A Guide to Selecting Flatware

By Mike Mattes - Inside Sales and Support at Boston Showcase Company

When it comes to deciding on tabletop items, the choices seem endless. From coupe plates and rocks glasses to soup bowls and saucers, these items are typically the primary focus when it comes to front of the house. However, flatware selection can often be treated with no more than a passing glance.

Yet when you really think about it, flatware is the item we engage with the most when enjoying a meal. While aesthetics and branding are an important part of any foodservice operation, functionality is just as vital. You wouldn’t serve someone a nice cabernet in a plastic tumbler, right? Therefore, you probably shouldn’t ask your patrons to consume their soup with a teaspoon either.

Here is a simple guide you can use when trying to determine the right flatware to purchase for your foodservice operation.

Forks

·        Dinner Fork: Called upon to play a variety of roles, the dinner fork is one of the most popular and universal pieces of flatware. Longer than other forks (and most spoons), dinner forks are intended to be used for main entrees and meats. Due to their size and versatility, your guests can rely upon dinner forks to always be up to the task for any meal.

·        European Dinner Fork: Sharing the same purpose as its American counterpart, European dinner forks are longer and denser. These are typically seen in fine-dining establishments or those that also host formal occasions and events.

·        Salad Fork: Shorter and thinner than a dinner fork, the salad fork is a lightweight tool used to eat lighter foods and dishes. Their sharper and rounder tines allow for guests to easily pierce such items without completely damaging them. Outside of salads, salad forks are also great for sliced fruit or other leafy greens. Salad forks are often seen with three tines instead of four depending on the pattern.

·        Cocktail Fork: For the very smallest meals and appetizers, cocktail forks are ideal. No more than 4-5 inches in length, these super light utensils are the perfect tool for picking up small items on a charcuterie board or delving into some oysters. (Though “snail” forks are made specifically for peeling small bits of meat from a shell, cocktail forks are a more versatile option that will still do the job very well.)

 Spoons

·        Teaspoon: Though the teaspoon is the most common spoon you’ll find, it is often asked to play too many roles. Teaspoons are ideal for consuming food in smaller bites, stirring coffee/tea and eating ice cream, for instance. Due to its narrow and shallow head, though, it does not allow guests to consume proper mouthfuls at a time, making it less ideal for soup or cereal.

·        Soup/Bouillon Spoon: Especially for those with gourmet soups, specialty bowls, and liquid-based delicacies, a soup or bouillon spoon is absolutely essential. Besides a nominal difference in length, each type serves the same purpose. Both soup and bouillon spoons feature a wide, deep, and circular head that allows guests to enjoy their meal the way it was intended. No longer losing delicious ingredients or flavors that drop off smaller spoons, your clientele will be forever grateful.

·        Dessert Spoon: Dessert spoons are quite similar to teaspoons. Only just slightly longer and similarly lightweight, the difference is that dessert spoons have a deeper, wider head. In truth, most teaspoons already work well for enjoying desserts, but dessert spoons are a slight step up in terms of both prestige and ergonomics.

·        Demitasse Spoon: The smallest and lightest of spoons, the demitasse spoon is often the final piece of flatware one sees after enjoying a meal. Intended to stir small, hot beverages like espressos and cappuccinos, its deep bowl is great for scooping sugar, too. (Demitasse spoons also make for effective “serving” spoons on charcuterie boards or other small, ramekin-based appetizers.)

·        Tablespoon/Serving Spoon: For shareable dishes, you should be providing tablespoons or serving spoons for your guests. Guests should never be expected to use the same utensil for communal food as they would for personal use. Furthermore, a longer handle and a wider, deeper head is perfect for scooping well-sized portions.

 Knives

·        Dinner Knife: Much like the dinner fork, the dinner knife is a staple of any foodservice operation. Its serrated blade allows for the easy cutting of most foods, including meats. More importantly, its long and sturdy handle ensures your guests can do so safely and effectively.

·        European Dinner Knife: As with all European-style flatware, this knife is noticeably longer than a regular dinner knife (up to 35%). European dinner knives can also provide a bit more leverage, durability, and – above all – class to your establishment.

·        Steak Knife: For those who specialize in steak and dense meats, a steak knife should be provided to all guests. Though dinner knives can get the job done, your guests will need to work harder to cut into thick pieces. With sharper and more refined teeth, steak knives are incredibly fast and efficient.

·        Butter Knife: To start, butter knives are shorter than all other knives. More notably, their functionality is entirely different. While they can handle cutting some light fare, butter knives are NOT intended to cut food; they are intended to spread butter, condiments, jelly, or jam onto food. Moreover, they are much more delicate and will not rip or damage said food while spreading. (One can also choose to use “butter spreaders” instead. These are smaller versions of butter knives, whose sole purpose is to spread.)

Now that you understand the difference between the various types of flatware available, let’s delve into the materials that make up each utensil.

Stainless Steel vs. Silver

A common misconception is that all flatware can be referred to as “silverware.” However, while utensils made from silver used to be very commonplace, most commercial foodservice operators now choose to employ stainless steel flatware.

Due to its durability, corrosion-resistance, and ease of cleaning, stainless steel is incredibly reliable. It is also cheaper than silver, and it is always readily available. Made of a mix of common metals and alloys like chromium, nickel, and iron, stainless steel is one of the world’s most-trusted materials regardless of industry.

Fine-dining establishments may wish to also purchase silverware for certain times or events that call for a bit more elegance. In addition to its ability to produce an incredible shine, silverware usually features a beautiful design on its handle as well. The downfall is that silverware requires much more maintenance and extra care than stainless steel flatware ever will. Because silverware can rust over time, it cannot be washed in commercial dishwashers often. In addition, it needs to be polished regularly as well.

Types of Stainless Steel Flatware

Stainless steel flatware itself can also be broken down into four categories in terms of quality and composition:

·        18/10, 18/8, 18/0, 13/0

The grades refer to the percentage of chromium (first number) and nickel (second number) present in the flatware. Chromium is what makes stainless steel flatware strong, durable, and rust-resistant. Nickel strengthens as well but is more so used to boost sheen and give a nicer appearance.

As one might expect, the higher the grade the higher the cost. 18/8 offers the best balance amongst the grades. However, most high-volume establishments are happy to go with 18/0 or 13/0. Not only are these two easier on the budget, particularly for places that replace flatware often, but they are also magnetic. This characteristic can be helpful for those who use magnets to prevent items from accidentally being thrown away or misplaced.

By now, you should be all set to start choosing your flatware. Remember to be selective in your choices and think about your guests’ needs. Still, don’t forget to have fun with it, too! There is a whole word of flatware out there with so many unique styles, colors, and patterns to be explored. Hopefully this guide will serve you as great resource along the way.

Champion UH130BMAX Dishwasher- Efficient and Effective

With over 130 years of industry experience, it’s quite fitting that the aptly named Champion UH130B MAX undercounter dishwasher stands out above the rest.

Offering a two-level rack system and a 288-second wash cycle (25 racks per hour), this unit can keep up with any high-volume establishment while at same time offering excellent energy efficiency. In addition to the Energy Star rebate in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island, the utility-cost savings associated with this machine will help to literally pay for itself over time. The fresh-water rinsing process also ensures that dirty or soiled water is never reused to clean multiple sets of items.

The UH130B MAX offers incredible versatility as well. While the two-level rack system is one of its most prominent features, the top rack can be easily removed for larger items or lower-volume time periods. Even more, the electrical components of the unit itself can be adapted for each individual customer’s needs! While every UH130B MAX ships out as a 208/240V single-phase machine, each of them can be modified to become three-phase after installation in the field. For those who wish to use it in back-of-house settings, durable equipment stands are available for added height and ease of use.

Boston Showcase Company stocks the UH130B MAX at our Patriot warehouse in Brockton, which means this machine is always readily available for anyone who needs it! On top of the money you’ll save over time with this unit, Boston Showcase Company sells the UH130B MAX for just under $6,000. Compared to other similar undercounter dishwashers, those who choose the Champion UH130B MAX can expect to save between $2,000 - $3,000 in the first year alone when including the price of purchase.

Above all, you can be sure that you’re receiving a top-of-the-line product by deciding to go with any Champion dishwasher. From its efficiency to its price to its ability to be easily adapted and serviced, one would be hard pressed to find a superior undercounter dishwasher anywhere else on the market.

Mike Mattes - Inside Sales & Support at Boston Showcase Company

The Value of Menu Covers in Your Restaurant

Imagine for a moment that you walk into a chic upscale restaurant that is known for its incredible atmosphere and food. You find yourself in awe of the breathtaking decor, and the aroma of the food that fills the air smells absolutely delicious. You’re feeling excited and filled with anticipation, that is, until your hostess hands you the menu. It’s a damp wrinkled piece of paper with food and grease stains on it, and it smells like it’s been sitting near stagnant water. As a customer, you would probably be instantly confused on why a high-end restaurant is serving used and dirty menus. If you think about it, having a dirty menu is like serving utensils that have leftover food on them. It may be a minor inconvenience, but it still leaves a lasting impression. This is exactly why caring about the small details, such as what type of menu covers you have, matters.

Although a customers’ interaction with a menu may be brief, the quality and role it plays in their experience is highly crucial. For starters, menu covers keep your menu prints in pristine condition, which in return helps you save money by not having to reprint your menus daily. They’re also easy to maintain and clean so you don’t have an experience with dirty menus like the scenario above.

Another reason menu covers are so significant is because they act as the face of your restaurant. If you think about it, menu covers are the first item your customer interacts with before they see or taste any food. As a restaurant owner, you want your initial presentation to be a positive one. By starting your customer’s experience on a more favorable note, your customer will most likely be optimistic for the remainder of the time. Remember, giving your customers an unforgettable experience is the most important part of owning a restaurant. As Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” So, give your customers an experience to remember.

The last reason why menu covers are important is because they’re a great marketing tactic for promoting a business’s brand. When someone is handed a menu with your logo on the front cover, the visual of your logo is being instilled into the mind of your customer. The more they see your logo, the more they’ll be likely to remember it. This is why having your logo on your cover, your prints, your tabletop accessories, etc. is so crucial. By visually showing off your brand, you’re making the experience more memorable.

Even though your menu cover may be a minor detail in comparison to your interior design, employees, brand, and dishes, it is still an essential piece to running a well-rounded business. Remember, it’s the little things that add up to creating a noteworthy and exceptional experience.

Explore menu options from Risch.

Lakeside Utility Carts - Comparing Five Levels

Utility carts can provide a wide range of functions in commercial foodservice or operational foodservice environments. Whether it's delivering meals to a kindergarten classroom or mobile foodservice on a college campus, what you're moving, how much it weighs, how far it goes, and how often a cart is used should be factored into the decision on which cart to buy. But more on that in a minute.

There are definitely some ideas for strengthening your mobile foodservice capabilities, though, and one of them is to determine how durable a cart is needed based on Lakeside's five levels of durability. How are levels determined?

Basically, Lakeside's Durability Index is a function of how the cart will perform over time performing the functions it was designed to perform. This is a calculation that goes beyond simply adding up the total weight of the cargo. It involves analyzing other factors like the weight individual shelves will hold, the type of flooring over which the cart will move, and the number of times per day the cart will be used.

Lakeside then takes this data to create and develop cost-effective solutions that will meet the demand of their Durability Index, and they fall into five different categories.

A Quick Comparison of Lakeside's Durability Index Ratings

STANDARD DURABILITY CARTS

For starters, Lakeside offers standard durability utility carts that are designed to transport lighter loads of 300 pounds or less for up to three hours per day. These are classic cart options that take care of all the important and basic functions an operator would need including bussing, set-up tray stations, and more. Use Standard Durability models over smooth tiles, vinyl tile floors, and smooth indoor concrete.

MEDIUM DURABILITY CARTS

These economical carts can be used in the front-of-the-house or for more utilitarian functions like deep well utilities. Shelving is reinforced with a hemmed front for more moderate loads of up to 500 pounds. They are designed to be used from four to nine hours a day over smooth surfaces.

HEAVY-DUTY CARTS

As with the other tiers in Lakeside's Durability Index, the higher you go on the scale, the more weight the cart can handle. In the case of Lakeside's Heavy Duty carts, they can transport weights of up to 700 pounds for as many as 12 hours a day. From the receiving dock to the warewashing station, loads can be transported over vinyl, ceramic tiles, indoor concrete, and carpet.

TOUGH TRANSPORT CARTS

The higher we get on the Durability Index, the more these carts can handle. For operators looking to transport up to half a ton per load, the Tough Transport Cart option will achieve those objectives from 10 to 18 hours per day. To provide even more functionality, caster systems are designed to roll over uneven tile floors, thresholds, elevators and carpets. With shelving made from 14 gauge stainless steel and legs that are 1/8 inch stainless steel, Tough Transport Carts can handle just about any job.

EXTREME DUTY CARTS

Finally, for operators who need the ultimate in durability, Lakeside's Extreme Duty Carts deliver the ultimate in performance, with carrying capacities up to 1,500 pounds for use around the clock. These carts are often used for extreme functions in operations ranging from casinos to correctional facilities across any type of surface, from the parking lot to uneven pavement.

Five Essential Hand Tools for Home Cooking, Grilling, Baking and Cocktail Making

With restaurants closed and everyone spending more time at home, it’s important to have the right tools to master those challenging Bon Appetit recipes and to prepare drinks as well as Stanley Tucci (see below).

The New York Times has devoted a new section to At Home that features, among other things, tons of great recipes. Growing up in the restaurant supply business, I’ve been fortunate to have access to these tools of the trade, items that most people receive when they get married or move to a new house. Without question, these tools will up your game. All of these can be purchased individually or as part of our four Home Packages - Home Chef, Grill Master, Deluxe Bar and Home Bar.

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Digital Pocket Thermometer

For anyone who cooks meat regularly, this is a crucial item. Never again worry about grilling a perfect medium rare steak or being fearful of pulling chicken too early. Just pop this in for a quick read and you’ll add peace of mind. It also helps you learn when meat is done based on feel the more you use it.

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10” High Heat Spatula

I have two of these and I can’t recall a day in the past year where both weren’t being washed. It’s perfect for scrambled eggs and omelettes, sauteing vegetables, and scraping every last drop of liquid or small piece of food out of a bowl. The two main benefits that make the spatula so versatile are the contoured, flexible blade and heat resistance up to 500 degrees. An absolute must have for home chefs.

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Microplane Grater

Unlike a regular grater with larger holes, the Microplane is an extremely versatile tool, whether for grating parmesan over pasta, orange zest in a cake recipe or fresh ginger in a cocktail. The ergonomic handle gives you a firm grip and the shavings are very fine, which unlock aromas and are a consistent size.

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Grill Cleaning Brush

I love to grill. My wife bought me an MHP Grill for my birthday nine years ago and I love it almost as much as her. Keeping it clean is imperative and this brush saves a tremendous amount of time. The back side is a solid metal edge for large particles and the wire bristles get between the grates and really scrape off every last bit of food left behind.

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Metal Tongs, 9” and 12”

This seems like a pretty straightforward item to have, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone to someone’s house and they don’t have all-metal tongs. I use these the most during grilling as well during prep to transfer food to a sheet pan or to grab a baked potato out of the oven. They’re also fun for snapping at your kids (at a safe distance) to keep them in check!

Steak and Stout Pie from Tom Devlin

Steak and Stout Pie from Tom Devlin

In honor of St. Patricks Day, we are sharing a wonderful traditional Irish recipe, Steak and Stout Pie. Tom Devlin, CEO of Superior Dining Group, which owns famed establishments like Porter Belly's, Devlin's and Warren Tavern, shared the recipe with us. The pie has a warm rich savory flavor with a traditional flakey pie crust which will leave you wanting every last crumb. He recommends enjoying it with a Guinness!

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour

• 1 Teaspoon Salt

• 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

• 2 lb Boneless Chuck Steak Or Eye Of Round Steak, Cut Into 1-Inch Pieces

• Vegetable Oil, For Frying

• 1 1/4 Cups Meat Stock

• 1 Onion, Coarsely Chopped

• 8 Ounces Cremini Mushrooms, Stems Discarded, Caps Quartered

• 1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste

• 2 Teaspoons Chopped Fresh Thyme

• 1 Cup Stout

• 1 Pound Store-Bought Puff Pastry

• 1 Egg Yolk, Lightly Beaten

Instructions

• Combine the flour, salt and, pepper in a bowl, then toss the beef in the mixture until evenly coated.

• Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet, over medium-high heat. Cook the beef, in batches and transfer to a flameproof casserole dish. De-glaze the skillet with 1/4 cup of stock, and add the liquid to the casserole dish.

• Heat another 1-2 tablespoons of oil in the skillet and cook the onion and mushrooms for 6-7 minutes, until soft. Add to the casserole dish, with the tomato paste, thyme, stout, and remaining stock. Heat the casserole dish over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, then simmer gently with the lid slightly askew for 1 1/2 hours. Check the seasoning.

• Drain the meat mixture in a strainer set over a bowl, reserving the liquid. Let rest until cool.

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Put a baking sheet in the oven to heat.

• Divide the meat mixture among four individual 1 3/4-cup pie plates with a flat rim or ovenproof bowls. Pour in enough of the liquid to not quite cover the filling. Dampen the rims of the pie plates.

• Cut the pastry into quarters. Roll out each piece to about 1 inch bigger than the pie plates. From each quarter, cut a 1/2-inch strip and press it onto a dampened rim. Brush with egg yolk, then drape the pastry on top, covering the strip. Trim, crimp the edges with a fork and make three slashes down the middle. Decorate the top with shapes cut from the trimmings. Brush with the remaining egg yolk.

• Place the pies on the preheated baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the for an additional 5 minutes.

Learn Why 56% of Chefs Choose Rational Combi-Ovens

Clearing up confusion…let's start by first getting the equipment category corrected. This is a Combi-Steamer, not a Combi-Oven.

Whats the difference?

Many “combis” on the market struggle to produce enough steam to be considered or used as a standalone steamer, and as such, their low prices reflect that “lack of ability.”

Unfortunately, for those of us that can produce enough steam to be used as a standalone steamer still get “grouped in” with the other guys. That unfortunately leaves the uninformed buyer comparing apples to oranges without knowing it.

We are asking for your help in changing the term from Combi-Oven to Combi-Steamer. Phew, now that we got that out of the way. Let's carry on.

The WHY?
It's no secret there are a range of brands to choose from when it comes to combis (over 50 brands actually), but 56 percent of all the world's chefs choose one - RATIONAL. So what makes RATIONAL different than the competition?

RATIONAL invented the technology. 
Since the creation of the first unit in 1976, they have re-invested more money into the research and development of that one piece of equipment than any other manufacturer in the world. That research and investment results in.…

RELIABILITY
It's no secret that commercial equipment can breakdown from time to time. RATIONAL on any given year has approximately 10 patents protecting its advancements in design and engineering. They also put their money where their mouth is; they were the first to offer a two-year warranty on parts and labor in the U.S. market and the only ones to offer a five-year warranty on the steam generator.

FOOD QUALITY
Ask any chef that has used a RATIONAL, and he or she will tell you about the improved food quality. Whether they were used to using “traditional” equipment or another brand of combi, "The food just comes out that much better in a RATIONAL,” says one of our customers from Boston, MA.

RATIONAL has the options and configurations you need.
Over a million to be exact. Yes, over a million configurations possible. Gas or electric, door swings left or right, stacking and other options -- it adds up to over a million options. Pretty impressive even for a German company.

Speaking of Germany, see who's already chosen RATIONAL (We think it's a cool story, and who doesn’t like Oktoberfest?)
RATIONALs are used in Munich, Germany at Oktoberfest, and in countless hotels and banquet halls worldwide. Because of its versatility, a RATIONAL combi can replace several pieces of equipment in your kitchen, including convection ovens, tilting fryers, rotisseries, boilers, deep-fryers, and steamers because it does the work of all of them.

RATIONAL is also useful in a wide range of establishment types. Whether you're a school nutrition director looking to expand menu variety in your cafeteria or an independent restaurant looking to better maximize the space in your commercial kitchen, RATIONAL has helped many foodservice operators throughout New England.

More than just a combi...
Use a RATIONAL SelfCookingCenter® for banquet finishing, overnight cooking, mixed loads, baking, sous-vide, breakfast, smoking, and more. It is the perfect all-in-one piece of equipment for schools, hotels, country clubs, and restaurants. It is perfect for preparing meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, eggs, and even breads and desserts.

Boston Showcase Company is a proud dealer of RATIONAL products and also carries other vendors like Alto-Shaam, Blodgett and Convotherm. To schedule a demo, please contact our office or your Account Executive.

Keep Your Draft Beer Lines Clean

This blog post was written by our vendor partner, Perlick, one of the world leaders in bar equipment and draft beer lines.

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Have you ever sat down at a local tavern and ordered one of your favorite beers only to take a sip and notice it tasted stale or sour? This is a bar foul more common than people think, and it is most often caused by dirty beer lines.

That’s right. You may be drinking unwanted particles caused by mold, bacteria, and other ingredients added in what bartenders aptly call the “last mile”: the journey from the keg to the mug. Let’s dive in to see how you can tell if your draft beer lines are living up to the desired taste that your customers both deserve and expect.

TELLTALE SIGNS OF DIRTY DRAFT LINES

The taste of draft beer is often a good indicator of the cleanliness, or the lack thereof, of a draft line. Many times you can even pinpoint the contamination with a taste test. There are two common contaminants that are easily identified by their characteristic flavors.

Acetaldehyde and/or Acetic Acid:

These are related chemicals, acetaldehyde being a precursor to acetic acid. Acetic acid gives the beer a sour taste like vinegar while acetaldehyde gives it the sourness of green apples. Acetaldehyde is a byproduct of fermentation and it is usually removed by yeast before fermentation is finished. But the bacterial buildup in dirty draft lines can cause residual fermentation which can add these chemicals and their off-putting tastes to draft beer.

Diacetyl:

Like acetaldehyde, diacetyl is also a natural byproduct of fermentation which is fully removed by the end of fermentation. But secondary fermentation by bacteria in dirty draft lines can add it back to beer. Diacetyl is the chemical used to impart the buttery flavor to microwaveable popcorn. While it tastes good in popcorn, diacetyl can add an undesirable, synthetic buttery taste to beer.

There are many other chemicals that the unintended fermentation in dirty draft beer lines can add to beer. Unfortunately, all of these chemicals make the beer taste stale or sour. Often enough, it is easy to detect a dirty beer line simply by looking at it. Moldy faucets, cloudy lines, and old beer residue and mold on underbar couplers are sure signs that the equipment is not clean.

SO HOW CAN YOU KEEP YOUR DRAFT LINES CLEAN?

Employee education and enforcement of strict cleaning policies are the keys to keeping draft beer lines clean. Employees should be thoroughly familiar with the Brewers Association’s Draught Beer Quality Manual and pub management should be diligent about enforcing cleaning policies. The minimum frequency of cleaning is every two weeks, but weekly cleaning is necessary for high volume draft systems. That’s also the case if the draft lines are longer than 25 feet. Prior to cleaning, all the beer must be flushed from the lines with water. We recommend using an electric pump to circulate the cleaning solution throughout the entire system. After circulating the cleaning solution, the cleaning chemicals must be thoroughly flushed through the draft lines with water. Make sure that lines are free of the chemical cleaner with a pH test.

When you notice your draft equipment is nearing the end of its life, or gets harder to keep clean, it is well worth the expense to replace it. When purchasing new equipment, be sure to get it from a reputable supplier that is an expert in building durable, high quality, and easy-to-clean beer service equipment. Perlick has won the Best in Class award for Underbar Fabrication for the last 14 years.

Don’t let dirty draft lines ruin your bar’s reputation. A clean draft line is essential to the health of your customers and the longevity of your equipment. Learn more about how to properly clean your draft beer lines in Perlick's free checklist.

Guide to Buying Stainless Steel Work Tables

It's just a work table, right? Sure, but there are several factors to consider when buying stainless steel tables.

How much use will the table get?
The usage will help to determine the gauge of steel to purchase. Standard options are 14, 16 and 18 gauge with 14 being the thickest and 18 being the thinnest. Of course, 14 gauge is the most expensive as well. If you're planning to dump heavy items on it consistently, 14 gauge is probably the way to go. If you'll only be doing light prep, 18 gauge might make more sense. 

Will you need an undershelf?
Tables come standard with either an undershelf or rear cross braces for support. If you plan to store boxes or other materials underneath the table, you would obviously choose an undershelf. If you plan to put other equipment or trash, rear cross braces might be best. Think about your particular application and what makes sense in that space. 

How long do you want the table to last?
This is where the type of stainless steel comes into play and there are two main options. 304 stainless steel is a higher quality and contains approximately 18% chromium and 0.08% carbon. 430 stainless steel is lower quality, generally more difficult to bend and has approximately 17% chromium and 0.12% carbon. The amount of chromium affects how corrosion-resistant the steel is, which is why 304 is more durable since it has a higher percentage. A quick and easy way to test what stainless steel you have is to use a magnet. 304 stainless is not magnetic while a magnet will stick to 430 stainless.

Do you need any modifications or upgrades?
Stainless steel tables are extremely versatile in their potential configurations. Vendors like Advance Tabco offer standard modifications include a backsplash, drop-in sink, single or double overshelves, casters, stainless steel legs or undershelf versus galvanized and drawers. All are available and all have cost-implications of course but can also save significant labor costs during prep and service. 

The best, and most expensive, stainless steel table you can get is 14 gauge, type 304 stainless steel since it is the thickest and most resistant to corrosion. On the flip side, 18 gauge, type 430 stainless steel, is the least expensive but most susceptible to dents and corrosion. Next time you're in the market for new table, think about what will work best for your operation and know the possibilities are endless. 

The Importance of Bar Layout and Design

In short, a well designed bar WILL pay for itself. As you consider your new bar, think of the lifetime cost of the bar and it's ability to produce revenue and not just the upfront costs. 

It would be easy to simply accept a project, build it to exact customer specifications and ship it out. We work with companies like Krowne to take it a step further and understand why our customers are designing it a certain way. Do you want your bartenders to use multiple workstations? How many bartenders will be working concurrently? Will your bar have wine, spirits and beer? These are all very important questions because they directly correlate to our layout decisions. After various field studies we have determined that our efficient layouts not only increase profits and efficiency at a bar, but also boost bartender morale as they have a defined work space used to prepare drinks.

When designing your new bar, here are a few things to consider...

1. Communicate with your bartenders before ordering equipment and ask what they are looking for. We sometimes come across restaurant owners who have a vision of how something should function without consulting with their bartenders and it creates issues down the road. If your bartenders haven't been hired yet, go to a similar type of restaurant/bar and ask those bartenders' opinions on how they would like it designed. The more information we can get from you, the better we can tailor the design to fit your needs.
   

2. What will your drink menu look like - cocktails, house white wine, draft beer? This is crucial to know before designing your bar. For example, if a bar is going to serve a large volume of house white wine, an ice bin with wine dividers is highly recommended so the bartender can remain facing customers while pouring glasses. In a traditional layout, wine is stored in backbar refrigerators requiring the bartender to turn around and grab the wine from the refrigerator for every glass. This reduces bartender interaction with customers and creates inefficiencies that can reduce daily profit.
   

3. Eliminate gaps if it's in your budget. The most efficient bars utilize every square inch of space to incorporate equipment or storage space. Filler spaces allow more room for trash to accumulate and get in the way of a bartenders work flow. This also goes for modular bar die vs equipment on legs. While equipment on legs is less expensive, modular bar die has stainless that goes directly to the floor which hides of the drains and plumbing. Not only does your bar look sleeker, it is also much easier to maintain. Bartenders can simply mop or sweep the floor at the end of the night without having to get on the ground to pull things out from between the equipment legs and drains. It also significantly decreases install time as modular bars are shipped in up to 7’ sections pre-attached to the bar die wall.

Benefits of a High Efficiency Fryer

As an Energy Star Partner, we're always steering our customers to equipment that reduces the impact on the environment. While there are some items that sacrifice performance, high efficiency, Energy Star rated fryers don't fall into that category. When you add built-in oil filtration as well, it becomes a win, win, win:

Environment: Less resources used
Customer: Higher quality food
Operator: Utility and oil savings

First off, we care about the environment. There are only so many resources in this world and we all have to do our part to reduce, reuse, and recycle, which high efficiency fryers do. 

Chefs who fry regularly and need a perfectly crisp french fry or crunchy piece of fried chicken may be questioning whether high efficiency fryers are a workhorse like traditional fryers. Make no mistake, they are! Having supplied hundreds of these models to customers in a variety of settings, none have ever expressed a concern over their ability to keep up. 

The food quality is superior as well for two reasons. First, with regular filtration, the oil is cleaner and free of debris and odors from other products. Second, heating elements react more quickly to the drop in oil temperature when cold product hits the pot. By maintaining the temperature, product cooks faster and is crispier and less greasy. Just think about the fries that get served at the local diner you've gone to for years that are seeping with oil. They aren't using a high efficiency fryer.

Pitco, one of the market leaders in fryers and based close by in Concord, NH estimates a payback period of 14 months for a high efficiency triple fryer battery compared to standard fryers. The utility savings is impressive at $653 annually but the oil savings using filtration are astronomical at $7,800. This doesn't factor in the rebates currently available from many utility providers of $1,000 per pot. Rebates are available on invoice from Boston Showcase Company depending on your provider. 

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Vulcan Equipment is another manufacturer committed to Energy Star products including their Power Fry models (watch the video below). They have a nifty Savings Calculator on their website that you can use to assess your potential savings using a Power Fry model compared to others. You can explore all of their Energy Star products on our website as well. 

A Crash Course in Picking Plates

This article appears on BostonChefs.com and can be viewed here. 

Your lease is signed, construction in underway and now the fun part: selecting your tabletop design – the actual flatware and glasses and plates from which your patrons will enjoy your painstakingly created food and drink.

With countless manufacturers and hundreds of styles and patterns, the process can be overwhelming. And, sure, aesthetics are important (and fun) but there’s a lot more to take into consideration than just the look of your tabletop design. It’s just as much about function as it is about form.

The process often starts with selecting china so that’s where this series starts. We’ll look at some of the other components a little down the line. The key factors that should be considered when placing your china order are your menu, storage space, and a handful of critical variables that’ll affect order size.

MENU

Harmony between a dish and its plate is crucial. The same oversized white ceramic plate that makes a purposefully-plated scallop dish look dramatic can make a serving of cassoulet look sloppy.  As you plan your menu, think about how each dish will be served. If you have eight entrees, perhaps one plate will work for six of them. Round, white plates around 11” are the most common, but you may also want a rectangle or oval bowl to showcase a signature dish. Identifying a versatile plate style and having second or third plating options for certain dishes can prevent confusion in the kitchen and save a lot of time and space.

As you start experimenting with your menu in the kitchen, ask your vendor for samples so you can explore plating options as well. Don’t be afraid to mix manufacturers or lines within a manufacturer, but be sure that you’re satisfied with the varying shades of white, colors, rim styles and sizes. Lay them out on a table along with flatware, glassware and accessories to really get a sense of how your diners will experience the food aesthetically.

STORAGE SPACE

No matter how beautiful the items you select, poor choices in tabletop design can slow down your kitchen, increase your costs and detract from the guest experience. Oversized plates take up a lot of room and not every kitchen line has that space to spare, so a poor choice can make a tight space even harder to work in. A plethora of plates for each dish can leave you short during service, forcing the kitchen to wait for the right plate to be cleaned or plating on the wrong piece, which takes away from the dining experience. Additionally, if you only carry 1 or 2 dozen of a particular plate, your vendor may not keep the item in stock and you’ll be waiting every time for the order to arrive.

CRITICAL VARIABLES

Seating capacity might seem like the no brainer here, but beyond that there are a number of additional variables affect your opening order size and your minimum quantity on hand. Critical factors include the number of dishes served on each plate, the expected order volume per dish, number of turns, potential for breakage and storage on the line.

Manufacturer’s Representatives along with your Account Executive will help you identify the appropriate number to order. Keep in mind: nearly all manufacturers offer discounts, so it may be beneficial to capitalize on this by placing a larger initial order to avoid buying smaller quantities of replacements at a higher price shortly after you open.

It may seem like we’ve skipped one critical factor here…your accountant will think so…and that’s budget. While budget can never be ignored, with such a wide variety of manufacturers and product lines available, there is china available for everyone in just about any price range. Be up front with your Account Executive about your budget and he or she will guide you toward the right options.

Forget About the Hype: Drink What You Love

by Suzanne Hays, Beer Director at Row 34

As a former bartender, I’ve been asked this age-old question more times than I can count. Now as Beer Director at Row 34, this inquiry has become even more frequent. Often, the answer comes as a surprise or is followed with a grimace and shake of the head. Okay, I should confess something before we move on: I don’t care for IPA’s (cue shaking heads). I can appreciate stylistically what they bring to the table and understand their significance in the American craft beer movement. I am not saying they aren't important, but I’d be lying if I said they were a staple in my refrigerator. 

When asked this infamous question, my answer is usually directed towards crisp German lagers, savory Rauchbiers, or dirty farmhouses. Those are what I like to drink. With the ever-growing love for the American IPA and demand for rare sours, it often comes as a surprise that these traditional styles are what I yearn for. For me there’s something special that lies within these classics. Most have been around for centuries. They’ve acted as nourishment when clean water was scarce. They’ve been served to royalty and farmhands alike. Their endurance and ability to withstand time is a thing to be admired.

And boy do I admire them! There’s nothing like drinking a Brett-infused farmhouse from a Teku glass in the summer. It’s fluffy, white head perfumed with the smell of a dirty barn floor. Or the feeling of a dimpled stein filled to the brim with a roasty brew from Schlenkerla. Apologies to the hop heads out there, but nothing compares to a Kolsch whose bubbles sing from the bottom of a Stange.

My goal here isn’t to convince you that my preferences are better nor is it to make you think IPA is evil. The point is this: drink what you love and stop caring about what someone else thinks. What’s popular may be great but if there’s a style that calls to you, go for it! The best social experiences in my book are ones in which everyone has their own viewpoint. Beers with friends often consist of the rare and unusual, but also include a diverse portfolio of personal favorites. Ranging from dark and luscious to acidic and bright, each bottle bursts with the preference of each individual's palate. 

So I pose the inevitable question: What’s your favorite?

About Suzanne

Suzanne is the Beer Director at Row 34 in Boston and was a Eater Boston Young Guns Semifinalist this year. Suzanne is a former bartender who turned her love of beer into a career. 

Too Easy to Get Information?

by Jamie Bissonnette

As a young cook, I didn't have e-mail or the Internet. It was harder to get information. It required constant talking with other cooks about what was going on in our cities, and around the world.

I loved it. I remember calling Gotham Bar & Grill and pretending that I was an admin for someone coming to town on business so they would fax a copy of their menu to me.  And I remember how mad my boss was that I was getting a fax at work…as a line cook. Taking a bus to NYC from Hartford for the day, eating at four restaurants and then walking in to get menus at ten others, was the only way I could get to see what was happening.

Flash forward 20 years and I am on my computer, e-mailing this blog post to Matt Starr, with five tabs open on my browser of restaurant websites, blogs, and Instagram, still looking for that information and knowledge. I love how much more I can access it and how quickly I can.  But sometimes I wish that the younger generation had to work for it, had to forage a city for a copy of a menu.  

I am jealous, for sure, but also impressed at how many cooks know more about food than we did that early in our careers.  I think this is why food trends happen so quickly and why chefs aren't keeping as many secrets anymore.  Now, where do we go from here?

About Jamie

Jamie Bissonnette is the James Beard Award—winning chef and partner of Boston favorites Coppa, an Italian enoteca, Toro, the Barcelona-style tapas bar, and Little Donkey, Cambridge's beloved neighborhood restaurant. Visit his website here. 

New website!

by Andy Starr

If you're reading this, you're on the new Boston Showcase Company website! It's a long overdue refresh and we're excited to finally share it with you. Over the coming months, we'll be adding new features that will make your customer experience even better and we'll share details as they emerge. 

Some of the new features of the site include forms to directly reach us about new projects, beautiful images showcasing our customers, links to industry videos, spotlights on some of our vendors and their latest products and links to nearly all of our vendors. 

We encourage you to share your feedback with us as we want to make the site the premier destination for foodservice and restaurant professionals!

The Starr Family

Top Chef - Episode 12 Recap

by Andy Starr

The finals have begun and Brooke, fresh off of winning Last Chance Kitchen, asserted herself as the front-runner by not only winning the Quickfire Challenge, but also the main competition. Brooke continues to take risks with her vegetarian-inspired dishes (who think to use coconut in ceviche in place of tuna?!) that are so different from her competitors that she needs to nail the flavors and always does. I realize she is stoked about getting to the finals and having early success, but she could have been slightly more humble after winning each round. However, it's entertaining to see her fire back at judges when they question her, like Richard Blais did when asking about her cold soup. Also, she and Casey should probably open a restaurant together as their strong chemistry is apparent. 

It was disappointing to see Katsuji unable to bury the hatchet with John and it may have doomed him. He was finally shown the door just as he reached new levels of sweating. When he presented to the judges, he was sweating so profusely that his glasses were completely fogged up and beads of sweat were rushing down his face. Although he was undoubtedly the least talented chef there, despite having worked in no less than 37 restaurants, that had to play a role in how the judges perceived the food. And I'm sorry, John, but "keeping it simple" with your margarita by not doing anything is probably not the best move in the finals. Even Sheldon's muddied cocktail that looked like a swamp seemed more appealing. John grew me throughout the season though. He kept talking about his temper as a younger man and how he changed and despite numerous opportunities to blow up, he kept his cool and lasted until the penultimate episode. Even on his way out, he held his head high 

Sheldon and Shirley were consistent but far from perfect. I actually thought Sheldon was going to win the first round based on how excited and familiar he was with goa. In the end, both of them made a few too many mistakes - Sheldon with his cocktail and overcooked octopus and Shirley with her vanilla flavored beef - to win. 

I've never been to Mexico but touring the Patron factory seems like a good place to start! 

Top Chef - Episode 11 Recap

By Andy Starr

The last episode before the season finale wrapped up last night and my first reaction was, "wow, I can't believe John made it to the finals!" Remember the first episode when he was in a fight-for-your-life duel to stay on and despite sweating profusely all over his shrimp, he survived. Shirley reaching the finals is no surprise at all as she has consistently performed well and arguably should have won the first time she was on.

My money is on Sheldon though as he continues to prove that he is the most innovative chef on the show. I also love the guy. The fact that he was the only one attentive enough to figure out that his wife was on the other side of that partition during the initial challenge just goes to show the type of person that he is. The others were so stressed out that they didn't even notice their loved ones on the other side. Aside from that, he takes risks, dazzles the judges with his combination of flavors and technique and most importantly, he's humble about it. Watching on television, you don't really have any idea how the food tastes but Sheldon and Shirley always produce dishes that look extremely appetizing. 

My wife and I checked out Last Chance Kitchen for the first time after the show. I don't know why we haven't been watching it all season as it's 10 more minutes of uninterrupted Top Chef that we could have been enjoying. Brooke battled Casey in a challenge of consistency and went in completely different directions. Brooke made two first courses with her soup and salad dishes while Casey went for the home runs in steamed fish and steak. Casey's steak on a bed of potatoes, which she wasn't judged on, looked ridiculously good. Unfortunately, because they didn't want to spoil the first finale episode, they didn't reveal the winner. I would lean toward Casey winning based on the reaction to the dishes, but Brooke and Tom Colicchio seemed a bit flirtatious so that could work in her favor. Excited for the finale!