The question between quality and quantity has been long debated. Would you rather have a high-quality product or an assortment of cheaper equipment and supplies? If you are running a top-tier restaurant you’re going to want quality equipment and catering supplies that will cope under the demands of a busy customer base. Whether it’s simply cutlery, or as important as an oven the customer will ultimately be judging the restaurant based upon this.
You’re at your favourite restaurant and out comes your dessert. Unfortunately, your spoon breaks halfway through your dessert. Would this deter you from coming here again? For some it might, so why take the risk if you’re running a restaurant?
That’s not to say taking the cheaper option isn’t beneficial. Some smaller businesses such as your local kebab or fish and chip shop might opt for plastic spoons and forks, its merely based upon the situation. For example, a Jamie Oliver restaurant is going to have high quality products to best suit the business, and they can easily cover the expense with their profits. The meals are expensive, you might be looking at $100 a head. Whereas a kebab shop you might be paying $15 max for a kebab and drink. So, it makes sense if you want to run a top tier restaurant you’re going to invest in the appropriate equipment and catering supplies appropriate to your business. This is a very simple example but you get the idea.
Pan Comparison
When talking pans there are many variations such as the level of heat conductivity, and this is dependent on the material of the pan. Pans range from Stainless steel which have the option of an aluminum or copper core, Copper, aluminum, iron, enameled cast iron, or cast steel. These all vary in price, with the copper pans topping the list. Your average copper pan will set you back $250, whereas the cheap options are Iron or Carbon Steel and will set you back roughly $50-60. Once again, these pans all do the same job but the quality will vary, and as they say, ‘You get what you pay for’. These cheaper options have their pros and cons. On the one hand, they’re affordable and have great heat retention but they are susceptible to rust and corrosion, and they may react with acidic and alkaline foods. The more expensive option such as Copper pans, are great at conducting and maintaining heat and do not react with acidic or alkaline foods, but they are expensive.
If you’re looking for a great mid-range pan and don’t want to sacrifice on quality but want to save money a Enameled Cast Iron pan may be the right option for you. They sell for roughly $145 but they are well worth the money. They don’t react to acidic or alkaline foods, they conduct and maintain heat very well, excellent at high heat cooking and are extremely durable. They do have their cons though, quite heavy in weight, can be slow to heat, don’t have a non-stick layer and they’re more expensive than your regular cast iron pans.
Whether you’re a top-tier restaurant looking to purchase a high-quality product or a local fish and chip shop you will constantly be looking to save money where you can and that’s understandable, but this article will hopefully give you some insight into what you’re after and what product is right for you.