According to Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN), environmental concerns on the rise and restaurant operators are seeing this in restaurant kitchens. With several states, and especially California, implementing gas restrictions and new building codes that ban gas altogether, restaurants will be pivoting and even scrambling to find ways to adhered to new regulations and still get the job done.
For larger chains, the article says, this is less of a concern, as they can be more nimble in both finances and in cooking practices. But increasing restrictions will especially put pressure on smaller operations and ethnic cooking that has historically relied on gas-cooking techniques.
“When we start talking about the corner Thai restaurant, or a family-owned Italian restaurant, that’s where I see things being a little sticky. They’re just trying to stay alive from day to day, and for them, this technological swap-over will be more of a challenge,” Richard Young, director of education at the Food Service Technology Center, told NRN. The Food Service Technology Center and other industry experts see restaurants in a transition period—and many are adopting a “wait and see” method when it comes to new gas restrictions in restaurant kitchens, especially as the California Restaurant Association has filed a lawsuit regarding environmental restrictions in the restaurant industry.
For those restaurants looking to get out ahead of potential regulations or have an interest in eco-friendly cooking or new technology, induction cooktops are having a moment.
“Pretty much everything you can do on a gas stove or in a gas oven you can do with induction or a combi oven or electric equipment,” said Michael Godlewski, chef/owner at EYV Hospitality in Pittsburgh, noting that the use of electric induction equipment has improved working conditions for his kitchen staff, with a safer, cooler environment.
“There will be many debates and challenges ahead,” notes Richard Weil, principal and owner of National Restaurant Consultants. “But the foodservice and hospitality industry has led the technology with food equipment manufacturers, and this progress will continue.”
When it comes to new legislation and restrictions, our restaurant consultants keep tabs on the latest requirements and then work to find creative, affordable solutions to compliance.