Induction Cooking with Vollrath

Vollrath takes pride in offering innovative and energy efficient cooking solutions for restaurants worldwide.  Today, we’ll learn about the benefits of using a Vollrath induction range.

In the kitchen, energy efficiency can be defined as the ratio between the energy that shows up on your gas or power bill and the energy being applied to the food you’re cooking. When using a gas stove, you’re using thermal conduction to heat the area around your cooking pot or pan and eventually heat that cooking vessel to the desired temperature. This can all become very inefficient when you consider the amount of heat that is wasted by just floating into the air and turning your kitchen into a sauna.

By comparison, induction cooking is arguably more efficient than cooking with gas—most say by about 50%. However, the Vollrath Mirage Cadet Induction Range boasts 70% energy efficiency and the Vollrath Mirage Pro Induction Range reaches 90% energy efficiency. To understand how this is possible, let’s start by learning how induction works, and then I’ll outline the key benefits of using the Vollrath Mirage Pro Induction Range and meet those sustainability goals.

How Induction Works

Induction cooking is really quite simple. An electric current in the induction range creates alternating magnetic fields which “excite” molecules in the actual cookware you placed on top of the unit, creating a vibration that then generates heat.  The only catch is that the pot or pan you are using needs to be induction ready.  All this means is that the pot is magnetic;  it needs to be made of or contain iron or stainless steel. If you use a pot that is not induction ready (glass, aluminum, or copper), it won’t damage the pot, but that pot will never get hot.

And this is the whole idea of induction: the pan heats itself, not from contacting a heat source below.

The fact that heat is generated by the pan introduces the key benefits of an induction range: efficiency, accuracy, and safety.

Efficiency

Induction ranges are energy efficient for a few reasons. First, the fact that the heat is generated by the pan means a direct relationship of energy to food, versus the indirect relationship that occurs with thermal heating.  This speeds up cooking time and could even boil water in half as much time as a gas or electric stove top.

Furthermore, with the heat going through the pot instead of all around it, you aren’t emitting as much heat into your kitchen.  This means your kitchen might need less temperature control and, depending on your local standards, might not even need a hood if you’re only using an induction range.

Accuracy

Not all induction ranges are designed for accuracy, but the Vollrath Mirage Pro has 100 power levels ranging from 80° – 450°F, which allows for a level of precision not offered by other brands. The ability to control the induction range from low to high means you can use the Mirage Pro for low heat applications – like tempering chocolate – or high heat applications, like quickly searing meat or boiling water.

Magnetic induction heating also means that the entire pot is heated evenly.  A pot being heated thermally will never have as uniform of a heat transfer as one whose own molecules are doing the heating.

Safety

One thing I haven’t mentioned yet is that since an induction range causes the cooking pot to heat itself, the actual surface of the range does not get very hot at all. This significantly reduces the risk of burns and fires in the kitchen. The surface not getting hot also means it’s easier to clean (bonus!).

So, now that you know why to use induction, it’s time to try it out yourself!  Induction ranges are small and easy to transport, making them great for Front-of-House cooking, tradeshows, outdoor catered events, or cooking demos.  They’re also just a great solution to meeting sustainability goals in your establishment.  Especially if you only need one burner in your kitchen, you should seriously consider getting rid of that gas range, adding more counter space, and using a Vollrath Induction Range!

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