What is a commercial convection oven, and how does it work?
Commercial convection ovens were a revolutionary improvement when they first introduced, creating two new expectations in modern cooking processes — increased speed and consistency. In a convection oven, a fan and exhaust system circulate hot air within the cooking chamber, allowing the food to cook more quickly than a standard oven and reducing “hot spots”. This recirculating hot air also reduces the amount of moisture in the cooking chamber, making foods crispy on the outside but keeping them deliciously moist on the inside.
Commercial convection ovens are able to mass produce baking foods like muffins, cookies, pies, and pastries, producing even browning across every tray both horizontally and vertically. They also do an excellent job of roasting meats and toasting breads.
With a convection oven, foods cook faster than they would in a commercial static oven. And in today's foodservice climate, faster cooking times mean that operations can serve more customers, resulting in higher profits.
But as effective as commercial convection ovens are for these specific cooking processes, they fall short in other areas. For example, cooking with a convection oven usually requires chefs to be mindful of recipe times and temperatures and adjust as needed, depending on the specific dish.
What is a commercial combi oven, and how does it work?
When chefs what to expand their menus to include additional forms of cooking such as steaming, grilling, or frying, they’re limited by the types of equipment that they have in their commercial kitchens. These cooking techniques typically require a commercial steamer, grill and fry counter, for example.
The difference between a combi oven and a convection oven is that a professional combi oven changes this dynamic and enhances cooking creativity, using convection, steam or a combination of both processes. This added level of versatility expands the oven’s cooking possibilities and eliminates the need to purchase additional pieces of equipment, such as commercial steamers, roasters or grills.
Although combi ovens have been a standard in the foodservice industry in different parts of the world for years, and the technology is technically not “new”, many foodservice operators in the United States are still unfamiliar with them.
Slowly but surely, as competition continues to drive commercial kitchens to become more efficient, foodservice operators such as caterers, restaurants and bakeries, as well as non-commercial foodservice outfits like school cafeterias or hospital dining, are discovering the advantages of commercial combi ovens.
Commercial static oven vs commercial convection oven vs commercial combi oven — what's next in commercial kitchen equipment?
Commercial static ovens evolved into convection ovens which then evolved into combi ovens. All three types of ovens continue to occupy their respective spaces in the commercial and non-commercial foodservice industries. So, where will the path lead next?
Commercial convection ovens produce excellent results and continue to be a good choice for operations that produce a high volume of items with similar cooking processes. But if your operation has a diverse menu, the flexibility of a professional combi oven could be a game-changer, allowing you to unleash your creativity while downsizing your equipment footprint.
Commercial combi ovens may also come equipped with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and high-tech enhancements that take the guesswork out of cooking and improve the quality of every meal. But even as the technology becomes more sophisticated, the ovens still need to remain simple enough to operate with minimal training. These tech-forward commercial ovens are evolving into more intricate machines, but the right design can also make them more intuitive, helping to put perfect cooking processes within reach of any operator.
Set your operation up for success with Unox commercial kitchen equipment
Unox commercial combi ovens improve output, boost energy efficiency, and bring unmatched reliability to your kitchen. Ovens in our MIND.Maps™ line not only ensure uniform cooking both horizontally and vertically but also come with ADAPTIVE.Cooking™ technology. Intelligent algorithms determine desired cooking results in this Unox exclusive tech, automatically adjusting the cooking program based on the actions of the operator and the quantity of food loaded.
And with MULTI.TIME, chefs can cook up to 10 different items with different cooking programs and times, expanding menu possibilities and reducing stress — even with a smaller staff. UNOX is also a leader in sustainability, with the highest number of ENERGY STAR® certified commercial ovens on the market.
Would you like to explore all the Unox professional combi oven models?
