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Care home catering equipment: 5 money-saving tips

Chef cooking in a commercial care home kitchen

Key Takeaways

Poorly maintained ventilation systems can increase energy costs and harm air quality, so regular maintenance is essential for both safety and running costs.
Electric induction cooking is more energy-efficient than gas, heats cookware directly rather than the surrounding air, and only draws power while a pan is on the hob, reducing energy costs.
Care home kitchens must comply with The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, including regular inspections and using Gas Safe registered engineers for gas appliances.
Planned preventative maintenance contracts and simple habits (using lids on pans, batch cooking, not leaving burners on unnecessarily) help extend equipment life and reduce energy costs.

Meet the expert: James Henson on commercial catering equipment

James Henson, our Commercial Equipment specialist, shares best practice tips backed by 20+ years of sector experience.

In this article, he gives five top tips that consider how catering managers can save money and create efficiencies with their commercial kitchen equipment while remaining compliant with workplace health and safety regulations:

1. Maintain your ventilation system

Ventilation systems ensure that the air quality in your commercial kitchen is safe. Ensuring that your system is regularly maintained and working efficiently is key. An inadequately functioning system can not only lead to poor indoor air quality but result in increased energy costs if the system has to work harder or for longer to remove airborne contaminants, greases or odours.

2. Switch to electric induction cooking

Induction cooking is considered to be more energy-efficient and safer than gas cooking. Induction appliances use electromagnetic technology to heat the cookware directly rather than heating the air around it. This results in less energy waste and faster cooking times. As you only pay for the electricity when the pan is on the hob, this reduces your cost massively!

They are also incredibly easy to use; unlike gas ovens requiring manual ignition, induction ovens turn on and off instantly while offering precise temperature control.

Chef frying eggs on an induction hob

3. Stay compliant with health and safety regulations

Make sure that your commercial kitchen environment complies with The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. For example, this includes regular inspections and maintenance on ventilation or cooking systems and ensuring that all equipment is correctly installed and functioning as intended. Gas Safe trained and registered engineers must be used on gas appliances.

As we all know, failure to comply with regulations has the potential to not only lead to fines and other penalties but could impact your care home’s reputation.

4. Plan preventative maintenance

As part of your strategic planning, implement an audit system to keep track of your equipment’s maintenance and anticipated lifecycle. Having a Planned Preventative Maintenance contract with suppliers is one way of doing this. Grading equipment in-house and keeping a maintenance schedule will allow you to plan better and budget for your ongoing equipment needs.

5. Adopt energy-efficient cooking practices

Encourage chefs not to keep burners on from the start of the working day until the end to help reduce energy costs. Also, consider small ideas, such as using lids on pots and pans to help retain heat and reduce cooking times. Even batch cooking can help minimise the energy needed to cook multiple items.

Talk to Avendra International about your commercial catering equipment

If you need any impartial commercial equipment advice, call us for a chat at 07717 572 865 or email us at hello_UK@avendra.com.

About James Henson

James has over 20 years of experience in commercial catering equipment, working with clients across various industry sectors. He stays updated on current solutions, trends, and legislation. He is excited to share the best professional and independent advice to help catering teams achieve the best results. James works as New Business Manager for Commercial Catering Equipment at Pelican Procurement Services (now known as Avendra International), which is not associated with any manufacturer. This means you receive impartial advice based on your specific requirements and budget.

FAQs

Is electric induction cooking cheaper to run than gas in commercial kitchens?

Yes. Electric induction cooking is generally more energy-efficient than gas, since it heats cookware directly using electromagnetic technology rather than heating the surrounding air, and only draws power while a pan is actively on the hob, which can significantly reduce running costs.

What health and safety regulations apply to care home kitchens?

Care home kitchens must comply with The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, which includes regular inspection and maintenance of ventilation and cooking systems, and using Gas Safe registered engineers for any work on gas appliances.

What is planned preventative maintenance and why does it matter for kitchen equipment?

Planned preventative maintenance involves setting up an audit system and maintenance schedule, often through a contract with suppliers, to track equipment condition and anticipated lifecycle, helping catering teams plan and budget for replacements before equipment fails unexpectedly.

What simple habits can reduce energy costs in a commercial kitchen?

Simple habits such as not leaving burners on unnecessarily throughout the day, using lids on pots and pans to retain heat, and batch cooking multiple items together can all help reduce energy costs in a commercial kitchen.