Content sponsored by: Alto-Shaam
Q. What makes Alto-Shaam’s Cook & Hold oven unique compared to other low temperature ovens?
Kristina Bladecki: The unique part is the Halo Heat® technology built in the oven. The story behind it is that Jerry Maahs owned Chicken Delight franchises in Wisconsin and wanted to overcome a problem he was having keeping chicken hot during home delivery. He first created a holding box for chicken using a stainless steel box heated with only a candle. After contacting a heated cable company, he came up with the idea to wrap these cables around a metal box. Once he unplugged the cables, he realized the box was only losing 3 degrees of heat every 30 minutes. This technology evolved to be used in holding cabinets and eventually Cook & Hold ovens.
Q. Besides roasting meats, what are some other applications for Cook & Hold ovens?
KB: Although the Cook & Hold oven was built around the big meat category, over time it has evolved. Today, it’s universal for so many different tasks and foods. This equipment can culture, bake, sous vide, braise, ferment and be used for preparing different stocks overnight.
Q. What type of operators would benefit from a Cook & Hold oven?
KB: Any operation that cooks and serves food can benefit from a Cook & Hold oven. It doesn’t have to be used for just main entrées. And it can take the mess away from combi ovens and main stoves and knock out production. It’s also ventless, so it isn’t limited to one area of the kitchen. Anything benefitting from a long cooking procedure can be prepared with these ovens.
Q. What is your favorite dessert to make in a Cook & Hold? Why?
KB: Unlike in a convection or deck oven, cheesecake prepared in a Cook & Hold oven rises evenly with no cracking. It won’t dry out because there’s no fan with this technology. It’s like wrapping food in a heated blanket, so delicate foods receive even, gentle heat distribution. Crème brûlée, macaroons and other pastries that typically need a lot of hand-holding during baking won’t undergo temperature swings or run the risk of uneven browning or burning when prepared in a Cook & Hold oven.
Q. Besides expanding your menu, what are some other benefits of the Cook & Hold oven?
KB: Cook & Hold ovens provide yield savings, because there isn’t the shrinkage experienced with traditional ovens. For example, prime rib retains natural moisture and juices, rather than losing a quarter of its size from drying out. This results in more slices for greater profit and food costs savings. These ovens also don’t need plumbing or vents. And Cook & Hold units are stackable to prepare more product in less space. Also, because the ovens only cost a few dollars a day to run, operators are actually wasting money when this equipment is not in use, since they are missing the opportunity either to get ahead of the game by preparing items in advance or to prevent other less energy-efficient equipment from running.
Q. How can the Cook & Hold oven reduce labor?
KB: There are many items that can cook overnight in these units, which eliminates staff having to be there to take food out when it’s done and move food into holding cabinets or chill it down. The oven automatically goes into a holding mode, so it doesn’t need babysitting. Cook & Hold ovens also are low maintenance and easy to use, so training is not an issue. This is a set-it-and-forget-it piece of equipment.
Want to see Cook & Hold ovens in action? Sign up for A Taste of Alto-Shaam demonstration near you.
