor, classic models typically require specially trained employees to manage them. Units with smart controls or rotating floors help automate that process.