Nothing helps one get into the holiday spirit like biting into a sweet, decadent pastry. Baked goods are a staple of the holiday season, and many restaurants and foodservice establishments go all-out at this time of year. Beyond being delicious, the great thing about pastries is that they're versatile and can represent different holidays and cultures.
Because demand is so high during this period, holiday production of these treats has to be as smooth and streamlined as possible. And by using equipment from TurboChef and Doyon, staff can create more orders in less time.
Getting Ready for the Holiday Rush
While a commercial kitchen is designed to handle a large volume of orders, most foodservice businesses see an increase in customers during the holiday season. So, preparing in advance for this will help businesses succeed, while others who aren't prepared may struggle to keep up with demand.
One way to help prepare is to hire temporary or seasonal workers to fulfill larger orders or catering requests. Similarly, preparing meals or ingredients in advance can help get orders out the door during busy times.
Operators can also take advantage of the larger crowds to maximize sales. One of the best options is creating pairing suggestions for pastries with cocktails or specialty coffees. Building these recommendations around a holiday theme makes guests more likely to try something new and exciting they might not have purchased otherwise.
One example of this pairing could be a peppermint bark-inspired chocolate pastry and a peppermint cocktail. Or a decadent hot chocolate paired with some sweet bread to help compliment the richness of the beverage.
Having the Right Tools to Bake Seasonal Treats
The holiday season is the best time to lean into traditions. While chefs should experiment and try new menu options, they must still offer standby favorites that customers know and love.
Gingerbread cookies, bundt cakes, challah bread, peppermint treats, fudge, and sugar cookies are all expected at this time of year. Plus, with the proliferation of pumpkin spice, many customers expect foodservice businesses to offer at least one or two treats with this flavor. Operators should plan on having treats that can celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year's. Each holiday can inspire unique offerings that will get customers' attention.
One challenge of this season is learning to incorporate so many dessert options on top of the regular menu. Since it's not feasible to order more equipment, operators must leverage their existing machinery. Thankfully, high-tech devices are much faster and more versatile than older devices, allowing kitchen staff to create more dishes within their current setup.
Let TurboChef and Dayon Help!
The best time to upgrade kitchen equipment is before the holiday rush. However, no matter the time of year, TurboChef and Dayon offer incredible advantages for businesses of all sizes.
When mixing ingredients, a Doyon SM Series mixer allows workers to create huge batches of dough for cookies, pastries, and more. The speed and efficiency work well for pre-preparation strategies, although the mixer can also work to fulfill orders on the fly. Once the dough is ready, workers can feed it into the LSA Series sheeter to press and stretch it so all treats are the same size and bake evenly.
When it's time to bake, the TurboChef Double Batch oven has two separate cavities that, with circulated impinged air, reduce cooking time. Touch controls allow the storing of up to 800 recipes, so staff don't have to guess or remember how long to cook menu items. And since it's ventless, it's easy to cook anywhere a commercial kitchen has space.
The right equipment allows operators to streamline their operations and alleviate bottlenecks and delays. TurboChef and Doyon offer options to help foodservice businesses during the holiday season and beyond.
Want to get hands-on experience with the equipment that will help your restaurant, bakery, or hotel get holiday goodies served quickly? Schedule time in our test kitchen today:
