Microwave ovens have been making life in the kitchen easier since 1947.  The invention of commercial microwave ovens takes this efficiency to the next level.  They operate as high-volume heaters, and they are designed to withstand long hours and extended use in a restaurant kitchen (unlike home microwave ovens).  Both home microwaves and commercial microwave ovens use electromagnetic energy to make the water molecules in food vibrate, thereby warming them.  Foods high in water, like fruits and vegetables, will cook more quickly, as will those high in sugars and fats, like bacon.  A conventional oven, on the other hand, uses heat to cook foods, rather than the electromagnetic waves that commercial microwave ovens use.

So when are commercial microwave ovens best for cooking, and when should you use a conventional oven instead?  Read on for answers and ideas from ShortOrder.

Commercial Microwave Ovens

Commercial microwave ovens are great for quick work in the kitchen when a long cooking time in the oven won’t do.  A commercial microwave oven has a much higher wattage than home microwave ovens, and must meet NSF sanitation standards.  They are often more energy-efficient than other cooking methods, as well.

Conventional Ovens

Conventional ovens have the advantage of being able to bake, roast, and broil, the drawback being that cook time may be significantly lengthened, contrasting the quick convenience of commercial microwave ovens.  Note also that there are two kinds of ovens: gas and electric.  A gas oven often produces a moist heat but very little ambient heat in the kitchen, while an electric oven produces a dry heat, which is more optimal for roasting.

How to Choose

If you are still unsure of which type of commercial appliance would be right for your kitchen, or you have chosen but don’t know which brand to pick, read the reviews ShortOrder customers have written about the products we carry.  Reviews of Panasonic microwaves, Amana microwaves, Bakers Pride Ovens, and more can all be found on ShortOrder.com.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… for food.  Kitchens have been gearing up their ovens for the winter holidays, and now that they’re here, we welcome the opportunity to try out holiday specials and offer customers a variety of options during the holiday season.

So many holidays feature food as a major part of their celebration.  Think about it: chocolates and romantic dinners for Valentine’s Day, anything green on St. Patrick’s Day, a traditional Easter Dinner, barbecue for the Fourth of July, the soohor and iftar meals during Ramadan, all things pumpkin for Halloween, turkey and all the trimmings for the Thanksgiving, latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly-filled doughnuts) for Hanukkah, and a feast for Christmas fresh from the ovens.  The possibilities for culinary creativity are endless.  Here are some good ideas to help drum up some business for your ovens on holidays year-round.

Use Unique Holiday Promotions
Offer customers some incentive to choose your business in particular on a holiday.  This might mean offering a specialized “green” menu on St. Patrick’s Day, advertising a discount or special service to larger parties around New Year’s Eve, or if you are a casual establishment, holding trivia nights with themed quizzes and small prizes.

Advertise Strategically
Think about your main demographic of customers and cater to them when advertising.  Place ads in the local newspapers’ or magazines’ food sections.  If your business has social media outlets, use them to advertise and promote any special offers you may be running.

Decorate for the Holiday
Opt for colors that match the season, and keep your décor neutral to cater to all tastes.  Colored lights for winter holidays, sparkly décor for New Year’s, candles and draperies for Valentine’s Day… you get the idea.

Stay Politically Correct
You may think that being “PC” is overhyped these days, but political correctness is something you should pay special attention to in your marketing.  Be inclusive in your advertising.  A simple “happy holidays” on signs, menus, and wished by your staff will welcome customers of all types, and the kind sentiment remains intact.

Keep your ovens full and your guests happy with unique advertising, and you’ll all have a happy holiday, no matter the time of year.

Everything about Gen2 ranges says the sky’s the limit with these magnificent workhorses. Beautifully designed for efficiency, power and reliability, Gen2 ranges have not only earned our 5 star rating and our Editors Choice Award, but they were also voted Best in Class by Food Service Equipment Supplies Magazine.

And it’s no wonder. Let’s look at the Gen2 Range 60-GEN2-10B-S26-NAT. With two 26-1/2″ ovens, a stainless front, landing range and backguard, and a holding range of 150-500 degrees, this baby can naturally do some heavy lifting! This exceptional piece of restaurant equipment is built to sustain the rigors of the toughest kitchen out there and still come out shining. Easy to clean and incredibly reliable, Gen2 ranges are a long time favorite of both chefs and line cooks around the country, and for good reason, too. It would seem that there’s nothing you can’t do with this bruiser.

That is, except put it in a residential home. In fact, the manufacturer will not honor the warranty if the range is installed in a residence or home. And most home insurance policies will be voided as well. That’s because commercial ranges like Gen2 ranges are built for volume. While installing commercial ranges has become a popular trend, its very important to understand what you are getting into. The warranty conditions, codes, and policies are there for a reason–because most homes are simply not designed to accommodate commercial restaurant equipment.

But if you have a commercial kitchen, there’s just about nothing you can’t do with Gen2 ranges. The world is your oyster, or duck, or seared scallop, or steak. Now we’re getting hungry just thinking about it!

Vulcan ranges come from a tried and true brand known in kitchens throughout America for their reliable and sturdy restaurant equipment, including griddles, steamers, cheese melters, fryers and yes, ranges. Anyone with experience in the food service industry knows the glaring difference between the front and the back of the house. In the front, diners are met with peaceful, calm, and attentive service in an atmosphere designed for enjoyment. But in the back of the house, the kitchen can look more like a fighting ring or a three ring circus than a food establishment. People are yelling, food and tools are moving around rapidly, and a swirl of busy (and sometimes dangerous) activity is happening. If you get in the way, you’re toast. Over time, restaurant equipment takes a real beating. Only the sturdiest and most reliable equipment stands the test of time. Vulcan ranges are up to the challenge.

For example, with a MIG welded frame and stainless steel front, sides and backriser, the Vulcan Range 60-SC-6B-24GB-NAT can withstand the roughest of kitchens and still produce like a brute. With six top burners operating at 32,000 BTU/hr and an equally powerful convection oven, this baby can come out swinging and be the last one standing. Of course, if something a little smaller is needed, Vulcan ranges also come in 36’ and 48’ sizes. But every single one of these babies is built like a fighter.

With Vulcan ranges, you know you have power on your side. Well-rated and well-known, Vulcan ranges are career fighters built like champions. When the bell rings and all chaos ensues, with Vulcan ranges you know your kitchen will be a match for both the hunger of your customers and the abuse from your staff. Why trust anything less than a champion fighter in your ring?

Onomatopoeia is a word that imitates the sound it describes. What better onomatopoeia than the word, “crispy?” Think about it–crisp, savory fried chicken, crispy french fries, crispy fried shrimp. The word “crisp” just makes your mouth water, doesn’t it? You hear the word and you can just imaging your mouth biting down on that morsel of fried goodness. So here’s the deal–whatever you fry, it has to be crispy. People smell fried food and they imagine the moment they hear the “crisp” and taste the juicy or gooey or fluffy interior of that tasty delight. So when it comes to the crisp, you have to deliver. And your restaurant equipment better be ready to perform.

Fortunately, Frymaster Fryers are the kings of crisp. At Short Order, we offer a wide selection of Frymaster Fryers, each with admirable ratings for their excellent performance. For example, the 4-star Frymaster Fryer GF14-SD-LP offers a gas, open-opt design with 40lb of oil capacity, precise controls and a deep cold zone. The features of this fryer are exceptional. And you get all that with free shipping and a low price. And let’s talk about filters. To get that unbelievably delicious, unforgettable fried taste, you need an excellent filter. Check out the Frymaster Fryer Filter PF50R, a portable fryer filter with 50lb capacity, reversible pump and casters. This Frymaster Fryers filter, earning our editor’s choice award for excellence, will make sure your oil is in top cooking condition.

With Frymaster Fryers, you can guarantee that your treats and morsels will come out smelling, tasting and sounding delicious. That’s because Frymaster Fryers make it their business to bring the “crisp” to your business. Proven over time to provide excellent, reliable performance, Frymaster Fryers are the trusted, proven and preferred equipment for restaurant owners across the nation. Frymaster Fryers deliver the crisp. And ultimately, isn’t that all you want? Frymaster Fryers — it’s the final word in crisp.

Imagine the low, cool tones of Barry White, accompanied by that groovy beat, sliding out over the dance floor like the smooth waves from a smoke machine. The disco ball spins white lights all over the floor. It’s the 1970’s, baby. That was when cool was hot. Cat’s were groovin’ to a rhythm that could take it’s time. Today, things move much faster. With all the electronic devices keeping us plugged in all the time, coolness  (the way it was meant to be) seems a thing of the past. Not so with Beverage Air Refrigerators.

Cue the funky music, mellow out, and take a moment to embrace this fabulous line of Beverage Air Refrigerators. Short Order carries over 120 models of Beverage Air Refrigerators, every one of them earning a 5-star rating. And with no less than 40 models carrying our highly -coveted Editor’s Choice award, you know you are getting high quality restaurant equipment, no matter what model you choose.

Take, for example, the Beverage-Air Undercounter Refrigeration UCRD119A-8. This boxy lady has 8 drawers of cool, rear-mounted self-contained refrigeration, all on top of six beautiful casters that let her slide right under the counter like it’s a limbo bar at the skate palace. And you get all the performance that Beverage Air Refrigerators promise for nearly $2,000 under the typical dealer price, and free shipping. Right on! If you’re looking for something a little smaller, but still boss, check out the Beverage-Air Worktop Refrigeration WTR27A. This little dude can chill with the best of them. With casters and a worktop surface, this guy is one useful piece of kitchen equipment. And just like all of our Beverage Air Refrigerators, the price is outta sight!

So whether you are a the owner/chef of a small local food trailer or the executive chef of a five-star restaurant, you too can hang loose, knowing that, with Beverage Air Refrigerators, your refrigerator will keep on truckin.’ Can you dig it?

If you visited the grocery store as a child, chances are you’ll remember standing at the deli counter, watching the butcher load a block of yellow cheese or a juicy slab of ham onto the large slicer. You were mesmerized as the perfectly thin slices of meat or cheese fell off of the blade in curls, one after the other. And as the butcher wrapped those beautiful stacks in plastic wrap and then paper, your only concern in that moment was getting home to open the packaging and make that first perfect sandwich…

Now that you are responsible for your own restaurant, perhaps some of those simple joys of childhood now elude you–as you deal with the sweaty realities of running a kitchen. But isn’t it true that we all find joy in something that works so precisely as a great slicer? Globe Slicers will give you just that kind of joy, as you watch pound after pound of meat and cheese sliced neatly into stacks ready for use.

Far from the hardship and danger of slicing by hand, this essential piece of restaurant equipment brings efficiency, speed and accuracy together for an unprecedented level of performance. Globe Slicers complete their carving shores quickly and with the highest precision. In fact, Globe Slicer 4975P, a nine-speed automatic slicer with a maintenance-free drive system, includes a 13” PreciseEdge™ knife and Globe’s exclusive EZ-Glide™ table. This is combined with the durability of an all stainless steel base, food chute, table and knife cover. Not only that, but the 4975P is especially engineered to minimize table movement, enabling it to cut with extraordinary precision.

Whether you’re looking for durability, precision or just to satisfy that happy childhood dream, Globe Slicers are a fantastic choice for restaurant equipment. Happy slicing!