Why do commercial kitchens & chefs choose LPG gas?

Chefs have the unique ability of being able to create the most delicious meals, regardless of where they are or the ingredients they are using. When they are working in a commercial kitchen, however, they need to be able to do this in bulk, which can be a challenge if the kitchen they are working in doesn’t have the right equipment installed.

Commercial kitchens are today, more than ever, using gas as their main energy source of cooking — simply because the benefits are so abundant.

Gas for cooking is one of the most popular uses for LPG. LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) is a low-carbon fuel used for cooking, heating, vehicle fuel, industrial and agricultural applications.

So, why are commercial kitchens and chefs choosing liquid petroleum gas (LPG) over other methods?

Faster cooking

Commercial kitchens and experienced chefs need to work fast. They are often dealing with numerous customers at one time and as such, they want to be as efficient as possible. Gas not only provides heat faster (the response speed is much faster than induction or other electric cooktops), it also cools faster so it’s much easier for chefs to regulate the cooking temperatures for faster meal prep.

Easy to use

In a commercial kitchen, chefs don’t have the time to stand around waiting to see if the cooktop is hot enough to use, or cool enough to keep the pan sitting there while they prepare the next step of the meal. Because liquid petroleum gas heats up and cools down so fast, it gives greater control over temperature — and chefs are less likely to end up with burnt pans or meals.

Flexible options for cookware

Using an electric cooktop means chefs have to have a flat-bottomed pan to cook with, otherwise the heat won’t radiate properly throughout the pan. Because gas cooktops are set higher, and have a hole in the centre of the ring, chefs can use any pan and not have to worry that it’s going to lean to one side or become lopsided due to heat. Gas cooktops provide heat that radiates across the entire pan, not just one small circle that fits over the element.

Easy to clean

One of the biggest challenges faced in a commercial kitchen is keeping things clean, particularly when it comes to the cooktops. When food spills onto electric and induction cookers, that food is often burned into the element, which takes some hard scrubbing to remove it. With gas cooktops, the food simply falls past the heat and onto the stainless-steel bench below, allowing for a simple wipe over once the element has been turned off.

More affordable

Running a restaurant isn’t cheap and owners and managers are always looking at ways to save money, without compromising quality. LPG means less use of electricity for heating, resulting in lower utility bills.

Versatile for comfort

If you’re using LPG, you can not only heat the cooking in a restaurant, you can also heat the entire restaurant as a whole. LPG gas can be used for power central heating, as well as space heaters. Gas hot water systems provide fast hot water, at a more affordable price; and if you offer outdoor dining, you can keep customers warm and comfortable with portable gas heaters, and portable liquid petroleum gas units can even help to repel mosquitos.

There are many benefits to using gas in a commercial kitchen or professional cooking environment and Elgas has been providing these businesses with LPG and other hospitality gases for many years. If you have any questions, you can get in touch with the team at Elgas today on 131 161 or visit the Elgas website.