Bestselling Chemco Cleaners

Chemco, as a partner of the Environmental Protection Agency's Safer Detergents Stewardship Initiative, is committed to making safe chemicals that quickly break down into non-polluting compounds. Chemco is a respected brand because they create safe and eco-friendly products that are as effective as their competition's harsh, toxic chemicals. They have many options that can be used in kitchens or restaurants for cleaning their spaces or preparing for an upcoming inspection. Here's a quick introduction to just a few of Chemco's bestselling kitchen cleaners. Perhaps you'll find one that's perfect for your restaurant!
To start with, in a commercial kitchen, ice cube machines are always in need of a good thorough cleaning. Though ice cubes are just made of water, it's easy for ice, as well as other bacteria, to build up, creating water stains along the walls of the machine. Soda machines also end up being coated in a sticky soda pop residue that proves difficult to remove. Chemo created the Cube Ice Machine Cleaner to tackle both of these situations. The Cube Ice Machine Cleaner is safe for all ice machines that do not require a nickel-safe formula. It works great with free standing, fountain, or under-the-counter ice machines. Another fantastic chemical for your fountain machines is the Chemco’s Fountain Dispenser Drain Cleaner. We recommend that you use this chemical once a month to ensure your machine is always its cleanest. The Fountain Dispenser Drain Cleaner will keep runoff lines off your fountain machine. After you have used Chemco's Ice Machine Cleaner and Fountain Dispenser Drain Cleaner, keep your drink stations bacteria-free with Chemco’s Inhibitor product. The Inhibitor will decrease the build-up of mold and bacteria inside your drink stations. In doing so, your drinks will taste better. All of these will be sure to help you pass inspections as well.
If you're wanting to enhance your flatware or stainless steel kitchen appliances, Chemco's Stainless Steel Polish will be the Chemco cleaner to do the trick. This is a great chemical and also one of their bestsellers for commercial and residential kitchens. Kitchen equipment is often built out of stainless steel and over time stainless steel begins to dull, gathers grease, and even rusts. The Stainless Steel Polish repels fingerprints and grease. Chemco uses natural ingredients like mineral oil for a long lasting shine. This is a fantastic cleaning product for anything built out of stainless steel, aluminum, or chrome. Use the Stainless Steel Polish to shine an antique spoon collection or a stainless steel refrigerator. The Chemco Stainless Steel Polish is non-abrasive, ready-to-use, and biodegradable.
Next on Chemco's most popular cleaner's list is the Chemco Dirt Buster III Oven Cleaner product. Ovens tend to gather grease like a magnet. Spilled food and food particles often get left behind when food pops and splatters while cooking. Broiling a steak or baking juicy meats can cause spills which turn into burned on messes. It’s important that ovens are cleaned thoroughly or you risk a broken oven or worse, a damaging fire. Food contamination and kitchen fires can easily occur from a dirty oven. While cleaning an oven isn't a glamorous task, Chemco’s Dirt Buster III Oven Cleaner will do a great job. Our customers love Chemo's Dirt Buster III because it is engineered to clean ovens without being harmful to the sensitive internal oven components. It has proven to be safe and effective for over thirty years on aluminum surfaces. Pair Chemco's Dirt Buster III Oven Cleaner with Chemco's Oven Shield for a powerful cleaning pair. The Oven Shield forms a wall between oven walls and food particles preventing food particles from sticking. These two products will extend the life of your oven exponentially.
The last of the most popular Chemco cleaners is the Chemco’s De-Limer and Hard Water Stain Remover. The De-Limer Hard Water Stain Remover works on virtually any hard water stains. It will eliminate hard water deposits and lime caused by using water in the same spot over and over again. Use this chemical on countless surfaces safe for a chemical. Some common uses for the Delimer and Hard Water Stain Remover are on dishwashers, heating elements, and steam tables. This chemical can even clean out airpots and coffee urns when its time to do a thorough cleaning.
Chemco creates products that will extend the life of expensive commercial kitchen equipment or even a small utensil such as spoons. Investing in environmentally-friendly, safe chemicals is a great business decision. It not only keeps your kitchen passing inspections with flying colors but will save you money in the long run. Create a safer, cleaner, more efficient restaurant when you purchase one of Chemco's bestselling chemicals. To view the products mentioned in today's blog, visit our website at PublicKitchenSupply.com/ChemcoCleaners. We will be happy to help you find a chemical that works well for your kitchen.

2015 Health Food Trends

It seems like each year new health food trends take the culinary world by storm. 2014 was the year of kale, the paleo diet, and eating gluten free. As 2015 approaches, many foodies are asking what's next. Observing consumer trends is a great way to stay ahead of the competition when owning a restaurant. Consider what your customers may be looking for this New Year by looking at the predicted food trends for 2015. People in the Food Industry are predicting a spike cauliflower's popularity, plant-based proteins, and Matcha.
Move over kale, cauliflower is expected to take over this superfood's title in 2015. Kale became popular and main stream in 2014 because consumers recognized its health benefits and attractive color but the bitter green can be difficult to cook in numerous, unique ways. Cauliflower on the other hand is versatile and able to be cooked in countless ways. People have taken this classic veggie and made cauliflower steak, cauliflower puree, or even cauliflower pizza crust. When you're dealing with cauliflower, you want to make sure you have the right tools. As this does start off as a hard vegetable, making it a puree or even a pizza crust can be difficult without a mixer or food processor. You will need tools like Hamilton's Beach's 7 Quart Stand Mixer to mix your cauliflower into mashed potatoes or flatten into cauliflower pizza crust. This 2015 trend is a great way to start a healthy new year. Cauliflower is known to be good for your heart, rich in vitamins and minerals, and even good for your brain! The 2015 cauliflower trend is certainly a great vegetable for people looking to be more health conscious.
In 2014, we saw an increase in vegan and vegetarian diets. Since then, food scientists' have been looking for ways to improve plant-based proteins. Food trend analysis predict that more plant-based proteins will be available in 2015. Grains like quinoa, buckwheat, and hempseed are already showing up in grocery stores and on menus. These plant-based proteins are known for being healthy and hearty. For example, quinoa is full of magnesium, manganese, iron, and fiber. Buckwheat can be ground into flower and used to make noodles, bread, and other bread products. Buckwheat is a great alternative grain for people who implemented a gluten free diet. Hempseed is one of the few vegan sources for fatty acids; it is also rich in omega-3s, magnesium, and iron! If you own a specialty restaurant or have a lot of customers who do not eat meat, explore plant based proteins to give them more options.
Matcha is nothing new in Japan but it's expected to boom in America and Europe. Matcha is powdered bright green tea with many health benefits. Matcha is known as a quick and easy way to increase a food's antioxidant and mineral content. Matcha has been labeled as a fat-burner and a cancer-fighter. One of the best things about matcha is that it can be implemented in nearly any food due to its sweet, rich taste. Some retailers have already jumped on the matcha bandwagon like Häagen-Dazs® ice-cream and Jamba Juice® smoothies. Although, matcha is traditionally brewed as a tea, its versatile to be used in a verity of restaurants and drink retailers. When you want to get serious about including Matcha in your menu, you'll need a way to add it so its nearly undetectable, consider purchasing Blendtec's Stealth Blender to combine Matcha into some of your restaurant's recipes.
Health food trends come and go, making it difficult to adapt and change to each one, but they’re important to recognize if you want to stay current. As we enter the New Year, consider these 2015 food trends. Depending on your restaurant's angle, they may be just want you need to push ahead of the competition. To view the products mentioned in today's blog or for more restaurant advice, visit our website at PublicKitchenSupply.com

The Anatomy of a Knife

When it comes to kitchen cutlery it's easy to think in simple terms - the blade and the handle. In reality, a knife's anatomy is complex. Here we'll explain the full anatomy of a knife so you can use your kitchen cutlery to its fullest potential. As mentioned, knives are made up of two primary parts, the handle and blade. But, to get a better understanding of how to use your knife, the handle and blade can be broken down into more detail.
Most knife handles are made up of four parts: a finger guard, a knife bolster, a knife tang, and the knife butt. Each of these parts play an important part in your knife's safety and overall performance. The knife's finger guard is designed to add pressure to the slicing motion while protecting your fingers from potential cuts. Many chefs consider the finger guard a part of the bolster because they share the same location, but the bolster serves a different purpose. The bolster provides the knife's strength. It improves the knife's balance, strength, and stability by adding forward-weight from the chef's hand. The knife's tang performs a similar task, but it's more of an extension of the blade. The tang encloses the blade and fuses it into the handle. Look for knives with a tang that extends completely to the knife butt. These knives will likely last longer as they have more strength throughout the entire handle. Lastly, the knife's butt is simply the back end of the knife. You'll find some knife butts that have a hanging hook for a way to store them.
The second part of a knife is its blade. It should be noted, quality cutlery is very sharp. (Public Kitchen Supply recommends investing in a cut resistant glove when dealing with professional knives. Chef Revival's D-Flex Cut Resistant Glove is a great choice.) The blade is the key to a knife's anatomy and it has five key components: the heel, spine, cutting edge, tip, and point. The knife's heel is the farthest away from the knife's point. It is designed for maximum strength and leverage. The heel will help you cut through thick slabs of meat easily thanks to the added pressure. You'll even use the heel of your knife for other uses such as when smashing heads of garlic to get crushed pieces. As the heel of the knife is the largest part and will not bend or break.
The knife's spine is the opposite side of the cutting edge, at the top of the blade. It is smooth and dull. Many chefs use the blade's spine for precision. You can steady your hand with your blade's spine as you chop thin, delicate vegetables or garnishes. Next is the knife's cutting edge, also known as the blade. This is most common part of your knife's anatomy and typically runs from your knife's heel to its tip. Your knife's tip is often thought of as the first third of the cutting edge. Chefs use the tip for exact, delicate cuts. Most culinarians recommend using the tip and the spine of the knife for ultimate precision. Finally, the knife's point; the point is one of, if not the sharpest part of your knife's anatomy. The point is located where the edge and spine meet. Use the point of your knife for piercing meats and other foods to start a cut.
Understanding the anatomy of a knife is an important piece of culinary knowledge for any chef. If you're looking for a knife kit that will aid in many recipes, try the Alfi Knife Kit. This knife kit comes with a bread knife, a sandwich knife, and serrated sandwich bread knife, and a bread scorer. It's an especially great purchase for bakeries. For a classic chef's knife, try the Mercer's Renaissance 10" Chef Knife, which can be a go-to knife for a variety of uses. To check-out all of Public Kitchen Supply's available cutlery, visit our Knives Category at PublicKitchenSupply.com.

Resource: http://www.mercercutlery.com/anatomy-of-a-knife

Many Menu Options vs. Few Menu Options

Your restaurant's menu is significant to your restaurant's overall success. Your menu's appearance, selection, and size all affects your business's overall demeanor. The food on your menu is a pricey investment and it’s imperative that it sells well, otherwise the restaurant has no success. Many restaurant owners try to create competitive menus by offering countless options but there are many benefits to a concise menu. Let's weigh the advantages and disadvantages of a lengthy restaurant menu compared to a menu with only a few options. When choosing the length of your menu it's important to consider price, your target audience, and customer satisfaction.
1. Watch Ingredient Costs Purchasing food in bulk saves money. Shorter, limited menus allow you to purchase more food in bulk compared to lengthier menus that require many more ingredients. Furthermore, you can invest in a few high quality products compared to many inexpensive foods by cutting down the list of purchases required to stock your kitchen. On the other hand, fewer choices typically result in fewer temptations from a customer's standpoint. If a customer knows a short menu well, they'll be less likely to spontaneously add an appetizer, dessert, or side. Lengthy menus on the other hand encourage customers to splurge, especially on easy up-charges like changing a baked potato to a loaded potato, adding a salad, or adding an alcoholic beverage. When it comes to menu length and pricing, it's important to consider the type of food you're selling and in turn, your target audience.
2. Consider Your Target Audience Your target audience is easily one of the most influential aspects of your restaurant's decision-making. Expensive, quality food may be great if you own an upscale restaurant, but if you're a quick, family friendly establishment you'll want to offer cheaper options that a family can afford and be happy with. Family restaurants require more options as you have more people to please. You want to create a menu that everyone can agree on. Customer happiness = restaurant success. Upscale or themed restaurants demand a more precise menu and tend to be "special event" type of restaurant, meaning it's busy for anniversaries, graduation parties, proms, or celebrations, but not necessarily a weeknight-dinner type of restaurant. 3. Add New Items Effectively Regardless of your restaurant's menu size, if you are attempting to add additional menu selections, consider having special menus specifically for those items, like a menu easel from Cal-Mil. This is perfect if it's just a drink option, dessert or appetizer that you're testing. It'll draw your customers attention as it will be on the table all night and demands attention. You'll quickly see if it's a menu item that is worth adding full time and is worth the cost of ingredients, or if few people try it, you know to keep it off the menu.
On the other hand, one way to have more menu options, but you don't want to offer them all the time, is to consider having seasonal menus. This tends to work better for more upscale restaurants that people are okay with ever-changing menu options. If you try this, use a menu that can easily be printed and replaced, like a Double-Fold Menu Cover that has plastic windows. These mean that you can print a new menu from a printer and pop out the old menu and put in the new one on your own. No extra printing cost, no binding costs, simple and easy. Happy, returning customers are how businesses succeed, especially restaurants. After all, the way to a person's heart is through their stomach. If your customers seem overwhelmed by your menu, consider cutting items or asking patrons to take a survey on menu size. If your customers appear bored by limited menu options consider expanding it or offering seasonal menus. Judge your menu on how your customer's see it. And when in doubt, simply ask.

Thanksgiving Must Haves!

Thanksgiving is on Thursday and that means Turkey. Turkey is the main entrée of many holiday meals, many chefs are starting to feel the pressure but Public Kitchen Supply is here to help! There are countless Turkey recipes to choose from but they all have a few things in common. Whether you're making a classic roast turkey or a unique, citrus glazed turkey you will need certain cookware staples. In today's blog Public Kitchen Supply will share the most necessary Turkey Day equipment you should have in your kitchen.
A food thermometer is a must when you cook meat, but it's especially important to use when you cook turkey. Monitoring your turkey's temperature is an important step in preventing foodborne diseases like salmonella and campylobacter. A food thermometer will protect you and your guests from a painful, sickly Thanksgiving weekend. Public Kitchen Supply recommends Taylor's Digital High-Temp Food Thermometer. This thermometer is easy to read and capable of measuring a wide range of temperatures. Use Taylor's Digital High-Temp Food Thermometer to measure food between -40°F to 500°F. Taylor's thermometer is NSF listed meaning it can be used in a commercial kitchen and pass inspection too. Public Kitchen Supply recommends cooking your turkey until it reaches 175°F to 180°F in the thigh. This is a perfect, ready to eat temperature.
Basting your turkey is one of the most important steps too. You can baste your turkey a few different ways. Two popular ways to baste your turkey is with a brush or with a baster. Consider using Update International's 1.5" Wood Pastry Brush and Update International's 10.5" Plastic Baster. Both of these basting tools are inexpensive and easy to use. The plastic baster is particularly helpful because you can easily slip it in between the slats of the roasting rack to add juice while it's cooking. Basting your turkey is a great way to create flavorful tender meat. We recommend basting your turkey every 30 minutes. Basting your turkey every half hour will keep your bird moist and it will allow you to carefully monitor your entrée's temperature.
One tool that's clearly important to use is a timer. Timers should be used when cooking turkeys and Thanksgiving side dishes. In a busy holiday kitchen it's easy to lose track of time. Use Update International's Hour/Min. Digital Timer to keep your Holiday meal in check. Try the Update International's Hour/Min. Digital Timer because it's easy to use. Use your timer to keep your food's temperature and basting times on point. Timing is one of the most important factors when it comes your holiday meal.
There are countless Thanksgiving recipes but they all require food safety, careful preparation and timing. The products mentioned in today's blog will help you host a flawless Turkey Day. For more Thanksgiving Day cookware, visit our website at publickitchensupply.com. Public Kitchen Supply is always happy to help you find the perfect products for your home or restaurant kitchen. As you enter the holiday season remember, with Public Kitchen Supply at your side you've got this! Take a deep breath, smile and enjoy your tasty creations. Public Kitchen Supply wishes you a happy Thanksgiving and thank you for supporting us at publickitchensupply.com.

Should You Accept Reservations?

Staying up-to-date on the latest restaurant tendencies and trends can be overwhelming. One of the latest trends, however caught our eye. Recently, it has become more common for restaurants to refuse to take reservations. For many customers this practice is frustrating and inconvenient but the reason behind the no reservation trend has an explanation. Let us explain the possible benefits and detriments of accepting reservations and why this trend seems to be growing across restaurants.
Reservations can be advantageous but it takes exact planning and timing. Customers clearly like the option of making reservations because it allows them to plan their evening accordingly. The customer is able to say "Ok, I have two hours to be here before I have to be at dinner, which then I can sit down, eat, and then get to this movie (for example) by this time." Not having a reservation often means a lengthy wait before you are even seated. Sometimes on a weekend you can get to a restaurant and wait another 45+ minutes before being seated, which then begins the process of waiting for your food. Preventing reservations means that a customer must say to themselves, "what time will I be hungry? I should arrive an hour before that." On the other hand, the biggest problem with accepting reservations is if the customer is late or misses their reservation completely, it can take money away from your restaurant. Protocol differs between restaurants, but most wait at least 5 minutes for reservations before moving on to the next person in line. Canceled reservations and overestimated reservations are a problem too. If a potential customer is waiting on a table but can’t be seated because too many reservations were taken, chances are, the restaurant will lose that customer.
While there are detriments to accepting reservations there are benefits too. Restaurants that accept reservations have better access to large groups, parties and even conventions. Restaurant owners know that big parties typically result in big checks. If a large group cannot schedule a reservation with your restaurant they’re likely going to take their business elsewhere. If a group is wanting to eat together, they know it can be an ordeal without a reservation. Be sure to clearly mark reserved tables with signs like our Reserved Sign from Update International so everyone in the staff is aware of the large party. Walk-in customers will be more accepting of a wait time if they see a table is reserved, rather than simply not being utilized. Another benefit of reservations is that they can give your business a more upscale demeanor. If someone is wanting to schedule a nice evening out, especially if they have plans following dinner, they will want reservations. So, now that you've determined that you will accept reservations, the question is: How do you offer reservations without losing money?
Restaurants are dependent on their customers to arrive on time for their reservations or they will lose business. You may not be able to make your customers be punctual but you have options. Some restaurants who offer reservations require a deposit for reservations. If your customer does not show up you will still make money. Another option is dropping reservations after a certain amount of time. For example, if patrons are more than fifteen minutes late you can move their table to the next guest. Some restaurant use call ahead seating as an alternative to reservations. Call ahead seating is when customers calls and adds their name to a wait list as they’re driving to the restaurant. This is great for small groups but does not work well for parties.
Another factor in accepting or refusing reservations is understanding your restaurant style and clientele. If you’re debating between reservations and no-reservations consider a few things: Is your restaurant casual or formal dining? If you own a formal dining restaurant you will likely want to accept reservations especially if you serve long, multi-course dinners. Casual menus don’t take long and tables typically rotate quickly.   Where is your business located? If your business is located on a busy street and you accept walk-ins, reservations may be unnecessary. On the other hand, if your restaurant is in a less frequented area reservations may be a great way to bring in business. What can patrons do while they wait? If your business has a comfortable lounge area or an excellent bar, you can go without reservations and recommend your customers wait at the bar. When customers have a way to occupy their time and enjoy themselves, they will be more patient with wait times; however if they're stuck standing at the door, constantly shifting side to side to let people pass, a long wait can increase walk-outs. On the contrary, if your business has limited seating, reservations are likely a good idea.While your customers wait, always allow them to have the option to look at a menu, at least then, they'll be able to order quickly and eat sooner.
At Public Kitchen Supply we work to stay current in the restaurant industry. To make sure your restaurant stays up to date and has all the products it needs to handle restaurant reservations, visit our website at PublicKitchenSupply.com. Or, if you would like to speak to a sales representative directly you can call us at 1-800-458-1716, we'd be happy to help.

How to Make a Stir-Fry Dish

Buwei Yang Chao first coined the term stir-fry in her book How to Cook and Eat in Chinese. First published in 1945, many culinary historians consider it the first book to present traditional Chinese recipes to an American audience. Over the years stir-fry has become a common entree gracing dinner tables everywhere. Stir-fry is a great way to incorporate fresh vegetables and lean meat into a delicious meal. In today’s blog Public Kitchen Supply will explain how quick and easy a stir-fry meal can be with the right kitchen smallwares.
One of the most common stir-fry tools is a wok. A wok is a wide, rounded pan that originated in Guangdong Province in China. A wok’s curved, sloping sides allows for more food to cook evenly. You can shift food around in a this pan by cooking some food on the more direct heat and others on the side farther away from the burner. We recommend Adcraft’s Induction Ready Wok with Cover. This wok is made with an aluminum core to maximize even heat distribution. The Adcraft wok has a magnetic bottom so it can be used on an induction cooker. To make stir-fry, woks should be placed over medium-high heat. Once your pan is hot, 1 tablespoon of peanut oil should be added to the wok until the oil simmers.
Before you add your stir-fry spices and ingredients, you should considering measuring them to ensure no one ingredient overpowers another, unless you want it to. Use Update International’s 4-Piece Measuring Spoon Set for your seasonings. Stir-fry is a versatile rice dish that can use a large variety of spices and sauces. Some of the most common, popular stir-fry seasonings are garlic, soy sauce, peanut sauce, crushed red pepper and ginger. The key to delicious stir-fry is knowing the impact of each flavor. Each seasoning needs to be correctly measured. Same goes for meats and vegetables. For a yield of four, we recommend using 12 ounces of lean meat and four cups of vegetables. Use Cambro’s 1 Cup Clear Measuring Cup for precise measurements for your meats and veggies. Stir-fry is a great way to use leftover ingredients. Most meats and vegetables work well in a stir-fry, especially with the right seasoning. Consider using chunks of chicken, chunks of beef, or pieces of seafood. If you’re looking for a quick weeknight dinner use a bag of frozen stir-fry vegetables and chicken breasts and mix with white rice.
Once you have measured your ingredients and added them to the wok you will need a wooden spoon or a heatproof silicone spatula. Rubbermaid’s 16.5” White Spatula Spoon is a great way to stir and handle all of your ingredients without damaging the wok. You should continually stir your meat, vegetables, and rice until they are crisp, hot and tender. Be careful not to stir-fry too many vegetables at once or they’ll lose their crunch, becoming soft and mushy. Most stir-fry recipes take about 40 minutes between food prep and cooking.
Serve your stir-fry dish with Update International’s 12” Black Serving Spoon. This serving spoon is made out of nylon making it heat resistant up to 410°F. Its long handle will provide plenty of space between your hand and the stove. Use colorful plates like Tablecraft’s Orange Frostone Serving Bowl to present your stir-fry dish to your family or guests. The Orange Frostone Serving Bowl is temperature resistant up to 212°F. It will do an excellent job of containing your favorite crispy vegetables and meats in their exotic sauce. Let Public Kitchen Supply supply your kitchen with the kitchen smallwares you need to feed your family. Stir-fry is a quick way to make a hot, fresh meal. There are endless stir-fry combinations that are just waiting to be explored. Spice up your weekday with is easy, healthy delicious dish.

Merril D. Smith (9 January 2013). History of American Cooking. ABC-CLIO. p. 65. ISBN 978-0-313-38712-8.