Fryers

In theory, frying is the one of the simplest items of line cooking equipment in the kitchen, with little to go wrong. Most models are sturdy and capable of producing fried food in short order and high volume.

So choosing a fryer ought to be a simple process, but it's still fraught with complexity. Deep fat fryer, pressure fryer or ventless? Gas or electric? Tabletop or floorstanding? Part of the problem is the sensitive nature of fried food: it's cast as a villain by nutritionists, but remains just about the most popular type of cooking, with some customers who won't accept anything else. For many caterers the deep fryer will be the 'profit centre' of their cooking, and whichever one they choose can have a major impact on their profits.

There's been a revolution in fryer design in recent years, with some models incorporating technology that allows a big reduction in oil use, energy consumption and automatic cooking control. For example, some of the latest models offer the ability to fry the same quantity of food in less oil than conventional fryers, to filter the oil automatically, or to generate much less waste heat than older designs (giving a more pleasant working environment).

Cleaning and Servicing

For all the technology, one thing can't be neglected: regular servicing and daily cleaning is still important. Fryers need to be included not only in the daily cleaning plan, but also as part of the regular preventative maintenance programme.

Filtration and basic cleaning should be a daily end-of-shift task. Better to do it daily rather than pay the cost of an engineer needing to clean it before they can even do a simple service task. Gas fryers will need greater servicing than electric fryers because of the need to check gas connections and burners for safety.

From the moment of first use, oil in a fryer deteriorates steadily, from contamination by both food and heat. It starts to deposit in the fryer, particularly if the temperature is too high - and while regular cleaning will slow this 'gumming up', it can never eliminate it. Periodic degreasing can remove much of it, but the slightest trace of detergents remaining will spoil the next batch of oil.

With the more advanced fryers, ensure dials and controls are cleaned to prolong their life. The service engineer should strip down the dials, clean underneath and lubricate with a long-lasting grease able to withstand high heat. You should also ensure that any mechanisms are checked regularly.