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Fit Frying: is it a myth or can it be done? Frymaster has written an article about how it can in fact be done!

Fit Frying: The Challenge

It’s not easy being an operator today. Everyone, it seems, is telling you how to cook. With government agencies mandating removal of trans fats from menus and the Food and Drug Administration expected to deliver recommendations for reducing acrylamide in fried foods next year, delivering maximum taste in foods that are as healthful as possible is a major challenge. Especially when consumers have demonstrated that if something doesn’t taste good, they won’t eat it. Witness the multitude of healthy menu items that have been deleted from restaurant menus over time because they weren’t ordered.

Customer Demand

That’s why fried foods are more popular than ever with patrons - they consistently deliver on flavor. Data from Mintel, a global research company, shows that chicken wings and fingers, onion rings and mozzarella sticks are among the top ten appetizers on chain menus. Clearly, frying is one of the most popular cooking methods with patrons and one that provides unique challenges.

The Solution

The good news is that by following a simple set of principles, called The 4 Factors for Fit Frying, you can be assured your frying methods address current health issues such as trans fats, optimize taste and maximize oil life. The 4 Factors for Fit Frying program was developed by Frymaster, an Enodis company, and offers best practice guidelines for anyone serving fried foods. It consists of four steps you can take to make sure the fried foods you prepare are flavorful and healthful.

Fit Frying: 4 Factors

Factor  1: Choose The Right Fryer

Factor  2: Select The Right Oil

Factor 3: Follow The Right Cooking Process

Factor 4: Establish The Right Maintenance

Frymaster’s white paper, entitled “The Facts on Fit Frying: Impact and Benefits for Foodservice Operators,” provides an executive summary of The 4 Factors for Fit Frying program.

Food Safety Matters

Food Safety … It isn’t something most people think about on a daily basis, except for the restaurant industry that is.  We think about it everyday because the last thing any of us want is for someone to get sick from the food that we work hard to prepare.  We also don’t want to think about our restaurant being shut down because we didn’t meet food safety standards.

Food Safety Guidelines

With the right equipment and the right knowledge, food safety is a pretty easy thing to handle.

Some great guidelines to remember are:

-  All restaurant employee employees should follow hygiene guidelines; such as washing hands after using the restroom and before preparing food.

-  Cross-contamination of foods should be avoided at all times.  Wash, rinse and sanitize all food contact surfaces, such as work tables, slicers, and other preparation equipment.

-  Foods must be cooked to recommended internal temperatures.

-  Hot foods should be held hot at temperatures of 140 degrees Fahrenheit or greater.  Holding cabinets provide a constant source of proper heat.

-  Cold foods should be kept cold at temperatures of 41 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.  Keep a thermometer in your refrigerator to make sure the temperature is at the proper setting.

-  Abusing standard time and temperature standards for food should be avoided at all costs when handling prepared foods.

-  Leftovers should only be reheated in the oven once; after that they should be tossed out.

Food Safety Means Better Health

As stated earlier in the post, food safety matters to everyone … restaurateur, chef, employees, and patrons can all be harmed by foodborne pathogens.  There are more than 250 known foodborne diseases that cause anywhere from minor illness to death.  By following the simple guidelines listed above and by making sure all of your equipment is functioning properly, you can help prevent disease and illness caused by unhealthy foods.

Taste of Chicago in 28th Year

The Taste of Chicago is an indicator of summer for many Illinois residents. Considered the world’s largest food festival, the Taste of Chicago promises not to disappoint.

The Taste of Chicago, considered the second largest tourist attraction in Illinois, runs for ten days starting this year on Friday, June 27th and running until Sunday, July 6th. The Taste of Chicago, now in its 28th year, sees over 3 million festival attendees in its Grant Park location in downtown Chicago. There are over 70 restaurants and food vendors that participate each year in this free-admission food festival.

Taste of Chicago Brings World Class Fare

All types of cuisine can be found at this much anticipated food festival. Kitchens all over Chicago prepare ethnic and exotic foods, family favorites and Chicago specialties to feed all the hungry festival goers. Then the restaurants line up along the park with their portable ovens and refrigerators in hopes that their food creations are chosen as the Taste of Chicago favorite.

Taste of Chicago More Than Food

Food isn’t the only thing that you will find at this Mid-West food festival. You will also find a 5K Race for the Taste with proceeds going to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, as well as top-notch entertainment.
The free entertainment at the 2008 Taste of Chicago food festival includes the likes of Chaka Kahn, Stevie Wonder, Plain White T’s, Gomez, Old 97’s, Bonnie Raitt and many others.

Taste of Chicago Participants

Now if you are a Chicago restaurant that wants to participate in the Taste of Chicago, you are a little late for this year. The applications were due back in February. However, contact the Illinois Restaurant Association to make sure that you are on the list to receive an application for the 2009 Taste of Chicago.

And if you do get in, make sure to give us a call and we will get you all the restaurant equipment you need to prepare your festival cuisine.