Chapter
17
Miscellaneous
Kitchen
Equipment
© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Learning Objectives
In this chapter, you will learn to identify the
important features of:
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Food mixers and their attachments
Food slicers, cutters, and grinders
Blenders and juicers
Toasters and food warmers
Coffee brewers and espresso/cappuccino
machines
© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Food Mixers
Considerations for vertical mixers
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Most popular type – also called planetary mixer for circular
mixing action by its mixer arm or agitator.
Identified by size of mixing bowl.
Comes in countertop and floor models.
Purchase based on what foods will be mixed – how much,
how thick or heavy, whether it will increase in volume.
Stainless steel benches (tables) can hold countertop
mixers in place to prevent “walking” during mixing action.
For large machines, a bowl dolly allows them to roll.
Large machines have bowl adapters that allow for use of
smaller bowls when necessary.
© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Food Mixers
Common sizes and uses of vertical mixers
Bowl
Capacity
5 qt.
12 to 20 qt.
30 qt.
40 to 80 qt.
Motor
HP
Common Locations, Uses in
Foodservice
1/6th
Sufficient for small kitchens:
mixes dough, dressings, mashes
potatoes.
½ to 1
Most common sizes: good for all
of the above, yeast-based
doughs.
¾ to 1½
Bakeries, pizzerias, anywhere
dough is made in large
quantities.
Up to 2½
Largest retail bakeries,
restaurants, pizzerias.
© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
5
Food Mixers
How mixers work…
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Motor drives transmission, which is gear-driven or beltdriven.
Mixing mechanism is vertical steel shaft connected to gear
drive.
Most mixers have 3 or 4 speeds:
 Gear-driven machines do not allow changing speeds
while mixer is in operation.
 Generally, higher horsepower in gear-driven machine
allows for better mixing of heavy ingredients.
 Belt-driven machines allow speed-up or slow-down
during mixing. (Also called variable speed mixer.)
© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Food Mixers
Attachments and accessories
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Bowl guard – Heavy wire shield fits over bowl during mixing to
prevent hand injuries. Mixer can’t operate unless bowl guard is
in place.
Agitators – Beaters, paddles, balloon whips, dough arms are
designed for specific mixing jobs and different bowl sizes.
Optional tools – Slicers, grinders can be attached to the power
take-off (PTO), a hub on the motor that makes mixer more
versatile. Speed-drive attachments make some accessories
work faster.
© John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Mixer Variations
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Hand-held mixer – Allows mixing without having to transfer food from a
pot or pan into a mixer or food processor. Can be fitted with agitator
attachments. Sized based on container they can mix, from 1 pint to 30
quarts.
Spiral mixer – Designed to mix large batches of dough, with a large (7½10 HP) motor and programmable speeds for kneading.
Vertical cutter mixer (VCM) – Best described as a combination mixer and
blender. Cutting or mixing blades can be attached to a central shaft for a
variety of tasks: chopping, kneading, mashing, shredding, etc. Sizes from 4
quart tabletop (1 HP motor) to 130 quart freestanding (25 HP motor).
Vacuum tumbler – A motorized mixing machine specifically for kneading
meat with marinades. Helps meats cook uniformly and increases yield.
Salad greens washer/spinner – Gentle agitation in cold water cleans
salad greens, which are then dried through the centrifugal force of
spinning. Helps greens last longer and thorough washing is a precaution
against food-borne illness.
© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Food Slicers
Considerations for slicers
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Menu and volume – What will you be slicing, and how much of it?
There are medium-duty and heavy-duty slicers. Cheese is
especially tough on slicer blades.
Identified by diameter of cutting knife or blade; 10-inch and 12inch disks are most popular.
Manual or automatic – Hand-operated for slicing to order, or a
machine that can slice large amounts quickly?
Check safety features – Slicer accidents are fairly common.
The ½ HP motor is a better overall choice than the 1/3 HP motor,
which might not be quite powerful enough for some jobs.
Check for ease of cleaning, sanitizing, as this must be done daily.
Specialized slicers available for slicing and stacking large
quantities of lunchmeats; also for bread, for making french fries,
and for coring tomatoes.
© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Slicer Safety and Maintenance
Courtesy of Hobart Corporation, Troy, Ohio.
No one under age 18 is allowed to
operate a slicer.
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Don’t use the slicer to cut solidly
frozen foods, aluminum cans, foods
in plastic wrap or other packaging.
Clean and sanitize the slicer daily
according to the manufacturer’s
instructions and safety requirements.
Dull blade is most common cause of slicing problems. Use sharpening
stone to sharpen; honing stone to remove burrs and smooth the
surface.
Sharpen blade only when completely clean and dry. Wipe debris away
after sharpening.
Do not over-sharpen – a few seconds is sufficient.
Replace the stones whenever you replace the blade to avoid damaging
© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
the blade.
Food Processing
Considerations for food processors
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Food processing is changing the shape, size or consistency of food.
Three basic types of processors:
 Continuous feed – Food enters processor through a chute at the
top and is sliced by a blade. Good for consistency, high-volume
output.
 Bowl-style – Food is placed in a bowl, where a two-blade
assembly at bottom of bowl does the dicing or chopping. Rotating
action helps mix foods as it chops them.
 Combination-style – A machine that does both.
Motor sizes from ½ to 1 HP. Can process hundreds of pounds per hour.
Wide assortment of blades (called plates) for different sizes, shapes of
product.
Bowls of various sizes and depths are available to fit processors.
© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Processor Safety and Maintenance
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Keep fingers out of hoppers and discharge chutes.
Pushers or stompers are implements used to push
product into the processor.
Machine jammed? Unplug it before reaching in to clear it.
Clean after each use with nylon brush, damp cloth and
recommended sanitizing solution.
Choose processor with plates
that are easy to change,
sharpen, and clean.
Courtesy of Hobart Corporation, Troy, Ohio.
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Hand-wash and air-dry plates.
Don’t put into dishwasher.
Store on special plate rack.
© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Blenders
Considerations for blenders
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Blender performs many light-duty food processing jobs.
Bar mixer is primarily for bar use, mixing liquids, solids and
ice. Quicker and quieter than blender.
 Both larger than home-use models, to handle 100
blending cycles per day.
 Identified by capacity of container, 1 quart to 5 gallons.
 Containers made of stainless steel, glass or
polycarbonate.
 Choose standard two-speed, or variable-speed controls.
 Two-piece rubber lid allows ingredients to be added.
© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Blenders
Specialty blenders
Spindle blender
(seen on left) has
stainless-steel mixing
head(s) and mixing
cups. Best known for
making milkshakes.
Juicer or juice
extractor squeezes
fresh fruit to make
juice. Manual-feed or
hopper; motor ½ to ¾
HP.
Courtesy of Waring Products, a division of Conair Corp., East Windsor, New Jersey.
© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Blenders
Selecting a blender
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To make blender choices, ask these questions:
 How much blending must be done in a typical day?
 How quickly must the drink(s) be produced?
 How much space do you have?
 Where do you want to locate the blender(s)?
 How much noise are customers and workers willing
to endure? (Blending can be noisy business. Aim for
a noise level below 72 decibels.)
 What types of ingredients will be blended? Frozen
or cooked items? Hard or chunky?
© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Toasters
Considerations for toasters
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Toasting is a three-step process:
1. Using heat to remove moisture from food.
2. Cooking the food so it’s warm and crisp.
3. Browning the food’s exterior.
The basic commercial toaster types are:
 Batch toaster – A 2-slot or 4-slot “pop-up” toaster.
 In “pop-down” models, food is loaded at top but emerges at
bottom of toaster. Makes for faster reloading.
 Drawer-style – Food is placed onto a drawer or platen, which
slides into heated chamber for toasting.
 Continuous toaster – Conveyor is used for maximum volume.
Some operations use their conveyor ovens to toast.
 There are horizontal and vertical continuous toasters.
 Bagel toasters and contact bun toasters – specialized for
these types of foods.
© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Toasters
Selecting a toaster
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Menu and volume – What will you be toasting and how much of it
during busiest time periods? Manufacturers’ output figures are on the
high side.
Who is making the toast? In self-serve settings, pop-up or pop-down
are good choices.
There are 2 to 7 heating elements in a toaster. The options:
 Quartz sheath – Heats up quickly but is brittle and can break.
 Metal sheath – Heats more slowly than quartz, but holds heat
longer and is more durable.
There are electric and gas-powered toasters but, since gas requires
venting, electric is often more practical.
Having an internal temperature monitor is important.
For continuous toasters, select a single control for heat and conveyor
speed – or separate controls for each.
How much space do you have? Vertical conveyors can be 3 feet tall.
© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Food Warmers
Considerations for food warmers
Warmers are designed for different types of foods and whether they
will be used in a kitchen or for serving guests.
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Drawer warmers work well to keep food moist, but must be
able to quickly reheat after being opened. Ideal for foods that
must be stored more than an hour. Opening them often can be a
hassle.
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Open warmers are handy for quick-service, but susceptible to
drafts. Food can be warmed from above or below.
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Base-heated warmer heats a well (or water in the well) into
which food container is placed. The soup warmer (also for
sauces, cheese, chocolate, etc.) is a type of base-heated warmer.
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Buffet warmer heats with overhead lamps and insulated cables
beneath the food. Also has a sneeze guard.
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Thermal shelves are heated shelves to keep items like pizzas
© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
hot.
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Food Warmers
Selecting a food warmer
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What type(s) of food will you be holding?
What quantities, and for how long?
How will the food be served? Will the public see or dish up from the
warming appliance?
Health codes require that warmers be able to hold food at a
minimum internal temperature (not just surface temperature) of
135º F.
Closed cabinet or open?
Gas or electric power? Gas connections mean a little more room is
needed for gas warmers.
Heat from overhead or beneath the food? Overhead warmers use
infrared warmer lamps, not heat lamps.
Will food be wrapped, and in what? Paper, tinfoil, plastic wrap all
have advantages and downsides that affect how they are best
warmed.
© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Steam and Hot-Food Tables
Considerations for steam and hot-food tables
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Steam table heats using shallow tanks of water, into which pans are
placed.
Hot-food table heats using hot air that circulates beneath the pans of food.
Both types available with gas or electric power, in a variety of lengths and
sizes. Some (such as the unit below) have ovens installed beneath.
Pans need to be covered to retain heat. NSFI suggests dividing large
batches of food into smaller portions for holding and serving.
The bain-marie is a small,
uncovered variation of the
steam table, a single
container for cooking,
holding and serving soups
or sauces.
© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Courtesy of Thermodyne Foodservice Products, Inc., Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Coffee Makers
Considerations for coffee makers
Your choice of coffee maker will depend largely on how much you
need to brew at a time and your available space. In all instances,
water quality is key. Many programmable for timing, strength of brew,
automatic shutoff:
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Coffee brewer drips or sprays water into a filter filled with
ground coffee. Drips from filter into a carafe or airpot. Makes 1012 cups at a time.
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Satellite brewer is a larger (1½ gallon) programmable brewer
that holds coffee hot for dispensing.
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French press is a glass carafe where water and coffee grounds
steep and a plunger-type arm is used to separate grounds from
water before pouring. For individual, tableside service.
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Coffee urn is largest and fastest option, from ½ gallon to 80
gallon and with one to three taps. Multiple taps are best, with one
for dispensing hot water for tea.
© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Espresso Machines
Considerations for espresso machines
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Espresso maker is two small electric machines on a single base: A
coffee grinder and a pump that adds water to the ground coffee.
Number of heads determines how many espresso shots can be
brewed at a time.
Stainless steel side valve uses high-pressure steam to foam milk
for lattés.
Brewing time per shot ranges from 20 seconds to 1 minute.
Models available from manual (lever driven by hydraulic pump,
with barista doing most of the work), to super-automatic (machine
does it all, including discarding used grounds).
Other considerations: Price, space available (these take up a lot of
room!), and operator training.
Regular cleaning is key to great drinks and lack of maintenance
problems.
© 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.