Equipment: Convection Ovens--More Than Hot Air

Convection ovens� powerful heat and consistent cooking make them kitchen necessities.

By Lisa Bertagnoli, Contributing Editor -- Restaurants & Institutions, 5/1/2007

With high-speed fans to circulate hot air within the baking cavity, convection ovens are known for quick, consistent cooking and even browning.

Operations with convection ovens rely on them for a substantial portion of menu production. Posh, a 200-seat, casual-upscale bistro in Maple Shade, N.J., uses two gas convection ovens to produce about 90% of the menu. "The advantage is uniform heat," says Chef-owner Nick Youjongdee, who uses the double-stacked ovens for everything from filet mignon and breads to escargots in puff pastry. The ovens also help minimize waste, he says, because foods cook evenly no matter where they’re placed in the oven. "Nothing burns," he says.

Sirloin Stockade, the Hutchinson, Kan.-based steakhouse chain, relies on gas convection ovens to produce popular lunch and dinner buffets. The ovens "are very consistent; they don’t have hot spots," says Dennis Rogan, the chain’s director of training and research and development. "You can cook a lot of food at one time."

The ovens also are easy to clean and maintain: "Just make sure you keep the blower clean and keep grease from building up," Rogan says.

Sirloin Stockade’s buffet ($6.50 per person for lunch; $8.50 at dinner) offers vegetables, casseroles, meats, baked goods and desserts. From 30% to 40% of hot food is produced in the convection ovens. Meatloaf, for instance, first bakes for 15 minutes. Cooks remove the pans from the oven, strain off fat, add a topping, then finish it in the oven for five minutes.

Each of its 61 units is outfitted with three convection ovens. Because locations serve 400 baked potatoes a day, one oven is devoted to spuds; it’s set at 450F and can hold four full-size sheet pans. The second oven, used for meatloaf, vegetables and casseroles, maintains 350F. These units are situated on the back cook line, along with fryer, smoker and two cook-hold units. The third oven, with a glass front, is used for artisan breads and desserts.

Rogan also uses convection ovens to test new menu items. For instance, the chain has developed a Mexican lasagna that’s part of a plan to add more Hispanic- and Asian-flavored items to the buffet. An oven-baked cream sauce also is currently in test.

"We’re look for ways for a product to get done without having someone stand over it and stir it," he says.