tips&features

When you need a gift for a chef, you probably tend to shy away from all things culinary. From an outsider's perspective, it's hard to know where to begin. Keep these New Year gift ideas in mind – they're perfect for the chef who already has everything.

Molecular dishes offer you the chance to give customers great taste with an interesting presentation. Understanding the science behind molecular dishes helps you craft the foods that can help raise profits.

Grilling is an excellent fuss-free cooking method. Learn what common mistakes beginner grillers make when using BBQ grills and what tips they should follow to avoid them.

One of the most popular ways to enjoy rice is by cooking fried rice. This dish can be made with various types of rice. In fact, the recipe can be adjusted slightly to create a variety of fried rice options to please just about any palate.

A fantastic way to make sure you’re catering to healthy eaters and alternative diets – not to mention hot food trends – is to provide vegans and vegetarians their own menu. 

We’ve put together a list of some of the best (and most affordable) ways to decorate your tables this New Years.

Furthermore, many of these ideas involve a little DIY. So, rope in the kids to help you out, and have as much fun as you can!

Check out these recipes and complete your Christmas table with some tasty winter drinks.

The demand for food transparency is leaving foodservice operators with a hard choice: Invest in better ingredients, or suffer the consequences.

Have a look at these tips to see if changing your freezer to a cooler is do’able and appropriate for your restaurant.

From delivery to take-out to packaging customer leftovers, styrofoam boxes are an integral part of food transportation for many. As part of environmentally-friendly initiatives, many large cities are choosing to ban the use of foam containers altogether.

Traditionally, restaurants have created clear boundaries between the front- and back-of-house operations by separating the kitchen from dining area. Consider bringing your closed-system kitchen out to the forefront and on display in your restaurant.

Social responsibility and environmental sustainability are at the forefront for restaurant owners, driving their choices in equipment and ingredients. But with any endeavour comes myths, inaccuracies, and misconceptions - and the ‘green’ foodservice industry is no different.

Learn how to cook lobster tails, from shopping to prepping, to cooking and serving, in this handy guide.

Are you looking for the best drinks to serve this winter? We’ve got you covered and have selected drinks from suitable winter cocktails, right through to the traditional hot drinks.

Whether you’re designing an entire menu with adding a hint of ethnic entrees to your lineup, there are a few essentials to keep in mind for your Mexican menu.

Knowing how to sell and serve your selection of tea can make the difference between merely offering tea to making a profit.

Restaurants, hotels, hospitals, correctional facilities, and bakeries all have something in common: They utilize equipment for foodservice preparation. For many who choose to bake items fresh, they also have to have a little know-how on the art and science of baking!

Are you thinking of adding new winter recipes to your restaurant’s menu?  Here are five delightful recipes that are guaranteed to satisfy and keep your customers happy.

Hot beverages are the name of the game during cold-weather seasons, and while the more obvious coffee and espresso drinks are sure to grace most menus, many forget the value of adding tea to the mix.

Mashed potatoes with a twist, vegetarian stews, creamy soups, and other amazing recipes perfect for the cold weather.

Choosing the right dishwasher for your restaurant is an important choice with long-lasting effects. While many choose a low-temp dishwasher with chemical sanitizing for the short-term savings, the long-term costs may be substantial enough to consider!

Brand names say a lot about your company and what a consumer should expect.  If you’re looking to rebrand yourself without changing the name, here’s what they’re doing right now!

The holiday season typically means more traffic and busier peak hours, and making the most out of each and every customer can substantially boost your overall profits. Gift cards are a great way to tap into the holiday season while promoting your business in the long-run. 

Fall is finally in full swing, and consumers are already revving up for holiday beverages. Your beverage selection allows for creativity, and sprucing up your fall craft beverages is necessary in today’s restaurant business.

Products, dishes, and menus vary from restaurant to restaurant, but most all restaurants use knives in their kitchen. As probably the most used tool in your kitchen, your knives need to be well maintained to achieve the best results and longest life. A high-quality knife set can be a big financial investment, but the payoffs can be longstanding, especially if you regularly maintain your set! Investing in the proper knives and maintaining their quality is key to extending the life of your knife set.

Family-friendly restaurants from fast-food to fast-casual need to invest extra time, money, and effort into ensuring that their establishment is safe and appropriately-stocked for children.

While designing your breakfast menu, knowing what your customers want and where the breakfast trends are headed can keep your morning meals profitable and desirable.

Mydesert.com reported that a diner in Rancho Mirage, California closed after four years of business, but was immediately purchased by a person looking to transform it into a Greek restaurant. Using existing equipment gives restaurant owners the opportunity to focus their efforts in other areas, but they can use the additional funds to invest in top-of-the-line equipment if necessary.

When taking a look at popular culinary trends, one can see that cookies are a common part of American culture.

Many operators choose to purchase meats in bulk to save on costs. While this can save money, the reality is that you will need to invest in specialty equipment in order to get the meat from bulk form into succulent tenderloins, ground burgers, or thick filets. Here are a few of our favorites from CKitchen.

Boost your profits during the fall and winter seasons with hearty, roasted dishes! Here are some essential tools to add to your lineup.

With pumpkin spice lattes and fresh apple pies comes another fall favorite: roasted veggies and meats. Harking to memories of juicy morsels with a crisp, sweet shell, roasting is a fan favorite for many Americans. If you haven’t already invested in a roaster, now is the perfect time to add this essential to your kitchen lineup. Not only are roasted items a shoo-in for any menu, but you’ll likely boost your profits during the fall and winter seasons with hearty, roasted dishes! When working with your roaster, here are some essential tools to add to your lineup.

If you have ever been to a seafood restaurant, chances are you know what steamers are.

Ensuring that you’re servicing your steamer unit correctly can extend its life and keep it functioning efficiently for the duration. Here are 5 servicing tips for your commercial steamer. 

Refrigeration and cooling units are an integral part to every restaurant’s kitchen. As a potentially huge sinkhole for energy consumption, correct selection and placement of these kitchen monsters can mean the difference between a wise investment and a costly mistake. When it comes to selection of your reach-in refrigeration, there are two main categories to choose from: top-mounted and bottom-mounted. Choosing a top-mounted reach-in unit for the back of the house is ideal!

Food service establishments are testing the waters with different options to catering to more customers, and one of those options is delivery. While typically reserved for pizza shops and fast-casual niche restaurants, other establishments are starting to consider diving into the delivery pool as well.

Your kitchen setup truly isn’t complete until you’ve invested some effort into well-placed and carefully-selected shelving units.

If you are not from central New Jersey, it is unlikely you are familiar with the term pork roll.

Are you thinking of keeping your restaurant doors open on Thanksgiving?
Here are a few tips to help you decide on what’s important and what’s not important for your special Thanksgiving event!