MICROWAVES & OVENS FEATURE
TUCO AUGUST 2018
Please attribute any comments to Kris Brearley, Sales Director, R H Hall
What are the latest technologies in microwaves and ovens?
Manufacturers are always looking for new and innovative ways that microwave technology can be used. The Combination Microwave and High-Speed Oven market is continuing to grow – with these clever machines offering the speed of microwave cooking, combined with the versatility of more conventional methods. Many also include pre-programmable menu facilities, such as the Maestrowave Combi Chef 7 which includes Menu Creator 2.0™, allowing users to set up to 99 different menu settings and deploy these to as many machines as required via SD card – ensuring total consistency. We are currently seeing rapid progress with Combination Microwave technology and expect to see imminent changes in this area – we are currently working with some major manufacturers in developing the next generation! The use of barcodes with microwave cooking also continues to be exclusively marketed and developed by iWave. The company are currently
planning an addition to the range that will be designed to appeal to the wider catering market. Keep an eye on www.maestrowave.com for the latest news.
What are your top tips on cooking well with a microwave or oven and getting the best out of an appliance?
Understanding is still the key to success with microwave cooking and if caterers do not fully understand what their equipment is capable of, they are unlikely to be using it to its full potential. By fully understanding their microwave and getting the right techniques for each type of food, caterers can achieve succulent meat, poultry and fish together with perfectly cooked vegetables that retain taste, texture and nutritive value. Many of the techniques used in microwave cooking are the same as used in conventional cooking, but with a few minor adjustments. Historically there has been a lot of negativity towards cooking with microwaves, but there shouldn’t be, microwaves can cook great food in a fraction of the time it would take with other methods. Not only do they save time, but money and nutrients too. Overcooking is one of the common problems experienced when new to microwave cooking or introducing new dishes. It is better to undercook first until you are familiar with a recipe, test it and then increase the cooking time. You should also factor in standing time and test a dish after this – a bit of trial and error will help establish a perfect result. If unsure, always start with a recipe you are familiar with – if you have cooked it before you will know exactly what the finished dish should look and taste like, so you can then compare and tweak the cooking procedure to get the same result.
Is it worth having different types of microwave and ovens for different functions or are multifunctional appliances the way forward?
Meat and pastry products are often better cooked conventionally then reheated in a microwave oven, but with the versatile combination microwave ovens available, these types of foods can be cooked with microwave technology with excellent results. It is likely that most caterers have a need for reheat, defrost and cooking tasks and in this case, it is recommended that both a combination microwave oven and a microwave oven be both purchased. A combination microwave oven will not replace the need for microwave oven and vice versa. These two types of oven work extremely well in tandem together. For example, whilst reheating /cooking pastry products using the combination model the ordinary microwave is available for all your straightforward reheat/defrost requirements. The features available today allow a choice of manual and programmable models and some even allow the chef to enter the detailed names of individual dishes and daily/weekly specials (as with the Maestrowave Combi Chef 7). As the name suggests, the Combi Chef 7 is able to operate in a variety and combination of modes making it the most flexible, efficient and easy to use oven yet! If the chef wants to bake, roast, grill, steam, defrost, regenerate, microwave, boil or simply keep food warm this is the oven that can do it all.
For more information, please visit:
R H Hall are the Sole UK & Eire Distributor for the Sharp range of Professional Microwave
Ovens, Maestrowave Catering Equipment and the iWave® Automated Foodservice
Solution
FOR FURTHER PRESS INFORMATION CONTACT:
Emma Smith - 01296 663400 - emma.smith@rhhall.com
RHHall, Hallco House, Beacon Court, Pitstone Green Business Park, Pitstone LU7 9FE
