GUIDELINES FOR SELECTING EQUIPMENT
· Justify the purchase of the equipment
· Know when to purchase new equipment
· Learn about renting versus leasing foodservice equipment
· Consider the design of the equipment
· Purchased equipment that is automated
· Select equipment that is self- cleaning or easily to cleaned
· Select equipment that can be sanitized
· Know about guarantee versus warranty
· Know about selecting standard equipment and building your own specialized equipment
Ø The advantages of standards equipment area :
§ The availability of the equipment is greater
§ The price is less expensive
§ Spare parts are available at lower prices
§ Most foodservice equipment dealers carry the equipment
§ The service history has proven that the equipment is durable and has good production capabilities
§ A warranty or guarantee are available and most likely are foe a longer period of time than those for specialized equipment
Ø Disadvantages – sometimes the equipment cannot do the production task that we want it to do it
· Check the reputation of the sales dealership and manufacturer
FOODSERVICE EQUIPMENT ANALYSIS
· Helpful hints for completing the foodservice equipment analysis :
Ø The foodservice equipment analysis is to be used only as a guideline
Ø The purpose of the foodservice equipment analysis is to establish the type of foodservice equipment and the capacity of the equipment that are needed to produce the menu
Ø The foodservice equipment analysis establishes a shopping list for the major, heavy- duty cooking equipment needed. Smaller pieces of equipment should be placed on an independent list
Ø Needs will vary greatly, depending on how the chef decides to purchases, prepare, store, produce and serve food products
Ø Not all columns on the equipment analysis form have to be used in the production offal products. A tossed salad does not need equipment in the production column
Ø Soups, sauces, gravies and other products with volume are usually made prior to the peak period and will not use the production column
Ø Forecasting portions is a difficult task in the real job market
Ø The amount of money and floor space that the chef has will greatly influence the type of equipment to be purchased.
Ø It is easier to use letters or numbers to represent a piece of equipment such as letter D to represent mixer than it is to write out the word mixer every time you need to indicate its use
Indicate the equipment when you use it in your planning. Some food products will use two or three pieces of equipment in the production column.