Fugh Refrigeration

Tag: commercial restaurant equipment

  • Avoid Contaminated Ice

    Avoid Contaminated Ice

    Lets get down to the dirty stuff in restaurants.  There’s a reason why health inspectors check for microbial contamination in your ice bin on each visit.  There are so many things that can grow do to unclean or unsafe procedures in your ice machines.  Unclean Ice Machines are a risk of bacteria, mold, and blood, which are extremely dangerous to your customers health.

    12-year-old Jasmine Roberts didn’t expect her award-winning science project to go viral when she discovered that 70% of the time ice from fast food restaurants was dirtier than toilet water.  

    Many restaurants don’t clean their ice machines nearly as many times as they should!

    Here are a few tips to help prevent your restaurant from being another statistic: 

    1. Wash hands

    Washing your hands is the #1 way to reduce the spread of bacteria. Make sure your employees wash their hands before reaching in the ice machine.  Make this a routine that eventually becomes natural.

    2. Use the scoop

    Using a scoop prevents employees from spreading bacteria or cutting themselves on the ice.

    3. Don’t return unused ice to the bin

    Unfortunately this is something that happens far to often, because even once can spread bacteria.

    4. Call Fugh Refrigeration to get your Ice Machine Cleaned

    We have several professional technicians that can clean your ice machine(s) for your restaurant.  Give us a call at 724-481-1240 or make an appointment today!

  • RESTAURANT MAINTENANCE TIPS

    RESTAURANT MAINTENANCE TIPS

    When restaurateurs are looking for ways to save money, all too often, those savings can be found in areas that are being neglected in-house.  A major way your restaurant could be saving money is regular maintenance.  Many equipment repair companies prefer to come into a kitchen that has been maintained throughout the year, because it’s easier to do big fixes – which means savings for you!

    When equipment is maintained throughout the year, it lasts longer!  Here are a few tips we recommend you stick to that will save you time and money in the future:

    DAILY

    • All kitchen equipment should be wiped down including the inside, outside and underneath the appliance.
    • Wipe sinks & faucets dry with a soft rag to avoid rust buildup.
    • Beverage machine faucets need to be disassembled and soaked to prevent sugar build-up.
    • Wash down floor mats in kitchen and bar areas to prevent grease build up.

    WEEKLY

    • Dust the condenser coils on your refrigeration systems.
    • Clean air-intake openings on convection ovens.
    • Clean shelving panels using a mild detergent and soft cloth.
    • Have a professional cleaning company do a top to bottom cleaning of your restrooms.

    MONTHLY

    • Change or clean the filter in your air conditioning units.
    • Clean combustion fans on fryers.
    • Wipe down the ceiling, floor and walls of your walk-in to avoid mold and bacteria growth.
    • Clean dishwasher including washing and rinsing arms.
    • Clean out and wash down prep table units entirely.
    • Inspect gaskets on every piece of equipment, wipe down and replace as needed.
    • Check grease filters for build-up.
    • Check gas hoses for leaks – soapy water works best; where there are bubbles, there are issues.
    • Change glue boards in pest control traps.
    • Re-stock your First Aid kits.

    QUARTERLY

    • Tighten all hardware on dining room furniture.
    • Tighten all stall hardware in restrooms.
    • Inspect ventilation and exhaust hoods for loose belts.

    SEMI-ANNUALLY

    • Change water filters on beverage and ice machines, combi ovens, coffee brewers…etc.
    • Have AC and heating unit checked by a professional.
    • Calibrate thermostats in appliances, i.e. oven, fryer, refrigerator.
    • Clean and inspect ventilation system hood, duct and exhaust fan.

    ANNUALLY

    • Replace your ventilation system exhaust fan belt and makeup air belt.
    • Make it part of the culture of your kitchen to educate your employees! An educated staff can spot the signs and address any issues before they turn into bigger, more costly problems.

    Make an appointment today with Fugh Refrigeration!  We can help you replace parts & regular cleaning/ maintenance!

     

     

    Check out more info on restaurant facts here.

  • 5 Tips for Starting a Successful Restaurant

    5 Tips for Starting a Successful Restaurant

    Restaurants have become a huge part of life in 2018.  Whether you are an everyday taste-tester of the local restaurants, or only go out to the best places once in a while, restaurants are something everyone can understand and love.  With the increasing use of restaurants, there is an increase in people following their dreams to start their OWN restaurants.

    To help everyone out, here are a few tips to keep your restaurant afloat and shining above the rest:

    1. Good intentions behind your start-up

    If you want to make it as a restaurant owner, you have to love what you do.  When you love what you do, you are willing to make those important sacrifices like time and sleep to make your dream a reality.  You also want to make sure you have a vision of what you want your restaurant to look like/ perceived as

    2. Have a solid plan

    A business plan is not something you can write over night!  You want to be able to have a solid plan that charts out everything you want to accomplish and how.  This document is something you can go back to over and over again to remind you how you want things to be run.

    In this plan you also want to have solid ideas on how you want to market your restaurant.  Never be afraid to look at your competitors and seek information from your target audience.  If you can get into the community and make connections, that is a great way to spread your message.  Try participating in community events, offer discounts to locals, join any business associations, and capitalize on social media.

    3. Test your Menu

    In order to have a good restaurant, you need to make sure you have food that people want to eat. Consider having a party and inviting friends and family over to taste-test your food.  Afterwards sit everyone down and ask them about what they liked and didn’t like, and if they have any suggestions for the future. When you ask for feedback, consider using a method that allows anonymous comments so that you get people’s honest reactions. Do your market research. Visit other restaurants to get a sense of appropriate pricing.

     

    4. Keep marketing

    You can’t depend on repeat customers, so you’ll need to keep your marketing efforts up to make sure your revenue stream doesn’t thin out. Establish a strong social media presence, try an ad in your local paper, participate in the local fair, or host a small non-profit get together at your restaurant to keep marketing your business.

     

    5. Hire the Right Help!

    Its important to make sure you hire good staff for your restaurant like waiters, dishwashers, cooks and servers, but think about all the other people you would need to call when in an emergency like technicians for your equipment.

    At Fugh Refrigeration, we can not only help you find the right equipment for your business, but we can also help repair and maintain your equipment to help your restaurant become the best in your class!  We have great technicians that will help you with any refrigerator or freezer troubles, and also help you make sure you are maintaining your equipment so it lasts as long as possible!

     

    Choose Fugh!

    If you want the best HVAC and commercial refrigeration service in the area, make sure that Fugh is your go-to company when you are in an emergency!

  • The 90% Restaurant Failure Myth

    The 90% Restaurant Failure Myth

  • How to Find the Perfect Prep Table

    How to Find the Perfect Prep Table

    Purchasing a new prep table can seem overwhelming because there are so many makes, models, and sizes available.  Knowing and asking these questions can make a world of difference when choosing the right prep table for your business.

    Here are 4 tips to make shopping for your prep table easier:

    1. What types of food will you be preparing? 

    Does your business primarily make pizzas or sandwiches? Does your head chef need a space of his own to prep high end dishes for the dinner crowd? The type of food you serve makes a big difference on what type of prep table you require.  Considering your inventory will help you decide which table is best.

    2. What type of preparations happen in your kitchen?

    There are different storage configurations in different types of prep tables. Does your menu require you to store many types of raw meat or do you just need space for a few different garnishes? The size of the cutting board varies depending on the type of prep tables and the location of pans changes as well.

    3. How much food passes through your kitchen every day?

    How many customers does your business serve each day? Are you open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner or do you only offer certain meals? Does your staff need to prep food for the dinner rush during lunch? It is important to consider how many ingredients need to be easily accessible and stored in your refrigerated prep table at any given time. You also need to think about how many employees may need to use the prep table at once. Longer prep tables are a better choice for kitchens that require multiple employees to prep  food.

    4. What special features does your staff need?

    Most prep tables feature removable cutting boards. There are also different types of storage options such as pull out drawers, insulated cabinets, and additional wire shelves. These are things that can be added on as additional features when you are purchasing your prep table.

    At Fugh Refrigeration we offer many different types of pizza prep tables, sandwich and salad prep tables. Our prep tables come in a variety of sizes and most are easy to move to different areas of the kitchen so space doesn’t have to be an issue.  Check out our variety of new and used prep tables today!