Reheating Gratins/Lasagna/Pies

[ernestweber]

Hi there, it's my first post, I run a small cafe/bistro kitchen with max 30 covers with service between 12pm-5pm, and would really appreciate some advice on reheating baked dishes within 10mins without using a microwave.
When I've put baked dishes on the menu, I make them in the morning in a large hotel pan with foil covering and hot hold them between 12pm-4pm in our only convection oven between 80-100 degrees C and use for staff meals at end of service. It works pretty well but as service progresses I start worrying about the quality (especially lasagna).
We have limited equipment (2 Countertop Fryers, 1 Convection Oven, 2 Induction Hobs, 1 Electric Salamander)
I was thinking of getting individual enamel trays, baking in the morning, leaving at ambient temp, and whacking through a hot oven for service. I'm a bit worried that any unsold would have to be chucked (4 hours at ambient temp) and that if I refrigerate them, they won't come up to temp quick enough when I whack them through the oven(10 mins)...
Any suggestions greatly appreciated

 

[kwillia]

I use my air-fryer for most all reheating and no mater what the food, it comes out tasting like fresh cooked and not reheated in 5 minutes or less.Your induction should be similar.

 

[Sneakers]

My suggestion, if you had a microwave, would be a hybrid heating. Keep the food cold until it's needed, then use the microwave to take the chill out of it, up to or just over room temps, then finish in the induction or convection oven.

Re-heating food from cold to serving temp in a microwave ruins the food, but just taking the chill out is fine.

 

[Monello]

Are you able to electronically track which menu items you sell on a daily basis? Do you have a lot of leftovers at the end of the shift? How many portions per pan do you get? How many employees are you feeding? Do you have any half pans available?

I could easily solve your problem if you had a 2nd oven or had an alto sham. I do appreciate you are concerned about the quality of the food you are serving.

 

[Monello]

Keep the food cold until it's needed, then use the microwave to take the chill out of it, up to or just over room temps, then finish in the induction or convection oven.

The only available oven is being used as a warmer during business hours. That's the rub here. Either you have a 120 degree oven or you have a 350 degree oven. You can't have both. With the oven on high, then you are going to have to heat items coming out of the refrigerator. That will take a lot more time to get it up to serving temperature. Plus people want their lunch items quickly. Few people will wait 12 - 15 minutes for their lunch entrée to be heated when dining in.

 

[Sneakers]

Yeah, I was only looking at it from a rapid reheating point of view, not much else. Lots to take into account.

 

[RoseRed]

Hi there, it's my first post, I run a small cafe/bistro kitchen with max 30 covers with service between 12pm-5pm, and would really appreciate some advice on reheating baked dishes within 10mins without using a microwave.
When I've put baked dishes on the menu, I make them in the morning in a large hotel pan with foil covering and hot hold them between 12pm-4pm in our only convection oven between 80-100 degrees C and use for staff meals at end of service. It works pretty well but as service progresses I start worrying about the quality (especially lasagna).
We have limited equipment (2 Countertop Fryers, 1 Convection Oven, 2 Induction Hobs, 1 Electric Salamander)
I was thinking of getting individual enamel trays, baking in the morning, leaving at ambient temp, and whacking through a hot oven for service. I'm a bit worried that any unsold would have to be chucked (4 hours at ambient temp) and that if I refrigerate them, they won't come up to temp quick enough when I whack them through the oven(10 mins)...
Any suggestions greatly appreciated

Where is your business?

 

[Monello]

Where is your business?

Could be anywhere in the country. I bet it's not in SOMD. But that doesn't change the challenge they face.

 

[RoseRed]

Could be anywhere in the country. I bet it's not in SOMD. But that doesn't change the challenge they face.

Suddenly, I need lasagna in my life.

 

[kwillia]

Suddenly, I need lasagna in my life.

 

[RoseRed]

thank goodness for stouffers!