If you’re gearing up to start your own coffee shop or quirky corner café, you’re probably already shortlisting the various appliances you’ll need. It’s common for new business owners to skimp on necessary appliances to stay within their setup budget.
One crucial kitchen appliance that you should always add to your must-have list is one of the blast chillers that have become so popular in commercial kitchens. This post takes a look at what a blast chiller is and why your commercial kitchen needs one—no matter how small it may be!
New to the Blast Chiller Concept?
Typically, blast chillers are also known as flash freezers and their primary function is to lower food or beverage temperatures considerably faster than a regular freezer would. This means they’re perfect for instantly chilling ice creams, fresh desserts and beverages. Unlike regular freezers, food can be cooled to the desired temperature in a matter of hours rather than having to cool it overnight.
How are Blast Chillers Different from Standard Freezers?
While you might think that your standard freezer will work simply fine for your coffee shop, there are a few significant differences that will benefit your kitchen. Consider the following:
- Industrial fan: Unlike a standard freezer, a blast chiller boasts an industrial fan that blows chilled air over the food or drinks. This chilled air instantly cools the item.
- Cooling, not freezing: Placing food in a regular freezer will cause ice crystals to form over the food. This can affect the taste once the food is thawed. Blast chillers on the other hand keep the food cool without the formation of ice crystals, keeping it fresh.
- Shorter cooling time: Blast chillers also cool food or drinks remarkably faster than regular freezers. Say goodbye to prepping salads and desserts the night before!
Blast Freezers – a Must-Have for Kitchen Efficiency
Efficiency in your kitchen is a top priority, especially if you want to provide your customers with the best possible service and at the same time ensure superior food quality. Here’s why a blast chiller will help you achieve this.
1. Avoid Bacterial Growth
Bacteria is the number one enemy of any commercial kitchen. It doesn’t take much for bacteria to spoil food and increase the risk of various foodborne illnesses. The average blast chiller has been designed to lower your food product’s temperature to about 5° in under 90 minutes, so there’s little chance that your food will develop bacteria.
2. More Flexibility in Preparation
No matter how big or small your commercial kitchen is, there will usually be a lot of food preparation involved. In some instances, this requires kitchen staff to prepare food well in advance to have it ready for the lunch or dinner service.
With a blast chiller, there’s no need to prepare food in advance to have sufficient time to chill. Since it takes only 90 minutes to cool food to the required temperature, food prep can be done closer to the time the food is needed. Additionally, since blast chillers don’t create layers of ice crystals, there’s no need to defrost items and no risk of them turning soggy.
3. Sustains Food Quality
Oxidation and various other chemical reactions in food can cause particles to break down which in turn affects the overall flavour. Placing your food in a bast blast chiller will stop these processes and preserve the flavour and quality of the food, so it’s the same as it was at the time you put it in the chiller.
4. Limits Food Wastage
Most kitchens share a similar problem that affects your profit margins—food wastage. Food that isn’t stored at the correct temperature (even in your standard freezer) will result in spoilt products that need to be thrown away.
Furthermore, food can also be “over-frozen” and develop freezer burn, causing the products to deteriorate. Using a blast chiller is a key way to avoid this, as the food is cooled to the perfect temperature.
5. Allows You to Buy in Bulk
Buying in bulk has many advantages. Not only does it save you time and effort, but it also allows you to take advantage of package deals and promotional offers for bulk purchases. However, this isn’t always possible with a regular freezer as many foods still spoil.
Since blast chillers keep foods and produce fresher for longer, it’s easier for you to arrange your weekly and monthly stock replenishment to include those enticing bulk deals. Ultimately this will save you money and allow you to take advantage of stocking up on seasonal fruits and vegetables. Your customers will be impressed that you can offer seasonal foods much longer than your competitors.
Final Thoughts
Whether you need to chill salads, desserts, raw produce or even lattes and cold drinks, your business will benefit from the cooling power of a blast chiller. A huge plus point is that blast chillers are available in a diverse range of shapes, sizes and freezing abilities. Get the best one for your type of kitchen and impress your clientele from day one!