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Oñati, Guipúzcoa, 18 May 2012.  Fagor Industrial, the leading Spanish company that provides total solutions for the hotel, collective catering and laundry sector, has given professionals advice on how to organise and plan their work during May, traditionally the start of one of the busiest periods of the year with the highest volume of orders, due to the large number of mass celebrations. 

 

"Every professional in the restaurant and catering industry is aware of the increased workload that arrives in May", states Oier Biritxinaga, Corporate Chef at Fagor Industrial. "This is primarily due to first communions and weddings, although as the weather improves people are encouraged to eat out on holidays. These combined factors mean May is one of the busiest months for party and home catering organisers. It is the start of a series of events and celebrations that continue throughout the summer."

The large number of diners is the common factor in these types of events. Oier Biritxinaga continues, "Restaurants and catering companies have two options to ensure all diners receive good service: buying large quantities of product each day, or avoiding some of this shopping by using quality industrial refrigeration equipment and storing a large number of freezable products." While fruit and vegetables need to be as fresh as possible, meat, fish and seafood can be frozen without reducing their quality. 

 

Oier Biritxinaga believes that conserving and freezing products is an effective way to save time and money, provided that it is done efficiently, using the latest technological advances. He highlights the importance now given to cooling units, which are increasingly used by restaurants and catering companies. "They can be used for produce and also for dishes that are prepared in advance. A dish can be cooled from 70 to just 3 degrees in less than an hour and a half. This rapid cooling prevents the growth of bacteria and infectious agents. It also prevents ice crystals from forming in food, ensuring it retains all of its vitamins and nutrients." Besides guaranteeing perfect conservation, Oier Biritxinaga explains that they "are extremely useful for correctly storing dishes that have been cooked earlier, helping restaurants and catering companies to prepare ordered menus days in advance."

 

Cooking equipment has also seen new developments that can contribute to advance planning. "Imagine catering companies or home delivery services, who tend to prepare the same dishes", continues Oier Biritxinaga. "New, intelligent ovens have an internal memory function where you can store different cooking settings, specifically, the time and temperature used for each recipe. It means a large part of the work is already stored, without the need to repeat instructions or pay attention during the different stages of the cooking process. And it guarantees that food preparation will be completely homogeneous, with no surprises Two dishes will be exactly the same even if they are prepared days or weeks apart."

 

"Planning and automation ensures cooking processes run more smoothly during these seasonal work peaks", finishes Oier Biritxinaga. "Professionals should check that their technical equipment is suitable and that they are using all of the available functions to achieve the greatest benefits."