Investing in high quality catering equipment is always a good idea. Not only will premium appliances save your staff a tonne of time and labour, in the long run the efficiency of quality machines will protect both your bank balance and the environment, too.
But there’s no point investing in an appliance which can do everything if all its jazzy settings are quickly forgotten by your staff, and it is left, neglected, in the corner.
Training staff not only allows them to get the most out of the catering equipment and achieve exceptional results by taking advantage of all of its features but also educates them how to take care of the machine and extend the potential lifespan. What’s more, if your staff are confident with the labour-saving appliances at their disposal, their high morale will feed into the atmosphere of your restaurant, making everyone’s experience more enjoyable.
Training Can Come in Many Forms…
For many appliances in your kitchen, you might only need to know the basics: no one needs a two-week training course to learn to use a toaster, for example. For these appliances, a quick check on the manufacturer’s website (or YouTube channel) for answers to some FAQs might be enough.
When it comes to the more complicated appliances, however, some more hands-on training can be very beneficial. Luckily, a number of manufacturers offer just this.
In the Kitchen
The market-leading cooking equipment brand Rational – makers of the SelfCooking Centre, Combi Master and VarioCooking Centre – is one example. Rational run regular CookLive demo kitchens across the country at which they demonstrate their products for prospective buyers – meaning that you can find out what a Rational appliance can do and whether they are for you, before you pay up.
Once you have made your purchase, and while your new investment is being installed, Rational’s engineers will then show you and your staff how best to take care of your appliance. In the aftermath, the company offers a dedicated support line and run a handy app to help users if any issues crop up.
Keeping it Clean
A range of ware-washing brands, such as Meiko, DC, Classeq and Hobart, offer similar services. When one of their appliances is installed by one of their own engineers, they will show you and your staff how to operate, clean and maintain it, while throwing in some expert advice. Want to know which water softener you should use to ensure that your glasses come out looking polished and components remain free of limescale? They will tell you.
On top of this, the market leading Meiko team and Hobart will send out their engineers whenever necessary, to keep your kitchen running smoothly – which means that, if you take on new staff, they won’t have to rely on second-hand information from other staff members: they can be trained by the professionals.
To help you make the right decision when buying your warewashing equipment take a look at our handy buying guide, detailing areas you should consider and littered with little nuggets of information and advice.
Looking at these examples, it’s clear that the best type of training carries on after the initial installation, ensuring that your staff never forget what they learnt the first time around. And…
No One Does This Quite Like Winterhalter
Winterhalter is a top-of-the-range ware-washer manufacturer. As with the brands mentioned above, when your Winterhalter appliance is being installed, Winterhalter's own engineer will show you and your staff what it can do and how to take care of it. Like other brands, the company also answers FAQs on their website, tutor you on the workings of their appliances on their YouTube channel and run a service hotline in case anything goes wrong.
However, Winterhalter appliances go one step further to keep the lessons you and your staff learn at installation fresh in your minds. Their appliances guide you towards the best possible maintenance practices, telling you, for instance, when they need to be serviced or when their water softener needs to be re-filled with granular salt in order to avoid the build-up of limescale.
With a similar aim in mind, Winterhalter are also leading the way in introducing smart technology into their product line. Their Connected Wash features allow you to monitor your dish or glasswasher remotely – through a portal dashboard or an app on your phone. Making it easier for you to keep an eye on whether your machine is working safely and efficiently, and on whether your staff remember their training, makes it easier for you to spot problems and so avoid any breakdowns before they actually happen.
Persuaded? Winterhalter’s Pay Per Wash payment model also makes it much easier for businesses to invest in one of their appliances: you don’t have to pay anything upfront, just a little each time you need your cutlery, plates and glasses sparkling clean.
All brands mentioned are available via the FFD Catering Equipment website.
The FFD team receive full product training and are always on hand to answer queries or offer helpful advice.